Empress Wu Zetian

Empress Wu Zetian is the only woman in Chinese history to rule in her own name, but, similarly to Empress Theodora, her story is steeped in rumors, political agendas, and missing documents. There is no way for people today to truly know the truth of her story or the accuracy of her legacy. The legend paints her as a murderous, vindictive, power-hungry vixen. In recent years some historians have called for her to be recognized as a proto-feminist. A woman who “broke the glass ceiling” and rose higher than any female before or after her in Imperial China. Empress Wu was a woman far ahead of her time, but her legacy has been blighted and silenced over the centuries.Featured Guests: Jonathan Clements, a historian, professor, and TV presenter who specializes in the history of East Asia, and Mike Dash, a New York Times bestselling author and historian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

They were adulterers, murderers, mistresses, religious zealots, thieves, and traitors. They were queens, wives, mothers, young, and old. What binds the women together in this podcast is their legacies. These are women who were known during their lifetimes or reinvented after their deaths as wicked women. The lenses of history are often gendered, damning women for some of the same actions that men have been lauded for. The nuances surrounding the women in this podcast were removed in exchange for a one-sided portrayal. Within Wicked Women: The Podcast, I do not attempt to excuse or condone the wrongs committed by these women, instead, the podcast looks at their overarching story and examines the origin of their negative legacy. Alongside a brief biographical overview of the woman, I will be incorporating interviews I have held with experts on the subject to provide multiple and diverse perspectives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.