Mu Guiying

Author: Bai Gu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-08
Features: Tracing the long river of history, in the depths of time, there exists a spiritual sanctuary filled with faith. The people there, though their faces are blurred yet constantly polished by time until they become clear; their steps are stumbling yet constantly guided by dreams, becoming more resolute; their words are concise yet passed down through generations, resounding with weight. Over the years, their figures may have dimmed due to neglect, but they have never disappeared. Those voices echoing in dreams are indeed their melodious words. The vast Chinese nation, with its profound culture, has carved out a common name for them: Heroes! In the long river of five thousand years of history, how many moving figures have emerged from the land of China! When the country is prosperous and peaceful, they do not stop riding, still practicing diligently; when the nation faces survival or extinction, they rush forward one after another, shedding blood and sacrificing themselves. To resist foreign aggression and defend dignity, they move forward without hesitation, sacrificing their lives for righteousness. "Sincere and brave, skilled in martial arts, ultimately strong and unyielding; though the body perishes, the spirit remains divine; indomitable soul, the ghostly hero." They truly deserve to be the heroes of our nation, the heroes who uphold the spiritual legacy of our nation. Mu Guiying, in traditional Chinese opera, occupies a prominent position in the "Yang Family Generals" genre. Among the "Yang Family Generals," Mu Guiying holds a significant place. There are numerous plays centered on her, such as Mu Guiying Takes Command, Battle of Hongzhou, and The Heroines of the Yang Family. In the hearts of the common people, Mu Guiying is even a representative of the heroic women of ancient China. Mu Guiying is the daughter of Mu Kezhai's Mu Yu, renowned for her exceptional martial arts skills and bravery. Legends say she was taught the art of flying arrows and throwing daggers by a divine woman. Later, she fought against Yang Zongbao, captured him, and married him, joining the ranks of the Yang Family Generals. Yang Zongbao's grandmother, She Taijun, at the age of a hundred, took command and led the twelve widows of the Yang family westward to resist the invasion of the Western Xia. Mu Guiying first took the insignia of the vanguard. She ventured into perilous territories, fought fiercely against the enemy generals, and achieved a great victory. Later, she personally took command and led the westward campaign against the Western Xia, accomplishing numerous feats. Mu Guiying is a typical image of the heroic women in classical Chinese literature. However, when you open the historical records, you cannot help but be surprised: Yang Jiye, Yang Yanzhao, and Yang Wenguang were all famous generals of the Northern Song Dynasty, yet there is no record of a historical figure named Mu Guiying. Her first appearance is in the novel The Romance of the Yang Family Generals, which was compiled and created based on folk ballads and storytelling. This shows that Mu Guiying is an artistic creation, a fictional character imagined by later generations. In modern times, scholars have examined local chronicles and concluded that the Yang Family Generals had long been stationed at the borders and had married a daughter of the Xianbei ethnic minority named Murong. Murong was brave and skilled in battle, often assisting the Yang Family Generals in achieving victories. Due to the phonetic similarity between "Murong" and "Mu," it is highly likely that Murong was the prototype for the image of Mu Guiying. In the long river of five thousand years of history, how many moving figures have emerged from the land of China! When the country is prosperous and peaceful, they do not stop riding, still practicing diligently; when the nation faces survival or extinction, they rush forward one after another, shedding blood and sacrificing themselves. To resist foreign aggression and defend dignity, they move forward without hesitation, sacrificing their lives for righteousness. "Sincere and brave, skilled in martial arts, ultimately strong and unyielding; though the body perishes, the spirit remains divine; indomitable soul, the ghostly hero." They truly deserve to be the heroes of our nation, the heroes who uphold the spiritual legacy of our nation. This book tells the story of the heroic woman Mu Guiying in the popular and enjoyable form of comics, with illustrations created by outstanding comic artists from all over the country.