Qiu Ersao (; 1822 – 1853), was a Chinese rebel and military commander during the

Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...

. Originally a religious leader within the

Tiandihui The Tiandihui, the Heaven and Earth Society, also called Hongmen (the Vast Family), is a Chinese fraternal organization and historically a secretive folk religious sect in the vein of the Ming loyalist White Lotus Sect, the Tiandihu ...

, she later had 500 female soldiers under her command.

Biography

Born in Qiaoxu, Guixian County, Guangxi Province, her husband was an opium addict, so she was in charge of supporting her family, preparing and selling sweets in the local market. Tired of corruption and abuse by the authorities, in the fall of 1849 she joined the Red Turban Rebellion (1854–1856) and learned martial arts. In 1850 she joined the Taiping Rebellion and, along with Su Sanniang, commanded the Rebellion's female troops. Qiu Ersao decorated her sword with red pompoms. As a combatant, she stood out as a speaker. She died in a confrontation with a local militia in the fall of 1853, when she fell from her horse after being struck by enemy fire.

References

* Lily Xiao Hong Lee, Clara Lau, A.D. Stefanowska:
Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644–1911
' {{DEFAULTSORT:Qiu, Ersao 1822 births 1853 deaths 19th-century Chinese military personnel People of the Taiping Rebellion Women in 19th-century warfare Women in war in China 19th-century Chinese women Tianduhui members Military leaders of the Taiping Rebellion