temple name (miaohao) of the sixth emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He was placed on the throne by his mother, the future empress Wuhou, in 684, before she decided to set him aside and rule the country herself in 690. This was the first such usurpation in Chinese history. Although Ruizong had been made Wuhou's heir, his brother Zhongzong, under the domination of a clique of court officials, succeeded to the throne in 705, after a palace coup overthrew the empress. A further coup led by Ruizong's son put Ruizong back on the throne in 710. He ruled for two years before abdicating to his son.