Two Asian Empresses and Their Influence on the History and Religion in Tang China and Nara Japan (VII-VIII cc.)

Abstract

The main issue of this paper is the role of two empresses: Chinese Wu Zhao (624-705) and Japanese Koken (Shotoku,
718-770) in the history and religion in China and Japan. Both female rulers took Buddhist percepts and patronized the
Buddhist Sangha in order to legitimate their power. As the female rulers in the mostly patriarchal society, both Wu
Zhao and Koken had numerous enemies among the formidable court officials and influential families who opposed
their rule. Therefore, they both used various auspicious signs and omens as the calculated political tools to secure their
position. In various documents (edicts, manuals etc.) both Wu Zhao and Koken used the examples, mostly from
Buddhism, to show their legitimate status. However, despite of their contribution in the state government and religious
system, both empresses Wu Zhao and Koken were reviled as bad rulers by the later Confucian historians who resented
their patronage of Buddhism and the fact that they were female rulers.