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. VI - RECORDS OF AN ANCIENT CITY
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
“The fist-like rocks rise tier on tier above the river clay,
The many-branching mallow trees their verdant wealth display;
The herbage on the Parrot Isle by ardent sunrays browned,
But round the ancient hill-top shrine, sand white as snow is found;
The chain across the river wide is broke by dragon's teeth,
The Han-born clouds in bright array, the city turrets wreathe;
The fragrant deeds of bygone days the traveller still may learn:
On moss-grown tablet deeply cut, the records old discern.”
Selected lines from several local poems.A few evenings have passed, and the rain still continues. It was welcome at first, for the ground was dry indeed. “At first it was a fine, gentle rain, then came in close layers, watering the crops and irrigating the farms, where the wild flowers hang down with a weight of glittering gems; invigorating the soil and fertilising the fields, from whose tender blade points the pearls roll down in wild confusion.” A welcome rain indeed, but will it wear out its welcome?
On wet evenings, the simply-built and simply-furnished houses in Chinese country villages seem very homes, especially when the little rush pith saucer lamp has given place to candles, shining with ruddy light through their flower-painted and poem-decorated glass boxes, making the red scrolls gleam out cheerfully from the dull brown walls. Such light, too, gives a Rembrandt effect to the whole scene.
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- A String of Chinese Peach-Stones , pp. 112 - 134Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1895