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Gujin nüjiang zhuanzan 古今女將傳贊 is a collection of biographies of females who commanded military enterprises. It was written by Zhu Kongzhang 朱孔彰 (1842-1919), original name Kongyang 孔陽, courtesy name Zhongwu 仲武, later Zhongwo 仲我, style Shenghe Laoren 聖和老人. He obtained his juren degree in 1882 and served for some time in the staff of Zeng Guofan 曾國藩 (1811-1872). In his last years, he was instructor ot the Cuncu Xuetang School 存古學堂 in Anqing 安慶, Anhui. Zhu also wrote a similar collection of biographies of generals, Zhongxing jiangshuai biezhuan 中興將帥別傳, and some linguistic studies, Shuowen chongwen jian 説文重文箋 and Shuowen cui 説文粹.
The book with a length of 2 juan was influenced by the rise of women's studies in the West and in Japan, and to invigorate the rights and public presence of women in China, Zhu assembled the brief biographies of 69 women warriors from oldest times to the Qing period 清 (1644-1911). The headline of each person includes a brief slogan of their most important achievement. Zhu quotes from primary sources that can be very short, like a bibliographical entry from the Suishu jingji zhi 隋書經籍志 on a book allegedly written by the Mysterious Maiden (Yuannü 元女, i.e., Xuannü 玄女). As common in biographical collections, the author adds some positive words (zan 贊) after each biography.
| 石勒妻 拔劍斬賊 |
The spouse of Shi Le With the sword she killed the rebel |
|---|---|
| 勒后劉氏，侍中劉閏中妹，别部胡人也，勒納之于胡門，美色有德寵。張裨反於襄城，后拔劍斬之，勒賴后而濟济。后性敏慧，多幹畧，理國之務，佐勒建功業，有呂氏輔漢之風。然嚴整婉容，性不妬忌，尤過之也。初封上黨國夫人。建平元年立為皇后。（十六國春秋[20]） | The spouse of Shi Le [founder of the Later Zhao empire, r. 319-333], family name Liu, was the younger sister of Liu Runzhong, who was palace attendant and a member of another barbarian tribe. When she entered the rows of female court attendants, she won the favour [of Shi Le] by her beauty and virtue. When Zhang Bi rebelled in Xiangcheng, she took to the sword and killed him. [Shi] Le thus relied on his spouse for his rescue. She was of a perceptive and intelligent character and able to give advice in many fields of governance. The way she supported [Shi] Le in governing the country was much like Empress Lü, who saved the Han dynasty. Nonetheless, she retained her graceful attitude and was never envious of anyone. She was first invested as Lady of the princedom of Shangdang, but in 330, she was made Empress Consort. (Source: Shiliuguo chunqiu) |
Note: Zhu does not fully quote her biography. The sad end of Empress Liu goes: |
|
| [勒死弘即位，尊為皇太后。虎專權擅政，徙居崇訓宮。劉氏憂之，與彭城王堪謀，徵兵討虎。謀洩，虎廢而殺之。] | When [Shi] Le died, [his son Shi] Hong (r. 333-334) was enthroned and elevated the widowed empress to the status of Empress Dowager. When [Shi] Hu (r. 334-349) usurped the throne, he had her reside in Chongxun Palace. Ms Liu was not content with this, and conspired with the Prince of Pengcheng to attack and eliminate Shi Hu. When the plot was revealed, [Shi] Hu deposed her and had her executed. |
| 贊曰： 拔劍斬賊， 襄城以平， 婉容有德， 不服倉庚。 |
Eulogy: With the sword she killed the rebel, she brought peace to Xiangcheng town, graceful was her virtue, unfaltering like the oriole. |
The book was finished in 1913. A first edition was published in 1938 in Chengdu by the author's son, the historian Zhu Shiche 朱師轍 (1879-1969).