Shi Gulan (c.1900-1979) avenged her father's death by assassinating an infamous warlord in 1930s China. The legal proceedings that followed were highly publicized and incited public debates over the concepts of law and justice. For those of you tuning in for the first time, welcome! Here’s the deal: Every weekday, we highlight the stories of iconic women in history you may not know about, but definitely should. We’re talking about women from around the world and throughout history. Each month is themed. This month we’re talking about troublemakers–from women who made “good trouble” to women who thrived in illicit industries to villains in the truest sense of the word.
This month, we're talking about troublemakers–from women who made “good trouble” to women who thrived in illicit industries to villains in the truest sense of the word.
History classes can get a bad wrap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Encyclopedia Womannica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know -- but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Encyclopedia Womannica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Encyclopedia Womannica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Sundus Hassan, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, and Ale Tejada. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at pod@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan. And this is Womanica.
This month, we’re talking about Troublemakers. We’re covering stories across the spectrum of women who made “good trouble”, to women who thrived in illicit industries, to villains in the truest sense of the word. All of the women we’re covering had a major impact on the societies in which they lived.
The life of today’s villainess is a story about the clash between tradition and modernity. She was charged with premeditated murder -- but really, modern law itself was on trial. How should governments handle the messy transition between political eras? What is the difference between law and justice? This is the life of Shi Gulan -- also known as Shi [Shee] Jianqiao or “sword-wielder.”
Shi Gulan was born in an eastern province in China, in the early 1900’s. She grew up in a farming family, living in a small village. Though her life started unremarkably, the end of the country’s final imperial dynasty -- the Qing Dynasty -- was fast approaching. China was undergoing a period of drastic change.
Shi Gulan’s father, Shi Congbin, entered the military and climbed to the rank of lieutenant.
This elevated the family’s status. But it also brought new risks in an uncertain time.
The Qing dynasty collapsed in 1911, and what followed is now called the “warlord period.” Government control from the capital, Beijing, was weak. It was hard to know who held true power. Military warlords constantly battled over territories in the rest of the country.
Shi Congbin served under one of the most brutal warlords during the wars of the 1920’s. In 1925, he and his soldiers were ambushed and captured by a rival warlord, Sun Chuanfang [pronunciation around 0:18 in the vid]. The next day, they were executed. The opposing faction stuck Shi Congbin’s head on a pike outside the railway station. Shi Gulan was enraged. Though she was barely in her 20s, she immediately started plotting her revenge.
But before Shi Gulan could reach her father’s killer, he was stripped of his political power.. Sun Chuanfangeventually retired to the city of Tianjin and became a member of Buddhist lay clergy.
Shi Gulan didn’t care about Sun Chuanfang’s retirement. She continued to track his movements, determined to hunt him down. She even changed her name to Shi Jianqiao, which roughly means “sword-wielder.” Shi Jianquio moved to Tianjin and pretended that she wanted to join the recitation hall where Sun Chuanfang worked -- but it was all so she could learn his schedule.
Then, on November 13, 1935, Shi Jianqiao walked into a prayer meeting and shot Sun Chuanfang three times as he led the recitation. It had been 10 years since the murder of her father. As onlookers panicked, Shi Jianqiao calmly said, “I have avenged the murder of my father. Do not fear. I will not hurt anyone else, nor will I run away.”
Shi Jianqiao confessed to the crime and let herself be arrested. She even distributed booklets that explained her actions, contained poetry dedicated to her parents, and apologized for getting blood on the shrine.
She signed the booklet, ‘Female avenger, Shi Jianqiao.”
Such a clear-cut murder went straight to trial, but it was obvious from the start that Shi Jianqiao was a public relations master. She orchestrated the perfect dramatic scene -- and the perfect publicity packets -- to capture the public’s attention. This crime, inspired by ancient tradition, brought a very modern amount of media coverage. Shi Jianqiao took lengthy interviews from her jail cell. The courtroom was open to the public, and reporters from newspapers based in several major cities crowded the courthouse entrance.
Shi Jianqiao’s case ended up being tried three times. The defense first argued that even modern law required recognition of tradition. The murder was simply avenging a wrongful killing, Shi Jianqiao simply acting as the most devoted daughter. The attorneys implored the jury to find that the murder was committed under mitigating circumstances.
The prosecution pointed out that this was clear, premeditated murder. Further, how could the death of a soldier during war be unjust?
Shi Jianqiao was found guilty during the first trial and sentenced to at least 10 years in prison. However, the defense appealed the decision, leading judges to reduce the sentence to seven years. But the defense didn’t want to stop there -- and public opinion was on Shi Jianqiao’s side. They pushed for acquittal and the case climbed to the Supreme Court.
Though the Supreme Court upheld the sentence of seven years, only two months after that, the government issued a statement. It declared that Shi Jianqiao’s actions, “constitute a violation of criminal law. But if we consider that she was a lone woman acting upon filial thinking and with little regard for her own personal safety, then her intent merits commiseration and the extraordinary circumstances [of the crime] are forgivable.”
Shi Jianqiao had been pardoned.
After the pardon, she went on to live a normal life -- even through a revolution in 1949 that once again overhauled China’s government. When the People’s Republic of China took over, she was elected vice-chair of the Women’s Federation of Suzhou. Then, in 1957, she was appointed to a key political committee in Beijing.
Shi Jianqiao passed away in 1979, following surgery for advanced cancer. Her ashes were buried in Suzhou City.
Shi Jianqiao’s crime has been the subject of moral and legal debate for decades. Is a soldier dying during war unjust? Should someone who has reformed themselves be held responsible for past actions? Whether or not Shi Jianqiao was morally justified, her independence and determination represented a surprising leap outside the gender expectations of her day.
All month, we’re talking about troublemakers and villainesses.
For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter, Womannica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @encyclopediawomannica and follow me directly on twitter @jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!