User:Asarelah/sandbox/History of Women in War in East Asia


 * 13th century BC – Lady Fu Hao consort of the Chinese emperor Wu Ding, led 3,000 men into battle during the Shang Dynasty. Fu Hao had entered the royal household by marriage and took advantage of the semi-matriarchal slave society to rise through the ranks. Fu Hao is known to modern scholars mainly from inscriptions on Shang Dynasty oracle bone artifacts unearthed at Yinxu. In these inscriptions she is shown to have led numerous military campaigns. The Tu fought against the Shang for generations until they finally were defeated by Fu Hao in a single decisive battle. Further campaigns against the neighbouring Yi, Qiang, and Ba followed, the latter is particularly remembered as the earliest recorded large scale ambush in Chinese history. With up to 13,000 troops and the important generals Zhi and Hou Gao serving under her, she was the most powerful military leader of her time. This highly unusual status is confirmed by the many weapons, including great battle-axes, unearthed from her tomb.
 * 660 BC - Lady Xu Mu is credited with saving the state of Wey from military invasion with her appeals for aid. The Wey people remembered her for bringing supplies, getting military aid and rebuilding the state. She is also the first recorded female poet in Chinese history.
 * 5th century BC – The Lady of Yue trained the soldiers of the army of King Goujian of Yue.
 * 403–221 BC – During the Warring States period of China, Sun Tzu wrote a contemporary report of how Ho Lu, King of Wu, tested his skill by ordering him to train an army of 180 women.
 * 4th century BC – Chinese statesman Shang Yang wrote The Book of Lord Shang, in which he recommended dividing the members of an army into three categories; strong men, strong women, and the weak and old of both sexes. He recommended that the strong men serve as the first line of defence, that the strong women defend the forts and build traps, and that the weak and elderly of both sexes control the supply chain. He also recommended that these three groups not be intermingled, on the basis that doing so would be detrimental to morale.
 * Early 3rd century BC – Legendary Empress Jingu of Japan may have led an invasion against Korea at this time, however, the story is regarded as fictional by many scholars.
 * Early 3rd century BC – Huang Guigu acted as a military official under Qin Shi Huang. She led military campaigns against the people of northern China.
 * 1st century-5th century: Four women were buried in Phum Snay, Cambodia with metal swords. The graves date approximately from this time period, and were discovered in 2007.
 * 14–18 – Lu Mu, a Chinese peasant also known as Mother Lu, led a rebellion against Wang Mang.
 * 40 - The Trung Sisters revolt against the Chinese in Vietnam. Phung Thi Chinh joins them.
 * 248 – Trieu Thi Trinh led a rebellion the Chinese in Vietnam.
 * 4th century – As military commander for the Emperor of China, Li Xiu took her father's place and defeated a rebellion.
 * 4th-6th century: Possible time period that the legendary woman warrior Hua Mulan may have lived.

6th century

 * 6th century: Lady Xian personally leads her army in China.

7th century

 * 617-618: Princess Pingyang of China helps overthrow the Sui Dynasty by organizing an "Army of the Lady".
 * 653: Chen Shuozhen leads a peasant rebellion in China, declaring herself empress regnant of China.

10th century

 * 986: The Khitan Dowager Regent Empress Xiao Yanyan of the Khitan Liao state, regnal title Chengtian, assumes power at age 30 in 982. In 986, personally led her own army against the Song dynasty and defeated them in battle.