Empress Wu the Great - Woo, X. L. (Algora Pub., 2008)
Origins of a future sovereign -- The Wu family -- Wu's father rises from a merchant to a nobleman -- Mr. Wu marries up -- Mr. Wu becomes a governor -- Mr. Wu departs this realm -- The establishment of the tang dynasty -- Mr. Wu's sponsor becomes the second emperor of the tang dynasty -- Empress Changsun and a few of the courtiers -- Miss Wu becomes an imperial concubine -- The sons vie for the succession -- Selecting the crown prince -- Introduction to the crown prince -- Sent to a nunnery -- The new emperor reigns -- Empress Wang gets Wu back to the palace -- Empress Wang and concubine Xiao unite against concubine Wu -- Concubine Wu fights back -- The courtiers take sides -- Empress Wang and her supporters take a mis-step -- Empress Wang and the crown prince are removed -- Wu becomes empress -- From empress to empress dowager -- Advancing supporters and annihilating opponents -- Taking part in politics -- The pleasures of traveling -- Relationship with her children -- The empress dowager consolidates her power -- Standing at the top -- View from the summit -- Rebellions -- The largest rebellion -- The rebellions of the Princes Li -- Other rebellions -- Abuse of power at every level -- Picking favorites -- Naming a successor -- Empress Wu's favorites -- Relations with other nations -- Tibet -- Korea -- The Tujue clan -- Japan and Arabia -- Famous legends about Empress Wu -- Face reading -- Flowers blooming in winter -- Other legends