The emergence of the New Chinese Woman and the New China were inextricably linked in history as they are in this autobiography set in the revolutionary 1920's. The author's life was one of struggle. She fought against the tyranny of her mother in the home and an arranged marriage, against the warlords in the fields, and against the Kuomintang when they split with the Communists. Above all she fought against the Chinese traditions of valuing boys far above girls, and of consigning unmarried women to limbo. The romantic idealism of the revolution in its early days, the iniquities of the old family system it overthrew, the passionate friendships of the young girl soldiers, and the personal sacrifices involved in creating the new order are brought vividly to life in this touching and thought-provoking book. Written in the 'new realism' style of the period, this is an important work of its time and place, and a significant contribution to women's writing and history generally. The volume begins with a detailed account of the development of early revolutionary Chinese politics and literature.