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The first female general that should be mentioned is so-called “logistics general” Ya Do, a Bana ethnic woman who lived at Play De Hmau (present-day Dong commune, Kbang district, Gia Lai province).
She was the daughter of a rich and powerful headman. When Bok Nhac (thoft for Nguyen Nhac, the eldest in the three Tay Son brothers) staged the Tay Son Uprising (with his two younger brothers), the headman married his daughter, Ya Do, to Bok Nhac in order to help him establish an armed force.
Ya Do led the insurgent troops and her villagers to go reclaiming virgin soil in the mountain areas of Tu Thuy. They cleared an area of more than 20 hectares, growing rice, potatoes and corn to provide food for the troops. The field was later referred as “Field of Ms. Logistics General” while Ya Do was called “Ms. Logistics General”.
Among military leaders under Emperor Quang Trung, there were many female generals. The outstanding female generals above all others were the “Five principal heroines of Tay Son dynasty”.
The most famous was the female Commander-in-chief Bui Thi Xuan, a familiar name in Vietnam history. She was a native of Xuan Hoa village (present-day Binh Phu commune, Tay Son district, Binh Dinh province). She was beautiful and good at martial arts, usually using two swords at the same time.
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The temple dedicated to the female Commander-in-chief Bui Thi Xuan. Photo ST FB Chau Tranngoc
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Legend has it that she killed a large python, saving a white elephant which led a herd of wild elephants while she was going for a hunt. The animal herd then owed full allegiance to her. She also once rescued Tran Quang Dieu, who later became her husband, from a tiger. The couple then joined the Tay Son Uprising and became backbone generals of Emperor Quang Trung. She was conferred the title Commander in chief while her husband became Senior General.
The second renowned female general was Commander in chief Nguyen Thi Dung, a native of Pho Lac village (present-day Duc Nhuan commune, Mo Duc district, and Quang Ngai province).
She was younger sister of high-ranking mandarin Nguyen Van Xuan and wife of Commander in chief Truong Dang Do, a native of My Khe hamlet, Tinh Khe commune, Son Tinh district, Quang Ngai province. Truong Dang Do played both roles of a literature mandarin and a military general of Emperor Quang Trung.
Female general Huynh Thi Cuc, a native of Duong Quang village (modern-day Duc Thang commune, Mo Duc district, Quang Ngai province), was the younger sister of Commander in chief Huynh Van Thuan, a excellent military general of Tay Son troops.
Female general Bui Thi Nhan was the youngest daughter of Mr. Bui Dac Luong, a rich person in Xuan Hoa hamlet village (modern-day Binh Phu commune, Tay Son district, Binh Dinh province). She was aunt of Commander in chief Bui Thi Xuan and was at the same age with the niece.
According to the “Tay Son dynasty” by co-authors Quach Tan and Quach Giao, “Bui Thi Nhan married to Nguyen Hue after Pham Thi Lien - the first wife of Nguyen Hue- had passed away.”
Female general Tran Thi Lan was the younger sister of Tran Thi Hue, the first wife of Nguyen Nhac. She was a native of Truong Dinh hamlet, Tuy Vien district, Binh Dinh province. As she was very good at martial arts, swordsmanship, moving gently like a swallow, she was named Ngoc Yen. She was the wife of Commander in chief Nguyen Van Tuyet.
The five principal female generals were the experts in martial arts, organizing and training the elephant troops comprising more than 100 animals and 4 army forces of total over 2.000 female warriors.
Each of the elephant was tamed by a female warrior. Commander in chief Bui Thi Xuan was particularly good at training the elephants for combat, terrifying the Qing invaders with the war elephants. She also created rice cake, a kind of dry provisions for the troops to ensure uninterrupted march at lightning speed to liberate Thang Long – Hanoi. The northern people called that cake banh Dong Da to cite for such the special provision. Many wonder if the name is abbreviated as banh da?
When the Tay Son Dynasty declined, the two female generals of Bui Thi Xuan and Huynh Thi Cuc together with their female warriors made a sortie against the blockade of Nguyen Anh at Dau Mau (Quang Binh province), protecting the young age king Canh Thinh, son of Emperor Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue, in passing cross Nhat Le River safe and sound. Huynh Thi Cuc sold her life dearly there.
Besides the five above-mentioned female generals, there was another prominent female general – Vu Thi Duc. She was a native of Phu Ly (present-day Phu My district, Binh Dinh province) and was the second daughter of Commander in chief Marquis Vu Dinh Huan.
In the 1789 Tet Offensive of Tay Son troops, Duc together with her father led a troop force to attack the enemy military post of Gian Khau at Ninh Binh province. After occupying the post, she rode a war elephant to chase the defeated enemy. The elephant got stuck in a bog at Thuong Hoa hamlet, Gia Thanh commune, Hoa Lu district.
As the animal was unable to get of the bog, Duc died in battle with her elephant. The local people erected a temple near her site of death to commemorate her. The temple is now dilapidated. Only vestige of a small shrine remains.
Female general Vo Thi Thai came from Binh Chuong commune, Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province. She was the younger sister of Commander in chief Vo Thong. She herself was a commander of cavalry force, in charge of commanding the transportation of military equipments and tools, foodstuff for Tay Son troops from Vi Hoang (Nam Dinh province) to Ngoc Hoi (Thuong Tin, Ha Tay province) in the Tet Offensive of 1789. She was unfortunately shot and died from the wound at the battle.
Reviewing briefly the biographies of Tay Son female generals, we understand more about the heroic tradition of Vietnamese women. In Vietnam history, from the ancient time of Trung Sisters and Lady Trieu until now, there have been a lot of female brave and talented generals, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers who worthily contribute to the nation’s founding and defense against any hostile invader.
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