釋氏稽古略 3.84

3.84

諱[昍/(宋-木+生)]（之少反）姓武氏。高宗后。生中宗睿宗太平公主三人。高宗崩中宗立。尊為皇太后。中宗元年二月戊午。后廢中宗為廬陵王幽於別所。己未立豫王旦（睿宗也）為皇帝。政事決於太后。居帝於別殿。夏四月遷廬陵王於房州。又遷均州。九月甲寅赦天下。改元光宅。旗幟皆從金色。八品以下舊青者更服碧色。東都（洛陽也）改為神都。宮名太初。又改尚書省為文昌臺。左右僕射為左右相。六曹為天地四時六官。門下省為鸞臺。中書省為鳳閣。侍中為納言。中書令為內史。御史臺為左肅政臺。增置右肅政臺。其餘省寺監率之名悉以義類改之。太后稱制二十一年。壽八十一歲（唐史）　光宅（一）垂拱（四）永昌（一）天授又改曰載初（二）長壽（二）延載（一）天冊萬歲又改證聖（一）萬歲通天又改萬歲登封（一）神功（一）聖曆（二）久視（一）長安（五）。

Her taboo name was Zhao (pronounced *zhi-shao fan*), of the Wu clan. She was Empress to Gaozong. She gave birth to Zhongzong, Ruizong, and Princess Taiping, three persons in all. When Gaozong died, Zhongzong was enthroned; she was honored as Empress Dowager. In the second month, on the *wuwu* day, of the first year of Zhongzong's reign, the Empress demoted Zhongzong to Prince of Luling and confined him in a separate residence. On the *jiwei* day, she enthroned Dan, Prince of Yu (Ruizong), as Emperor. The affairs of state were decided by the Empress Dowager. The Emperor was housed in a separate hall. In the fourth month of summer, she moved the Prince of Luling to Fangzhou, and moved him again to Junzhou. In the ninth month, on the *jiayin* day, she granted a general amnesty throughout the realm and changed the reign era to Guangzhai. Banners and flags all took gold as their color. Those of the eighth rank and below who formerly wore blue changed to wearing viridian. The Eastern Capital (Luoyang) was renamed the Divine Capital (Shendu). The palace was named Taichu. She also changed the Department of State Affairs (Shangshu sheng) to the Terrace of Literary Radiance (Wenchang tai), the Left and Right Vice Directors (Pushe) to the Left and Right Prime Ministers, and the Six Ministries (Liucao) to the Six Offices of Heaven, Earth, and the Four Seasons. The Chancellery (Menxia sheng) became the Phoenix Terrace (Luan tai), the Secretariat (Zhongshu sheng) became the Phoenix Pavilion (Feng ge), the Chancellors (Shizhong) became Receptionists (Nayan), and the Directors of the Secretariat (Zhongshu ling) became Inner Scribes (Neishi). The Censorate (Yushi tai) became the Left Stern Administration Terrace (Zuo Suzheng tai), and the Right Stern Administration Terrace was newly established. The rest of the departments, courts, directorates, and guards were all renamed according to related semantic categories. The Empress Dowager held court and ruled for twenty-one years, living to the age of eighty-one (*Tang shi*). Guangzhai (1 year), Chuigong (4 years), Yongchang (1 year), Tianshou, which was changed to Zaichu (2 years), Changshou (2 years), Yanzai (1 year), Tiance Wansui, which was changed to Zhengsheng (1 year), Wansui Tongtian, which was changed to Wansui Dengfeng (1 year), Shengong (1 year), Shengli (2 years), Jiushi (1 year), Chang'an (5 years).