We've often read and watch stories about the Empresses and Four Beauties of China but have you heard about the well-accomplished female warriors in Chinese history. Perhaps, the most well-known among the list of female warriors is certainly Hua Mulan, popularized by Disney's animated film Mulan.
1. Hua Mulan (花木兰)
Popularized by multiple film adaptations, Hua Mulan is perhaps the most well-known female warrior amongst this list. She is characterized as the daughter who took her father's place to fight in the war against the Hun invaders. Her existence in actual Chinese history had been an ongoing dispute but since the evidence are still lacking, she can only be viewed as a legendary figure.
2. Liang Hongyu (梁红玉)
It is rumored that she is the daughter of an army commander during the Song Dynasty who was punished after losing a battle. As a result, she was sold into slavery and became a female wrestler since she learned martial arts at a young age. It was also said that she lived like a geisha, singing and performing with the drums. While performing in front of troops, she met her future husband Han Shizhong, a comrade of the well-known patriot Yue Fei. She noticed Han Shizhong was upset and after striking a conversation with him, she realized he was upset that his superior took credit for his military accomplishment. She saw him different from the other rowdy soldiers while he saw her with class. They maintained contact with each other and after she freed herself from slavery, he married her as his second wife.
3. Qin Liangyu (秦良玉)
A female warrior known during the Ming Dynasty as a defender against the Manchus. She was fortunate enough to receive an education since her father believed in gender equality in education. Besides literature and poetry, she also learned archery and horseback riding. Later on in life, she was married to an official Ma Qiancheng and the power couple was able to triumph in battles against local warlords. As her husband was fighting on the battlefield, she was able to send back up, which led to their victory. Unfortunately, her husband dies after offending a higher ranked official and she surprisingly assumes his position. Due to her military prowess, she is often praised by Emperor Chongming in his poetry for defending the Ming territories.
4. Fan Lihua 樊梨花
Fan Lihua is another well-known female warrior popularized by Chinese remakes. I personally love watching the love story between her and her husband because I get to witness how they fall in love despite their union was the result of a political truce.
Fan Lihua is a female warrior from the Western Turks during the Tang Dynasty and her father Fan Hong is a general assigned to defend the borders of the Western Turks. After his ascension to the throne, the new Emperor Tang Taizhong greatly pursued territorial expansions and wanted to take control of surrounding territories, which led to continuous unrest and war.
At a very young age, Fan Lihua was trained by the Holy Mother of the Pear Mountains. Towards the end of her training, she was told by the Holy Mother that she was destined to marry Tang's Xue Ding Shan in order to unite Tang and Western Turks. As a result, Fan Lihua pursued Xue Dingshan and eventually met on the battlefield. Xue Dingshan was forced to marry Fan Lihua and it wasn't through ups and downs did they actually learn to love each other.
Even though Xue Dingshan and Fan Lihua are both military fighters, Fan Li Hua's medicinal knowledge and strategic thinking far exceeds those of Xue Dingshan. In fact when Xue Dingshan was trapped by a fire battle array and a water battle array, Fan Lihua appeared just in time to help him escape from danger.
5. Mu Guiying 穆桂英
Mu Guiying is one of my fave after watching Legendary Fighters: The Yang Heroines. Not only do I enjoy her love story with Yang Zongbao but I also love how strong her character is. Even though her father is the leader of the Mu Ke Fortress, she is actually the real leader since she is a talented tactician. Yang Zongbao travels to the Mu Clan to borrow the magical item Dragon-Taming Wood but is met with resistance. They engaged in a fight which results in Yang Zongbao losing since Mu Guiying's martial arts is superior than his. Even though he lost, Mu Guiying fell for his upright and charming personality that she offered marriage with the Dragon-Taming Wood as her dowry.
After joining the Yang family, she was met with resentment from her father-in-law Yang Yanzhao since he viewed his son as a traitor for marrying during this war-stricken period. Luckily, the conflict resolves and she becomes a valuable asset to the Yang family. With her extensive knowledge in military tactics and highly-skilled martial arts, she was given the opportunity by the Yang matriarch She Caihua to lead the Yangs to victory against the Liao Dynasty.
1. Hua Mulan (花木兰)
Popularized by multiple film adaptations, Hua Mulan is perhaps the most well-known female warrior amongst this list. She is characterized as the daughter who took her father's place to fight in the war against the Hun invaders. Her existence in actual Chinese history had been an ongoing dispute but since the evidence are still lacking, she can only be viewed as a legendary figure.
Elanne Kong as Hua Ruolan in Female General (2013)
Hou Mengyao as Mulan in The Story of Mulan (2013)
Zhao Wei as Mulan in Mulan (2009)
Others:
Wen Mingna voices Mulan in Disney's Mulan (1998)
Crystal Liu as Mulan in Mulan (2020)
2. Liang Hongyu (梁红玉)
It is rumored that she is the daughter of an army commander during the Song Dynasty who was punished after losing a battle. As a result, she was sold into slavery and became a female wrestler since she learned martial arts at a young age. It was also said that she lived like a geisha, singing and performing with the drums. While performing in front of troops, she met her future husband Han Shizhong, a comrade of the well-known patriot Yue Fei. She noticed Han Shizhong was upset and after striking a conversation with him, she realized he was upset that his superior took credit for his military accomplishment. She saw him different from the other rowdy soldiers while he saw her with class. They maintained contact with each other and after she freed herself from slavery, he married her as his second wife.
Viann Zhang as Liang Hongyu in The Patriot Yue Fei
A female warrior known during the Ming Dynasty as a defender against the Manchus. She was fortunate enough to receive an education since her father believed in gender equality in education. Besides literature and poetry, she also learned archery and horseback riding. Later on in life, she was married to an official Ma Qiancheng and the power couple was able to triumph in battles against local warlords. As her husband was fighting on the battlefield, she was able to send back up, which led to their victory. Unfortunately, her husband dies after offending a higher ranked official and she surprisingly assumes his position. Due to her military prowess, she is often praised by Emperor Chongming in his poetry for defending the Ming territories.
4. Fan Lihua 樊梨花
Fan Lihua is another well-known female warrior popularized by Chinese remakes. I personally love watching the love story between her and her husband because I get to witness how they fall in love despite their union was the result of a political truce.
Fan Lihua is a female warrior from the Western Turks during the Tang Dynasty and her father Fan Hong is a general assigned to defend the borders of the Western Turks. After his ascension to the throne, the new Emperor Tang Taizhong greatly pursued territorial expansions and wanted to take control of surrounding territories, which led to continuous unrest and war.
At a very young age, Fan Lihua was trained by the Holy Mother of the Pear Mountains. Towards the end of her training, she was told by the Holy Mother that she was destined to marry Tang's Xue Ding Shan in order to unite Tang and Western Turks. As a result, Fan Lihua pursued Xue Dingshan and eventually met on the battlefield. Xue Dingshan was forced to marry Fan Lihua and it wasn't through ups and downs did they actually learn to love each other.
Even though Xue Dingshan and Fan Lihua are both military fighters, Fan Li Hua's medicinal knowledge and strategic thinking far exceeds those of Xue Dingshan. In fact when Xue Dingshan was trapped by a fire battle array and a water battle array, Fan Lihua appeared just in time to help him escape from danger.
Jessica Hsuan as Fan Lihua in Lady Fan (2004)
Qin Lan as Fan Lihua in Great Tang's Female General: Fan Li Hua (2012)
5. Mu Guiying 穆桂英
Mu Guiying is one of my fave after watching Legendary Fighters: The Yang Heroines. Not only do I enjoy her love story with Yang Zongbao but I also love how strong her character is. Even though her father is the leader of the Mu Ke Fortress, she is actually the real leader since she is a talented tactician. Yang Zongbao travels to the Mu Clan to borrow the magical item Dragon-Taming Wood but is met with resistance. They engaged in a fight which results in Yang Zongbao losing since Mu Guiying's martial arts is superior than his. Even though he lost, Mu Guiying fell for his upright and charming personality that she offered marriage with the Dragon-Taming Wood as her dowry.
After joining the Yang family, she was met with resentment from her father-in-law Yang Yanzhao since he viewed his son as a traitor for marrying during this war-stricken period. Luckily, the conflict resolves and she becomes a valuable asset to the Yang family. With her extensive knowledge in military tactics and highly-skilled martial arts, she was given the opportunity by the Yang matriarch She Caihua to lead the Yangs to victory against the Liao Dynasty.
Ning Jing as Mu Guiying in Legendary Fighters: Yang's Heroines (2001)
Miao Pu as Mu Guiying Takes Command (2011)
