Christian Women’s Education And Women’s Liberation In Modern China

Bridgman Girls’ School, as the first Christian girls’ school in Beijing, was established by Mrs. Bridgman of the ABCFM. The timeline of this school’s development was almost in coincidence with the history of Protestant in modern China. It could be divided into two courses for the history of Bridgman Girls’ School, which was distinguished by indigenization. Because of established by missionaries, the purpose of Bridgman Girls’ School during the first course was to serve Christianity, such as evangelizing or cultivating Christians. However, during the process of indigenization in 1920 s, education, instead of religious, became the school’s primary goal. These two purposes were contradictories, but themes of each development courses. Given that Bridgman Girls’ School held an important place in the history of Christianity and education in modern China, it could be recognized as a representative of Christian girl’s schools.Bridgman Girls’ School and other Christian institutes played important roles during the movement of women’s liberation in modern Chna. They tried to maintain women’s health and freedom of marriage, and enlightened the consciousness of women’s righte. Besides, Christian schools also promoted the emancipation of women by themselves, which let them identity themselves as parts of the whole society. As Chinese women began to serve and contribute to the society actively, constraints of the society gradually eliminated.