What obstacles did Confucius over come?

Wu Zetian is the only woman ever to rule China in her own right. She lived from about 675 to about 705 CE. She was a concubine, and married the son of the emperor she was concubine for. She no only had to overcome the usual prejudices of the time against intellignet women, but she had to overcome all sorts of political wrangling to have her deposed after the death of her consort.