Read the excerpt.
To be a woman, one must learn to make it a regular practice, at the fifth watch crows, to rise and dress. After cleaning your face and teeth, fix your hair and makeup simply. Then go to the kitchen, light the fire, and start the morning meal. Scrub the pots and wash the pans; boil the tea water and cook the gruel. Plan your meals according to the resources of the family and the seasons of the year, making sure that they are fragrant and tasty, serviced in the appropriate dishes and in the proper manner at the table. If you start early, there is nothing you can’t get done in a day!
– Women,
Sung Ruozhao
How did the life of Empress Wu differ from that of most women as described in the passage?
She did not have to marry or look after children.
She had more power over her life and more influence in society.
She was less affected by Confucian ideals and Chinese tradition.
She lacked interest in social norms and daily affairs like cooking.
