Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Note on the Illustrations
- Introduction
- CHAP. I A VILLAGE DISTRICT IN LIGHT AND SHADE
- CHAP. II RURAL SCENES AND SOUNDS
- CHAP. III THE MANDARIN IN EMBRYO
- CHAP. IV RED LETTER DAYS
- CHAP. V COMPENSATIONS
- CHAP. VI RECORDS OF AN ANCIENT CITY
- CHAP. VII CAN ANY PATHOS COME OUT OF CHINA?
- CHAP. VIII AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE
- CHAP. IX PROBLEMS DOMESTIC AND NATIONAL
- CHAP. X GODS MANY AND LORDS MANY
- CHAP. XI A TAIPING CAMP
- CHAP. XII THE LONGHAIRED HAVE COME
- CHAP. XIII SUFFERING BY DEPUTY
- CHAP. XIV AN OLD, OLD STORY IN A NEW EDITION
- CHAP. XV IMPERIAL POP-GUNS
- CHAP. XVI THE MART OF CENTRAL CHINA
- CHAP. XVII FOUR MILES OF FLAME
- CHAP. XVIII IMPERIALISTS TO THE FRONT
- CHAP. XIX ART AND ARTISTS
- CHAP. XX HOW TO BECOME A DEMIGOD
- CHAP. XXI CHANGING SCENES
- CHAP. XXII FATHER AND DAUGHTER
- CHAP. XXIII RESURRECTION
- CHAP. XXIV FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE
- Appendix
- Plate section
CHAP. XVII - FOUR MILES OF FLAME
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Note on the Illustrations
- Introduction
- CHAP. I A VILLAGE DISTRICT IN LIGHT AND SHADE
- CHAP. II RURAL SCENES AND SOUNDS
- CHAP. III THE MANDARIN IN EMBRYO
- CHAP. IV RED LETTER DAYS
- CHAP. V COMPENSATIONS
- CHAP. VI RECORDS OF AN ANCIENT CITY
- CHAP. VII CAN ANY PATHOS COME OUT OF CHINA?
- CHAP. VIII AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE
- CHAP. IX PROBLEMS DOMESTIC AND NATIONAL
- CHAP. X GODS MANY AND LORDS MANY
- CHAP. XI A TAIPING CAMP
- CHAP. XII THE LONGHAIRED HAVE COME
- CHAP. XIII SUFFERING BY DEPUTY
- CHAP. XIV AN OLD, OLD STORY IN A NEW EDITION
- CHAP. XV IMPERIAL POP-GUNS
- CHAP. XVI THE MART OF CENTRAL CHINA
- CHAP. XVII FOUR MILES OF FLAME
- CHAP. XVIII IMPERIALISTS TO THE FRONT
- CHAP. XIX ART AND ARTISTS
- CHAP. XX HOW TO BECOME A DEMIGOD
- CHAP. XXI CHANGING SCENES
- CHAP. XXII FATHER AND DAUGHTER
- CHAP. XXIII RESURRECTION
- CHAP. XXIV FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE
- Appendix
- Plate section
Summary
“Dense smoke encaged the corner-stones of earth;
Black vapours locked the utmost bounds of heaven.
The gathering clouds enlivened the fierce flames,
Till flaring crimson mocked the sunset sky.
The winds become the fire's attendant troops;
The flaming general straight his orders gives;
Urged by his might, they go their deadly way.
Oh, furious, roaring blaze borne on the blast!
Oh, blast of terror on to victory led!
The pass of heaven is reached, is forced, is won!
The gates of earth succumb to raging flames!
The whirling, glittering snakes dart everywhere.
Ah! who can flee his awful doom?”
From The Making of the Gods.On this same seventeenth day of the seventh month in the fifth year of the Emperor whose national designation was “General Prosperity,” there had been a battle at Hwangchow, fifty miles down the Yangtse. It began in the early morning. Both sides lost heavily, but in the end the rebels gave way, and were chased by a band of three hundred of the militia southwards toward Hankow. At dark the pursued had reached Yanglo, twenty miles from the central cities. They seized the boats anchored there, slaughtered the boatmen, and having a fair wind and almost a full, though at times cloud-covered moon, set sail up the Yangtse. It would be hopeless for them, weary with the battle, the flight, and not a few wounds, to attempt to take Hankow by martial force.
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- A String of Chinese Peach-Stones , pp. 347 - 355Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1895