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Chinese women in history - soldiers, pirates, scholars, sages and rulers

Han E - the 'Hua Mulan' of Sichuan Province

Han E, a native of Sichuan, was born in 1345 during the Yuan Dynasty. Her father died when she was three and her mother followed when she was seven.1 The orphaned Han E went to live with her uncle Han Li. Han Li took it upon himself to tutor his niece in both literature and sword fighting, and Han E proved to be an apt pupil.2 The Hans lived in perilous times. There was widespread dissatisfaction with the Yuan Dynasty, and peasant uprisings erupted in many locations. As rebel factions from different locales joined the ranks of the Red Scarf Army, government soldiers retreated and pillaged the civilian population along the way. Han Li and his wife feared that their adolescent niece would be abducted and assaulted by the pillagers, so they dressed her as a boy.3

In 1351, the Red Scarf Army attacked Chengdu and retreating government troops seized the 'lad' Han E to serve as a stable boy. Taken from her family by force, Han E lost touch with her aunt and uncle.4 Days later, Red Scarf Army general Wang Qiyan surrounded the retreating Yuan troops. Han E took the chance to kill the Yuan commander and join the Red Scarf Army under the name of Han Guanbao.5 Impressed with the courage and intelligence of Han Guanbao, General Wang arranged for one of his sub-commandants Luo Jia to adopt the 12-year-old Han as foster son. 6

As one of Luo's lieutenants, Han fought in the Red Scarf Army's Sichuan and Yunnan campaigns over a period of 12 years. Han Guanbao put her utmost effort into her duties. Luo loved her as his own son and often praised Han's competence before his officers.7 Han Guanbao was diligent, frugal and cautious. She conducted herself with all seriousness, refusing to engage in banter with other soldiers. During victory celebrations, she turned down invitations to drink with other officers. No one around her ever guessed the staid and unsociable Han Guanbao was a woman.8

After the war ended, Luo Jia arranged a match between Han and the daughter of Army Advisor Wang. Han Guanbao tried to turn down the proposal, but had no grounds for refusing the intelligent and talented Miss Wang. In the end, Han had to obey her foster father and marry Miss Wang.9 After the wedding, Han's wife and in-laws complained that Guanbao refused to consummate the marriage. Han's foster father also rebuked 'him' for not honoring the union.10 At this difficult time in her private life, Han received the assignment of accompanying General Wang Qiyan to Chengdu. Once in Chengdu, she located her uncle and aunt. Han Li and his wife did not recognize their niece, but Han Guanbao showed them the childhood scar on her head to prove that she was indeed Han E.11 Han Li was able to extricate Han E from her personal quandary by testifying before Red Scarf Army high command about the circumstances surrounding his niece's gender change. News of Han Guanbao's actual gender spread through the ranks and the soldiers praised her as a heroine.12

In 1371, Han E married Ma Fuzong, her former comrade. Even after leaving the army, Han E continued to receive considerable public attention. The Prince of Mingshu honored her, visiting Ming scholar wrote the Han E Biography in 1409, and later literati wrote poems and essays in praise of her.13 Han E settled in her husband's native village, Tongxing Village in Xingdu City. The couple had a son and two daughters. Han E's son built a Mulan Shrine on Red Cliff Hill to honor his mother.14 Mulan Shrine was so named because the people regarded Han E as the local, contemporary version of the ancient cross-dressing soldier Mulan. Han E's children also made a proposal to the Xingdu elders about building a local temple to commemorate their mother's life. The elders agreed, and the 48-hall Mulan Temple was built in Tongxing Village.15 Tongxing Village became known as Mulan Village. Every year, in the second month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, Mulan Temple still throngs with visitors.16 Han E's story is recorded in the "Heroines" section of The History of Ming, which was written by scholars in the succeeding Qing Dynasty.17

X.T.

Notes
  1. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
  2. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  3. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  4. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  5. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  6. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  7. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  8. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  9. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  10. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  11. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  12. Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  13. Sichuan Personalities - Han E (Chinese article)
    Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
    Langzhong's 'Hua Mulan' - Nanchong Daily (Chinese article)
  14. Sichuan Personalities - Han E (Chinese article)
    Han E - Hua Mulan of Daxia (Chinese article)
  15. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  16. Folk Customs of Chengdu (Chinese article)
    History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)
  17. History Tour - Mulan Town Government Site (Chinese article)