IN the early years of the Republic of China (1912-1949), a great upsurge to promote industry and commerce spread across the country. Women, who were used to doing spinning and weaving, became involved in this industrialization. In early 1912 women intellectuals wrote newspaper editorials advocating women to initiate industrial and commercial enterprises. They said that women were not suited to work in industries such as the railways, mines, and navigation, but were suited for work in spinning and textile mills, breeding silkworms, raising tea, and working in handicrafts factories. They hoped that women would pool their funds to set up business organizations, improve their lives and become economically independent. In the early years of the Republic of China (1912-1949), a great upsurge to promote industry and commerce spread across the country. Women, who were used to doing spinning and weaving, became involved in this industrialization. In early 1912 women intellectuals They said that women were not suited to work in industries such as the railways, mines, and navigation, but were suited for work in spinning and textile mills, breeding silkworms, raising tea, They hoped that women would pool their funds to set up business organizations, improve their lives and become economically independent.