Poem by Qiu Jin, Chinese feminist

While the discussion surrounding the Chinese practice of footbinding often focuses on the writings of western missionaries, the example of Qiu Jin, a Chinese feminist and poet, demonstrates that the practice was criticized by Chinese individuals as well. Qui Jin had her feet bound as a child and as an adult spoke out against the practice. In 1904, she moved away from her husband and children to study in Japan where she wrote the poem here. In the poem she explicitly connects her bid for independence with unbinding her feet "Unbinding my feet I clean out a thousand years of poison, With heated heart arouse all women’s spirits." This source is a part of the Western Views of Chinese Women teaching module.