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Chinese Girl's Progress,    On July 24th 1898, during the climax of Hundred Days Reform, the first issue of Chinese Girl's Progress was published which created the precedent for Chinese female publications.
    China Women Scholar Association was the sponsor of the paper. The Association was an influential social organization created by women from Reform Party with support from famous scholars like Kang Youwei and Liang qichao. Daughter of Kang Youwei ,Kang Tongwei and wife of Liang Qichao ,Li Huixian were mainstay of the party. After the foundation, the Association did two main things, first was to establish the first women school in Guishuli, Shanghai City; the second was to publish Chinese Girl's Progress.
    The paper contained four columns----- discussion, news, essays and notes. The content was consist of sixteen sections like self-cultivation and education so as to propagandize reform, require feminism, support free marriage and women's participation in politics, object feudalism, superstition, outworn customs and bad habits in society. Each issue was published with fine paper, standard letters and good pictures combined with western style and eastern.
    The appearance of Chinese Girl's Progress brought outstanding meaning in the least bellowing aspects.
    1. The paper is said to be the first female newspaper in Chinese history at present, which was edited by women and for women. Over twenty writers were celebrities in female class like Kang Tongwei, Li Huixian and Chinese first female journalist ----- QiuYufang from Wuxi City. Actually they were the first female editors and reporters in Chinese news history.
    2. The paper was one of the first vernacular periodical publications in old China. And it was one of the earliest advocators for vernacular publications.
    3. With the progress of social culture, the research of female problems is valued day by day. Chinese Girl's Progress could provide first material which was so precious that has practical significance till now.
    4. It isn't sure how many issues the paper were published, only few existing in the world. In Wuxi Library, ancient books department holds eight issues from the beginning which are kept in good condition. The paper is called a treasure with double values in content and version.

[ Last edited by timelr at 5-11-2007 07:39 ]