Lin Zongsu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lin Zongsu
Born	林宗素 1878 (1878) Minhou, Fujian, China
Died	1944 (aged 65–66) Kunming, Yunnan, China
Nationality	Chinese
Occupation	journalist, editor, women's rights activist
Years active	1898–1913
Known for	founding the first women's suffrage organization in China

Lin Zongsu (Chinese: 林宗素; 1878–1944) was a Chinese writer and a brave activist. She fought for women's right to vote. She started China's first group for women's voting rights. Lin Zongsu was one of the most famous women's rights activists in China. This was during the time when the old Qing dynasty was ending and the new Republic of China was just beginning.

She also became one of China's first female journalists and newspaper editors. As a journalist, she wrote many articles about women's rights. She led several women's groups until democracy was stopped in 1913. Later in life, she taught in Singapore. She also ran a successful boat business there. This business helped pay for her brother's newspapers back in China. After about ten years in Southeast Asia, she and her husband returned to China. They lived in the southern part of the country where their businesses were.

Lin Zongsu's Early Life and Education

Lin Zongsu was born in 1878 in Minhou, Fujian Province, China. Her father, Lin Jianquan, was a writer. Her mother, Huang Fu, was a scholar and wrote songs. Lin Zongsu was a lively child. Her parents decided not to bind her feet, which was a common practice for girls then. Her mother taught her at home.

When her mother died, Lin was still young. She lived with an uncle and went to a Western-style school. Around 1898, she moved to Hangzhou. There, she joined her older brother, Lin Baiyong, who was a journalist. She learned about groups that wanted to change the old Qing government. She also met Qiu Jin, who later became a hero for the revolution.

In 1902, Lin Zongsu began studying at the Patriotic Girls School in Shanghai. This school was very different from traditional Chinese schools. It taught subjects like chemistry and physics. It also taught about the history of the French Revolution. The school encouraged women to get involved in politics. Soon after, in 1903, she went to Japan to study, like many other Chinese students.

Studying and Activism in Japan

Lin Zongsu went to Japan with her brother. She wanted to learn new ideas outside of China's old system. She joined protests against the Russo-Japanese War. She also joined the Japanese Red Cross to learn medical skills. She wanted to help wounded soldiers.

In Japan, she started the first group for Chinese women students. It was called the Mutual Love Society. This group fought for women's rights and their right to get an education. The group shared their ideas in a journal called Jiangsu. Lin Zongsu began writing essays about equality. In 1903, she wrote an introduction for a book called A Tocsin for Women. This book told women to free themselves and their country.

Becoming a Journalist and Activist

After a year in Japan, Lin Zongsu returned to Shanghai. She started working at her brother's newspaper, Chinese Vernacular News. This made her one of the first female journalists in China. She also became an editor for the Daily Alarm newspaper. Both newspapers wrote about democracy. Lin Zongsu wrote many articles that supported a revolution. However, both papers were forced to close by the government in 1905.

She decided to go back to Japan to study at the Tokyo Higher Normal School. In the autumn of 1905, she joined other Chinese students. They took part in activities against the government. They were known as "Sophia heroines." In December 1905, she joined the Tongmenghui. This was a political party led by Sun Yat-sen. She took part in many of their activities against the government. In 1906, Japan passed a rule limiting Chinese students' political activities. She finished her education and married Tong Fu, a friend of her brother's.

Fighting for Women's Right to Vote

The old Qing dynasty ended in October 1911. This happened after the Wuchang Uprising. Lin Zongsu then returned to China. She joined the Chinese Socialist Party. On November 12, 1911, Lin Zongsu created China's first group for women's voting rights. It was called the Women's Suffrage Comrades Alliance in Shanghai. This group was part of the socialist party. This allowed the women to work for political change. She also started a journal called the Women's Times. It shared information about voting rights and the group's work.

Lin Zongsu met with Sun Yat-sen in Nanjing in 1912. He promised her that women would get the right to vote. This would happen when the new National Assembly was formed. She published this news in the Shenzhou Daily and the Women's Times. Some people approved, but others did not. Sun Yat-sen later said that voting rights were for the majority to decide. Lin Zongsu wrote another article in the Heavenly Bell News. She disagreed with his statement and his version of their talk.

Because she brought up the idea of women's votes, other women's groups formed. They also pushed for rights while the new rules for China were being discussed. They formally asked for equal rights. But when the rules were made on March 11, they did not include women's voting rights. The women kept asking the temporary government. They sent five requests for their rights to be made legal. However, the National Assembly saw their actions as a threat. They refused to listen to them.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1913, Lin Zongsu and Tong Fu divorced. Lin left politics and moved to Nanjing. The new leader, Yuan Shikai, stopped democracy. Lin was invited to go to Southeast Asia, and she agreed. She moved to Singapore and became a teacher. She married a merchant from Hangzhou. They ran a very successful boat business and became quite wealthy. Lin used her money to help her brother pay for his newspaper.

In March 1922, the couple returned to Beijing. But because of her husband's business, they soon moved to Kaifeng. In 1925, their only child died. Lin was very sad and joined her brother in Beijing. After he was killed the next year, she returned to the south. When the Second Sino-Japanese War started, her family moved to Kunming. She died there in 1944. Lin Zongsu is remembered as a pioneer who bravely fought for women's rights and equality in China.

See also

In Spanish: Lin Zongsu para niños