Quick Facts
Biography
Huang Mulan (July 9, 1906 – February 7, 2017) was a secret agent for the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Early career
Huang Mulan was born in Liuyang, Hunan and sent to a local women's school at the age of twelve. At the age of 18 she escaped an arranged marriage and arrived in Hankou, Hubei, where she joined women's campaigns and one year later was elected president of the city's women's department.
In 1927 the First United Front fell apart and a purge of communists related to the party began. Huang went underground along with her husband, Wan Xiyan. Wan died in 1928, a few months after the couple's son was born. Following her husband's death, Huang sent her son to her in-laws and began taking up tasks again.
In 1930 Huang was the person who alerted the Communist leadership to the betrayal of the party's General Secretary and, thanks to her alarm, heavy losses were avoided. Following her performance, Huang was entrusted with rescuing revolutionaries from prison in the 1930's.
Later life
Huang Mulan was twice imprisoned and spent 17 years in prison during China's turbulent years from the 1950's to 1975. Following her release, Huang kept filing lawsuits to clear her name and in 1980 her achievements were confirmed by the CPC.
She was married four times and her stories have been captured in several books, films and TV drama series. An autobiography was released in 2012.
Huang spent her final three years at the Zhejiang hospital in Hangzhou, China living under a secret identity.
Huang Mulan died on February 7, 2017, aged 110 years, 213 days.