QIU JIN (born Qiu Guijin, 8 November 1875–15 July 1907), Chinese revolutionary, writer, and martyred figure of republicanism and feminism. Born in Fujian, China, to a wealthy family, and her parents were supportive of her interests, encouraging her through private lessons and tutoring. Although she had her feet bound, as was traditional, she learned horseback-riding, sword-fighting, and how to drink wine, hobbies that were typically only permitted for men. Her family delayed marriage for as long as possible, and she married a wealthy yet uncultured merchant at the relatively late age of twenty-one. Her unfulfillment in this arranged marriage led her into proto-feminist ideals and other liberal ideologies.
In 1903 Qiu Jin decided to leave her marriage and her two children to travel abroad and study in Tokyo, Japan. She primarily studied at the Girls’ Practical School in Kōjimachi (now Jissen Women’s University), where she surrounded herself with like-minded radicals and intellectuals. Qiu Jin was a staunch anti-Qing nationalist, joining several expatriate revolutionary groups abroad including the Tongmenghui. An accomplished poet and artist, she described her endeavors to liberate and educate women as “tossing aside the brush to join the military ranks,” placing emphasis on action over artistry.
In 1906 Qiu Jin returned to China with ferocious revolutionary determination, and she took over the Datong School, a front to recruit young revolutionaries, alongside her friend Xu Xilin. The following year Qiu Jin was notified of a manhunt targeting her over accusations of conspiracy. Refusing to run or to admit her involvement, she was arrested, tortured, and publicly beheaded.
Qiu Jin’s literary pursuits were devoted to furthering the advancement of feminism and revolution against the Manchu; in particular she advocated for freedom of marriage, education, and the abolition of the foot-binding tradition. She published several journals dedicated to spreading these ideologies, using everyday colloquialisms and common dialects in order to expand the accessibility of her works as much as possible. Moreover, Qiu Jin was an accomplished poet, trained in Chinese classicism under her mother, who came from a literary family. “A River of Crimson: A Brief Stay in the Glorious Capital” is one of Qiu Jin’s poems that aptly summarizes her feminist ideology:
A brief stay in the glorious Capital; / soon, it’s Mid-Autumn Festival again. / Sheltering by the fence, chrysanthemums bloom everywhere, / the autumn air cool and clear, as if freshly cleansed. / War songs from all four directions falter / as I finally break through the siege of encircling foes; / the aftertaste of these past eight years / makes me long wistfully for Zhejiang. / Bitterly forced to behave as a wife with painted brows, / I’m full of disdain! / Not a man in the flesh, / unable to walk among them; / but my heart is stronger, / more fierce than a man’s! / I think of my inner spirit, / stirring often with passion on others’ behalf. / How can narrow, uncultivated minds / comprehend my nature? / A hero at the path’s end / must suffer trials and tribulations. / In the vast, worldly dust, where can I find my soulmate? / My robe is stained with tears!
The manner of Qiu Jin’s death was criticized by several contemporaries, most famously by Lu Xun, one of the greatest writers in China, who stated that her martyrdom was unnecessary and that she had been “applauded to death.” However, others argued that her sacrifice was in line with her ideology. As Hu Ying has written, “she argued that it wasn’t enough for someone to just sit around and ask for equality. . . . You had to be willing to put your life on the line. And the fact that she really did put her life on the line is what made her words stick.” Ever the radical artist, Qiu Jin composed a final poem moments before her execution. In these lines, she plays on her name “Qiu,” which translates to “autumn” in Chinese: “Autumn wind, autumn rain, fill one’s heart with melancholy.”