Week Ten: Qiu Jin

Qiu Jin

As I was reading chapter nineteen, the section on China caught my attention. Under the section, "The Failure of Conservative Modernization", the issue of gender roles was briefly discussed. However, it did mention an important icon, Qiu Jin. Qiu Jin was a Chinese revolutionary, feminist, and writer. She was nicknamed "Jianju Nüxia" which translated to "Woman Knight of Mirror Lake". She is considered a heroine in China's anti-feudalistic cause.

Qiu Jin was born on November 8, 1875 in Shaoxing, China. She was born to a family of the gentry. Having to listen to her father, she married at 21 but was extremely unhappy. "When I think of him my hair bristles with anger, it's absolutely unbearable." Eventually, she left her husband and two children to study in Japan. She soon became acquainted with many revolutionists and joined relevant societies. She did return to China. There she often dressed in male clothing. "My aim is to dress like a man,. In china, men are strong and women are oppressed because they are supposed to be weak." Soon she advocated women's liberation, including topics such as freedom in marriage, in a woman's magazine. She also discusses the practice of binding women's feet. Qiu Jin longed to serve her country and was determined to overthrow the corrupt Qing government. She joined the Triads and other anti-Qing societies. Eventually, she was arrested and tortured because she refused to talk. She was beheaded on July 15, 1907. Qiu Jin became a national hero and a symbol for women's independence in China.

Sources: 
Engel, KeriLynn. "Qiu Jin, Chinese Feminist & Revolutionary Martyr." Amazing Women In History. Amazing Women In History, 24 Oct. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2017.

"Qiu Jin: A Heroine in China's Anti-feudalist Cause." China.org.cn. China.org.cn, 18 Sept. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2017.