Fu Hao - Supreme general
Fu Hao (”Lady Good”, c. 1200 BCE) was the most powerful military leader of her time and the consort of king Wu Ding of the Chinese Shang Dynasty.
Her father was the chieftain of an unknown northwestern tribe who sent her to seal his alliance with Wu Ding. Fu Hao, who was perhaps 15 at that time, joined the numerous women from foreign tribes who had been sent to the king’s harem. Fu Hao had received military training and used her wit and cunning to become the king’s favorite wife and a mighty general. She also played the role of a high priestess, overseeing religious ceremonies and performing divinations.
Oracle bones used to make divination on her behalf provide information concerning her life and military campaigns. When a boundary dispute broke out with the Tu Fang tribe, Fu Hao asked the king to be allowed to lead a military campaign. Trusting his wife’s ability, Wu Ding gave his permission. Fu Hao fought at the head of her troops and defeated the enemy.
Another tribe, the Qianfang, threatened peace. Fu Hao took the field again and routed their cavalry. She didn’t rest and led a third successful military campaign against the Yifang. Fu Hao then took part in another campaign, this time sharing command of the army with her husband. Their adversaries fell in Fu Hao’s trap and the Shang army was once against victorious. Fu Hao was hailed as the most successful military leader of her country.
Fu Hao fell ill shortly after and her only son died. She too died soon after. Her tomb was discovered in 1976. The presence of weapons and the richness of the artifacts led the archeologists to assume that it belonged to a man. They, however, discovered that it belonged to a woman and that this woman was Fu Hao.
Fu Hao’s tomb contained 130 weapons, including 27 daggers, 4 battle-axes, as well as bows and arrows. 16 slaves were sacrificed and buried with her to serve her after death. In addition to that, 440 bronze vessels were found as well as bells, mirrors, 560 hairpins and arrowheads made of bone, 700 piece of jade, and several articles of opal, ivory and stone among pieces of pottery.
In addition to Fu Hao, oracle bones of the period reveal the names of 100 women who were active in military campaigns. Most of them were the wives of Shang kings or powerful lords and officials. In 2001, Chinese archeologists discovered the grave of a woman buried with a large arsenal of weapons (axes, long and short swords, knives, helmets, shields, lances and bows) dating from the Western Zhou dynasty (1046-711 BCE).
(Fu Hao’s tomb)
References:
Mayor Adrienne, The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World
Peterson Barbara, Notable Women of China
Su Minjie, “Queen, Priestess, General: The Legendary Life of Fu Hao”
Toler Pamela D., Women warriors, an unexpected history
