It’s Women’s Day and there are sure to be any number of “Notorious/Famous/Badass Women in Chinese history” listicles. The problem, as I see it, is that most of the women on those lists are famous in Chinese history for acting like men.
(We should address later the possibly greater problem of looking around the office for someone to write this piece before settling on the middle-aged white guy from New Hampshire, but hey... it's a living.)
There is no way to include everyone who is worthy of inclusion. Let’s leave aside the batshit notion that Mar 8 is the “Day We Celebrate the Women” and remember women are history and any history that leaves out women is an incomplete story. Nevertheless, if we are to celebrate famous women in Chinese history, I think it’s time we expanded the list beyond the standard starting five (Wu Zetian, the Pirate Queen Ching Shih/Zheng Yi Sao, Ban Zhao, Hua Mulan, and Pick-Your-Favorite Soong sister).