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