Throughout history there has only been one woman to rule the Chinese empire. This was Wu Zetian - who rose from the rank of imperial concubine - to that of emperor of China. Her rise to power was a very bloody trip.
Sources
"Empress Wu Zetian: the only woman to rule China, and who would be hated for it" - https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/empress-wu-zetian-china-rule-life-reputation/
"Wu Zhao: Ruler of Tang Dynasty China" - https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/wu-zhao-ruler-of-tang-dynasty-china/"
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Zetian
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History Dispatches is a daily history show hosted by father and son duo Matt and McKinley Breen. The show covers people, places, events and even objects from throughout history. While any topic is fair game, Matt and McKinley hold a soft spot for the offbeat and wacky stories that most people don’t know about.