The Legend of June Frost, Written by Ying Zongji and Edited by Qingyang and Xiaoming

The Legend of June Frost

Written by Ying Zongjinu. Set in type from the Guangxu 33rd-year edition of the Reform Fiction Society.

Credited to Ying Zongjinu of Guyue. Published by the Reform Fiction Society in 1907, during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, this work was written to clear Qiu Jin's name. It consists of fourteen scenes, with an additional volume containing Qiu Jin's surviving writings and obituaries from various newspapers. It was also adapted into a novel of the same name, in twelve chapters.

The Legend of June Frost is the only known opera about Qiu Jin written by a woman. It portrays Qiu Jin differently from the many other plays about her written at the time. By examining its choice of plot and its portrayal of Qiu Jin, we can understand the spiritual qualities and cultural outlook of progressive, educated women during the late Qing and Republican periods.

Theme: Seeking justice for Qiu Jin