Manchu Princess, Japanese Spy

The Story of Kawashima Yoshiko, the Cross-Dressing Spy Who Commanded Her Own Army
Erscheinungsjahr 2017
ISBN: 978-0-231-15219-8
Verlag: Columbia University Press

Buch, Englisch, 272 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 142 mm x 221 mm, Gewicht: 346 g

Reihe: Asia Perspectives: History, Society, and Culture

Aisin Gioro Xianyu (1907–1948) was the fourteenth daughter of a Manchu prince and a legendary figure in China's bloody struggle with Japan. After the fall of the Manchu dynasty in 1912, Xianyu's father gave his daughter to a Japanese friend who was sympathetic to his efforts to reclaim power. This man raised Xianyu, now known as Kawashima Yoshiko, to restore the Manchus to their former glory. Her fearsome dedication to this cause ultimately got her killed.

Yoshiko had a fiery personality and loved the limelight. She shocked Japanese society by dressing in men's clothes and rose to prominence as Commander Jin, touted in Japan's media as a new Joan of Arc. Boasting a short, handsome haircut and a genuine military uniform, Commander Jin was credited with many daring exploits, among them riding horseback as leader of her own army during the Japanese occupation of China.

While trying to promote the Manchus, Yoshiko supported the puppet Manchu state established by the Japanese in 1932—one reason she was executed for treason after Japan's 1945 defeat. The truth of Yoshiko's life is still a source of contention between China and Japan: some believe she was exploited by powerful men, others claim she relished her role as political provocateur. China holds her responsible for unspeakable crimes, while Japan has forgiven her transgressions. This biography presents the richest and most accurate portrait to date of the controversial princess spy, recognizing her truly novel role in conflicts that transformed East Asia.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Birnbaum, Phyllis

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Asiatische Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein Biographien & Autobiographien: Historisch, Politisch, Militärisch
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Mentalitäts- und Sozialgeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Militärgeschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Main CharactersChronologyA Note on the Text1. Born to Chaos2. Little Sister3. Royalty in Exile4. Continental Adventurer5. A New Life in Japan6. Manchu Prince, Japanese Wife7. School Days8. The Beauty in Men's Clothing9. Extreme Measures10. Repercussions11. On Her Own12. Poisonous Devil's Brew13. Advance Into Manchuria14. An Emperor in Flux15. The Reluctant Empress16. Powerful Connections17. Woman of Influence18. A Growing Awareness19. Commander Jin20. Starting Over in Manchukuo21. In the Bright Light22. Wild Child23. A Daughter Looks Back24. China Nights25. Emergency Help26. An Old Love27. Adrift in Fukuoka28. Hopeful to the End29. Narrow Escapes30. Postwar Justice31. Go with a SmileNotesAcknowledgmentsIndex

Über Autor(innen)

Phyllis Birnbaum is a novelist, biographer, journalist, and translator. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, Times Literary Supplement, and other publications. Her books include Modern Girls, Shining Stars, the Skies of Tokyo: Five Japanese Women and a biography, Glory in a Line: A Life of Foujita—the Artist Caught Between East and West. She recently edited an English translation of Clouds Above the Hill: A Historical Novel of the Russo-Japanese War. She lives outside of Boston.