Historical Overview Of Chinese Women Warriors
It comes as no surprise that stories about women's involvement in wars pique people's interest all over the world. Apart from challenging fundamental gender norms through their daring deeds and dramatic actions, the mere image of a woman killing another human being calls into question long-held beliefs about women as life-givers rather than death-bringers. The sight of graceful and delicate female bodies in military uniforms challenges conventional notions of feminine beauty and grace, and the idea of women putting their lives in danger defies the notion that such bravery is primarily a masculine trait. All these images beg the question, "How can a woman ever presume to participate in battle?”
A Southern Song painting depicting the male generals who stopped the Jin advance into southern China. (Public Domain)
An enduring image reinforced by countless war movies is that of women sending their men off to war from the family home's doorstep and then waiting for them to return once victory is secured. The masculinity of the war in which soldiers are expected to participate is centered on the basis of protection of women and their sexual virtue. This placement of women who “need to be defended” thus isolates the feminine in a distinct social space and heighten the masculine world of the soldiers' barracks. Women warriors upend this rather neat distinction by blurring the lines between the traditional demarcation of war space. Thus, instead of the very clear distinction of women at home and men in the barracks, the barracks also become a place where women can live, just as much as the home is a place where men can take refuge.
