Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history, reigned under four emperors: Taizong, Gaozong, Zhongzong, and Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty, and lived to the age of 81. She experienced over 50 years of ups and downs on the Tang Dynasty's political stage, and even in her later years, she remained sharp of hearing and sight, with healthy teeth and hair, and possessed a beautiful appearance—no small feat. So what were Wu Zetian's secrets to longevity?
The first secret to health preservation: Meditation for health and peace of mind
According to the Zizhi Tongjian, on May 26th of the 23rd year of the Zhenguan era (649 AD), Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, issued an edict ordering Wu Zetian to become a nun at Ganye Temple. Wu Zetian spent five years as a nun at Ganye Temple, during which time she devoted herself to meditation and self-cultivation, learning the Buddhist qigong practice of "lotus position," which became one of the important reasons for her longevity.
Nowadays, many urban women spontaneously organize one-day "meditation retreats" at local temples. Wang Chengsheng, Secretary-General of the Health Preservation and Rehabilitation Professional Committee of the Nanjing Natural Medicine Association, explained that traditional Chinese medicine believes that "stillness leads to profound preservation, while agitation leads to destruction." The process of "meditation" for health preservation is actually a natural therapy for calming the mind and spirit. In medical practice, this method mainly plays two roles: first, strengthening the body's vital energy and preventing and maintaining health; second, enhancing disease resistance and eliminating illness.
The second health preservation method: Calligraphy as a form of guided exercise
Empress Wu Zetian was a skilled calligrapher. Her handwritten "Stele of the Ascended Prince" is the earliest known example of calligraphy by a woman in my country, and it is still preserved in the Henan Provincial Museum.
Calligraphers throughout history have often lived long lives, and calligraphy embodies the unity of physical and spiritual cultivation. When practicing calligraphy, one needs firm fingers, a hollow palm, and a level wrist. The rhythmic movement of the finger joints in the stroke sequence regulates the muscles and nerves of the arm, and also promotes gentle movements in other parts of the body, perfectly embodying the essence of the health-preserving exercise of "shaking the tendons and bones, moving the limbs."
The third health tip: Traditional Chinese medicine face masks for a youthful complexion
Empress Wu Zetian was also a master of facial mask skincare. Not only did she live to a ripe old age, but even at 80, she maintained a youthful appearance.
Empress Wu Zetian had two famous beauty secrets: one was the "Motherwort Facial Treatment," which was recorded in Li Shizhen's *Compendium of Materia Medica* from the Ming Dynasty. Motherwort is a valuable gynecological medicine that can be taken internally or used externally. When applied externally to the face, it can treat dark skin, remove facial spots and wrinkles, and regular use can make the skin moisturized and radiant.
Another beauty formula, prescribed by the imperial physician Zhang Wenzhong for Empress Wu Zetian, is called "Changfu Mianzhi" (常敷面脂), recorded in Wang Tao's *Waitai Miyao* (外台秘要). The main ingredients of this formula are Asarum, Polygonatum, Aconitum carmichaelii, Dioscorea opposita, Magnolia biondii, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Ganoderma lucidum, Trichosanthes kirilowii, and Indigofera tinctoria, all rendered with lard. The process is quite complex: the herbs must be chopped, soaked in wine overnight, then simmered until they slowly solidify into a facial cream. Polygonatum, Trichosanthes kirilowii, and lard have yin-nourishing and skin-moisturizing effects; Asarum, Aconitum carmichaelii, and Magnolia biondii can dispel wind and open the orifices, and can invigorate qi and tonify the kidneys; Ligusticum chuanxiong and Indigofera tinctoria can promote blood circulation and moisturize. After use, the facial cream can smooth the skin, reduce wrinkles, and moisturize.
