Notable Women of Modern China

Book excerpt: Now an ardent advocate of natural feet, she often tells of her trials as a pioneer of the movement in Fuhkien province. "That I have the distinction of being the first girl who did not have her feet bound, is due to no effort of mine," she says, "for the neighbour women used to say, 'Rather a nice girl, but those feet!' 'Rather a bright girl, but those feet, ' and 'Those feet, ' 'Those feet' was all I heard, until I was ashamed to be seem."-from "Dr. H King Eng"In 1909, American missionary Margaret Burton traveled to China, where she met and befriended many professional women-but when she returned home, she was stunned to discover that many of her fellow Americans had no idea that such educated, accomplished women were to be found in Asia. So she set out, in this 1912 book, to introduce Westerners to a few extraordinary Chinese women, pioneers who defied longstanding cultural traditions-like the forced hobbling of foot-binding and the second-class status of women-to blaze new trails of achievement as doctors and missionaries. This is a fascinating look at women who succeeded against the longest of odds.American writer MARGARET ERNESTINE BURTON (b. 1885) also wrote The Education of Women in China (1911) and The Education of Women in Japan (1914).