Siti Zubaidah is based upon the 19th century poem "Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina", a fantastical cross-cultural epic of duty, justice and disguises. It centers on Siti Zubaidah, the wife of Sultan Zainal Abidin, who is left defenseless after her husband is taken hostage by a Chinese empress. She eventually allies herself with Princess Rukia of Yunnan, who had fled her own palace under threats of sexual assault. Taking matters into their own hands, they adopt male identities and lead a military conquest across China to rescue the Sultan.