Women's Day has been celebrated in China since the founding of the People's Republic of China, more than twenty-five years before the UN established the International Women's Day. As a public holiday, women get to take half-a-day off their work. Let's take this occasion to talk about one of the most famous women in Chinese history: Mulan.
The oldest known record of Mulan is The Ballad of Mulan. It is a short poem talking about the story of a girl who took up her elderly father's position in the army. After ten years, she returned from the war as a hero. The emperor wanted to reward her with a position in the government, but she only asked for a horse to return home. Upon arriving home, Mulan put on a woman's outfit. It was only then did her comrades realized she was a woman.
While there have been other historical documents about Mulan, they often provide different details about her family, her era, and her enemy. As such, most modern historians agree that Mulan likely did not exist. However, her story would remain influential, reminding people that women are not inferior to men.
I would leave you with the final lines of the ballad, which have become a Chinese proverb about how women are equal to men.
Excerpts from The Ballad of Mulan (Translated By Han H. Frankel)
The he‑hare’s feet go hop and skip,
The she‑hare’s eyes are muddled and fuddled.
Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?
