×

Warning

JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 1064
Tuesday, 14 March 2017 05:26

Devils on the Loose

Written by
Rate this item
(0 votes)
Chinese junk Chinese junk Painting origin unknown

In my latest book, Dragons, Devils and Rebels, there's a chapter on what Chinese and westerners thought of each other in the early days of contact. The book's finished, but I've since been reading a biography of an Englishman who lived in Shanghai in the mid 1850's. To his shock, when he first arrived Shanghai had been overrun by rebels, and was under siege from imperial troops. Still, he was an intrepid traveller. One day he went on 'an interesting excursion' to Wusong, by boat down the Huangpu. He and his companions sailed into trouble on the way home.

 

He writes:

'...in the evening we were puzzled to know how we should pass the Imperial fleet in safety. They are somewhat random with their fire after dark, and might easily have taken us for Chinese, if not Rebel spies. Mr Edkins came to the rescue, proposing that we should sing as we passed them, that they might know we were foreigners. This suggestion seemed good and the boatmen were pleased with the idea... We approached some ships we took to be the fleet, and passed them singing lustily. But just as we were about to congratulate one another on our success, the boatmen shouted to us to recommence, as we had been mistaken in what we supposed to have been the fleet and were just coming within range of their guns. 

'So now we had to tune up again without delay...We concluded just opposite the largest ship of the fleet. It was now quite dusk.

'"What now?" cried Mr Edkins, as the alarm-gong struck on board the ship. 'There is not a moment to lose."

'He then commenced singing I know not what. Quaterman struck up a truly American tune...while I at the same moment raised a third with all the voice I could command. The men on the warship were shouting loudly, our boat's crew outdoing them if possible, and the whole thing was so ludicrous that I could control myself no longer. I burst into a fit of laughter most inappropriate to the occasion. 

'"Who goes there?" shouted a voice from the Imperial ship.

'"Bai-gui [white devils]," yelled our men, while we cried simultaneously, "Da Ying-guo" [Great Britain] and "Hua-qi-guo" which means Flowery Flag Country, or America. 

'After a little further explanation we were allowed to pass, upon which my companions began to lecture the boatmen for having called us 'white devils'. The poor men, who had not yet received their day's pay were very penitent.'

This story is taken from a letter by James Hudson Taylor of 20 September 1854, in Biography of James Hudson Taylor by Dr and Mrs Howard Taylor, Hodder & Stoughton, London 1983, pp111-112. 


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/alisonll/public_html/templates/rt_metropolis/html/com_k2/default/item.php on line 248
Read 3189223 times Last modified on Tuesday, 14 March 2017 09:51

236250 comments

  • Comment Link 무료웹툰 Wednesday, 23 November 2022 21:08 posted by 무료웹툰

    I like what you guys are up too. This kind of clever work 호두코믹스 and reporting!
    Keep up the terrific works guys I've added you guys to my own blogroll.

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 20:52 posted by BobbyHOARM

    canadian pharmacies-247 pharmacy online
    walmart pharmacy online pills viagra pharmacy 100mg
    generic viagra online https://canadianpharmaceuticals.educatorpages.com/pages/canadian-pharmacies-shipping-to-usa

    Report
  • Comment Link Leroycix Wednesday, 23 November 2022 20:52 posted by Leroycix

    С недавних пор продвижение и раскрутка бизнеса в сети интернет создаёт головную боль владельцам бизнеса. Это связано с блокировкой популярных соцсетей в РФ. Но есть прекрасная альтернатива: SEO-оптимизация и продвижение сайтов. Для составления грамотной стратегии продвижения сайта вам нужен SEO-специалист. Если вбить в поиске запрос заказать СЕО-продвижение — вы обязательно найдёте опытного специалиста. Подробнее: СЕО-продвижение сайтов на kwork.ru

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 20:23 posted by BobbyHOARM

    national pharmacies online canadian drugs pharmacy
    canadian online pharmacies canadian pharmacy
    canadian pharmacy online https://sway.office.com/bwqoJDkPTZku0kFA

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 20:19 posted by BobbyHOARM

    canadian pharmaceuticals canadian cialis
    mexican border pharmacies canadian drugs online pharmacy
    publix pharmacy online ordering https://infogram.com/canadian-pharmacies-shipping-to-usa-1h1749v1jry1q6z

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 19:03 posted by BobbyHOARM

    pharmacy drugstore online canadian pharmacy king
    walmart pharmacy viagra viagra generic canadian pharmacy
    24 hour pharmacy https://jemi.so/canadian-pharmacies-shipping-to-usa

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 19:01 posted by BobbyHOARM

    national pharmacies online medicine tablets shopping
    walmart pharmacy online canadian online pharmacies legitimate
    best canadian online pharmacy https://www.podcasts.com/canadian-pharmacies-shipping-to-usa

    Report
  • Comment Link Leroycix Wednesday, 23 November 2022 19:01 posted by Leroycix

    В данный момент раскрутка бизнеса в интернете создаёт головную боль владельцам бизнеса. Это связано с блокировкой соцсетей в России. Но есть прекрасная альтернатива: SEO-услуги. Для воплощения в жизнь эффективной стратегии продвижения сайта вам понадобится SEO-специалист. Вбейте в поиске запрос СЕО-оптимизация — вы обязательно найдёте грамотного SEO-оптимизатора. Подробнее: SEO-раскрутка на kwork.ru

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 18:55 posted by BobbyHOARM

    cialis pharmacy online national pharmacies online
    pharmacies online canadian pharmacy review
    canadian pharmacies online https://issuu.com/lustgavalar

    Report
  • Comment Link BobbyHOARM Wednesday, 23 November 2022 18:16 posted by BobbyHOARM

    international pharmacy generic viagra online
    canadian pharcharmy online pharmacies
    canadian pharmaceuticals https://tawk.to/canadianpharmaceuticalsonline

    Report

Leave a comment

Make sure you enter all the required information, indicated by an asterisk (*). HTML code is not allowed.