Qiu Jin, a modern chinese opera staged in Guangzhou on 10th November 2008 was well received by the audience.
Qiu Jin (AD 1875 - 1907) is probably the most celebrated heroine who was instrumental in the building of a modern China in 1911.
A pioneer of the emancipation of women she eschewed embroidery and bound feet. A patriot and fighter she mastered horse riding and martial art in place of the usual feminine arts. A prolific writer and an eloquent orator she combined her literary skills with her martial art acumens to realise her ambition, that is, to break the shackles of feudalism and inspire the people to overthrow the corrupt Manchu establishment.
Having witnessed and outraged with the wanton looting and burning of Beijing as well as other atrocities committed by the foreign armies; and disgusted with the decadent lifestyle of her husband Wang Ting Jun, the scion of a wealthy family, Qiu Jin severed all ties with him and traveled to Japan as a student.
In Japan she met Dr Sun Yat Sen, leader of the revolutionary movement, who invited her to join the Revolutionary Alliance he founded to unite the various revolutionary groups under one mantle. Qiu Jin was appointed the commander for the Zhejiang region where she raised and trained an army of 60,000 troops with the assistance of her compatriot cum trusted lieutenant Xu Xi Lin. (This army was instrumental to the success of the Chinese Revolution in 1911 when they captured Nanjing which later became the capital of the interim government of Dr Sun Yat Sen).
Unfortunately, Qiu Jin never saw the fruits of her labor. She was betrayed by Hu Dao Nan, one of her classmates, just as she was about to launch an attack against the Qing government. She was captured on 13 July 1907 at the Ta Dong School, her operations base in Zhejiang, after a fierce battle during which Xu Xi Lin perished whilst shielding her from danger.
Though subject to various types of brutal torture Qiu Jin did not make a confession. At her trial, she openly and critically rebuked the presiding Magistrate Gui Fu and his military counterpart Xu Guan Dai for their incapability to govern and their complicity in perpetuating corrupt practices. Before the dawn of 15 July 1907 she was executed at the ancient pavilion in her hometown Shaoxing, leaving behind a pair of young children for her two blood sisters Wu Zhi Ying and Xu Zi Hua to take care. Qiu Jin was then only 32 years old.
Qiu Jin’s parting words "Autumn wind, autumn rain, unbearable sorrow" served as a strong stimulant and encouragement for her comrades and others to continue with the struggle for freedom; and also remain today as a reminder of her unstinted loyalty for her country as well as her contribution towards the revolution which subsequently freed China in 1911 from the reins of the corrupt Qing rule
