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. IV - RED LETTER DAYS
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
“A day of triple joy: A son born in the morning; an ingot of silver kicked up outside; arrival of a messenger with the news of a brother's success in the examinations.”
—A Chinese Saying.Without binding ourselves to the inevitable fulfilment of a prophecy quoted by our friend Li in the above terms, in which the school teacher was both the man and his brother rolled into one, it behoves us to relate that, one day in the early spring of 1849, there was considerable excitement around the Yang Family Pavilion. Little processions of country folk were wending their way from the neighbouring hamlets, to join the groups which formed picturesque patches against the “village” walls. Other little processions were already wending their way, somewhat Blondin fashion, along the narrow and irregular field paths which led to the shores of the lake. School was disbanded for the day, and the scholars added their quota to the strings of youngsters running along, tumbling at times along the little ditches beside fields of incipient wheat and barley. It was a national holiday.
A sound as of a musket was heard in the distance; whereupon all eyes were directed, and not a few lips pouted, towards the lake. Pouting is the coolie's only available method of pointing when both his hands are occupied with his load. But no one is a coolie, or even a farmer, to-day. All are gentlemen—and ladies, fine birds with fine feathers.
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- A String of Chinese Peach-Stones , pp. 75 - 93Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1895