Born: 1897 (Taihu County, Anhui province)
Died: 1970 (Prison)
Liu-Wang Liming (Chinese: 刘王立明; pinyin: Liù-Wáng Lìmíng; 1897 – 15 April 1970; née Wang Liming) was a Chinese feminist, suffragette, and the publisher of the Women’s Voice, a biweekly magazine. She organized the Zhan’en Institute for Refugee Children and the Chinese Women’s Friendship Association. She was also the principal of the West China Women’s Vocational School. Despite her contributions, she faced persecution due to her political views and died in prison. However, she was later acknowledged by the Chinese Government for her contributions on women’s issues.
Born in Taihu County, Anhui province, Liu-Wang Liming’s early childhood was marked by hardship. Her father, Wang Langzhong, a Chinese doctor, passed away when she was only nine years old, leaving the family in poverty. Her mother, who was the president of an early Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) branch, played a pivotal role in shaping her character and values.
Raised in a Confucian environment, Liu-Wang Liming’s mother sent her to the Become Beautiful Girls’ School, which was founded by American missionaries affiliated with the Taihu Gospel Church. She then moved on to the Ruli Academy, a Methodist girls’ high school in Jiujiang, Jiangxi, where she converted to Christianity. It was at this age of 12 that she unbound her feet, becoming the first girl in her county to do so.
After completing her education at the Jiujiang Ruli Academy, Liu-Wang Liming became a teacher at the same school. Thanks to a scholarship offered by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), she was able to pursue further studies in the United States. She traveled to Illinois and studied zoology at Northwestern University, earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. During her time in Evanston, she adopted the English name Frances Willard Wong, as a tribute to Frances Willard, the founder of the WCTU. It was during her studies that she met her future husband, Herman C.E. Liu (Liu Zhan’en), whom she had known since her time in Jiujiang. After completing his doctoral degree in education from Columbia University, Liu-Zhan’en returned to China, and the couple got married on 1 September 1922. Together, they had three children: two sons named Guangsheng (1924) and Guanghua (1926), as well as a daughter named Guangkun (1928).
Liu-Wang Liming embarked on a notable career upon her return to China. She served as a member of the Committee to Promote the National Assembly in 1924 and became a founding member and chair of the Shanghai Women’s Suffrage Association in the 1930s. In addition, she held the position of general secretary of the WCTU (Zhonghua Funü Jiezhihui), also known as the Chinese Women’s Anti-Drug Association, from the 1920s until the 1950s.
Liu-Wang Liming’s influence extended beyond these roles, as she was one of the few female members of the People’s Political Consultative Conference, a government group that promoted public support for the war effort. Through her involvement in various organizations and her work as the publisher of Women’s Voice, she fought for women’s rights, suffrage, and the advancement of education.
Sadly, Liu-Wang Liming faced considerable persecution due to her political leanings. Being labeled a rightist and having pacifist tendencies, she was subjected to hardship and mistreatment for an extended period. Despite facing such adversity, she continued to advocate for her beliefs until her death in prison in 1970.
However, her contributions were eventually recognized posthumously in 1980 when the Chinese Government acknowledged her dedication to women’s issues. Liu-Wang Liming’s unwavering commitment to feminist and suffragette causes, as well as her role as a publisher and organizer, left an indelible mark on Chinese society, making her a significant figure in women’s history.