The History of the Jin Dynasty recorded the following incident from the reign of the emperor Hailing: "the imperial wives each had maidservants who dressed as men. They were called 'false page boys'. One of them, Sheng Ge, lay with Alihu as husband and wife. The kitchen maid San Niang reported the affair to Hailing but he did not consider it an offense." Alihu killed San Niang in retaliation and was herself executed by the emperor for murder.

FTM transgender characters also appear in literary fiction. The 18th century classic Dream of the Red Mansions(红楼梦) explores a broad range of Chinese gender/sexual expression, including male-role actresses who dress as men and romance women. Strange Tales of Liao Zhai(聊斋志异), a 17th century collection of supernatural stories, contains the brief narrative "Changing to a man": In Suzhou's Mudu Town, a woman was sitting in her courtyard one night when a meteorite suddenly struck her skull. She fell to the ground and died. Her parents had no other child besides her. They wept grievously and tried desperately to revive her. When they moved her body, she came back to life and laughed, "I am now a man". Upon examination it was found to be true. Her family did not treat her as a demon, but secretly rejoiced at receiving a son.