The External Policy In The Period Of Wu Zetian

As the only queen in the history of China, Wu Zetian has played an important role in the Tang dynasty even in the whole history of China. But she did own the true power in 664, at that time Tang Gaozong and she were given the name about"two emperors", and then she founded the Zhou dynasty. From then on, she formally appeared on the political stage, and she had been on the political stage until 705. In this period, Tang dynasty had developed stably. Currently, scholars are researching extensively, but most of them are concentrating on field of the evaluation about Wu Zetian and her way about how to choose person and accept their opinions. There are few persons who studied her external policy. The main reasons are the following: first, as a queen, Wu Zetian could hardly have a wide view like a man; in addition, the threat of surrounding minority nations and the unstable internal situation in this period affected the implement of her external policy.During Wu Ztian in the position(664—705),she succeeded some characteristics of Tang Taizong and Tang Gaozong, so the external policy permeated the swallow of the former dynasty. Especially Wu Zetian had ever entered imperial palace and waited upon older Tang Taizong,and she was the empress of Tang Gaozong, so she deeply understood the practice of their policy . In the same time she actively sought the political power.Therefore, Wu Zetian finally formed her distinctive external policy on the base of former external policy. In the early days of Tang dynasty,on the one hand, some important cabinet ministers gave their advice and the emperor accepted them; on the other hand, the talent of the emperor played an important part in the process of constituting external policy,and the situation could be controled. Especially the sharp external policy of Tang Taizong and Tang Gaozong, it was the basic function. Referring to the external policy, we first thouht of Chinese neighbor: the Korean peninsula and Japan. But in the Tang dynasty, they made close connection. Because they studied the culture of Tang, they had the Chinese books. Tang dynasty always took part in the general affairs of Korean peninsula, because of its position. In the same time, there were many nations and political powers in the western and south coutries of Tang dynasty. And their activities influenced the external policy of Tang dynasty.The external policy in the period of Wu Zetian divided into three main respects. First of all, it aimed directly at Korean peninsula, the power of the three countries was determined by the support of Tang dynasty. Before Tang dynasty destroyed Gaogouli and Baiji, Wu Zetian tried to not only recover the territory of Han dynasty, but also control the whole Korean peninsula. So Tang dynasty could set up a complete system in the northeast Asia, and there wasn't any dissociated power that could threat the government of Tang dynasty. And then, Tang dynasty and Xinluo struggled for the control of the Korean peninsula. Wu Zetian began to regulate the external policy of the Korean peninsula, not trying to set up a system containing the Korean peninsula, satisfying with recovering the treeitory which Han dynasty possessed the north region of Datong river . The relationship of Tang dynasty and Xinluo genereally enterred a peace period. Tang dynasty became to make friendship with Xinluo.The connection of Tang dynasty and Japan was rarely little, mainly because of technique of the navigation. Tang dynasty has regarded Japan as a foreign country, not thinking that China has ever controlled it and never controlling it. The Japan policy that Wu Zetian constituted was inheritted from the former attitude. The most obvious show was, after the Baijiangcun Battle that Tang dynasty defeated the Japanese navy, the army of the Tang dynasty didn't march to Japanese islets and islands. Tang dynasty actively strived for set up friendly relationship with Japan. And in this period, the China and Japan interchange of culture was very prosperous.Because of the dangerous surrounding of the west ang south in the Tang dynasty, Tang dynasty also has rarely connected with some countries around it. The relationship with Tang dynasty and the west and south countries was divided into two types: the relationship was good, even Tang dynasty could control it in the form; the relationship was not solid, there wasn't specific records in the history books. Wu Zetian made use of the advantage of Tang dynasty and stabilized the environments and obtained a good external and internal surroundings.The external activities of the Wu Zetian period were deep and extensive. I divided into three points. Meanwhile, the external policy played an important role in that time, of course some opposite functions. The active functions were to succeeded an excellent chance. Tang dynasty stopped march to other countries, avoided to abuse military power. This also made a good external surroundings for Tang dynasty and around countries. This new international arrangement provided an important safeguard for Eastern Asian countries. Tang dynasty connectted many surrounding countries. And this interchange type bulit up a traditional mode. The most traditional mode was the connection of Tang dynasty and Xinluo and Japan. The meeting and paying tribute relationship was mode of the later. Wu Zetian changed the sharp external policy also led to some opposite influences.In the end, the evaluation of peole was good or bad, our researches were not objective. So we had better encourage objective research, no matter the researching object is who or what.