Wang Nangxian (, 1778–1798),

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

:王囊仙; was a female

leader of the anti- Manchu

White Lotus Rebellion The White Lotus Rebellion (, 1794–1804) was a rebellion initiated by followers of the White Lotus movement during the Qing dynasty of China. Motivated by millenarian Buddhists who promised the immediate return of the Buddha, it erupted out of s ...

along with

Wang Cong'er Wang Cong'er (, c. 1777–1797) was a female China, Chinese leader of anti-Manchu White Lotus Rebellion along with Wang Nangxian during the reign of the Qing dynasty. Life Reportedly born in 1777, Wang Cong'er was a native of Xiangyang City. Wh ...

during the reign of the Qing dynasty. Another female member of the rebellion along with Wang Cong'er, she declared herself divine and commanded her own troops in battle against the Imperial army. She was called 'Sorceress Wang' due to her use of 'magical powers' as a blessing for their strength, power and dignity towards her troops including Wang Cong'er and many other

residents during ritual ceremonies. Reportedly born in 1778, Wang Nangxian is of Bouyei descent.

White Lotus Sect

The

White Lotus Sect The White Lotus () is a syncretic religious and political movement which forecasts the imminent advent of the "King of Light" (), i.e., the future Buddha Maitreya. As White Lotus sects developed, they appealed to many Han Chinese who found sola ...

originated during the

Yuan Dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fift ...

. Wang Nangxian along with Wang Cong'er led the uprising of the White Lotus sect against the Qing regime. She also reportedly used Kung Fu and acrobatics, and fought with a sword in each hand. Intent on avenging the death of her husband at the hands of the Qing, Wang led an army of men into battle against the Qing army. Though Wang's peasant troops were at an obvious disadvantage, they overcame and surprised the Qing troops repeatedly by using guerrilla tactics. The contemporary records of the Qing Court stated that "the deadliest of all the rebels are those led by Madam Wang, wife of Qi" and "it is said that all the rebel factions from Hubei and Shanxi were stirred up by Wang". The Qing General Ming Liang eventually recruited local landlords to build forts and lock civilians inside whenever rebels were in the area, cutting off support from civilian sympathizers who were a key part of the rebels' supply chain. In 1798, a year later after Wang Cong'er's death in 1797, the Qing forces, with an increased number of warriors, ambushed Wang Nangxian and her fighters in the mountains near Yunxi, Hubei. After thousands of her men were defeated, Wang was forced to retreat. With no escape route available, she also reportedly jumped to her death. Despite being defeated, Wang Nangxian has also been credited with creating a precedent for revolts against Chinese imperial rule.

References

* Lily Xiao Hong Lee, Clara Lau, A.D. Stefanowska:
Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644–1911
' {{authority control 1778 births 1798 deaths Qing dynasty rebels 18th-century Chinese people Women in 18th-century warfare 18th-century Chinese women Women in war in China Bouyei people Suicides by jumping in China

White Lotus Sect

See also

References