Committee Description:

From behind the beaded curtain, Wu Zhao emerges and has proclaimed herself sole ruler of the empire. After years as an imperial concubine, a period as a Buddhist nun, and calculated plots to remove her rivals, Wu Zhao secured herself as China’s first female ruler. In a society guided by Confucian values skeptical of women in power, Wu Zhao has shown her prowess in court intrigue, intimidation, and decisive policy to maintain control, creating a loyal supporter base, but a distrustful force as well. Doubts over her legitimacy persist as China changes. Three religions shift the climate of the court and the lives of common people: Confucianism and Daoism among the aristocratic class face the rise of Buddhism among common people. Abroad, China faces the Korean military campaign, trade protection on the Silk Road, and diplomatic relations with other continental powers. As members of Wu Zhao’s imperial court, it is your time to help stabilize the empire, choose a side of support for the Emperor, and decide who benefits from her reign.