Born: 1883 (Hengshan, Hunan Province)
Biography:
Chen Xiefen, born in 1883 in Hengshan, Hunan Province, was a Chinese feminist, revolutionary, and journalist. She is widely recognized as one of the first progressive Chinese women to use the press as a tool to advocate for women’s rights. Throughout her life, Chen championed women’s education, called for gender equality, and advocated for economic independence for women.
Chen Xiefen was the oldest daughter of her gentry-official family, with her father, Chen Fan, being a demoted county magistrate and a progressive intellectual. At the end of the 19th century, Chen Fan relocated to Shanghai and purchased the Subao newspaper, which he subsequently reformed. During that time, the Subao was known as a progressive and anti-Qing publication, with radical intellectual Zhang Shizhao serving as its editor-in-chief.
In 1898, China’s first women’s journal, Nübao, was launched, with Chen Xiefen taking over the publication in 1899 at the age of sixteen. With her father’s encouragement and support, Chen became a prominent figure in the progressive movement by contributing personal essays to Nübao. She attended the missionary-run McTyeire Home and School for Girls, where she continued to play an active role in the newspaper’s production.
Chen Xiefen’s commitment to education and reform extended beyond her work at Nübao. In collaboration with her father and fellow reformists, including Cai Yuanpei, she helped establish the Patriotic Girls’ School, known as Aiguo nǚ xuexiao. This institution, which endorsed revolutionary activities, offered a curriculum that was considered progressive and radical for its time.
Following the censorship and subsequent shutdown of Nübao, Chen Xiefen briefly emigrated to Japan in 1903, where she continued to publish the journal under the new title Nüxuebao. Despite the challenges she faced, Chen remained active in anti-Qing revolutionary circles until 1911 when she faded from the public eye.
Chen Xiefen’s dedication to women’s rights and her use of the press as a tool for social change had a lasting impact on Chinese society. She paved the way for future generations of progressive Chinese women who would follow in her footsteps, advocating for gender equality and social justice.