Xie Bingying

▪ 2001

Hsieh Ping-ying 

      Chinese writer (b. 1906, Hunan province, China—d. Jan. 5, 2000, San Francisco, Calif.), was highly regarded for her autobiographical works that challenged traditional Chinese feminine identity. In 1926, in order to avoid an arranged marriage, she became a “girl soldier” in the Nationalist Army; her first book, War Diary (1928), recounted her experiences helping Chinese combat troops battle warlords in eastern China. In 1937, after working as a teacher and a freelance journalist for several years, she again served as a soldier, fighting with Chinese troops against invading Japanese forces. Her second book, Girl Rebel: The Autobiography of Hsieh Ping-ying, was published in the U.S. in 1940. After World War II she moved to Taiwan, where she continued to teach and write. She eventually settled in San Francisco.

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