The life of a working woman is often full to the point of being hectic, but few working women’s lives were as full as that of ancient China’s Fu Hao. A royal consort, priestess, mother, and conquering general, Fu Hao did it all. Below are some interesting facts about that remarkable warrior woman.
The Remarkable Fu Hao
Fu Hao (died circa 1200 BC) was one of the most extraordinary women in all of Chinese history. She started off as one of the Shang emperor’s numerous wives. However, she was so remarkable that she not only became the imperial favorite, but also the leading figure in court and throughout China in her lifetime. In addition to being a wife and mother, she was also a formidable general who led armies into battle, as well as a priestess and a capable politician.
It was traditional at the time for Shang Dynasty emperors to cultivate and cement the allegiance of neighboring tribes by marrying a wife from each, and that is how Fu Hao came to be one of the sixty four wives of Emperor Wu Ding. Once she arrived at the imperial court, Fu Hao exhibited remarkable intelligence, as well as an unexpected talent for military affairs. As a result, she rose rapidly, and became the emperor’s favorite wife and his most trusted confidant.
The Woman Who Led a Chinese Dynasty’s Armies
Fu Hao also rose to command the Shang armies, and led them into battle, defeating and subduing restive tribes, and bringing them into the Chinese fold. One of her earliest victories came against an obstinate tribe that had troubled the Shang for generations. Fu Hao decisively defeated them in a single battle, and ended their menace once and for all. She led numerous other military campaigns to consolidate Shang rule, and is credited with successfully carrying off the earliest large scale ambush in Chinese history.
Fu Hao led an army of 13,000 men, which was huge for that era, and the largest ever assembled under any one Shang general. With that force, Fu Hao successfully expanded and pacified the Shang borders. She was given her own fiefdom on the Shang border, the better to guard against potential enemy encroachment. She predeceased her husband, who built her a lavish tomb. In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered Fu Hao’s tomb, intact, with a treasure trove of jade and bronze. It also included a wide variety of war artifacts, such as great battle axes, which were apparently her favorite weapon.
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Some Sources & Further Reading
History Halls – Fighting Women: Queen Tomyris
History of Royal Women – Fu Hao, Queen, General, and Priestess
