As the only woman in Chinese history to officially become emperor, Wu Zetian's life was filled with legendary colors. She not only left a profound imprint on the political stage, but also left many stories about her family and children for future generations. Today, we will explore Wu Zetian's sons and their respective fates.

Wu Zetian had four sons in her lifetime, they were Li Hong, Li Xian, Li Zhi, and Li Dan. These four sons all held important positions during Wu Zetian's reign, but their fates were vastly different.

First, let's look at Wu Zetian's eldest son, Li Hong. Li Hong was the eldest son of Wu Zetian and Tang Gaozong Li Zhi. He was crowned as the Crown Prince at a very young age. However, due to his political differences with Wu Zetian, he was eventually deposed as the Crown Prince and forced to commit suicide. Li Hong's life ended tragically, and his political career also came to an end.

Next is the second son, Li Xian. After his brother Li Hong was deposed, Li Xian was crowned as the new Crown Prince. However, he was also deposed due to political differences with his mother and placed under house arrest. Although he was later released, Li Xian's political career was already over, and he spent the rest of his life in obscurity.

The third son, Li Zhi, was Wu Zetian's third son. After his brothers were deposed, he became the new Crown Prince and eventually inherited the throne, becoming Tang Zhongzong. However, because he lived under his mother's shadow for so long, he did not accomplish much politically. During his brief reign, the country was politically unstable, and he himself was deposed multiple times. Ultimately, Li Zhi was forced to abdicate and was placed under house arrest until his death.

Finally, the youngest son, Li Dan, was the Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty. He ascended the throne after the death of his mother, Wu Zetian. Compared to his brothers, Li Dan's political career was relatively long and stable. However, he did not achieve many significant political achievements during his reign, and his politics were always influenced by powerful ministers and eunuchs. In the end, Li Dan chose to abdicate and retired to a monastery to devote himself to Buddhism.

Overall, the fates of Wu Zetian's sons were all influenced and manipulated by their mother. They had their glorious moments in their respective eras, but ultimately, they were unable to escape the arrangement of fate. The lives of these princes were filled with ups and downs, and their fates also reflected the complexity of the political environment at that time and the cruelty of the power struggle between mother and son.

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