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. VIII - AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE
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
“When Heaven is about to confer a great office on any man, it first exercises his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil. It exposes his body to hunger, and subjects him to extreme poverty. It confounds his undertakings. By all these methods it stimulates his mind, hardens his nature, and supplies his incompetences.”
—Mencius.Story of Li Tan.
The evening following that devoted to Peh-ya and Tsz-ki was enlivened with a story which, if the previous one may be described as a drawing in neutral tint, may be likened to a coloured picture. It is one of the best specimens of such to be found in China. It may not be widely known to Western students, nor even among the Chinese themselves, being found only in cheap, roughly-printed booklets, which may have a somewhat local sale. These booklets, moreover, are unlikely to be reprinted in metal types with other light stories, as their contents do not always fit very closely with the historical records. In taking our place, therefore, among Nieh Shen-seng's audience to listen to the story of Li Tan, we must be prepared for fiction rather loosely founded on fact. Li Tan is a true historical character, whose imperial grandsire was illustrious for his patronage of learning and generally noble character.
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- A String of Chinese Peach-Stones , pp. 153 - 186Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010