It is rather embarrassing when one’s beau knows more about your heritage’s past and history more than you do… particularly if this beau happens to be not of the culture. This happened to be the case with my current beau over the past few months.

One of the things that isn’t all that known in Vietnamese history (or Asian history for that matter) is the number of women that stood up against the Chinese oppressors of Việt Nam. Keep in mind that Việt Nam was under Chinese control for over one thousand years during which the Vietnamese people essentially lost much of their national identity, writing system and language.

Everyone knows of Joan of Arc or Elizabeth I, but when one thinks of Asia they automatically look at Mulan (thanks Disney) which is great and all… but there are others, though some questionably and some with a lot of blood on their hands.

Two of the more prominent heroines were the Trưng sisters and Lady Triệu.
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