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Aisin Gioro Xianyu 1907-1948 was the fourteenth daughter of a Manchu prince and a legendary figure in Chinas bloody struggle with Japan. After the fall of the Manchu dynasty in 1912, Xianyus father gave his daughter to a Japanese friend who was sympathetic to his efforts to reclaim power. This man raised Xianyu, now known as Kawashima Yoshiko, to restore the Manchus to their former glory. Her fearsome dedication to this cause ultimately got her killed.Yoshiko had a fiery personality and loved the limelight. She shocked Japanese society by dressing in mens clothes and rose to prominence as Commander Jin, touted in Japans media as a new Joan of Arc. Boasting a short, handsome haircut and a genuine military uniform, Commander Jin was credited with many daring exploits, among them riding horseback as leader of her own army during the Japanese occupation of China.