Tongdan Jia

Student Art Contest: Junior Division, Honorable Mention

8th Grade – Ames Middle School, Ames, IA

A dragon is supposed to be masculine, while the phoenix is supposed to be feminine. But nothing in the world is “supposed to” be something, right? Emperor Wu Zetian can answer that for you. In Wu’s China, there was much to change. Even before her official rule, she was already controlling most of the power throughout the late years of her husband, Tang Gaozong.

Women’s activity in politics was at an all-time high during the Tang Dynasty, two being Shanguan Wan’er, the “female prime minister”, and Princess Taiping, the daughter of Wu Zetian who sought to become an emperor like her mother. Women were able to ride horses and wear male attire, and they were more assertive and active in public. Before then, men were the only ones who could divorce their wives, but now, women were free to do the same and were not confined by the men in their houses. Wu also made sure to promote Buddhism, which doesn’t view women as inferior to men unlike Confucianism and Daoism.

To relate to Minoru Yasui, Wu and Yasui challenged social standards and fought against discrimination and oppressors. Yasui protested for racial equality, while Wu changed gender restrictions across China. Both were resented for who they were, and rose when others were fearful.