The Empress Behind the Throne

This is a record of an interview with Empress Zhangsun, who sought Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Dharma Nature. This account reflects upon her life approximately 1,300 years ago. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on March 28, 2026.

Empress Zhangsun speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. The four characters 'Empress Zhangsun' represent my entire life; they mark my identity as the wife of Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin. As an Empress, it was my natural duty to serve as a model of virtue for the entire realm. In ancient times, we understood that small actions reflect larger truths: for a family, a virtuous wife ensures the integrity of the household; for an empire, a virtuous Empress ensures the prosperity of the state. As a woman, this is a principle I have always held deep within my heart.

From a young age, I was immersed in poetry and literature, possessing a natural love for books. Yet, because I cherished the wisdom found within those pages, I learned from the stories of our predecessors that a woman, even if talented, should never be overly ostentatious. To possess great knowledge but fail to use it wisely is to lose the very virtue that defines a woman. This was the principle I strictly followed throughout my years by the Emperor's side. His Majesty greatly appreciated my talents and never looked down upon me for being a woman. Over the many years we spent together, I had numerous opportunities to assist him with court affairs, state matters, and even the reviewing of official memorials."

The Burden of the Imperial Name

"I did not leave my name in the history books for personal glory. Born into a prominent family of the Northern Wei imperial lineage, I grew up within the noble clans and the royal family. I understood deeply that for a woman, having one's name too widely discussed is rarely a sign of good fortune. Therefore, I never wished for my personal name to be the subject of public discourse. After His Majesty ascended the throne, I believed the best course of action was for the world to remember me simply as the Empress of the Great Tang—the Empress Zhangsun who served as a model for the world—rather than as an individual with a personal name.

To me, personal titles are insignificant. The stability of the royal house and the welfare of the nation are the only things that truly matter. Throughout my life, I maintained a close relationship with my brother, Zhangsun Wuji. As my brother by both blood and spirit, he understood my character perfectly. He never disregarded my advice because I was a woman; instead, he would listen patiently and reflect deeply upon my words. I felt the danger of powerful maternal relatives very keenly. Many dynasties of the past had fallen because of the interference of such relatives, and for the Tang Dynasty, which had been built with such difficulty from the chaos of war, this was a trend that absolutely could not be allowed to take root. I constantly hoped that His Majesty would not rely too heavily on my brother. After all, given that my brother was ranked first among the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion, if I did not act to balance this delicate situation, it would have become a grave threat to both the Emperor and my brother himself."

The Emperor's Heart and the Nature of Power

"I had followed His Majesty since he was the Prince of Qin, and I understood his temperament all too well. Even as a young man, he possessed great talent, far-reaching vision, and profound ambition. His character was magnanimous and open, and his strategic prowess was unmatched. Whether on the battlefield or in the imperial court, he was always proactive, striving to lay the foundations for a golden age of the Tang, allowing the people to recover from the ravages of war and live in peace and prosperity. This compassion was in his heart even when he was the Prince of Qin; it was his true, sincere wish. As for the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion, His Majesty knew them like the back of his hand. He was well aware of the dangers posed by powerful maternal relatives, but knowing a thing and taking action are two very different matters.

I had been by his side since he was the son of the Duke of Tang, and we shared a deep, mutual understanding. I watched him transform from the son of a Duke to the Prince of Qin, and finally to the Emperor of a unified nation. In that process, I witnessed the most dangerous element of all: the tiny seed of suspicion within the human heart. If even a little bit of doubt is mixed in, the outcome can be worlds apart. His Majesty truly valued the twenty-four officials who helped him conquer and govern the world; he was genuinely grateful to them from the bottom of his heart. He understood the character of every single one of them. The principle he lived by was: 'If you are to employ a man, you must first understand him completely.'"

The Inevitable Fate of the Zhangsun Family

"Regarding my brother, Zhangsun Wuji, the reason I constantly asked His Majesty not to over-rely on him was not only because of the harm that maternal relatives can cause to the state, but also because I wanted my brother to enjoy a peaceful retirement. He was ranked first among the meritorious officials, and His Majesty often referred to him as a 'friend from his days in common clothes,' as they had grown up together. During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, my brother served as the Emperor's closest confidant and played a pivotal role. He understood the boundaries between what was appropriate and what was not, and he was well aware of the Emperor's natural, instinctive vigilance toward the role of 'maternal relative.' This was not directed at my brother personally, but was the natural caution any wise monarch must have regarding the power of such relatives.

Therefore, while His Majesty was still on the throne, I already realized that for a maternal relative to possess such high merit, status, and power was a path to destruction. When the next Emperor ascended the throne, would he still have the same trust in my brother? Would he have the same trust in the powerful figures of the Zhangsun family? That was absolutely impossible. There was only one Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin, and only one Zhangsun Wuji. That is why I kept reminding His Majesty not to over-rely on him—it was to prevent disaster before it happened. Now, from the Western Land of Dharma Nature, I have seen the eventual fate of my brother, and it confirms that my worries were not unfounded.

It is said that 'serving a monarch is like sleeping with a tiger.' This is true for every emperor throughout history, whether they are wise or foolish. Even with His Majesty, this remained the case. The perspective and concerns of an emperor are beyond what ordinary people can imagine. His Majesty was not unaware of my intentions, but he was so accustomed to having my brother by his side, offering counsel, that he could not help but repeatedly entrust him with great responsibilities. Although he changed his decisions after my brother offered his resignation and I added my own persuasion, I knew His Majesty's heart well. To him, the Great Tang was far more important than any individual, including my brother. He used his trust as a way to lay the groundwork for the eventual weakening of the Zhangsun family. Because my brother was not only wise but also understood the political landscape and knew when to advance or retreat, he was like a mirror—clear and bright. The art of imperial governance is indeed unfathomable. It was precisely because His Majesty knew my brother's character so well that he followed the causal conditions of their relationship, elevating his appreciation and trust to an unprecedented height. As his Empress, I knew that when His Majesty displayed such trust, he had already sealed the fate of my brother and the Zhangsun family."

A Final Duty to the Throne

"At the time, I advised His Majesty that I did not wish for my personal name to be remembered, only for the world to know me as 'Empress Zhangsun.' This carried two meanings: one, that I was a member of the Zhangsun family and the Empress of the Great Tang; and two, that as the Empress, the interests of the Tang and the wishes of the Emperor were my primary considerations. Throughout history, it has been said that a woman should follow her husband's path. As the Empress, I had to follow the Emperor and the state, aligning myself with his wishes and prioritizing the nation's interests. This is the duty of an Empress. Although I knew in my heart that the Zhangsun family was destined to decline, I could do nothing but fulfill my duties as Empress with even greater caution.

Looking back now, perhaps after His Majesty ascended the throne, he had already decided how to deal with my brother and the Zhangsun family. My brother was a maternal relative, exceptionally talented, and had accompanied the Emperor since the days of the Prince of Qin. With me as the Empress, these factors meant that His Majesty had likely decided his fate long ago. This is the true 'imperial heart.' For the sake of the nation, the court, and the stability of the imperial power, such figures could not be allowed to remain indefinitely. The development of the Zhangsun family was destined to be curtailed; only then would it serve the interests of the state. In His Majesty's heart, he had long ago decided that the Zhangsun family could not remain. My brother represented that family. This is the cold reality of imperial power, something I have come to fully understand now. But regardless, as the Empress of Tang Taizong, I have followed and adhered to his wishes without a single regret."

Namo Amituofo.

Before and after ascending the throne, the Qin King was like two different people. The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a major turning point. As the Princess of Qin, I knew that the King had always hoped to endure for the sake of peace; he was loyal, upright, and honest, and he never wished to come into conflict with the Crown Prince Jiancheng. However, the circumstances forced his hand; it was truly beyond his control. As the struggle between the Crown Prince's faction and the Qin King's faction reached a fever pitch, one night, the King suddenly broke down in tears before me, lamenting: 'Given the pressure of the situation, perhaps only one of us—the Crown Prince or I—can survive. For the sake of the nation's survival, I must make a choice.' The King finally made up his mind to launch the coup, which led to the subsequent Xuanwu Gate Incident. After the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi died, everything was indeed a result of the prevailing trend and the will of the people. All the staff and subordinate officials of the Qin King's mansion, as well as the strategists and generals who had followed the King in battle for so long, were all eager for the King to rise up and make a decision. Under these circumstances, the King simply followed the flow of events.

The Weight of the Crown

However, after the two brothers died, I could feel that the King had changed. Especially after he ascended the throne as Emperor, one could sense that deep within his heart, he had become more ruthless. This is not to say that it was a bad thing, for 'if the royal family has too much emotion, the nation will be in danger.' Yet, for me, there was still a lingering feeling in my heart.

Alas, how could one know about all these laws of karma and cause and effect at that time? If one had not heard the teachings of the Dharma at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and understood the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, how could one truly escape from the endless disturbances of this world? If one says it is right, it is not necessarily right; if one says it is wrong, it is not necessarily wrong. Between right and wrong, all is but an empty dream, with only karma and the laws of cause and effect following us constantly. It is truly something that makes one sigh. Although the imperial hegemony is what people in this world pursue, it is nothing more than a fleeting moment.

The Principle of the Inner Palace

In this lifetime, as the Empress, I always upheld one principle: 'The inner palace must not interfere in state affairs.' Not only did I have to hold fast to this myself, but I also had to present a clear attitude so that all the ministers in the court would know that I did not participate in the many power struggles. As the Empress Zhangsun of Tang Taizong, I was simply myself. That is to say, I was the Empress of Tang Taizong, not the Empress of the Zhangsun family or any power group. This was something I insisted upon throughout my life. I knew that only by doing so could I truly help the court and the nation remain stable, and only then could I be of real help to His Majesty, becoming his most loyal and warm support.

Being the Empress of a nation is certainly not an easy task. There are too many disturbances and struggles, and in the end, it is difficult to truly escape the various entanglements of the court. For many problems, the Emperor would hope to get my opinion and hear my thoughts. On one hand, it was because the Emperor appreciated my talent and knowledge; on the other hand, it was because His Majesty knew that I understood his temperament deeply and was well aware of his thoughts and plans. Therefore, sometimes the words I spoke and the opinions I offered were actually what His Majesty wanted to say but could not, and what he wanted to do but could not. It was inconvenient for His Majesty to speak of these things himself, but by asking me, he could express what was in his heart through my mouth. This is one of the reasons why His Majesty always cherished me so much, because he knew that my heart was truly on his side—what is known as a husband and wife sharing the same heart.

A Spirit Within

I died very early in this lifetime. As the mistress of the inner palace, even though my relationship with the Emperor was excellent, I still could not escape the many worldly disturbances. Under pressure from many sides, my body finally could not bear it, and I fell ill and passed away. Before that, in order to help me and pray for my blessings, His Majesty decided to restore hundreds of temples across the country, hoping that I would recover. This gesture moved me, yet I did not wish for His Majesty to waste the people's money and labor for my sake. Especially since, in my understanding at the time, Buddhism could not truly help the stability of the nation or the welfare of the people, so I sincerely opposed it.

After death, I was still concerned about the major affairs of His Majesty and the nation, and I actually entered into His Majesty's body, becoming one of his cells. Within His Majesty's body, there were many forces as kind as I was—that is, other cells within His Majesty. We, the 'good forces' within His Majesty's body, were cell-beings who hoped to help His Majesty make correct and virtuous decisions. Conversely, there was also another evil force within His Majesty's body, which were the evil cell-beings. Now I understand that they were His Majesty's karmic creditors, attached spirits, and demon crowds. They all hoped to interfere with His Majesty, making him make wrong decisions, commit sins, and suffer evil retribution and bitter fruits. This was a situation I observed at that time.

The Light of Great Master Xuanzang

Very fortunately, the Empress Zhangsun who was within His Majesty's body at that time met the Great Master Xuanzang, who had returned from the Western Regions. Great Master Xuanzang was very different from others; a very powerful light emanated from him, and it was very clear that he was a practitioner who had achieved success. When he approached His Majesty, we, the cells within His Majesty's body, felt very peaceful and joyful upon being illuminated by the light of his body, and thus we developed a sense of respect for Great Master Xuanzang.

His Majesty, seeing the virtue of the Master at that time, was amazed and greatly supported the Master's translation work. Later on, I kept influencing His Majesty, often having him summon Great Master Xuanzang, because we discovered that when His Majesty communicated with Great Master Xuanzang, it had a very good soothing effect on the state of all the spirit-beings within His Majesty's body. It could greatly increase the good forces within His Majesty, which was a great benefit for His Majesty, the nation, and the court.

In this lifetime, towards the end of His Majesty's life, the number of evil forces—that is, the karmic creditors—manifesting within his body increased more and more. They were all very resentful towards His Majesty, and many of them were beings that His Majesty had harmed when he was conquering the world. Too many karmic creditors awakened and sought revenge within His Majesty's body during his later years.

The Illusion of the Human Body

As a spirit within His Majesty's body, I saw all of this very clearly. I can only say that the human body is truly very complex. Who would have thought that there are so many beings inside, interfering with a person's words, actions, and thoughts? Is such a human body real or illusory? This was a question in my heart at that time.

Very fortunately, because in the final stage of His Majesty's life, he was practically inseparable from Great Master Xuanzang and often engaged in conversations with him, Great Master Xuanzang used his virtue to explain the philosophy of the Dharma to His Majesty, soothing and enlightening the hearts within His Majesty's body. More importantly, the words spoken by Great Master Xuanzang at that time were actually directed at the karmic creditors within His Majesty's body. At that time, I could see that many of the karmic creditors within His Majesty's body who wanted revenge, upon hearing the teachings of Great Master Xuanzang, delayed their revenge or found their inner resentment somewhat eased. This was something that the Empress Zhangsun at that time was very grateful for.

Liberation and Gratitude

For many years, as the Empress Zhangsun, a spirit within His Majesty's body, I would sometimes manifest when His Majesty was talking with Great Master Xuanzang and communicate with the Master. The Master knew everything about my appearance and had always known that I, the Empress Zhangsun, was right there within His Majesty's body and had not left. Before His Majesty passed away, Great Master Xuanzang saw that I was still a cell within His Majesty and had not been saved, so he guided me and taught me the Dharma. At that time, under the merit of the Master's teaching, the attachment in my heart was resolved, and just like that, I left the cell space within His Majesty's body and became a lonely wandering spirit.

I knew I could follow Great Master Xuanzang's Chao Du to a better place, but after leaving the cell space of His Majesty, I still had attachments to the world, especially to the Tang Dynasty and my son, Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi, so I did not leave at that time. I was very grateful for Great Master Xuanzang's help. After His Majesty died, I, Empress Zhangsun, became a spirit without a body, silently guarding the Tang Dynasty. It was the good fortune of the Great Tang to have met Great Master Xuanzang, and the nation and the court were greatly stabilized at that time because of the teachings of the Buddha.

For over thirteen hundred years, I have not only witnessed the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty but have also seen the changes of countless dynasties. That experience of being a cell within His Majesty's body had a great impact on my spirituality. Seeing so many people in the world, I deeply know that everything is illusory, and I have always prayed for an opportunity for liberation. This time, I know that I am sincerely seeking liberation, hoping to leave this painful cycle of rebirth. Perhaps the Buddha heard my prayers. Recently, Practitioner Su has been conducting great Chao Du in China, opening up the space of China's five thousand, ten thousand, or even deeper years. Many spirits in historical spaces have been saved, including many famous people, and very fortunately, I am one of them. At that time, Practitioner Su appeared in the sky over China, manifesting in hundreds of billions of forms, carrying Amitabha Buddha to shine the Twelve Lights. I, Empress Zhangsun, was in the golden light, being sent to the Western Land of Dharma Nature with a heart full of gratitude.

Listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma in the Dharma-Nature Land, I understand more and more the truth of the illusory and impermanent nature of life. This body contains too many spirit-beings—they can be called cells, or they can be called karmic creditors. Every decision, every word spoken, and every action taken is carried out under the influence of these spirits. This is indeed the truth of the facts. The Dharma education at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia reveals the truth of the spiritual world and opens up the mysteries of the human body. Humans are indeed unable to be the master, or rather, humans are actually fake. Only by being like Practitioner Su, who has awakened and found his own true nature, is it real. Namo Amituofo.

Practitioner Su's work of Chao Du in China is truly vast and boundless. It has effectively opened up the entire five-thousand-year historical space of China, allowing immeasurable and boundless sentient beings to be saved. Seeing them so genuinely joyful brings me such peace. These skills are truly capable of saving China. I have come to realise that this is the true Buddha’s teachings—it is not merely about achieving one's own liberation, but about having the capacity to help so many other sentient beings attain liberation as well. These are truly the skills to save the world, and I hope that I, too, can learn to emulate such compassion and ability.

The Misery of the Cell Realm

It is my great karmic fortune to have encountered Great Master Xuanzang. Only after being saved by Practitioner Su did I come to understand that for a spirit to pass away and become the cells of another person is, in truth, a most miserable existence. Because I was rescued by Great Master Xuanzang, I was able to quickly escape the cell space of the Emperor. Now, residing in the Dharma-Nature Land and listening to the Dharma, I have come to understand that the vast majority of spirits inhabiting human cells—those we call karmic creditors or sentient beings with karmic affinity—actually enter these spaces after their host dies. They wait there, trapped, until that person reincarnates as a human and appears in the world once more, at which point they re-enter the cell space of that person's body. To repeat this cycle, life after life, is truly one of the most profound sufferings within the cycle of rebirth. Had I not been rescued by Great Master Xuanzang, I, too, would have been trapped within the Emperor's cell space, waiting for the next time he would reincarnate as a human, only to enter his body's cells once again. And to wait for the Emperor to reincarnate as a human—who knows how much time that would have taken?

A New Life in the Dharma-Nature Land

Great Master Xuanzang is currently at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Center; he is now known as Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. I am filled with gratitude for all these Causal Conditions. Now, I, Empress Zhangsun, am here in the Dharma-Nature Land, happily chanting 'Namo Amituofo' and beginning my new life.

Gratitude to Amitabha Buddha, and gratitude to Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo.

Empress Zhangsun of Tang Taizong