Once upon a time, there was a girl who was ready to start a revolution. Her name was

Chiu Jin. Chiu was born in 1875 in China at a time when the government was in

turmoil and men were talking about change. But women and girls, they had no say in

how they spent their days. They were expected to sit quietly at home, cooking and

sewing for their families. Chiu didn't want to stay at home threading a needle or

stirring a pot of soup. She wanted to learn martial arts and sword fighting.

Most of all, she wanted to make her own choices. She dreamed of following her fierce

passions and blazing a trail for all women. Sometimes she wrote poems and notes

about all the ideas she had swirling through her brain. But while Chiu's heart and mine

were free, her feet were bound. Chinese culture at that time demanded that women have tiny feet.

The perfect size was just three inches long. Small feet helped the girls' parents find her a

good husband. Chiu didn't care about men, but it didn't matter. Her parents wrapped her feet

with strips of cloth, vinding them so that her bones curled inward and made her feet look small.

But even with her feet bound, Chiu learned how to ride horses and how to control the power of a

glistening sword. And of course, she kept writing.

When Chiu was 21 years old, her father forced her to marry Wang Ting-Jung, a man who wasn't interested

in anything. Chiu had to say goodbye to her mom and dad and go live with Wang's family.

That was the custom. She and Wang had two children, one boy and one girl.

Chiu's life felt more and more constrained. All the men she knew could do whatever they wanted

and pursue their dreams. But Chiu and other women could only serve as wives, mothers, and daughters.

My body will not allow me to mingle with the men. Chiu wrote,

but my heart is far braver than that of a man.

...