12. The 1911 Revolution in China
The 1911 revolution in China which led to the end of imperial rule was a series of largely unconnected uprisings throughout the empire. Groups dedicated to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty formed both inside and outside of China. The latter concentrated on raising funds for those fomenting change in the various Chinese provinces. Many of these groups were united by Sun Yat-Sen, who formed the United League in Tokyo, Japan in 1905. By 1911 armed uprisings occurred in many provinces, and propaganda from within and outside of China appeared, exhorting the Chinese to resist, The Chinese fought to overthrow their oppressors, establishing Han Chinese supremacy.
Mulan’s legend became a large part of the propaganda. Where she had long been described as possessing almost supernatural filial devotion, she became a symbol of female resistance to oppression. Her legend was again altered, as she was set as an example of the duty of Han Chinese women to aid in the battle against their enemies. Several armed groups of women, such as the Women’s Revolutionary Army, fought alongside units comprised of men. To those units, Mulan was both an inspiration and a symbol of women’s new role in the emerging war. After the Qing Dynasty was deposed in February, 1912, the new Provisional Government disbanded the armed women’s units. Mulan had taken on a new identity in China, one she retained through the 20th century.