Nasty Reactions to New Fashions in Shanghai, April 1934

Some extreme nationalists reacted very angrily to the new, more racey, fashions of 1934 Shanghai. It seems some “patriots” got very annoyed by imported foreign fashions, particularly silk stockings and high heeled shoes. A spate of nasty acid throwings hit the city in April. The problem spread to other cities – a Chinese woman in new foreign clothes a Hankow cinema had nitric acid thrown into her lap in the dark – her assailant escaped. The rather vile craze seems to have passed swiftly but left some women badly scarred.