Like blooming flowers waiting to unfurl, young girls of 12 and 13 possess radiant beauty. The waves of history gently lap against ancient towers, brushing away the dust of the past. Emerging from the annals of time, like lotuses rising from the water, we see three young girls — Jingnu of the Qi State, Xungan of the Jin Dynasty, and Tiying of the Han Dynasty. These girls, with their combined intellect and courage, stepped up to save their endangered fathers, leaving a brilliant legacy in the sands of time.
Brave Jingnu pleads for her father’s life
During the Spring and Autumn period, there was a magnificent locust tree in the Qi State, loved dearly by Duke Jing. To protect this tree from being damaged by the public, Duke Jing stationed a guard and hung a sign declaring: “Those who harm the tree will be punished, and those who injure it will face death.”
One day, a man named Yan, in a drunken state, accidentally broke a branch off the locust tree. The guard reported this to Duke Jing who, outraged, ordered Yan to be arrested and punished.
On hearing the news, Yan’s daughter Jingnu, filled with fear, hurriedly left her home to visit Prime Minister Yanzi. She told the gatekeeper that she was willing to offer herself to serve the Prime Minister.
When Prime Minister Yanzi heard this, he laughed: “Do people think that I am so lecherous in my old age that someone would offer herself to me? There must be some other reason.” Thus, he ordered the guard to bring Jingnu into his residence.
Jingnu, deeply worried about her father’s fate, wore an expression of profound sorrow. Prime Minister Yanzi, observing her from afar, was intrigued by her worry. As soon as Jingnu stepped into the hall, Yanzi asked her about the cause of her anxiety.
Knowing she couldn’t deceive the insightful Prime Minister, Jingnu revealed the truth. “My father saw that the seasonal changes were out of balance, causing irregular weather patterns. Fearing that the crops wouldn’t receive enough rain and that the harvest would be jeopardized, he went to pray at the sacred mountain. But overcome by drunkenness, he accidentally broke a branch off the locust tree, thus becoming the first to violate the ‘Law of the Locust Tree’. My father was wrong; his drunken stumble caused the breaking of the branch, and for that crime, he deserves death.”
“However,” Jingnu continued, “I have heard that a wise ruler wouldn’t harm his people’s fortune, would not abuse punishment, wouldn’t compromise the law due to personal grievances, wouldn’t harm people for the sake of animals, wouldn’t hurt animals for plants, and wouldn’t harm crops for wild grass. Now, our ruler is going to punish my father for a tree. This might hurt the law of our state and harm our benevolent monarch’s righteousness. If our neighbors hear about this, they will think our ruler loves trees more than his people. How can this be right?”
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Yanzi was deeply moved. He promised Jingnu that he would present the matter before the Duke. The next day, Yanzi pointed out to Duke Jing that the law of “Those who harm the tree will be punished, and those who injure it will face death” was unjust and could lead to the people’s resentment. The unspoken implication was that without the people’s support, the state couldn’t sustain itself for long.
This realization prompted Duke Jing to make a swift decision. He ordered the immediate removal of the guard and the sign from the tree, abolished the ‘Law of the Locust Tree,’ and released Yan without punishment.
Xungan’s daring rescue to save her father and the city
During the early 4th century, under the rule of Emperor Huai of the Jin Dynasty, a general named Du Zeng laid siege to the Jin Dynasty’s Wan City. Xun Song, the city’s commander, fought valiantly against Du Zeng, but he suffered heavy losses.
The city’s food supplies were also depleted, leaving Wan City on the brink of collapse. Xun Song wished to send someone to seek reinforcements from his old ally, General Shi Lan of Pingnan, but the enemy’s tight siege left him hard-pressed for a plan.
The young girl broke through the enemy’s siege
His 13-year-old daughter, Xungan, bravely volunteered to break through the enemy lines. At first, Xun Song refused, perhaps thinking that a task daunting even to soldiers would be impossible for a little girl. However, upon Xungan’s persistent pleading, he finally agreed.
Xungan led thousands of soldiers, breaking through the city wall under the cover of night. Pursued relentlessly by the enemy, she urged her soldiers to fight valiantly while advancing. After a strenuous journey, Xungan reached Xiang City, met General Shi Lan, and informed him about the dire situation in Wan City.
Shocked by the audacious act of a 13-year-old girl leading her soldiers through enemy lines, Shi Lan immediately mobilized his troops to aid Xun Song. Upon hearing about the incoming reinforcement, the enemy troops dispersed in panic. Xungan’s bravery not only lifted the siege from Wan City, but also removed her father’s worries, saved the city’s citizens, and brought honor to her family. Her gallant act was highly praised in the Book of Jin as a “young but extraordinary feat.”
Translated by Joseph Wu
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