Born in gentry family in Hsianghsiang, Hunan. Both of her parents were scholars. Her father, Chang Po-ch'un, was a Hanlin scholar & official. She attended middle school at Nanking. She became interested in political ideas through reading "Ko-ming Ch'un
There she read nationalistic journals such as Hsin Hu-nan(Neo Hunan journal), Tung-t'ing po(Tung-t'ing journal), & Che-chiang Ch'ao(the tides of chekiang) & came into contact with members of the anti-Manchu movement.
On the recommendation of Huang Hsing(黃興), she joined the Tung-meng-hui & was soon drawn into the secret work of the society in planning for revolution in Kiangsu & Chekiang.
During this period, she was associated with Ch'iu Chin, Chao Sheng & other anti-Manchu revolutionary activists.