On My Own Two Feet » Famous Women Warriors

Legendary Fighting Women: Tomoe Gozen

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:42:33 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Possibly the most famous Japanese fighting woman, Tomoe Gozen (toe.moe.e go.zen) has captured the imagination of the Japanese for several centuries. Her name is also starting to quite recognized in the US, largely thanks to a series of novels by Jessica Amanda Salmonson called the The Tomoe Gozen Saga.

Who was Tomoe Gozen?

There are a number of sites on the web that talk about Tomoe Gozen, most of which refer back to a single source dating from the 1300′s called The Tale of Heike. The part of the story concerning Tomoe Gozen describes a battle during the Genpei War (1180-1185). There is described as striking beautiful, with skills in kenjutsu, archery, and horsemanship to rival her beauty.

Almost nothing is known about Tomoe Gozen as an historical figure; at this point it’s safer to consider her a legendary figure. But like Mulan and Yim Wing Chun, legendary or not, she still provides fighting females as a role-model and a source of inspiration.

The Battle of Awazu

What we information we do have tells us basically nothing about Tomoe Gozen until the Genpei War. During that time Minamoto no Yoshinaka, Lady Tomoe‘s husband or master (depending on which version of the legend you read) captured Kyoto and decided to to win the leadership of the Minamoto clan. His cousin Minamoto no Yoritomo sent his own brothers, Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Noriyori to him. Yoshinaka fought Yoritomo’s forces at the Battle of Awazu. It was said that Lady Tomoe performed more valorous deeds than any of Yoshinake’s other warriors. Certainly he thought much of her skill, for legends tell us he sent her out as his first captain whenever battle loomed.

What happened during the battle is far from certain. All the sources I found confirmed that during the battle of Awazu, Lady Tomoe took at least one head, that of the Minamoto warrior Onda no Hachiro Moroshige. Most accounts agree that Yoshinaka, knowing he had lost and that death was imminent, urged her to flee. Some accounts say did this just that, with the head she had taken in battle or with the head of Yoshinaka to keep it from falling into enemy hands.

Other accounts say that Lade Tomoe refused to go and died by the side of Yoshinaka or committed suicide. Still others say she survived and became a nun. One other version claims she was captured by Wada Yoshimori and bore him a son, Asahina, who was to go on and become the strongest warrior of the Kamakura era.

Lady Tomoe’s Signifigance

The legend of Tomoe Gozen documents a rare but historical phenomenon–that of women warriors in the history of Japan. While most women did, indeed, follow the common view of Japanese femininity–as bound by social custom as the layers of kimono they wore–they were still expected to take up arms in defense of their home. And a rare few rode into battle themselves.

Lady Tomoe serves as a reminder that there have always been women who have pursued the martial arts, usually in spite of law, culture, and custom. The female warrior isn’t a new–she’s following the centuries-old path of both legendary and real women who followed their own hearts to take the right path for them. Can we expect less of ourselves and daughters in the modern world?

Note: The term gozen is actually an honorific, not a name. It translates literally to “perfect circle”, but is usually translated as “Lady”.

Sources

Legendary Fighting Women: Mulan

martialartess — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:24:13 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Made famous by the Disney movie Mulan, Hua Mulan is the hero of a chinese ballad called The Song of Mulan, dating from around 5 C.E. (A.D.). The ballad [English translation] opens with Mulan weaving as she worries about her father who’s been called to military duty by the Khan. He is too old to serve, but has no grown son to serve in his stead.

Mulan buys horse, saddle, bridle, and whip (the items required for military service), dresses in man’s clothes and rides to the army’s encampment to take her father’s place. After serving for twelve years, she returns to the Khan, who offers her a promotion, then asks what she desires. Mulan says that she has no desire to become a minister and asks only for a swift mount to take her back home.

Upon returning home, Mulan removes her military clothes and puts back on women’s clothes, fixes her hair and puts on make up. She then goes out the door to meet her military comrades, who had no idea Mulan was a woman. As the closing lines of the ballad state:

Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?
–from The Ballad of Mulan

———–

Stories about Mulan reappear through out China’s history with many different images of her set in various time periods:

The earliest days of the Han Dynasty. Here her name is Wei Mulan. This Mulan died in battle and was given the title “Xiaolie” (filial piety and heroism).
The Sui Dynasty. Here she is also named Wei Mulan. In this account her bravery is so noted, the Emperor Sui Yang promotes her to general. After the war, the emperor offers her a high position and salary, but she refuses, returns to her home and redons women’s clothing. Upon hearing this, the Emperor wants her for his concubine and when she refuses, he forces her. She commits suicide, at which point the Emperor grieves and gives her the title Xiaolie posthumously.
The early days of the Tang Dynasty. Here her name is Zhu Mulan. Her father is ill, so Mulan dresses as a man and at the age of 14, enlists in the army to fight the Turks who’ve invaded China’s borders. In this version, the Emperor, Tang Tai-Zong offers to promote her to general, but she refuses politely and returns to her hometown. He gives her the title “Wuzhao-General” and the royal surname “Li”. This version has a tragic ending where a court sorcerer fortells that a woman with the surname “Wu” will come to rule the Li royal family. Some courtier take advantage of this, convince Tai-Zong that Mulan is the said woman and he summons her. Mulan, in her cleverness, discovers the reason for the summons, writes a memorial to the Emperor and commits suicide to prove her innocence.
Later in the Tang Dynasty. Here, her name is Ren Mulan and she is born into a wealthy family. To defend her homeland from rebel forces, she spends her family’s money to organize an army to defend her hometown. She dresses in armor and leads her army to battle, defeating them.
The Ming Dynasty. Here her name is Hua Mulan, though other sources name her Fa Mulan and this seems to be when the surname “Hua” becomes attached to her story. Dramatist Xu Wei writes an opera based on the Mulan tales which proved very popular and she becomes a figure in many operas. Also during this time, her legend is developed into a novel.

It’s possible that at least some of these stories contain historical fact, but Mulan’s power doesn’t lie in her historical existence. She reminds us that any one of us — male or female — have the power to take up arms and defend what we believe in. Women, as well as men, can fight equally well, particularly when it comes to protecting their home and family.

Sources:

ASIAPAC. 100 Celebrated Chinese Women: Hua Mulan
Ballad of Mulan
LeJeune, Elisabetta. Mu-Lan, the Chinese Woman Warrior
Oriental Style. Mulan in the History

Legendary Fighting Women: Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun

martialartess — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:00:57 +0000

According to the legend, Wing Chun began in the Qing Dynasty, a time when the Chinese Han majority had been conquered and ruled by Manchurian nobility from the north. The harsh rule of the Han by the Manchurians is historical fact — I’m not a scholar of Chinese history, so the true extent of how barbaric the Manchurian rule actually was, I don’t know. But we are speaking here of legend, not history. Like England under the rule of King John, the story of Wing Chun begins with a cruel warlord oppressing the common people of China.

Fearing an uprising among the common people, Emperor K’anghsi of the Qing Dynasty (1662 – 1722 CE) forbade the practice of martial arts. Legend tells us the Manchurian rulers felt so threatened, they sent troops to destroy Shaolin monasteries, who preserved and taught martial arts. This story begins with the burning of the Siu Lam temple in southern China and five monks who escaped its destruction. Among these five was a woman named Ng Mui, a master of an as-yet unnamed fighting style. After fleeing for her life, Ng Mui hid in a small village where she met a girl named Yim Wing Chun.

The Warlord’s Challenge

Yim Wing Chun, whose name means “Beautiful Springtime”, was the daughter of a bean curd seller (some versions of the story say she was an orphan). Beautiful, intelligent and outspoken, Wing Chun attracted the attention of the local Manchurian warlord, who claimed Wing Chun as his reluctant bride (and, in some telllings, he raped her). The legend states that Ng Mui approached the young woman and offered to teach her to defend herself. The two women retreated into the nearby mountains, where Wing Chun trained hard, showing a natrual talent for the martial arts. At the end of her training, the girl returned to the village and offered a challenge to her unwanted suitor:

“I cannot marry a man who is unable to best me in combat.”

The warlord, his martial pride on the line, accepted Wing Chun’s challenge. But the young woman was too skilled and well-trained; she promptly bested the warlord, who left the village in shame.

Leung Bok Chau and the Naming of a Style

Yim Wing Chun went on to become a reknown warrior in her own right. Eventually, she crossed paths with a former Shaolin student named Leung Bok Chau. The two fell in love and were married. Legend has it that Wing Chun passed her knowledge onto her husband. After her death, Bok Chu continued to pass on the system his wife taught him, naming it “Wing Chun” in honor of his beloved bride.

———

There are many variations of this legend. Some say Ng Mui developed the system she taught after watching a fight between snake and a monkey, other legends say Wing Chun herself added the animal influence to the system Ng Mui taught her. Other versions of the story say it was Wing Chun’s father who fled the monestary and taught her to fight.

No matter the details, Yim Wing Chun’s legend can provide inspiration and courage to girls. It can remind us that we are ultimately responsible for our protection; we cannot always rely on a father, boyfriend, husband to take care of us. As Wing Chun discovered, our safety is in our hands alone.

A final note: Yim Wing Chun’s story inspired a Chinese movie named Wing Chun. the young heroine is played by Michelle Yeoh. I haven’t yet been able to get my hands on a copy of it (not for lack of trying!), so I can’t testify to how enjoyable it is.

Famous Fighting Females?

martialartess — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:34:46 +0000

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How many warrior women of legend and history can you name? On Friday, and periodically after that, I’m going to pick one of these women and (briefly) tell her story. Friday will be the legend of the “founders” of Wing Chun, Ng Mui and her student, Yim Wing Chun.

I will attempt to distiguish fact from fiction, as best I can. Truthfully, though, I’m not sure it really makes a different whether a story is true or not — it can have an impact on us, either way. Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table aren’t historical figures, not as they’re presented in the stories. But I still named Dynamo after one, hoping he’ll emulate his namesake, at least in regards to the virtues of chivalry (I’m an amateur Arthurian scholar, so I know the stories of the knight’s failings and misdeeds; I’m hoping he doesn’t emulate those).

Fighting women lack such role models in story — a true shame, really, since there are more such stories out there than I’d even realized. Most people know the Amazons, Joan of Arc and now (thanks to Disney), Mu Lan. Some fewer can name Tomoe Gozen. I’d like to bring to light more stories of female bravery as an inspriation to girls and women. Figures such as Tomoe Gozen, Yim Wing Chun, Princess Píngyáng can give girls their own heroes, their own King Arthurs and Robin Hoods.

If any of you know of women you’d like to see me cover, please leave me a comment and I’ll add them to my list. The most popular suggestions will be covered first.