Introduction
Ancient civilizations had few powerful female leaders who revolutionized the political, military, economic, and social order during their reign. Two bright examples of highly influential political figures are Tang Empress Wu Zetian (also known as Empress Wu or Wu Zhao) and the Pharaoh Cleopatra. According to Fitzgerald, Wu ruled in Ancient China as an absolute monarch for 15 years, starting from 690 to 705 AC (para. However, the Empress started making her way to power as early as 638 when she entered the palace as a junior concubine at the age of 14 and gave birth to the Emperor several years later (Fitzgerald).
Tyldesley wrote that Cleopatra ruled in Ancient Egypt much earlier than Wu Zetian, coming to power in 51 BC and reigning for 22 years. The intricate parallels between the two rulers and their substantial cultural influence initiate further analysis of their leadership. Distinct national resources and religious systems contributed to noticeable differences in their order.
Wu Zetian and Cleopatra shared similarities in their victories and accomplishments but had differences in family background and leadership styles.
Similarities
Two powerful female leaders, Wu Zetian and Cleopatra, share similar core characteristics of victories and accomplishments. Wu Zetian’s victories over a number of ancient states resulted in the major expansion of the Chinese Empire to the modern territories of Korea and Central Asia (Lepekhova 21). A powerful diplomate, the Empress managed to expand the lands of Ancient China, avoiding the external influence of other nations.
Similar to Wu Zhao, Cleopatra expanded the boundaries of Ancient Egypt, restraining the invasion of the lands by Roman Empire. Both rulers executed several successful social reforms, revolutionizing the old education, economy, and healthcare systems (Bowen 3). For instance, Wu Zetian integrated a new taxation system (Lepekhova 22), while Cleopatra systematized historical accounts about earlier civilizations in an Alexandrian library, promoting scientific progress (Bowen 4). Wu Zhao and Cleopatra also shared inborn beauty, intelligence, and negotiation skills that helped to reach the aforementioned accomplishments.
Differences between the Rulers
Despite the described similarities, the Pharaoh Cleopatra and Tang Empress Wu Zetian had a number of differences. The two critical distinctions between the two rulers lay in their family background and leadership styles. On the one hand, as explained by Bowen, the Pharaoh Cleopatra was of Ptolemaic bloodline which helped her to come to power legally and without violence (1). A skillful diplomat and military strategist, Cleopatra managed to overcome depleting parliamentary situation and ruled successively with her brothers and son, ensuring Egyptian independence (Bowen 2).
Like her predecessors, she associated herself with a deity, using rather strict and forceful but liberal methods to maintain order. On the other hand, Tang Empress Wu Zetian was not a part of the royal dynasty, being born and raised in a wealthy family of nobles (Lepekhova 20). Highly educated and close to the royal palace, Empress Wu used deception to take advantage of other candidates, winning the right to rule through cruelty and military force (Lepekhova 21). Unlike Cleopatra, Wu Zhao implemented dictatorship practices to ensure peace inside the country, imprisoning and executing those who disagreed with her regime.
Differences between the Cultures
Apart from reflecting the individual leadership style of Empress Wu and Cleopatra, the aforementioned distinctions may be caused by the cultural differences in natural resources and religion between Ancient Egypt and China. While Ancient Egypt specialized in limestone, granite, and gold (Bowen 10), Ancient China took primary advantage of bamboo trees and silkworms (Lepekhova 24-25). The variations in natural resources are likely to be related to the geographical location and natural landscape of the two countries, with strikingly different climates and minerals. Additionally, Ancient Egypt under the reign of Cleopatra and Ancient China under the reign of Empress Wu had drastically different religions. As discussed by Cerny, Ancient Egypt had a polytheistic religious system, with a variety of gods attributed to natural forces (20).
Pharaohs were believed to be divine, thus, obligated to be worshipped by common Egyptians (Cerny 21). In contrast, Wu Zhao promoted Chinese Buddhism during her rule, opposing the traditional Confucianism in a fear of the mandate of heaven, teaching devoted to high moral values of the emperor (Lepekhova 21). These differences in cultures had a direct influence on the development of modern Egypt and China.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the leadership styles of Ancient Egypt and China substantially differ from modern approaches in politics. Empress Wu Zhao’s violent dictatorship practices are highly discouraged today for their lack of humanity and respect for civilians. Cleopatra’s theocratic order together with her family members is also not usually applied by contemporary rulers who substituted monarchy with a parliamentary system, giving voice to common people.
Modern leadership styles also do not involve association with deity, popular in Ancient Egypt. While Buddhism still remains a dominant religion in the world, the Ancient Egyptian polytheistic religious system has been replaced by Islam and Christianity in the modern Egyptian state. Natural resources discussed still remain common; however, their quantity has significantly decreased due to persistent human intervention.
Works Cited
Bowen, Shannon A. “Finding Strategic Communication & Diverse Leadership in the Ancient World: The Case of Queen Cleopatra VII, the Last Pharaoh of Egypt.” Cogent Arts & Humanities, vol. 3, no. 1, 2016, pp. 1-17. Web.
Cerny, Jaroslav. Ancient Egyptian Religion. Franklin Classics Trade Press, 2018.
Fitzgerald, Charles Patrick. “Wuhou,” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc, 2020. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Web.
Lepekhova, Elena. “Two Asian Empresses and Their Influence on the History and Religion in Tang China and Nara Japan (VII-VIII cc.).” Studies in Asian Social Science, vol. 4, no. 2, 2017, pp. 20-25. Web.
Tyldesley, Joyce. “Cleopatra.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc, 2020. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Web.