manu/mldr-zoomed-100char-total-queries-documents

chunk_id stringlengths 3 9	chunk stringlengths 1 100
76_6	authority and enjoyed the trust of Emperor Zhongzong, he was killed during an unsuccessful
76_7	rebellion by the crown prince Li Chongjun in 707.
76_8	Background
76_9	It is not known when Wu Sansi was born. His father Wu Yuanqing (武元慶) was a half-brother of Wu
76_10	Zetian—both had, as father, the early Tang Dynasty general Wu Shihuo (武士彠), but Wu Yuanqing and his
76_11	brother Wu Yuanshuang (武元爽) were born of Wu Shihuo's first wife Lady Xiangli, while Wu Zetian and
76_12	her two sisters were born of Wu Shihuo's second wife Lady Yang. After Wu Zetian became empress to
76_13	Emperor Gaozong in 655, despite previous intrafamily unpleasantries—Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang,
76_14	as well as Wu Shihuo's nephews Wu Weiliang (武惟良) and Wu Huaiyun (武懷運) were often disrespectful of
76_15	Lady Yang previously—Empress Wu's brothers and cousins were often promoted by Emperor Gaozong, with
76_16	Wu Yuanqing promoted to Zongzheng Shaoqing (宗正少卿), the deputy minister of imperial clan affairs.
76_17	However, sometime before 666, Empress Wu, angry that her brothers and cousins did not appreciate
76_18	the promotions, had them all demoted, with Wu Yuanqing demoted to be the prefect of Long Prefecture
76_19	(龍州, roughly modern Mianyang, Sichuan). After he arrived at Long Prefecture, he, in fear that
76_20	Empress Wu had further retaliation in the works, died. It is not completely clear, but it was
76_21	likely that Wu Sansi went to Long Prefecture with his father Wu Yuanqing. He was later made a
76_22	commanding general of the imperial guards.
76_23	During Empress dowager Wu's regency
76_24	Emperor Gaozong died in 683, and was initially succeeded by his and Empress Wu's son Li Zhe the
76_25	Crown Prince (as Emperor Zhongzong), but Empress Wu retained power as empress dowager and regent.
76_26	In spring 684, after Emperor Zhongzong showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced
76_27	him with another son, Li Dan the Prince of Yu, but wielded power even more tightly thereafter.
76_28	Sometime during her regency, Wu Sansi became minister of defense (夏官尚書, Xiaguan Shangshu). Both he
76_29	and his cousin Wu Chengsi (Wu Yuanshuang's son) advised Empress Dowager Wu to find excuses to kill
76_30	two senior members of the imperial Li clan—Emperor Gaozong's uncles Li Yuanjia (李元嘉) the Prince of
76_31	Han and Li Lingkui (李靈夔) the Prince of Lu due to their senior status. (Eventually, after two other
76_32	princes—Emperor Gaozong's brother Li Zhen the Prince of Yue and Li Zhen's son Li Chong the Prince
76_33	of Langye unsuccessfully rose against Empress Dowager Wu in 688, Empress Dowager Wu took the
76_34	opportunity to also force Li Yuanjia and Li Lingkui, as well as many other members of the Li clan,
76_35	to commit suicide or to execute them.) Wu Sansi and Wu Chengsi were also said to be often
76_36	advocating that Empress Dowager Wu take over the throne herself as "emperor."
76_37	During Wu Zetian's reign
76_38	In 690, Empress Dowager Wu had Emperor Ruizong yield the throne to her, and she took the throne as
76_39	"emperor," establishing a new Zhou Dynasty and interrupting Tang. She created a number of her Wu
76_40	clan relatives imperial princes, and Wu Sansi was created the Prince of Liang and made the minister
76_41	of civil service affairs (, Tianguan Shangshu). He did not appear to have as much power as Wu
76_42	Chengsi (who became chancellor), but was nevertheless honored. For example, in 693, when Wu Zetian
76_43	made sacrifices to heaven and earth, she offered the sacrifices herself first, followed by Wu
76_44	Chengsi, and then Wu Sansi. It was said that he had done some studies in literature and history
76_45	and was good at flattery. As the years went by, he often flattered Wu Zetian's successive lovers
76_46	Huaiyi, Zhang Yizhi, and Zhang Changzong.
76_47	In 694, Wu Sansi led a group of non-Han chieftains in requesting that a massive iron pillar be
76_48	erected to commemorate Wu Zetian's reign with text on it to deprecate Tang and to praise Zhou, and
76_49	Wu Zetian agreed, putting the chancellor Yao Shu in charge of the project. It was said that the
76_50	chieftains gathered up their wealth and bought iron, but the iron they bought was not enough, and
76_51	so the people's farm equipment were requisitioned and melted for the project.
76_52	In 695, Wu Sansi was made the Minister of Rites and was put in charge of editing the imperial
76_53	history.
76_54	In 696, when Khitan attacked under the leadership of Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong, Wu Sansi was put
76_55	in command of one of the major armies defending against the Khitan attack, assisted by Yao.
76_56	In 697, Wu Sansi was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (), making him a chancellor
76_57	de facto, but about a month later, he was stripped of the chancellor designation. It was said that
76_58	he and Wu Chengsi both had designs on being crown prince, and often had their associates try to
76_59	persuade Wu Zetian that in ages past, there had never been an emperor who had, as his heir, someone
76_60	with a different family name. (At that time, Wu Zetian's crown prince was her son Li Dan (the
76_61	former Emperor Ruizong).) In 698, however, at the suggestion of the chancellor Di Renjie,
76_62	concurred in by Wang Jishan and Wang Fangqing, as well as Wu Zetian's close advisor Ji Xu and her
76_63	lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, Wu Zetian recalled Li Zhe the Prince of Luling (the former
76_64	Emperor Zhongzong) from exile and soon, after Li Dan offered to yield the position of crown prince
76_65	to him, created him crown prince and changed his name to Li Xian and then to Wu Xian.
76_66	In 698, Wu Zetian made Wu Sansi acting Neishi (), the head of the legislative bureau of government
76_67	(, Fengge); the next year, he was made full Neishi. In 700, however, he was no longer chancellor
76_68	and was made an advisor to Li Xian. He received the honorific title of Tejin ().
76_69	In 702, Wu Zetian considered launching a major attack against Eastern Tujue and she initially put
76_70	Wu Sansi in command, assisted by Jing Hui. She later changed the orders to have Li Dan in command,
76_71	assisted by Wu Sansi, his cousin Wu Youning the prince of Jiancheng, and the chancellor Wei
76_72	Yuanzhong. However, the army was eventually not launched.
76_73	In 704, at Wu Sansi's suggestion, Wu Zetian constructed the vacation palace Xingtai () at Mount
76_74	Wan'an (, near the capital Luoyang), at much expense and labor.
76_75	During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign
76_76	Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup in 705 led by the officials Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei, Jing
76_77	Hui, Huan Yanfan, and Yuan Shuji. Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were killed in the coup, and
76_78	Emperor Zhongzong was restored to the throne; Wu Zetian was sent to a secondary palace under heavy
76_79	guard, and while she also retained the title of "emperor," no longer had power. By that time, Wu
76_80	Sansi had been carrying out an affair with Wu Zetian's secretary and Emperor Zhongzong's concubine
76_81	Consort Shangguan Wan'er. Through her introduction, Wu Sansi began an affair with Emperor
76_82	Zhongzong's wife Empress Wei as well and also became a trusted advisor to Emperor Zhongzong who,
76_83	while he was restored through the efforts of Zhang Jianzhi and his colleagues, feared them. In
76_84	addition, Wu Sansi's son Wu Chongxun (武崇訓) had been married to Emperor Zhongzong's and Empress
76_85	Wei's daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle, who also had much power in her father's administration
76_86	and had influence over her father and it is said that she used this power and influence in a
76_87	corrupt manner and because of this, she gained a lot of wealth and had a extravagant luxurious and
76_88	luxury life.
76_89	Meanwhile, the coup leaders initially did not regard Wu Sansi as a threat, and they brushed aside
76_90	suggestions by two lower level officials participating in the coup, Xue Jichang (薛季昶) and Liu
76_91	Youqiu. However, they soon realized that Wu Sansi's power was on the rise, and they unsuccessfully
76_92	suggested Emperor Zhongzong to kill some of the more powerful Wu clan members (which would have
76_93	included Wu Sansi) or to demote them—and indeed, he made Wu Sansi Sikong (司空, one of the Three
76_94	Excellencies) and chancellor again with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品, a
76_95	modification of the Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin designation that Wu Zetian used), although Wu Sansi
76_96	declined the titles. Meanwhile, Emperor Zhongzong designated 16 officials, including the coup
76_97	leaders but also Wu Sansi and his cousin Wu Youji (the husband of Emperor Zhongzong's sister
76_98	Princess Taiping), as contributors to his return to the throne and gave them iron certificates that
76_99	were supposed to guarantee that they would be spared of death penalties 10 times except for
76_100	treason.
76_101	Jing, fearful of Wu Sansi's power, retained the mid-level official Cui Shi to watch for Wu Sansi's
76_102	moves—but Cui Shi, realizing that Emperor Zhongzong trusted Wu Sansi and feared the coup leaders,
76_103	instead became Wu Sansi's associate, along with Zheng Yin, who suggested that Wu Sansi find some
76_104	way to remove the five coup leaders, now all chancellors, from their posts. Wu Sansi and Empress
76_105	Wei, in turn, argued to Emperor Zhongzong that the five coup leaders were overpowering in the

76_6

authority and enjoyed the trust of Emperor Zhongzong, he was killed during an unsuccessful

76_7

rebellion by the crown prince Li Chongjun in 707.

76_8

Background

76_9

It is not known when Wu Sansi was born. His father Wu Yuanqing (武元慶) was a half-brother of Wu

76_10

Zetian—both had, as father, the early Tang Dynasty general Wu Shihuo (武士彠), but Wu Yuanqing and his

76_11

brother Wu Yuanshuang (武元爽) were born of Wu Shihuo's first wife Lady Xiangli, while Wu Zetian and

76_12

her two sisters were born of Wu Shihuo's second wife Lady Yang. After Wu Zetian became empress to

76_13

Emperor Gaozong in 655, despite previous intrafamily unpleasantries—Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang,

76_14

as well as Wu Shihuo's nephews Wu Weiliang (武惟良) and Wu Huaiyun (武懷運) were often disrespectful of

76_15

Lady Yang previously—Empress Wu's brothers and cousins were often promoted by Emperor Gaozong, with

76_16

Wu Yuanqing promoted to Zongzheng Shaoqing (宗正少卿), the deputy minister of imperial clan affairs.

76_17

However, sometime before 666, Empress Wu, angry that her brothers and cousins did not appreciate

76_18

the promotions, had them all demoted, with Wu Yuanqing demoted to be the prefect of Long Prefecture

76_19

(龍州, roughly modern Mianyang, Sichuan). After he arrived at Long Prefecture, he, in fear that

76_20

Empress Wu had further retaliation in the works, died. It is not completely clear, but it was

76_21

likely that Wu Sansi went to Long Prefecture with his father Wu Yuanqing. He was later made a

76_22

commanding general of the imperial guards.

76_23

During Empress dowager Wu's regency

76_24

Emperor Gaozong died in 683, and was initially succeeded by his and Empress Wu's son Li Zhe the

76_25

Crown Prince (as Emperor Zhongzong), but Empress Wu retained power as empress dowager and regent.

76_26

In spring 684, after Emperor Zhongzong showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced

76_27

him with another son, Li Dan the Prince of Yu, but wielded power even more tightly thereafter.

76_28

Sometime during her regency, Wu Sansi became minister of defense (夏官尚書, Xiaguan Shangshu). Both he

76_29

and his cousin Wu Chengsi (Wu Yuanshuang's son) advised Empress Dowager Wu to find excuses to kill

76_30

two senior members of the imperial Li clan—Emperor Gaozong's uncles Li Yuanjia (李元嘉) the Prince of

76_31

Han and Li Lingkui (李靈夔) the Prince of Lu due to their senior status. (Eventually, after two other

76_32

princes—Emperor Gaozong's brother Li Zhen the Prince of Yue and Li Zhen's son Li Chong the Prince

76_33

of Langye unsuccessfully rose against Empress Dowager Wu in 688, Empress Dowager Wu took the

76_34

opportunity to also force Li Yuanjia and Li Lingkui, as well as many other members of the Li clan,

76_35

to commit suicide or to execute them.) Wu Sansi and Wu Chengsi were also said to be often

76_36

advocating that Empress Dowager Wu take over the throne herself as "emperor."

76_37

During Wu Zetian's reign

76_38

In 690, Empress Dowager Wu had Emperor Ruizong yield the throne to her, and she took the throne as

76_39

"emperor," establishing a new Zhou Dynasty and interrupting Tang. She created a number of her Wu

76_40

clan relatives imperial princes, and Wu Sansi was created the Prince of Liang and made the minister

76_41

of civil service affairs (, Tianguan Shangshu). He did not appear to have as much power as Wu

76_42

Chengsi (who became chancellor), but was nevertheless honored. For example, in 693, when Wu Zetian

76_43

made sacrifices to heaven and earth, she offered the sacrifices herself first, followed by Wu

76_44

Chengsi, and then Wu Sansi. It was said that he had done some studies in literature and history

76_45

and was good at flattery. As the years went by, he often flattered Wu Zetian's successive lovers

76_46

Huaiyi, Zhang Yizhi, and Zhang Changzong.

76_47

In 694, Wu Sansi led a group of non-Han chieftains in requesting that a massive iron pillar be

76_48

erected to commemorate Wu Zetian's reign with text on it to deprecate Tang and to praise Zhou, and

76_49

Wu Zetian agreed, putting the chancellor Yao Shu in charge of the project. It was said that the

76_50

chieftains gathered up their wealth and bought iron, but the iron they bought was not enough, and

76_51

so the people's farm equipment were requisitioned and melted for the project.

76_52

In 695, Wu Sansi was made the Minister of Rites and was put in charge of editing the imperial

76_53

history.

76_54

In 696, when Khitan attacked under the leadership of Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong, Wu Sansi was put

76_55

in command of one of the major armies defending against the Khitan attack, assisted by Yao.

76_56

In 697, Wu Sansi was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (), making him a chancellor

76_57

de facto, but about a month later, he was stripped of the chancellor designation. It was said that

76_58

he and Wu Chengsi both had designs on being crown prince, and often had their associates try to

76_59

persuade Wu Zetian that in ages past, there had never been an emperor who had, as his heir, someone

76_60

with a different family name. (At that time, Wu Zetian's crown prince was her son Li Dan (the

76_61

former Emperor Ruizong).) In 698, however, at the suggestion of the chancellor Di Renjie,

76_62

concurred in by Wang Jishan and Wang Fangqing, as well as Wu Zetian's close advisor Ji Xu and her

76_63

lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, Wu Zetian recalled Li Zhe the Prince of Luling (the former

76_64

Emperor Zhongzong) from exile and soon, after Li Dan offered to yield the position of crown prince

76_65

to him, created him crown prince and changed his name to Li Xian and then to Wu Xian.

76_66

In 698, Wu Zetian made Wu Sansi acting Neishi (), the head of the legislative bureau of government

76_67

(, Fengge); the next year, he was made full Neishi. In 700, however, he was no longer chancellor

76_68

and was made an advisor to Li Xian. He received the honorific title of Tejin ().

76_69

In 702, Wu Zetian considered launching a major attack against Eastern Tujue and she initially put

76_70

Wu Sansi in command, assisted by Jing Hui. She later changed the orders to have Li Dan in command,

76_71

assisted by Wu Sansi, his cousin Wu Youning the prince of Jiancheng, and the chancellor Wei

76_72

Yuanzhong. However, the army was eventually not launched.

76_73

In 704, at Wu Sansi's suggestion, Wu Zetian constructed the vacation palace Xingtai () at Mount

76_74

Wan'an (, near the capital Luoyang), at much expense and labor.

76_75

During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign

76_76

Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup in 705 led by the officials Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei, Jing

76_77

Hui, Huan Yanfan, and Yuan Shuji. Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were killed in the coup, and

76_78

Emperor Zhongzong was restored to the throne; Wu Zetian was sent to a secondary palace under heavy

76_79

guard, and while she also retained the title of "emperor," no longer had power. By that time, Wu

76_80

Sansi had been carrying out an affair with Wu Zetian's secretary and Emperor Zhongzong's concubine

76_81

Consort Shangguan Wan'er. Through her introduction, Wu Sansi began an affair with Emperor

76_82

Zhongzong's wife Empress Wei as well and also became a trusted advisor to Emperor Zhongzong who,

76_83

while he was restored through the efforts of Zhang Jianzhi and his colleagues, feared them. In

76_84

addition, Wu Sansi's son Wu Chongxun (武崇訓) had been married to Emperor Zhongzong's and Empress

76_85

Wei's daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle, who also had much power in her father's administration

76_86

and had influence over her father and it is said that she used this power and influence in a

76_87

corrupt manner and because of this, she gained a lot of wealth and had a extravagant luxurious and

76_88

luxury life.

76_89

Meanwhile, the coup leaders initially did not regard Wu Sansi as a threat, and they brushed aside

76_90

suggestions by two lower level officials participating in the coup, Xue Jichang (薛季昶) and Liu

76_91

Youqiu. However, they soon realized that Wu Sansi's power was on the rise, and they unsuccessfully

76_92

suggested Emperor Zhongzong to kill some of the more powerful Wu clan members (which would have

76_93

included Wu Sansi) or to demote them—and indeed, he made Wu Sansi Sikong (司空, one of the Three

76_94

Excellencies) and chancellor again with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品, a

76_95

modification of the Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin designation that Wu Zetian used), although Wu Sansi

76_96

declined the titles. Meanwhile, Emperor Zhongzong designated 16 officials, including the coup

76_97

leaders but also Wu Sansi and his cousin Wu Youji (the husband of Emperor Zhongzong's sister

76_98

Princess Taiping), as contributors to his return to the throne and gave them iron certificates that

76_99

were supposed to guarantee that they would be spared of death penalties 10 times except for

76_100

treason.

76_101

Jing, fearful of Wu Sansi's power, retained the mid-level official Cui Shi to watch for Wu Sansi's

76_102

moves—but Cui Shi, realizing that Emperor Zhongzong trusted Wu Sansi and feared the coup leaders,

76_103

instead became Wu Sansi's associate, along with Zheng Yin, who suggested that Wu Sansi find some

76_104

way to remove the five coup leaders, now all chancellors, from their posts. Wu Sansi and Empress

76_105

Wei, in turn, argued to Emperor Zhongzong that the five coup leaders were overpowering in the