Vietnamese Girl disguised as a Man in the Battle against the Ming Army
Nguyen Thi Banh, the wife of General Nguyen Chich, played an extraordinary role in the resistance against the Ming army. In Vietnamese history, there were many courageous female generals on the battlefield, but only Nguyen Thi Banh disguised herself as a man to go into battle. She was a famous female general in the Lam Son uprising and the wife of Nguyen Chich – the top-ranking general of the Later Le Dynasty.
According to “Viet Nam su luoc” (Summary of Vietnamese History), Nguyen Chich (1382-1448) was born in Van Loc village, Dong Son district, Chau Ai province (currently Dong Son, Thanh Hoa province).
The royal stele described him as an orphan from an early age, a gentle and honest person with few words but great ambitions. At the age of 25, he raised the flag of rebellion against the Ming invaders in Hoang Nghieu (Thanh Hoa).
Among the uprisings against the Ming army during this period, the uprising led by Nguyen Chich was on a large scale. Taking advantage of the difficult terrain, with steep mountains, Nguyen Chich repeatedly pushed back the attacks of the Ming army.
To consolidate strength and expand the rebellion’s base, Nguyen Chich recruited soldiers. It was on one of these occasions that he encountered the female general Nguyen Thi Banh.
One day, while he was in the camp, he heard that a young man wanted to meet the commander. When face to face, Nguyen Chich saw that this person was small and delicate like a scholar. He asked, “What talent do you have that made you come here?”
The valiant person replied softly but firmly, “I have been trained in martial arts since I was young, and now I come to offer my service because of my hatred for the enemy.” Nguyen Chich said, “Show me your skills.”
He invited the stranger to compete in martial arts with one of his generals. In an instant, the “valiant person” defeated Nguyen Chich’s subordinate. Afterwards, one by one, other generals were defeated, and the entire camp was amazed and admired. Nguyen Chich was delighted and recruited this talented individual into his army.
Through observing daily life, Nguyen Chich noticed that the valiant person’s gestures and habits were different from everyone else. The graceful appearance, facial features, complexion, figure, way of walking, hands… all resembled those of a woman.
Nguyen Chich organized a wrestling competition that everyone had to participate in. Initially, the “valiant person” tried to cleverly refuse. But under the orders and pressure from the military officials, this person had to admit to Nguyen Chich that they were a woman disguised as a man, and their real name was Nguyen Thi Banh.
A Blessed Union
After General Nguyen Chich discovered Nguyen Thi Banh’s true identity but admired her talent and determination, he still kept her by his side. Love blossomed, and he married her and appointed her as his deputy general.
After marrying General Nguyen Chich, Nguyen Thi Banh fought alongside her husband, commanding troops to defeat the enemy. In that battle, the female general and her husband led a division to attack the Ming army, defeating numerous enemy soldiers.
After their accomplishments, King Le Loi praised the couple. Throughout her life, Nguyen Thi Banh was a devoted wife, standing by her husband’s side in all circumstances. Even though Nguyen Chich later fell from grace for various reasons and became a commoner, Nguyen Thi Banh remained loyal to her husband through all the hardships of life.
vietnamese-history/’ title=’Which King Defeated the Ming Dynasty and Established the Most Powerful Dynasty in Vietnamese History?’>Which King Defeated the Ming Dynasty and Established the Most Powerful Dynasty in Vietnamese History?
After driving out the Ming invaders, this king established a new dynasty, the largest dynasty in the feudal history of Vietnam.
