Between Belief and Politics——On the Religious Policies in the Periods of Wu Zetian and Emperors Zhong and Rui

Due to her personal experience, thoughts and feeling s as well as the p olitical difficulties, there was a sudden shift from “Taoism before Buddhism” to “Buddhism before Taoism” when Wu Zetian mounted the throne. In her late yea rs, she tried to bridge Buddhism and Taoism and lay equal emphasis on them. Ther e were more shifts between the two religions in the following periods of the Zho ng and Rui Emperors, all closely related to the struggle between the two politic al forces in the court.