Wu Shihuo

Wǔ Shìhuò (559-635 CE) was the father of Wu Zetian, the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant. Posthumously honored with the title of King Zhongxiao, Wu was the son of Wu Hua and became a timber merchant. He was also known as the Duke of Ying and King of Wei serving as army commander of Yingyang Prefecture during the final years of Emperor Yang of Sui (r. 605-618 CE) and subsequently as Minister of Revenue and superintendent of Jingzhou City, Hubei during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang (r. 627-649 CE).

Initially, Wu married a woman from the Xiangli family, who gave birth to two sons named Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang. Later he remarried a woman from the noble Yang family of the Hong Nong region. She was daughter, niece, and sister to several ministers and a close relation of the imperial family. By her, Wu had three daughters: Wu Shun (later the Lady of Han), Wu Zhao (Empress Wu Zetian) and the Lady of Guo.

After Wu died in 635 CE his two sons were rude to their stepmother so Wu Zetian banished her half-brothers from the imperial court. At the same time she named her sister Madam Han's son Helan Minzhi as heir to her father. However, Wu Zetian became displeased with Helan Minzhi's conduct and sent him into exile where he died. Thereafter she recalled Wu Yuanshuang's son Wu Chengsi from exile and made him Wu Shihou's successor.

Posthumously, Wu Shihou received the titles of Zhou Zhongxiao Emperor and Supreme Founding Emperor of the Southern Zhou Dynasty (690–705).