November, 2014 - The Trung Sisters - Monkey Gland

The Trung Sisters (ca 40 AD)

Trac and Nhi, were daughters of a powerful Vietnamese lord.  The Chinese ruled Vietnam until a Chinese commander raped Trac and killed her husband, Thi Sach.  In retaliation, the Trung Sisters organized a full-scale rebellion of 80,000 men and women.  Thirty-six of their army's generals were women, including Phung Thi Chinh, who had her baby on the battlefield.  She hoisted the newborn child onto her back, and continued fighting.  It is also said that the Trung sisters killed a tiger - and used the tiger's skin as paper to write a proclamation urging the people to follow them against the Chinese.  The sisters drove the Chinese out of Vietnam, and the people proclaimed Trac to be their ruler.  As queen, she abolished the hated tribute taxes which had been imposed by the Chinese.  She also attempted to restore a simpler form of government more in line with traditional Vietnamese values.  For the next three years the Trung sisters engaged in constant battles with the Chinese government in Vietnam.  Out-armed their troops were badly defeated in 43 AD.  Rather than accept defeat, popular lore says that both Trung sisters chose the traditional Vietnamese way of maintaining honor - they committed suicide.  Some stories say they drowned themselves in a river; others claim they disappeared into the clouds.

The Drink:

Monkey Gland

1 1/2 oz gin
1 oz orange juice
1 tsp Benedictine
2-4 dashes grenadine
over rocks in a highball

Drinkability:  4
Drunkability:  3
Taxic Diversity:  4
Accessibility:  4
Priority for Conservation:  5

Comments:  "I've given up letting gin matter."  - MPF, "a little tart"

From "Women Who Sought Revenge" hosted by Ball Buster