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This annotated translation of Zhang Zhuo’s collection of miscellany, Court and Country, offers a lively, folksy, and novel perspective on the empire of Wu Zhao, China’s first and only female emperor, that will amuse and shock readers, prompting them to recalibrate everything they think they know about medieval China. The World of Wu Zhao includes separate chapters on a number of different themes and topics: Buddhist and Daoist monks, the female emperor’s male favorites (who dressed up in rainbow feathered garments and pranced around her court astride wooden red-capped cranes), cruel officials (bloodthirsty henchmen who took an aesthetic delight in their vocation), as well as sections on flora and fauna, the common folk, artisans and craftsmen, the military, spirits and the supernatural, the borderlands, and local officials.
“With this latest publication, N. Harry Rothschild cements his reputation as the foremost authority on Wu Zhao. His commentary, interspersed with translations of excerpts from Zhang Zhuo’s eighth-century Collected Records of Court and Country provides unparalleled insight into Wu Zhao’s court and Tang society, religion, and international relations. The book is meticulously produced with helpful reference matter, making it suitable for students and learners at all levels. This book is a parting gift from Harry, and we will miss him terribly” — Michelle C. Wang, Department of Art and Art History, Georgetown University.
Acknowledgments; Figures; Map; Tables; Weights and Measures; Introduction; Chapter 1 Wu Zhao: her inner palace, her inner circle; Chapter 2 The culture of the court; Chapter 3 “Cruel officials”: Wu Zhao’s “teeth and horns”; Chapter 4 Beyond court and capital: local officials; Chapter 5 The common people; Chapter 6 Relationships: men, women, and family in the time of Wu Zhao; Chapter 7 Generals and military men; Chapter 8 The frontier and beyond: foreigners and others during Wu Zhao’s reign; Chapter 9 Religion and the supernatural world; Chapter 10 Flora, fauna, and the natural world; Afternote; Appendix: People and Places; Notes; Bibliography; Index