ssed was viewed as barbaric by many. However, women began to rebel against such practices in later imperial China. One of this was the female activist Qiu Jin, devoted "both to the cause of overthrowing the Manchus and to women's liberation" (Ebrey 341). Periodicals and popular women's magazines helped fuel social reform and expand the influence of women in this era. Unfortunately, Jin's efforts were in vain and she was executed after a failed nationalist uprising.
Women also were able to expand their social influence during Late Imperial China through authorship and writing of works that conveyed themes and issues of concern to women. Li maintains in Ming-Qing China "women's literature was both flourishing and controversial in its legitimacy" (1). Yuan Mei was one of the biggest promoters of women's writing. Attitudes about women had already begun to change among wealthier members of society, especially because of the significant growth in female authorship. Schmidt notes that Yuan Mei's "advocacy of women's writing is only one part of a while range of unconventional ideas tha
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