[Spoilers for all of QJJ]
One of my favorite tiktokers that posts about QJJ, Leigh, made a video briefly talking about how well women are written in QJJ. I’ve wanted to make a post of my own for a loooooong time, especially after finishing the final chapters, and I guess today is finally that day!
The women of QJJ play an instrumental role in propelling the narrative forward. And I don’t mean by giving male characters motivation via “I will avenge her” or “to get the girl”. The women of QJJ make game changing plays that drastically shift the status quo and are oftentimes the real mastermind behind the “powerful men” we meet throughout the story.
Even with their limited agency given the time period, many of the women make use of their situation and scarce resources available to them for their own grand schemes or self interest at heart. I am not exaggerating when I say the sole most important decision in the entire series is given a woman.
I think it’s important to lay down that when I (and many others) say we want “strong female characters”, we don’t mean literal brute strength, but rather that their character, story, and role actually carry weight. If they were to be removed, the story wouldn’t be the same. QJJ has no shortage of women taking the reins and guiding the story down its course, and this couldn’t have been demonstrated more than when Shen Zechuan was almost flogged to death.
The only reason Shen Zechuan is alive to slay his way to the top is because The Empress Dowager—a woman—had the foresight to see his usefulness as a pawn and saved him to embed a sense of gratitude and loyalty into the scared teen. Her interference didn’t end there: The Empress Dowager not only continued to manipulate politics, but has been doing so for the long haul.
Switching over to our deuteragonist, Xiao Chiye was given his iconic weapon, Wolfsfang, by one of the Four Great Generals: Qi Zhuyin. While she is named a few times before her formal appearance, bestowing the blade Xiao Chiye is how Qi Zhuyin enters the scene to readers. Unlike the Empress Dowager, Qi Zhuyin has few appearances for the first third or so of the series; pretty much only popping up to tell da boys to chill out and the threat of her forces being sicked on people getting them to fall in line. Even without knowing much about her on a personal level, she clearly has a commanding presence and strikes fear into all who oppose her. A literal strong female character. But her true strength isn’t shown off until later into the series.
From the get go, several prominent women are established within the story. The Empress Dowager, Qi Zhuyin, Hua Xiangyi, Lu Yizhi, Hua Pingting, Mu Ru, as well as a brief mention of Shen Zechuan’s biological mother being a dancer. While you don’t know the full extent of these ladies’ influence from their debut or first mention, a notable attention is given to their existence.
Take for example, Mu Ru, who’s first mentioned as the woman Prince Chu fancies. However, she later becomes the center of a conflict that subsequently kicks off the events leading to Shen Lanzhou’s release from the Temple of Guilt. While being the “cause” of this conflict wasn’t Mu Ru’s choice, her part in the story doesn’t end after playing Helen of Troy. After all, this all happened before she uttered a single line of her own on a page! We know of her, but not her. And her history takes us wild places.
In looking at the overall story, we see many women in various positions, and not only ones with seats of authority. We meet and hear about entrepreneurs, common mothers, those who have been victimized, sisters, dancers, revolutionaries, avengers, and so on. While not all of them are named, we get so many individual stories that deeply impact characters and the communities around them. Characters who are forever moved by them, named or otherwise. Their stories are shared in reverence, or even as cautionary tales. But these acknowledgments send a clear message: Women are integral to the world of QJJ. They are not just seen or talked about, they directly interact and influence the narrative at large. The story doesn’t treat them like a commodity or diversity points: They are treated as people.
While it's epic reading about Qi Zhuyin swinging her executioner blade around murdering people, her physical feats aren’t where her character begins and ends. She has an actual personality, depth, objectives, relationships with other characters, and is deeply ingrained in the moving parts of the overarching conflict. While we don’t see it until pretty far into the books, Qi Zhuyin is still in tune with her femininity, taking an interest in make-up and dressing up when she’s at home. Not once has she expressed hatred towards being born female. In fact, she has blatantly stated that she has always felt right being a girl. She just wants to punch people on the side. I will forever be appreciative of those who understand that you can depict women who enjoy traditionally masculine activities without feeling the need to simultaneously denounce the traditionally feminine.
However, that’s not to say characters can’t resent being a woman. There are quite a few in QJJ that vocally do. The Empress Dowager and Li Jianting being the first to come to mind. Having a female hate being female isn’t inherently bad writing or problematic; it depends on the situation that is being depicted. The Empress Dowager doesn’t hate being a woman because “women suck, ew”. The Empress Dowager hated being oppressed her entire life because of her sex. Being secluded indoors, ignored by the man that was supposed to grant her true happiness through marriage, and having to be a puppet master because the men who are supposed to run the country are embarrassingly incompetent. On a slightly different note, Li Jianting feels disconnected from their body. Li Jianting has expressed wishing to have been born a boy and how much better their life would be if they had. In their perspective, their body has only caused suffering, rejection, and repulsion. Their attitudes towards their own womanhood is deeply personal, and unfortunately relatable to many people throughout history and even now. While I personally read Li Jianting as being trans, I can also see how people could interpret their disgust with their body as a response to the trauma they endured (though I personally feel like with the information we’re given, it’s very much both, but tbh I’m not gonna argue with y’all over it lmao). The bottom line is Li Jianting doesn’t just hate being a woman, but hates being perceived as one.
Qi Zhuyin was born into a family with the perfect circumstances for her to rise to military power and be supported in her ambitions, but those around her still see her life as a tragedy. Lamenting that she’ll “never get married” because no man would want to be with someone stronger than them. The Empress Dowager holds immense political power, but is trapped in a life she never wanted for herself—only acting because if the Eight Great Clans fall, so does she. Even after Li Jianting has diligently acquired the skills to be a great leader through proper education, to the point that even the secretariat acknowledge and respect them, many don’t accept them as “Emperor” because “she’s not a boy”.
Within the context of the world QJJ presents us, each of these characters, in my opinion, have more than enough reason to have the worst case of internalized misogyny known to man. And yet, none of them really do. They each have beef with other women, but it’s not because they’re women, it’s because they get in the way of their goals (or are just annoying). While QJJ explores the many ways the world is unfair to women, it doesn’t stop there, but shows how they make the best of their situations… or become evil and make things worse for other people—and honestly, that eats. #WomenInMaleDominatedFields
We don’t only get a wide array of situations these characters are brought up in, but varying alignments of morality and worldviews as well. Women aren’t solely resigned to being nurturing entities—which is an epic and cool thing to be, mind you. Some of the worst people in this story are women. Not one, but two whole human traffickers…
Their contributions aren’t performative or one note. Their characterizations are complex, continuous, and they are deeply involved in multiple pivotal events.
It was Hua Pingting who insisted on taking Shen Zechuan in. It was Princess Zhaoyue who saved Yao Wenyu from the assassins. It was Lu Yizhi who successfully smuggled her father out of Qidong. It was Yan Heru’s mother who established her family’s wealth and business. It was Hairigu’s mother who never stopped trying to protect her son even after her family abandoned her in her darkest hour. It was Wuya who took her fate into her own hands and tried to kill Xiao Chiye while denouncing her own father’s cowardice. It was Duo’erlan who rode into battle to avenge her husband. It was Bai Cha who dedicated her life to fighting the slave trade, and created a safe haven for it’s victims.
And it was Hua Xiangyi who convinced Qi Zhuyin to side with Shen Zechuan in the end; solidifying Qudu’s defeat and Shen Zechuan’s ascension to the throne.
Outside of these brief examples, these women—and more—shaped the story we know and love today. They’re handled with so much intention and care. Their motives can be simple, complex, selfish, misguided, and/or a mishmash of all or some of those things!
I love the writing of QJJ in general, but I was especially happy with how important the women are to the story. It was so seamless that I didn’t really acknowledge it until I finished the story and sat with it for a while. Nothing felt forced or hamfisted. I definitely clocked girl bosses but that’s because their actions highlighted their girlboss qualities, not because the narrative paused to try to convince me of such.
One day I’ll get better at conclusions, but until then, Bai Cha has my heart. Adios!
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