Shen Yun Performing Arts
  • Sobre o Shen Yun
    O espetáculo
    Novo no Shen Yun?
    Nove características do Shen Yun
    Dança clássica chinesa
    Orquestra Sinfônica
    Factsheet
    A companhia
    Nossa história
    Ao vivo no Shen Yun
    Desafios que enfrentamos
  • Artistas
  • Vídeos
  • Novidades
    Novidades
    Notícias
    Blog
    Na mídia
  • Comunicados de imprensa
  • FAQ
  • Comentários da audiência
  • Aprenda Informativo Pesquisar
    Português
  • English
  • 中文正體
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Latviski
  • Pусский
  • Română
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • Melayu
  • עברית
  • Norsk
  • Ingressos & Informações
    Menu
    Shen Yun Logo
    Ingressos
    Novidades
    Menu
    • Sobre o Shen Yun
      • Novo no Shen Yun? Nove características do Shen Yun Nossa história Ao vivo no Shen Yun Ficha técnica do Shen Yun Desafios que enfrentamos Dança clássica chinesa Orquestra Sinfônica
    • Artistas
    • Vídeos
    • Novidades
      • Novidades Notícias Blog Na mídia
    • Comunicados de imprensa
    • FAQ
    • Comentários da audiência
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    O que nos torna únicos?

    DESCUBRA AS NOVE CARACTERÍSTICAS
    • Aprenda
    • Inscrever-se
    • Pesquisar
    Idioma
    • English
    • 中文正體
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Latviski
    • Pусский
    • Română
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • Melayu
    • עברית
    • Norsk
      Blog
      Voltar Blog > 5 Chinese Heroes You Must Know About

    5 Chinese Heroes You Must Know About

    With 5,000 years’ worth of stories and legends, China has too many heroes for anyone to remember. Here are five of the greatest you should know about, all of whom have appeared in Shen Yun performances.

    Chinese Heroes: Yue Fei
    Steven Wang as the general Yue Fei.

    1.    The General Yue Fei

    One generation after another, the values of Chinese culture have been preserved through stories, with different heroes symbolizing different virtues. The great general Yue Fei is a symbol of loyalty.

    You see, back during the twelfth century, China was invaded from the north, and the young Yue Fei (pronounced yweh-fay) faced a dilemma. On the one hand, he wanted to go to war and defend his country. But, on the other hand, he also wanted to stay back to look after his elderly mother. He didn’t know what to do.

    To encourage him, Yue Fei’s mother tattooed four Chinese characters on her son’s back: jing zhong bao guo “Serve the country loyally.” Now able to fulfill both his mother’s wish and his duty to the country, Yue Fei promptly went off to war.

    A brilliant general, Yue Fei never lost a battle. Once, with only 500 men, he defeated 100,000 invaders. He cared deeply for both his soldiers and civilians, and his spirit of loyalty lives on in his timeless poem: “The River Turns Red.”  

    Learn more about General Yue Fei

    Chinese Heroes: Mulan
    Principal dancer Michelle Ren in Mulan Joins the Battle, 2009.

    2.    Mulan

    Ever seen the Disney version of Mulan? It’s the story of a young girl who goes out to find herself, and ends up finding both herself and a guy.  She’s accompanied by a pet dragon, speaks fluent English, and…

    Well, almost. Mulan is actually a symbol of filial piety, and here’s how her story goes, as recorded in the ancient Ballad of Mulan.

    Mulan’s father was conscripted to join the fight against the invading Huns. But he was already old and frail, and Mulan didn’t have the heart to see her father off, knowing very well he will likely never return. So, disguising herself as a man, she went to war in his place. For 12 years, Mulan fought courageously and won many a battle without anyone discovering her secret.

    After the war, the emperor offered Mulan many honors and rewards. She refused them all and asked for only one thing—the fastest horse to take her back home.

    It was only one day, when fellow soldiers came to visit Mulan, that they discovered she was actually a woman. 

    Learn more about Mulan

    Chinese Heroes: Jigong
    Principal dancer William Li in Monk Ji Gong Abducts the Bride, 2011.

    3.    Monk Ji Gong

    Dressed in sloppy torn rags and tattered shoes, brandishing a shabby “magic fan,” Ji Gong isn’t your typical hero. But nothing really is typical about this beloved monk.

    Wild and eccentric, Ji Gong was a Buddhist monk who broke the ordinances, eating meat and drinking wine. He was very kind-hearted, though, and because he attained magical powers, he used them to rescue people in need.

    Ji Gong has many quirky heroic stories. One tale depicted in Shen Yun’s 2009 season, tells of how Ji Gong crashes a wedding and abducts the bride, leading the entire village to chase after him. Why? To rescue the village from a collapsing mountain, of course.

    In the recent 2012 season, Ji Gong returns as “Crazy Ji,” helping a young maiden escape from a gang. He then teaches the hooligans a lesson by disguising himself in her cape, scaring the bejeebers out of them, and then flying off on a cloud.  

    Learn more about Monk Ji Gong

    Chinese Heroes: Han Xin
    Rocky Liao as Han Xin, 2010.

    4.    Han Xin

    Han Xin might be surprised to know that, more than two thousand years after his life, he’s remembered not for his military prowess but as a symbol of tolerance.

    After the collapse of the Qin Dynasty, the great Xiang Yu and Liu Bang both wanted to rule China—but only one could. With the help of the brilliant general Han Xin, Liu Bang become emperor and established a glorious new dynasty.

    Han Xin grew up as an orphan. Though poor, he studied hard and spent his days practicing martial arts, often carrying a sword. One day, as he was walking down the street, a young man stopped him outside a butcher's shop. 

    “So, you think you’re so tough carrying that sword! Do you dare kill a man?” the bully sneered at him, blocking his path. Bystanders began circling around. “I dare you to cut off my head,” the bully stretched out his neck. “If you’re too scared, you can only get by if you crawl through my legs.”

    Han Xin stared at him, mulling over the ultimatum and the choice between killing a man and the most-embarassing public humiliation. He then slowly knelt down and crawled between his legs. The crowd exploded with laughter, with one hand on their bellies and the other pointing at Han Xin. But the young Han Xin knew this was just a small sacrifice on his road to greatness.

    Learn more about Han Xin

    Chinese Heroes: Mu Guiying

    5.    Lady Mu Guiying

    Mystery shrouds the question of whether this heroine actually existed, but she came for a real historical family that is forever enshrined as a symbol of courage.

    Over a thousand years ago, the Yang family was known for its military skill and fearlessness on the battlefield. They were invincible—enemies shuddered just hearing the Yang Clan's name.

    Four generations of Yang warriors bravely fought and died defending the Middle Kingdom. But with the dynasty teetering on the edge of destruction, the last of the family’s men was killed in battle. He was Lady Mu Guiying’s husband.

    After encouragement of clan matriarch She Taijun, Lady Mu Guiying, along with her faithful maid and all the Yang widows, took charge of the emperor’s military and saved the dynasty. They have been celebrated ever since as symbols of courage and strength in trying times.

    Learn about the Yang Clan



    These five heroes are household names, and most Chinese know their stories from a young age. Now, next time you see them on stage, you’ll be in on the story too.

    • Cultura tradicional chinesa
    • Historical Anecdotes
    • Shen Yun Dances
    • Famosas figuras históricas
    • Great Generals
    • Crazy Monks
    Helen Blogger

    Helen Shia

    Dancer

    Veja todos os posts

    02 de julho de 2012

    Comentários
    verification

    Anterior

    Asian Food Review: Part 1

    Próximo

    2012 Season Memories
    Mais recentes
    • Dicas práticas da antiguidade: Ações para a primavera
      Lifehack Spring Header Update2
    • Esta é a época de agradecer
      Thanksgiving Header
    • Dicas práticas da antiguidade: Não deixe o frio te derrubar
      Lifehack Header
    • O homem na Lua: Uma lenda do Festival do Meio Outono
      Change JadeRabbit SYWeb 嫦娥 玉兔 Thumb
    • Figuras famosas BÔNUS: Ye Xian e Cinderela
      SYWEB ### FPF 11  YeXian Cinderella  V3  AB 400x246
    Mais populares
    • Tudo
    • Notícias
    • Blog
    Mostrar mais
    Mostrar mais
    Mostrar mais

    Tags

    • Cultura tradicional chinesa
    • Historical Anecdotes
    • Shen Yun Dances
    • Famosas figuras históricas
    • Great Generals
    • Crazy Monks
    Shen Yun logo golden
    Shen Yun logo golden

    Shen Yun Performing Arts é uma das principais companhias de dança e música clássica chinesa estabelecida em Nova York. Apresenta dança clássica chinesa, dança étnica e folclórica e danças com contos de história, com acompanhamento orquestral e artistas solo. Por 5.000 anos, a cultura divina floresceu na terra da China. Através da música e dança inspiradoras, o Shen Yun está revivendo essa cultura gloriosa. O Shen Yun, ou 神韻, pode ser traduzido como: “A beleza da dança dos seres divinos”.

    Sobre
  • Novo no Shen Yun?
  • Orquestra Sinfônica do Shen Yun
  • Ao vivo no Shen Yun
  • Ficha técnica do Shen Yun
  • Desafios que enfrentamos
  • Shen Yun & Espiritualidade
  • Conheça os artistas
  • Perguntas frequentes
  • Vídeos
  • RECENTES
  • Sobre o Shen Yun
  • Os artistas
  • Comentários
  • Na mídia
  • Novidades
  • Destaques
  • Notícias
  • blogs
  • Comentários
  • Na mídia
  • Aprenda
  • Dança chinesa
  • Música
  • Vocais
  • Figurinos do Shen Yun
  • Projeção digital
  • Adereços do Shen Yun
  • Contos & História
  • Shen Yun e a cultura tradicional chinesa
  • Interaja conosco:
    Siga-nos em Gan Jing World
    Assine nosso livro de visitas
    Conheça mais sobre o Shen Yun
    on nossa plataforma de streaming
    Centro de Avaliação de Proficiência em Artes
    Lembranças e coleções Premium
    Inspirada no Shen Yun
    Artist Fashion
    Website oficial do Shen Yun Performing Arts Copyright ©2025 Shen Yun Performing Arts. Todos os direitos reservados.
    Contate-nos Termos Privacidade Mapa do site