Hong Xuanjiao
Hong Xuanjiao | |
---|---|
Native name | |
Other name(s) | Yang Yunjiao (楊雲嬌) Hong Xianjiao ( |
Born | c. 1830 Luoludong, Wuxuan County, Guangxi Province, Qing China |
Allegiance | Taiping Heavenly Kingdom |
Battles/wars | Taiping Rebellion |
Hong Xuanjiao (Chinese:
Life
[edit]Hong Xuanjiao is believed to have been born around 1830 to a man named Huang Quanzheng (
As a commander of the female soldiers in service of the Taiping army, she led hundreds of female soldiers and she herself was trained in martial arts. She was described as being extraordinarily valiant and extraordinarily beautiful, and also was responsible for the women who took part in the battle under the banner of the Taiping rebels. She distinguished herself in battle and achieved significant feats.[4]
She last appeared in the historical record in 1856 in the lead-up to the Tianjing incident, where she, alarmed by the arrogance of her adoptive brother Yang Xiuqing, pleaded Hong Xiuquan to eliminate Xiao as a potential threat, but Hong Xiuquan, mindful of their former camaraderie, refused her pleas.[2] Taiping Rebellion ended in failure when Nanjing was captured by Qing forces in 1864. Hong Xuanjiao's fate remains unknown.
References
[edit]- ^ Lee, Lily Xiao Hong; Lau, Clara; Stefanowska, A. D. (2015-07-17). Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644-1911. Routledge. p. 71. ISBN 9781317475880.
- ^ a b Lily Xiao Hong Lee, Clara Lau, A.D. Stefanowska: Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644-1911 p.72
- ^ Pamela Kyle Crossley, The Wobbling Pivot: China Since 1800 99 (2010)
- ^ Biographies of Prominent Women in the Homeland featured a biography of Hong Xuanjiao. It described her as follows: "Hong Xuanjiao, known as Xiao Wang Niang within the military ranks, was the elder sister of the Heavenly King and the wife of the Western King, Xiao Chaogui. She was under thirty years of age, extraordinarily beautiful, and possessed exceptional bravery. Leading a contingent of several hundred female soldiers, she excelled in battle and achieved significant feats. Xiao Wang Niang and her female soldiers hailed from Guangxi and were deeply influenced by Hong Xiuquan's teachings. Before each battle, they would offer prayers to the Heavenly Deity. She would appear on the battlefield with minimal makeup, brandishing dual swords with a commanding presence. Riding a crimson horse and wrapped in a white woolen cape, she had a tall and fair complexion. Her clothing blended shades of green and white. As she waved her fair wrist in the wind, she directed the female troops, creating a harmonious symphony of clinking armor. She seemed almost ethereal. In the heat of battle, Xiao Wang Niang would disrobe, mount her horse, and charge into the ranks of the Qing Dynasty troops. Underneath, she wore apricot-colored silk, and her swordplay was incredibly swift. Her attire seemed to change colors magically, leaving the enemy troops in awe."