Introduction: Wu Zhao and her pantheon of female political ancestors -- Part I. The goddesses of antiquity -- Wu Zhao as the late seventh-century avatar of primordial goddess Nüwa -- Sanctifying Luoyang: the Luo River goddess and Wu Zhao -- First ladies of sericulture: Wu Zhao and Leizu -- Part II. Dynastic mothers, exemplary mothers -- The mother of Qi and Wu Zhao: connecting to antiquity, elevating Mount Song -- Ur-mothers birthing the Zhou line: Jiang Yuan and Wu Zhao -- Wenmu and Wu Zhao: two mothers of Zhou -- Four exemplary women in Wu Zhao's regulations for ministers -- Part III. Drawing the numinous energies of female Daoist divinities -- The Queen Mother of the West and Wu Zhao -- The mother of Laozi and Wu Zhao: from one grand dowager to another -- Rejected from the pantheon: the ill-timed rise of the cult of Wei Huacun -- Part IV. Buddhist devis and goddesses -- Dharma echoes of Mother My in Wu Zhao -- Channeling pure radiance: Wu Zhao and Devi Jingguang -- Conclusions -- Appendix: Wu Zhao's pantheon of female political ancestors.
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