Heroes from History: Qiu Jin 秋瑾

History: 100 years ago in Shanghai

Qiu Jin秋瑾
The Lady Revolution Leader and Fighter for Women's Rights
Lived 1875 to 1907

Today's Chinese KungFu movies have women actors who play strong, courageous women who fight well. Qiu Jin wasn't an actor - she was the real thing. She was a military leader in the fight against the Qing monarchy and also a fierce fighter for women's rights.

Qiu Jin was one of the great Chinese pioneers in the fight against the corrupt Qing monarchy during 1900 to 1911. Like many of China's elite families of the time, she was educated in Japan. While in Japan, she joined Sun Yatsen's Revolutionary Alliance to fight the Qing government. Even though a woman, she was determined to be a leader in the Revolutionary Army and to lead the way for women's rights. As the photograph shows, she was a strong woman who rarely went anywhere without her dagger.

At that time in China, women were treated at a much lower level than men. Women's feet were bound so their feet would grow to only about 3 inches (75 cm) long, making it impossible for them to walk without severe pain. Before marriage, girls had little or no say in who they married. After marriage, most women had very little ability to control their destiny or happiness.

bound feet: http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/History/China/04/hutchins/hutchins.htm

Qiu Jin worked to change this sad situation. She abandoned her husband who, in her words, treated her as worse than a slave. She was determined to lead the fight in achieving equal rights for women.

In 1905 & 1906 in Shanghai, Qiu Jin founded and wrote for The Chinese Women's Journal and also taught at a local girls' school. Later she became the leader of the Datong school in Shanghai. This wasn't enough excitement for her. She became one of the top military leaders in the Revolution. She rode a horse astride, wore men's clothing, and encouraged her girl students to train in military drills. She coordinated many of the secret rebellion army activities against the government. Even when her capture was imminent, she refused to escape to a safer location.

In 1907 she was caught by the government army. At the tender age of 32, she became the first woman in China who was tortured and executed by beheading. She was considered a martyr at the time. Today, 100 years later, she is a Chinese National Hero. This brave woman now has a monument at her grave in Hangzhou at GuShan, in English - Solitary Hill.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/zhejiang/hangzhou/solitary.htm

Her grave monument at GuShan near Hangzhou is also where the great leader Sun Yatsen is buried with his own monument. Hangzhou is about 2 hours away from Shanghai. I can't wait to go to GuShan. It's on my list for 2006.