PASTEXPERIENCE HISTORY

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690–705

Wu Zetian and Buddhist art at Luoyang

An emperor in her own right and Buddhist imagery in political life.

Luoyang

From court position to emperor

Influence as empress differed from ruling as emperor. Wu founded Zhou in 690, a regime distinct from ancient Zhou; Tang was restored in 705. Beneath dynastic names, official recruitment and regional administration sustained government.

[1] Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art

Officials and Buddhist patronage

At Longmen’s Fengxiansi, disciples, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings and guardians surround the central Buddha. Court support under Gaozong and Wu enabled the carving. Funding, skilled stonework and the arrangement of religious figures combined to create the sacred space.

[2] UNESCO / ICOMOS[3] UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Tang, Zhou and surviving monuments

Tang was restored in 705, while the carvings endured. Associations between the Buddha’s face and Wu are not conclusive portrait evidence. Patronage and the religious identity represented are distinct questions.

[1] Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art[2] UNESCO / ICOMOS[3] UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Before and after

  1. 624

    Wu Zetian’s birth year.

  2. 690

    She founded Zhou and became emperor.

  3. 705

    Her rule ended and she died.

Key terms

Empress consort
The position of an emperor’s consort.
Emperor
The sovereign position governing a dynasty.
Grotto
A rock-cut space for images and devotion.

What supports the account?

Power as empress differs from claiming the imperial title. The dynastic change of 690 marks that distinction.

Wu’s life, the Tang court, Zhou dynasty and examination context. Construction under Gaozong and Wu and Fengxiansi images.

Limits of the evidence

A timeline does not convey every court participant’s experience.

[1] Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art[2] UNESCO / ICOMOS

Monumental stone images required commissions, materials and labor. Patronage does not make the ruler their sole maker.

Wu’s life, the Tang court, Zhou dynasty and examination context. Construction under Gaozong and Wu and Fengxiansi images.

Limits of the evidence

Sculpture is not a direct facial record of the patron.

[1] Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art[2] UNESCO / ICOMOS

Check your understanding

Choose an answer to reveal the explanation. Return to the article and sources when you are unsure.

1. Can an imperially supported Buddha be identified conclusively as the patron’s portrait?

Sources

  1. Timeline of Chinese History, Art, and CultureSmithsonian National Museum of Asian Art

    Wu’s life, the Tang court, Zhou dynasty and examination context.

  2. Longmen Grottoes evaluationUNESCO / ICOMOS

    Construction under Gaozong and Wu and Fengxiansi images.

  3. Longmen’s long building historyUNESCO World Heritage Centre

    Buddhist grottoes and stone carving across Northern Wei and Tang.

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