A Study Of The Movement Of Anti-Foot-Binding Launched By Wuxu Reformists In The Reform Movement Of 1898

After Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, some enlightened Chinese people proposed the requirements of reform, and foot-binding was also entered their vision. In the Reform Movement of 1898, the representative's people in China especially Wuxu Reformists launched a massive movement of anti-foot-binding. Wuxu Reformists used the power of newspaper & magazine media to get public concern, and they also founded kinds of organizations of anti-foot-binding, moreover, they linked the movement with female school closely to develop it.The first part made a review to the anti-foot-binding before the Reform Movement of 1898 in order to understand the historical background of the movement of anti-foot-binding launched by Wuxu Reformists. It was a brief introduction about the Chinese literati's critiques to foot-binding in pre-modern, the forbidden of foot-binding during the time of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in areas under their control, the Early Reformists' criticism to foot-binding, and the contribution of Western missionaries and the West women's in China to anti-foot-binding.The second part analyzed the movement of anti-foot-binding launched by Wuxu Reformists from the aspects of thoughts and observations. It mainly introduced Kang, Liang, Yan Fu, and Tan who are the four most influential people's thoughts and observations about anti-foot-binding during the Reform Movement of 1898.The third part analyzed the movement of anti-foot-binding launched by Wuxu Reformists from the aspect of newspaper media. Taking The Chinese Progress and Xiang Daily in the Reform Movement of 1898 as examples, it analyzed the impetus function of newspaper media in this movement from the following aspects:newspaper critiqued foot-binding vehemently to get public concern, newspaper reported the establishment of the organization of anti-foot-binding and the movement of anti-foot-binding, newspaper published recommendations from readers and publicized anti-foot-binding in the form of advertisement.The forth part inspected and analyzed the movement of anti-foot-binding from both aspects of the organization of anti-foot-binding and the female school. It expanded the contents mainly from the following aspects:Wuxu Reformists founded the organization of anti-foot-binding and the organization took measures to carry out activities to promote the movement. Movement of anti-foot-binding and female school promoted to each other.The fifth part was a basic summary to the movement of anti-foot-binding launched by Wuxu Reformists. It analyzed the movement mainly from historical causes, overall characteristics and historical influence these three aspects.The movement of anti-foot-binding launched by Wuxu Reformists during the Reform Movement of 1898 was not only the result of the impact of China's own traditions, but also the impact of Western influence. Because of the severe national crisis, the movement had a clear brand of the times. As the Reform Movement was too short, the contribution of Wuxu Reformists to this movement was not get how many specific results, but mainly in the ideological and theoretical achievements, which is the meaning of its enlightenment.In modern China, it was the West who was the first began anti-foot-binding, but it was Wuxu Reformists who made it to a social movement. By. studying the movement of anti-foot-binding launched by Wuxu Reformists during the Reform Movement of 1898, we can understand much better about the meaning of the movement of anti-foot-binding in modern China history as a whole, and we can understand more fully about the rich connotation of the Reform Movement of 1898.