Hong Gyewol jeon
Hong Gyewol jeon (洪桂月傳 The Tale of Hong Gyewol) is a work of female hero fiction that tells the story of Hong Gyewol, who is a woman that disguises herself as a man and proceeds to fight in numerous battles, take the civil service examination, and is active in the public sphere. Hong Gyewol jeon is unique for its gender consciousness, in that it is structured as a kind of “battle of the sexes” between the female and male protagonists to ultimately emphasize the superiority of women. Moreover, the work distinguishes itself through the ways in which the female protagonist demonstrates an androgyny that harmoniously embodies both masculine and feminine qualities. Authorship The author and original publication period are both unknown, but the author is considered to be a woman and it is estimated to have been written sometime within the 19th century. Plot During the reign of China's Ming Dynasty, there is a man named Hong Mu from a noble and renowned family. At a late age, he and his wife finally have a child: a daughter, named Hong Gyewol. One day, Hong Mu hears a prophecy that when Gyewol turns five years old, she will be separated from her parents, only to be reunited when she is eighteen. Just in case, Hong Mu dresses Gyewol in boy's clothing and makes sure she receives an education to prepare for the prophecy's possible realization. When Gyewol is five years old, a revolt breaks out in the land. Her father is caught in the ensuing chaos and disappears. As a result, Madame Yang, his wife and Gyewol's mother, takes Gyewol and tries to escape, but they run into a group of bandits. Madame Yang is kidnapped and the bandits throw Gyewol into a river. Although Madame Yang manages to later escape, she is unable to find Gyewol. By chance, Gyewol is saved by a person named Master Yeo, who treats Gyewol like a boy and sends her to study with Taoist Master Kwak along with his own son, Boguk. Meanwhile, her father, Hong Mu, is captured and held hostage by the traitorous rebels, but is later deemed as having participated in treason and is banished to an island. Madame Yang hears the news about her husband's exile and proceeds to track him down, afterwards living together with him on the island. Through her studies, Gyewol learns various military strategies and tactics, and Master Kwak believes that Gyewol will one day conquer the whole world, causing him to bestow her with the name “Pyeongguk.” Over the course of their education, Gyewol manages to prove herself superior in skill and talent, in every way, to Boguk. Master Kwak instructs the two of them to take the civil service examination, with Gyewol passing as first place and Boguk passing as second. When another rebellion breaks out, Gyewol is appointed as general and Boguk is appointed as her adjutant. While Gyewol defeats the enemies deftly and easily, Boguk is surrounded by the enemy forces and