History That's More Than 2-Dimensional.

A response to Mike Pence’s claim that ‘Mulan’ is liberal propaganda

Mike Pence in 1999 op-ed: Disney’s Mulan is Liberal Propaganda
Pence wrote the op-ed before he ran for Congress and when he served as a radio talk show host

This project doesn’t often indulge in politics, but Mike Pence’s 1999 claim that Mulan is liberal propaganda, spun out of nowhere — recently surfaced, due to his nomination as the US Republican Vice Presidential nominee — requires a learned response.

China has had martial heroines longer than almost anywhere on earth. Mulan may have been largely myth, but to suggest it’s made-up propaganda is utter lunacy. There’s a LOT of martial heroines who were just as hardcore as Mulan:

  • Fu Hao, who was commanding armies in the age of pharaohs.
  • Princess Pingyang, who helped overthrow the Sui dynasty and inaugurate the Tang (and who’s been featured on here before).
  • Yim Wing Chun, who created the style of kung fu that Ip Man and Bruce Lee used (and who was also on here before); she was taught, according to tradition, by:
  • Ng Mui, a legendary martial artist, one of the five great elders.
  • Fang Qi Niang, who started a branch of martial arts that was one of the chief influences on Yim Wing Chun.
  • Ching Shih, a prostitute-turned-pirate leader who commanded 70,000 men (also featured on here before).
  • Qin Liangyu, a Ming dynasty general who fought the Manchus.
  • Wang Cong’er, who led the White Lotus Rebellion against the Manchus.
  • Lin Siniang, a prostitute-turned-princess who trained the harem in martial arts
  • Li Xiu, who, when unexpectedly put into military leadership, held a city out from invading forces for seven years
  • Sun Shangxiang, badass Han dynasty warrior
  • Shen Yuying, a Ming dynasty general who took over for her father when he died
  • Liang Hongyu, a slave who bought herself free and became a fearsome Song dynasty general

And that is just CHINA, and just the women I could list OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. There are so, so, SO many more historical women who’ve seen combat – here’s a long, LONG list for just such occasions!

It’s entirely possible Pence has since evolved his views (one would hope, this is an old claim!) – but regardless, outrageous claims like these deserve to be met with knowledge and facts when they arise.

(fair warning: I haven’t done extensive research into all of these women; legend and history tend to intermingle when you go back too far, so the historicity of a few may be in question.)