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New Medieval Books: The World of Wu Zhao

The World of Wu Zhao: Annotated Selections from Zhang Zhuo’s Court and Country

By N. Harry Rothschild

Anthem Press
ISBN: 978-1-83998-354-2

This book offers excerpts and insights into the 8th-century work, Court and Country by Zhang Zhuo. It details a wide range of topics during the reign of Wu Zhao (also known as Wu Zetian, who reigned 690-705), China’s first and only female emperor. It covers government, war, personal relationships and the natural and supernatural worlds.

Excerpt:

The following section tells the story of some corrupt local officials:

Overbearing in their eminence, Zhang Yizhu and his brothers seized estates and residences, male and female slaves, and courtesans and concubines of others in numbers beyond reckoning. When Zhang Changqi was walking along the street in Wannian County he encountered a woman, whose husband was trailing close behind her carrying their child. Changqi then instructed his servant, “Lay her across the hourse’s rump.” He then rode off with her. On three or four occasions, the husband lodged complaints in the bronze tattling box, but she was not returned. Later, Changqi was seized and taken to Wannian government offices after being accused of other crimes and sentenced to death. Zhang Changqi once said to a friend, “Being this kind of manly man is truly living of the edge: Right now, if a thousand men were to topple me, they couldn’t take me down; once I fall though, even if ten thousand men come to support me, I’ll never be able to rise again.” Soon thereafter, the Zhang brothers met their demise and were cut down. 

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Who is this book for?

This is a good supplemental piece for those interested in the life and times of Wu Zhao or Tang Dynasty China. Only small parts of Zhang Zhuo’s Court and Country are translated, so it only gives a flavour of what the text is like and is not particularly useful for those wanting a more in-depth look into the source.

The author/editor:

Norman Harry Rothschild was a professor at the University of North Florida and was a leading historian of Tang Dynasty China. This book was completed just before his death in late 2021, and is his third that focused on Wu Zhao. His Academia.edu page is still online and can be found here.

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You can learn more about the book from the publisher’s website

You can also buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

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