Author’s Preface: What’s in a Source?
Acknowledgements
A Note Regarding Names
Chapter 1 What’s in a Name?
Chapter 2 Historical Preconditions for the Ascent of a Female Emperor: Steppe Culture, the Silk Road and Buddhism
Chapter 3 From the Sichuan Countryside to the Inner Palace
Chapter 4 Empress Wu: A Changing of the Guard
Chapter 5 The Two Sages
Chapter 6 Celestial Empress and Grand Dowager
Chapter 7 Wu Zhao as Lover: Lady of Perfect Satisfaction
Chapter 8 Sage Mother Rising
Chapter 9 Queen of Terror
Chapter 10 Bodhisattva of Mercy
Chapter 11 Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty
Chapter 12 Octogenarian in Retreat: Succession, Factionalism and Craneriding in the Final Years
Conclusion The Vain Quest for Wu Zhao
Glossary of Characters and Terms
Notes on the Sources