Empress Wu(1975)

Empress Wu is a historical drama set during China's Tang Dynasty. When Emperor Taizong dies, his concubine Wu Meiniang enters a convent as promised, only to be recalled to the palace by the new emperor, her former lover Li Zhi. As Empress Dowager, Wu systematically eliminates her rivals and consolidates power. Following Li Zhi's death, she moves beyond influence into direct rule, deposing the heir and declaring herself the first female emperor of a new Zhou Dynasty. Her reign ultimately unravels when loyal ministers orchestrate the reinstatement of the deposed heir and restore Tang rule. The series traces Wu's extraordinary rise from concubine to emperor and her eventual fall from power.