what is the historical significance of Wu Zetian for the people of the past and today?

As the only empress in China history, she made a lot of contributions in economy, culture, politics and so on. The must-mention is that she made full use of the talents and scholars. People with ruling capability were attached great importance, which should be a significant reason of her successful ruling on the throne.

She did not kill the original emperor, nor did she kill her husband. She did take over in his stead when he was ill. She did also not kill her daughter. Life in the harem is dangerous, literally any of the other concubines could have killed her daughter. Historians have cleared her of that. It was interesting that nothing in this piece how ruthless she was in protecting her reign. She did not place her eldest son on the throne and instead placed her younger son, who was not as strong willed, on the throne so that she would be able to control his actions and rule through him. He finally stepped down and she ascended to the title of emperor. The reason that she is known as he "only female emperor" is because she ruled successfully for 15 years (not half of a century. No where near.) and she held that position.

The historical significance of this woman today is not just the fact that she ruled successfully, but that she was so overlooked by historians.
Heshepsut is another example. You have this great woman who accomplished so much but she was overlooked. Why? You have to look at the MEN that were writing the history in a patriarchal society. It also blows stereotypes out of the water by showing that women were not uneducated lumps that depended on men. To me, THOSE are the reasons she is so significant today.