Yuenü () was a swordswoman from the state of Yue, in the modern Chinese province of

Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...

. She is also known as ''Maiden of the Southern Forest''. She was author of the earliest-known exposition on swordplay. In

Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature throughout the area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology encompasses a diverse array of myths derived from regional and cultural tradit ...

, she is a

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...

Jiutian Xuannü Jiutian Xuannü is the goddess of war, sex, and longevity in Chinese mythology.. The swordswoman Yuenü is a reincarnation of Jiutian Xuannü. Etymology This goddess was initially known as .. The name has been variously translated as the "Dark L ...

Life and legacy

Yuenü lived during the reign of

Goujian Goujian (; r. 496–465 BC) was a king of the Yue state. He succeeded his father, Yunchang (允常), to the Yue throne. Goujian's reign coincided with arguably the last major conflict of the Spring and Autumn period: the struggle between Wu ...

of Yue (496-465 BCE). From a young age, she learned

archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a Bow and arrow, bow to shooting, shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting ...

and how to use a sword by hunting with her father. The King of Yue planned to attack the state of Wu and when he heard about her skills, he invited her to court. Along the way, she was challenged by an old man who was in reality a magic white Interconnected-arm gibbon ape: Upon meeting the king, the Maiden reveals the secret to her fighting ability is the application of

yin and yang Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...

energy, which are metaphorically described as the opening and closing of large and small swinging doors. Furthermore, she claims that, while strengthening the spirit, one should remain outwardly calm. Her exposition on the art of the sword impressed the king, who decreed that her skills be used to train his army and gave her the title 'the Yue Woman' (越女) or ''Lady of Yue''. The king appointed her to train his army officers, who in turn, instructed his army. Hers is the earliest known exposition on the art of the sword and influenced

Chinese martial arts Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

for generations. During the Warring States period, the

Baiyue The Baiyue, Hundred Yue, or simply Yue, were various ethnic groups who inhabited the regions of southern China and northern Vietnam during the 1st millennium BC and 1st millennium AD. They were known for their short hair, body tattoos, fine swo ...

people were known for their swordsmanship and for producing fine swords. According to the '' Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue'', King

met a female sword fighter called Nanlin (Yuenü) who demonstrated mastery over the art. So he commanded his top five commanders to study her technique. Ever since the method came to be known as the "Sword of the Lady of Yue". The Yue were also thought to have possessed mystical knives embued with the talismanic power of dragons or other amphibious creatures. Yuan Gong — A reincarnation of a monkey who has mastered and learned Tongbeiquan and is a follower of Taoism. He became a disciple of Jiutian Xuannu, and later would become the guardian of the White Cloud Cave to protect the contents of secret writings that had been carved into the walls of the cave.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yuenu Chinese swordsmanship Mythological swordfighters Chinese female martial artists 5th-century BC Chinese people 5th-century BC Chinese women Ancient Chinese women People of Yue (state) Martial arts writers Asian people whose existence is disputed Fictional characters from Zhejiang The Three Sui Quash the Demons' Revolt characters Demigods

Life and legacy

See also

References

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