Wu Zhao, the first female empress of China, rose to power in the Tang Dynasty, and her active role with Buddhism created a perpetual impact on Chinese society in its whole. There is no doubt that Buddhism and the Tang administration, under Wu's reign, formed a symbiotic relationship with each other. She is considered one of the most important supporters of the religion during the era. His efforts to spread Buddhism and monetary support help Buddhism expand significantly among people, which provides the religion with another source of financial income to spread further. Regardless of Empress Wu's intentions, she provided religion in numerous ways, but what did she receive in return? This poses the question: To what extent did Empress Wu's support of Buddhism, politically and financially, help Wu and improve her empire overall? There is no simple answer to this question, especially with the twisted and intertwined relationship between Buddhism and Wu, so we must focus on how the religion helped Wu take power and its indispensable role in China's economy. The close link between government and religion is not a new concept for the Tang era as it was well established before that time and survived long afterward. In the case of Buddhism and Empress Wu, religion played a vital role in justifying her rule, which may explain her particular interest in it. Among Buddhist followers, she was identified as the bodhisattva Maitreya, which helped her gain a sense of legitimacy for her kingdom, especially in a male-dominated society (Smarr 17 February 2012). Buddhism's association with Wu helped spur Wu's benevolent policies toward the religion, which benefited the beautiful...... middle of paper ...... not only influenced the expansion of The Chinese economy has brought new ideas and cultures from foreign countries that have a lasting impact on China as a whole. Works Cited Bentley, Jerry H. and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions and encounters: a global perspective on the past. Ed. Jessica Portz. 5th ed., 2011. 290-295. Print.Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Creation of the modern world 12: classical and medieval tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.“Visit of a pilgrim to the mountains of the five terraces”. Creation of the modern world 12: classical and medieval tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 108-110. Print.Smarr, Janet. "Emperor Wu". Creating the Modern World 12. Ledden Auditorium, La Jolla, CA. February 17, 2012. Conference.