Question

multiple choice question
the rule of empress wu in the late 600s c.e. was notable because she

gave up the throne to work among the poor peasants of china.
built hundreds of hindu shrines across china, helping spread the religion.
restored the system of civil service exams for government officials.
was the only woman in chinese history to rule the country on her own.

Explanation:

• The first option is incorrect; Empress Wu did not abdicate to work with peasants.
• The second option is incorrect; she promoted Buddhism, not Hinduism, in China.
• The third option is incorrect; the civil service exam system existed before her reign, and she expanded rather than restored it.
• The fourth option is correct; Empress Wu Zetian is the only woman in Chinese history to formally rule as a sovereign empress in her own right.

Answer:

D. was the only woman in Chinese history to rule the country on her own.