Huang Mulan

Huang Mulan (Chinese: 黄慕兰; July 9, 1906 – February 7, 2017) was a secret agent for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). She was also known as Huang Zhangding and Huang Shuyi.[1]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Huang.
Huang Mulan
Born
Huang Dinghui

(1906-07-09)July 9, 1906
Liuyang, Hunan, Qing China
Died(2017-02-07)February 7, 2017
(aged 110 years, 213 days)
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Other namesHuang Zhangding, Huang Shuyi
OccupationEspionage
Known forAgent for the Chinese Communist Party

Early career

She was born as Huang Dinghui in Liuyang, Hunan, Qing dynasty. Her parents supported emancipation for women. For example, they made the decision not to have her feet bound, an unusual choice among educated people living near them,[2] and sent her to a local women's school at the age of twelve.[3] At the age of 18 she escaped an arranged marriage and arrived in Hankou, Hubei, where she joined women's campaigns and one year later was elected president of the city's women's department.

In 1926, after joining the Communist Party, she changed her name to "Huang Mulan," expressing admiration for legendary woman warrior Hua Mulan.[2] In 1927 the First United Front fell apart and a purge of communists related to the party began. Huang went underground along with her husband, Wan Xiyan. Wan died in 1928, a few months after the couple's son was born. Following her husband's death, Huang sent her son to her in-laws and began taking up tasks again.

Huang is credited with saving China's first premier Zhou Enlai from kidnappers in 1930, based on information she learned from the Kuomintang.[4] She was the person who alerted the Communist leadership to the defection of the party's General Secretary Xiang Zhongfa and, thanks to her alarm, heavy losses were avoided.

Later life

Huang Mulan was twice imprisoned and spent 17 years in prison from the 1950s to 1975. Following her release, Huang kept filing lawsuits to clear her name. In 1980, with the support of Zhou Enlai's widow Deng Yingchao, her achievements were confirmed by the CCP.[5]

Personal life

She was married four times and her stories have been captured in several books, films and TV drama series. An autobiography was released in 2012.

Huang spent her final three years at the Zhejiang hospital in Hangzhou, China living under her birthname "Huang Dinghui." She died on February 7, 2017, aged 110 years.[6]

References
  1. Zhou, Bin (2012). "The Autobiography of Huang Mulan, by Huang Mulan". Journal of Modern Chinese History. 6 (2): 287–288. doi:10.1080/17535654.2012.726862. S2CID 146388573.
  2. Wang, Zheng (November 9, 2018). Women in the Chinese Enlightenment: Oral and Textual Histories. University of California Press. p. 297. ISBN 9780520218741. Retrieved December 4, 2018. Once I joined the revolution, I thought of myself as a legendary woman. That is why I changed my name to 'Mulan.'...My name meant that I admired Hua Mulan.
  3. Cheng, Eileen (July 1, 2016). "Huang Mulan: 'Encyclopedia of CPC'". All China Women's Federation. Retrieved December 3, 2018. Huang was born in Liuyang, central China's Hunan Province. At 12, she was sent to a local women's school, which turned out many outstanding females including the famous writer Ding Ling; and Yang Kaihui, who later became wife of Chairman Mao Zedong.
  4. "Renowned Chinese agent dies aged 110". GBTimes. February 7, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2018. In 1930, Huang is said to have successfully protected China's future premier Zhou Enlai, by providing confidential information from the KMT about a potential attempted kidnapping.
  5. "Has saved Zhou Enlai from prison for 17 years, the most beautiful agent Huang Mulan died". Apple Daily. February 8, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2018. (translation from Chinese) She was once detained in the Kuomintang prison for three years; after the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party, she was imprisoned for 17 years due to political issues...She was arrested in 1963 and was sentenced as a "traitor, spy, counter-revolutionary" in 1963. In June 1967, she entered Qincheng Prison again and was released in 1975. In 1980, Zhou Enlai's widow, Deng Yingchao, helped to rehabilitate her innocence.
  6. Dong, Joyce (February 10, 2017). "Woman Hailed as 'Encyclopedia of CPC' Passes Away at Age of 110". All China Women's Federation. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018. A 110-year-old former secret agent for the Communist Party of China, who has been hailed as an "Encyclopedia of the CPC," passed away on Tuesday.
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