The history of Chinese women is much more varied than the cliched Western portrayals of exotic concubines, oppressed wives or cute China dolls. It is true that the virtuous, supportive wife is a recurring theme in Chinese history, but let us not forget that supportive wives are also recurring themes in the histories of other societies, including European societies. Many of the ideal wives recorded in Chinese history are described as being extremely ugly in addition to being very wise. Their husbands loved them for their wisdom and respected them as equals. Stories like these which go against the Western stereotypes of both Chinese men and Chinese women, are of course seldom represented in Western media.

Of course, the avenues through which Chinese women in antiquity expressed themselves extended far beyond wifehood. History books by ancient chroniclers spanning the Zhou, Qin, Han and Three Kingdoms periods (approximately 1066 BCE through 280 CE) describe the employment of women as rank-and-file soldiers undertaking combat and defense duties.¹ Rebel armies in later dynasties also included a high number of women - during the Taiping Rebellion, the sister of Hong Xiuquan had command of 2000 female soldiers.² Common soldiers, men or women, are usually unnamed in the history books, but there were many women who reached higher ranks and made it into the pages of history. A few biographies of historical Chinese women who were known as scholars, career soldiers, armed rebels and government administrators are listed below:

Post-Imperial Era (1912- )

Deng Huizhong - secret agent and mistress of disguise

Commander Zhao-Hong Wenguo - grandmother of the anti-Japanese resistance

Feng Shuyan - legendary markswoman and army officer

Chen Lianshi - guerilla commander

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

Lin Hei'er - head of the Red Lantern Unit

Shi Xianggu (Zheng Yi Sao) - pirate admiral

Wang Cong'er - Supreme Commander of the eight armies of the White Lotus Sect

Yan Yongchun and the Venerable Wumei - founders of the Yongchun (Wing Chun) martial arts system

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

General Shen Yunying - Complete in Loyalty and Filial Piety

Gao Guiying - General of the Peasant Rebels

Qin Liangyu - Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan Province

Tang Sai'er - rebel commander and leader of the White Lotus Sect

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)

Guo Zhenshun - stopping an army with a poem

Han E - the 'Hua Mulan' of Sichuan Province

Song Dynasty (960-1279)

General Liang Hongyu - the mighty drummer and Lady of the Nation's Peace

Li Qingzhao - radical lyricist

Lin Mo - philanthropist and sea rescue volunteer

Five Dynasties (907-979)

General Liu Jinding - Red Steed and Golden Sabre

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Xue Tao - celebrated poet and inventor

Shangguan Wan'er - Prime Minister to Empress Wu

North-South Dynasties/Sui Dynasty (420-618)

Not Disney's 'Mulan' - the Mulan of Chinese tradition

Liu Lingxian - poetic genius

Jin Dynasty (265-420)

Li Xiu - defender of Ningzhou

Xie Daoyun - literary inspiration for future generations

Eastern Han Dynasty/Three Kingdoms Era (25-280)

Ban Zhao - historian, educator and political consultant

Qin Dynasty/Western Han Dynasty (221 BCE - 23 CE)

Huang Guigu - veteran of the northern campaigns

Lu Mu - mother of a revolution

Zhou Dynasty (1066-221 BCE)

The Maiden of the Southern Forest - master swordswoman and military trainer

Lady Xu Mu - poet and patriot

Shang Dynasty (1600-1066 BCE)

Fu Hao - Queen and top general of King Wuding of Shang

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the Chinese women who held positions of power in ages past, but rather a small sampling of the remarkable women from the pages of Chinese history.

Note: We make no claims as to the accuracy of translations of Chinese official titles and military ranks in any of the above articles.