Chapter 19 Documents Consider the Evidence: Changing China pp. 958-971

Today I learned about Gender, reform, and revolution from document 19.3. Like in many other countries, the question of women's role in society arose in China. A well-known advocate for women was Qiu Jin who lived from 1875 till 1907. Jin would do something in 1903 which was absurd to for a chines woman which was a leaving her husband and children to gain an education in Japan. Jin would begin a women's magazine and would become active in revolutionary circles when she returned in 1906. In 1907, Jin was arrested and beheaded for her role in trying to overthrow the Qing dynasty. A famous appeal of Jin's that is still seen today is An Address to Two Hundred Million Fellow Countrywomen. Jin begins her appeal by talking about how a young girl may be lucky if she has a good father but if her father is ill-tempered and unreasonable man, then he may make her life miserable. Then Jin goes on talking about how after a few years of growing up, her father will bind his daughter's feet with white cloth to stop them from growing; however, he does not know about the discomfort and pain that he puts his daughter through. Jin continues talking about how when it is time for a girl to get married, her future is not decided by her but by shameless matchmakers and a family that seeks rich and powerful in-laws. Here we see that there is no choice for a girl to choose a life that she wants for herself, but instead it is decided for her. Then after a girl is married she awaits either a life with a man that does her no harm meaning she should thank heaven for good fortune or the man is bad meaning she some sin in her previous life. Jin speaks out saying, "When Heaven created people it never intended such injustice because if the world is without women, how can men be born? Why is there no justice for women?" (Strayer 963). Which is a very honest argument saying that men should be more thankful for women and that women should be treated as equally as any other person. Jin speaks about how wojmen need to leave behind their former selves and must look forward to a new beginning. One in which women can make their own decisions and decide freely on how they want their life to be. If women continue to wait, then the time may never come to make a change because by then it will be far to late. If women don't unite and change, then Jin ends her address by saying that it will be too late for China will be destroyed. This is a very strong and meaningful address that opens the readers eyes.