Qiu Jin (1875-1907) was a turn of the 20th century Chinese feminist and revolutionary.

• 敬告中国两万万女同胞
  秋瑾

A Respectful Notice to the 200 Million Female Compatriots of China, by Qiu Jin

• 唉！世界上最不平的事，就是我们二万万女同胞了。

Sigh! The most unfair thing in the word is with us 200 million female compatriots.

• 从小生下来，遇着好老子，还说得过；遇着脾气杂冒、不讲情理的，满嘴连说：“晦气，又是一个没用的。”恨不得拿起来摔死。

When we are born, if we end up with a good father, things are still passable; if we end up with someone ill tempered and unreasonable, he'll say non-stop, "Unlucky! Another useless one." Like he would rather pick us up and throw us to our death.

• 总抱着“将来是别人家的人”这句话，冷一眼、白一眼的看待，

He'll harbour resentments and say things like, "She'll only be part of someone else's family in the future" and treat us with the cold shoulder.

• 到几岁，也不问好歹，就把一双雪白粉嫩的天足脚，用白布缠着，连睡觉的时候不许放松一点，

When we're only a few years old, without asking, they take a pair of snow white tender feet and bound them in white cloth; not even during sleep would they loosen the bind.

• 到了后来肉也烂尽了，骨也折断了，不过讨亲戚、朋友、邻居们声“某人家姑娘脚小”罢了。

At the end, flesh has been mangled and bones have been broken, all for the sake of having friends, neighbours, and relatives say, "So-and-so family's little girl has small feet."

• 这还不说，到了择亲的时光，只凭着两个不要脸媒人的话，只要男家有钱有势，不问身家清白，男人的性情好坏、学问高低，就不知不觉应了。

On top of that, when we are of the age to marry, a promise is given on the advice of two shameless matchmakers, as long as the groom's family has money and power, without even asking whether the family is decent or about the groom's temperament and education.

• 到了过门的时候，用一顶红红绿绿的花轿，坐在里面，连气也不能出。

On the day of the marriage, one sits in a brightly decorated bridal sedan chair, barely able to breathe.

• 到了那边，要是遇着男人虽不怎么样，却还安分，这就算前生有福今生受了。

Once one's over there, if the man is unremarkable, yet well-behaved, you can then count your blessings for having been good in your previous life.

• 遇着不好的，总不是说“前生作了孽”，就是说“运气不好”。

If the man is not good, one always ends up saying "I was sinful in my previous life" or "bad luck".

• 要是说一二句抱怨的话，或是劝了男人几句，反了腔，就打骂俱下，别人听见还要说不贤慧，不晓得妇道呢！

If one is to say a few words of dissatisfaction or offer advice in an unpleasant tone, the result will be scoldings and beatings. Not only that, when others hear of this, they will comment on how one is lacking in virtue and how one do not know the duties of a wife.

• 诸位听听，这不是有冤没处诉么？

Everyone, isn't this an injustice with no recourse?

• 还有一桩不公的事：男子死了，女子就要带三年孝，不许二嫁。

Another thing that is unfair. When the man dies, the woman has to mourn for three years and is not allowed to remarry.

• 女子死了，男人只带几根蓝辫线，有嫌难看的，连带也不带，人死还没三天，就出去偷鸡摸狗，七还未尽，新娘子早已进门了。

When the woman dies, the man only has to wear a blue braid. Some men find it ugly and so do not even wear it. The wife hasn't been dead for three days before he's out there among ladies of ill repute. Before seven weeks of mourning have passed, a new wife has already entered the household.

• 上天生人，男女原没有分别。

Heaven created people; there was no difference between men and women in the beginning.

• 试问天下没有女人，就生出这些人来么？

Ask yourself this, if the world does not have women, can these people be born?

• 为甚么这样不公道呢？

Why are things so unfair?

• 那些男子，天天说“心是公的，待人是要和平的”，又为甚么把女子当作非洲的黑奴一样看待，不公不平，直到这步田地呢？

These men say everyday, "The heart is fair, we must treat people with civility". Then why treat women as black slaves from Africa, with such unfairness to such an extreme degree?

• 诸位，你要知道天下事靠人是不行的，总要求己为是，当初那些腐儒说甚么“男尊女卑”、“女子无才便是德”、“夫为妻纲”这些胡说，我们女子要是有志气的，就应当号召同志与他反对。

Everyone, you must know that relying on others simply won't do; we must rely on ourselves. Since the beginning, those corrupt Confucians have been saying "men first, women second", "a woman without talent is a woman with virtue", "the rule of wife submitting to husband" and other such rubbish. If we women are to have any aspirations, we must call upon our comrades to join together and oppose them.

• 陈后主兴了这缠足的例子，我们要是有羞耻的，
  就应当兴师问罪。

Emperor Houzhu of Chen started the pratice of foot binding. If we have any shame, we should denounce and rebuke him.

• 即不然，难道他捆着我的腿？我不会不缠么？

• 男子怕我们有知识、有学问、爬上他们的头，不准我们求学，我们难道不会和他分辨，就应了么？

• 这总是我们女子自己放弃责任，样样事体一见男子做了，自己就乐得偷懒，图安乐。

• 男子说我没用，我就没用；说我不行，制约保着眼前舒服，就作奴隶也不问了。

• 自己又看看无功受禄，恐怕行不长久，一听见男子喜欢脚小，就急急忙忙把他缠了，使男子看见喜欢，庶可以藉此吃白饭。

• 至于不叫我们读书、习字，这更是求之不得的，甚么不赞成呢？

• 诸位想想，天下有享现成福的么？

• 自然是有学问、有见识、出力作事的男人得了权利，我们作他的奴隶了。

• 既作了他的奴隶，怎么不压制呢？

• 自作自受，又怎么怨得人呢？

• 这些事情，提起来，我也觉得难过。

• 诸位想想总是个中人，亦不必用我细说。

• 但是从此以后，我还望我们姐妹们，把从前事情，一概搁开，把以后事情，尽力作去，譬如从前死了，现在又转世为人了。

• 老的呢，不要说“老而无用”，遇见丈夫好的要开学堂，不要阻他；儿子好的，要出洋留学，不要阻他。

• 中年作媳妇的，总不要拖着丈夫的腿，使他气短志颓，功不成、名不就；生了儿子，就要送他进学堂，女儿也是如此，千万不要替他缠足.

• 幼年姑娘的呢，若能够进学堂更好；就不进学堂，在家里也要常看书、习字。

• 有钱作官的呢，就要劝丈夫开学堂、兴工厂，作那些与百姓有益的事情。无钱的呢，就要帮着丈夫苦作，不要偷懒吃闲饭。

• 这就是我的望头了。

• 诸位晓得国是要亡的了，男人自己也不保，我们还想靠他么？

• 我们自己要不振作，到国亡的时候，那就迟了。

• 诸位！诸位！须不可打断我的念头才好呢！