18 IN THE DAYS OF THE TAIPINGS THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 19 accepting all his strange doctrines;but we do not know how the wisdom they have in the past,their next move must be many of the many myriads who have flocked to his banners to Soochow,and then to Shanghai." in these later months,have accepted his doctrines.The "Then I will leave at once,"I said. leader's official utterances are all that could be desired from "Yes,but there is something else.In the last fifteen days a Christian point of view,and true charity compels us to I have talked much with the foreign merchants.They know accept them as honest,until we find them false." me well,and were willing to talk frankly,but in confidence. "But you do not condone the cruelties of the longhaired They are nearly unanimous in thinking that their countries, rebels?" England and America,will not allow the rebels to seize "No,I do not.But these rebels are after all Chinese; Shanghai and devastate it as they have devastated every and we must ask how far conquering Chinese,or Manchu, city they have taken,and they think that France may join; or Mongol armies would have acted differently.Then too, but they also think that protection will only be given to the Christian nations,when at war,have frequently acted in foreign quarter,the foreign trade and foreign shipping,and the same way.The horrors of the sack of Yangchow and that,as between the government and the rebels,a strict neu- those of the saek of Magdeburg and of Drogheda,all occur- trality will be observed.I have taken steps to buy a piece ring in the short reign of Shunchih,were very similar in of land in the foreign quarter,in the name of an English friend,and shall at once build on it premises for the Taki their details.It is in fact only in the two hundred and Bank.Tell Yaolien that I shall also buy a piece of land twenty years which have elapsed since those sieges,that the for him,in case he has to fy from Soochow.I have written nations of the West have adopted a more merciful code of to him to send me workmen and materials to build the prem- war laws,and it does not become us to condemn too sternly." ises,and I wish you to urge him to lose no time in despatch- "What.then do you think of these Taiping rebels?" ing them.That is all,and now you can be off." "I cannot say.I have not been able to make up my mind. The next day at daybreak I left for Soochow. Most of my fellow missionaries are inclined to accept their profession of Christian dogma and to condone their dis- regard of Christian mercy,and look on them as the vivifying force which may in time bring to the Chinese people their regeneration.The merchants with whom I have talked,on the other hand,generally regard them as bloodthirsty ruf- fians,whose success would be the worst of calamities.But cannot tell.” I reported this conversation to Tzetang,who nodded his head and looked grave.Duly on the tenth day Cockeye arrived with the double slipper-boat,and I asked Tzetang's permission to go,but he said,"Wait."The next day it was the same,and the next.Then he called me into his office.. "I have just heard that the rebels from Nanking have taken Chinkiang,Kwachow and Yangchow,thus holding the head of the lower Yangtze,and the ends of the Imperial Canal to the north and the south.If they continue to show
THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 21 upright life and thinks pure thoughts,and is,mentally and socially,quite the equal of the average Chinese scholars CHAPTER IV. that I know.I have not met any others,but I cannot con- I AM MARRIED. demn the class when I recall Mr.Bates,and you may tell your friends so.” N the way up we stopped at regular intervals to rest, None the less,what Cockeye had told me made me very and I questioned Cockeye on the rumors prevalent uneasy.When we arrived at the Yungfeng Bank,I found in the countryside.They were curious enough.The my father there,come to consult his cousin on the impending rebels,it was reported,abstained religiously from opium and danger.I told them all I knew,and found Yaolien fully spirits,but their favorite dish was roast baby;every soldier disposed to adopt Tzetang's opinion and act on his advice, among them had not less than ten women,the officers twenty, and inclined to make a bolt of it and get to Shanghai on the the commanders from thirty upwards,and their leader,the first sign of danger.He had already got together some Heavenly King-so ran the talehad eighty-eight,neither workmen and building materials for the Taki Bank and more nor less;every fighting rebel carried two spears and would despatch the rest with as little delay as possible;and two swords,so eager were they for slaughter,and none dared he intended to keep a large boat in constant readiness,with return from battle with less than four bequeued heads,one trustworthy boatmen on it,to take away to safety the bank's spitted on each weapon;and they plundered,burned,raped silver and his own valuables. and slew without discrimination.The peasantry,so it My father was both optimistic and obstinate,but his opti- seemed,knew no more,and no less,than we knew;but,from mism and his obstinacy were based on his ignorance.He what Cockeye told me,there was no sympathy with the was resolved not to abandon his post,convinced that,if the rebels,and no disposition to welcome them as regenerators rebels came,that was the only way to hold the estate to- of a corrupt administration;one and all,they would run gether."Besides,"he said,"how could I exist at Shanghai? away on the approach of the rebel hordes,as the only way Thronged,as it will be,by many thousands of timorous refu- to avert an otherwise inevitable fate. gees,it will be a very expensive place;and,if I leave home, "How about the report that the rebels are Christians?" I leave all my resources behind me." I asked."What do the country people say of that?" The next day my father and I left for Tungli in a com- “That enrages them,”he replied.“In all other respects fortable passenger boat,and on the way he ta ked of my they are simply quivering with fear,but on that point they marriage. are filled with anger-not at the rebels,who,they say,are "I have found a wife for you.I hope you are pleased." only misled,but at the missionaries.These they wish to "How can I say?"I replied."I shall of course submit exterminate,or at least to drive back to their own country. to your will in the matter,but I do hope that she is pretty, They declare that the missionaries are the spawn of the and amiable,and intelligent." devil,filled with devilish thoughts,and inspiring the rebels "She is well born and well bred,and she is modest;and to commit their devilish atrocities,"and he spat at the very her eight characters harmonize perfectly with yours.What thought. more do you want?" "I might have thought that too,"I said,"two months ago, "Yes,yes,"I ejaculated,somewhat pettishly I fear,for but since then I have come to know intimately one mis. even the reverence I owed to my father had yielded some- sionary,and he is not that sort at all.He at least lives an what to my impatience to know more of my wife-to-be; (20) "but who is she?" "Liangshih,the go-between,has found a most suitable
24 IN THE DAYS OF THE TAIPINGS THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 25 agreeably occupied with my English lessons and my read- time,since she left her home,her face had been covered ings in the Classics with Mr.Bates. with a thick veil. In the season of Filling of Grain (end of May)my father I hastened ahead and took my place facing the bridal bed. wrote that the astrologer had selected a date two days before When the bride's steps were conducted to the chamber,I the summer solstice for my wedding.Tzetang had just re- faced round.We then sat together,side by side,on the ceived an authentic report that a large Taipang army had edge of the bed;and I was happy to observe that she did not crossed from Nanking to Pukow,and was marching through draw back her skirts,so that I was able to sit on a fold Anhwei.This seemed to him to indicate that the lure of of them,and.thereby secure an omen that she would be a Peking had induced the rebels to despatch their forces to dutiful and submissive wife.We then went to the recep- the north,and that,whatever might be the ultimate decision, tion hall,and worshipped together the tablets of my ances- Soochow was not threatened in the immediate present;and tors. Two goblets of wine and honey,connected by the red the latest reports from Yaolien were to the effect that no string of married happiness,were then given to us;we each movement down the Canal had been observed.So I wrote to sipped a little,and then,exchanging goblets,sipped from my father that I would obey his commands,and I returned the other's.I then went through the motion of removing home for a few days before the auspicious day. the thick veil,which all this time had covered the bride's The betrothal cakes and the betrothal gifts to the bride head,but did not so far offend her maidenly modesty as had been sent in my absence.On my return we sent the actually to remove it.This was done by the bridesmaids wedding cakes and the bride's costume,together with the when the bride retired to her chamber. firecrackers and torches for the bride's flitting.The bride's When she again emerged,I saw my bride's face for the family,having duly performed the ceremony of "sifting four first time,certainly the first time since she was a small child. eyes,"then sent her trousseau and wedding presents in a long I was not displeased.Her eyes were bright,her eyebrows procession from her house to mine,their cost having been, shaped like willow-leaves,her face round as the moon,such for the greater part,provided by my father.Meantime,in as the poets love to describe.She seemed likely to make a our house the bridal bed had been duly placed with proper dutiful wife,and her glances at me appeared to ask me ceremonial in its proper position,selected by the astrologer, only to be kind to her. in the bridal chamber.The day before the wedding I sent We sat down to the wedding dinner,the two of us,hus- the red bridal chair in which the bride would be carried from band and wife.My kinsfolk and friends passed in and out her house to mine. of the room,eyeing us,eriticizing us,chatting together in On the morning of the auspicious day,habited in my finest merry tones,while I ate heartily,or made a pretence of doing official robes,with button and pusa,I went,accompanied by so,and my new wife made a pretence of eating,but,as my kinsfolk and friends,all similarly attired,to meet the required by unvarying custom,was careful to eat nothing bride.She had started from her home at the same time,also at all.Afterwards neighbors,and even strangers,came in escorted by her kinsfolk and friends,and had been carried throngs to look at the bride;and it was a relief to us both shut up in her red chair,weeping loudly all the way.The when at last the bridesmaids carried off the bride,to disrobe two parties met,exchanged cards of identification,and we her and prepare her for bed. took delivery of the bride from her escort-this being the The Dragon and Phoenix candles were duly lighted and moment when she exchanged her name for mine.Her wail- the bridesmaids left the bride.The Dragon candle of the ing continued,ever louder and louder,as she proceeded under groom burned clear and steady all night.The bride's Phoe- the escort of myself and my friends to my home,where she nix candle,ah,woe is me!guttered,and went out before was greeted with a salvo of firecrackers. During all this morning
THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 27 remove the ring from the cormorant which had caught the fewest fish for the tank,and I always pictured them as keep- ing careful tally of their own and their neighbor's catch. CHAPTER V. Once I had compassion on Pingsin and carried her off THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM. from her friendly cirele of busybodies and gossips.We took a large and comfortable passenger boat for a trip to the NE is married to one's first wife only once in one's Fenghwang Hills,a group of four small hills midway life,and I took a holiday.We had many visits to between Tungli and Shanghai,the only points rising above receive,I from my friends and neighbors,my wife the level of the plain (except the hill of Kunshan)in the from their wives.We both had much good advice given us, whole country between Soochow on the one side,and the to me on the best methods for securing obedience and sub- Yangtze and the sea on the other.We went across our own mission,to her on the.best way of avoiding both without lake,then by canals and other small lakes,skirted the great actual revolt against the husband's natural authority;had Sitai Lake,and then by canals past Tsingpu to Siking. we both been able to follow every bit of advice given us, Everywhere we passed busy towns,thriving villages,well our home would have been the playground of all the demons. tilled fields-a busy hive of men,which,before eight years We both-for our friends were outspoken-were kept in a more had elapsed,was depopulated,grown up with weeds,the constant state of blushes;my girlish wife at the advice given home of the pheasant and wild boar.Arrived at the hills we her on the pre-natal and post-natal care of children yet to visited each of its temples and the tapering pagoda,at all of be born;I at the suggestions of temples to be visited,cere- which we lighted candles,burned incense sticks,and made monies to be observed,and evil omens to be avoided in order supplication that we might enjoy a long and happy life to secure that those same children should be sons,and not together("Ah,me!Why must the thought of that ill-omened mere useless daughters.Finally,we were both heartily Phoenix candle cross my mind?)and,besides our share of sick of our honeymoon before the lapse of many days. the five blessings (Long Life,Riches,Serenity,Love of I was the first to be able to escape.In the cool of the Virtue,End crowning our Life),that we might have many evening I went with Cockeye sometimes on the lake,to net sons.The whole of one long summer day we spent on the the fish,which were sent the same night to Soochow,swim- summit of the highest of the hills,rising quite five hundred ming about in a boat half filled with water,so as to be sold feet above the plain,to which Pingsin was carried in her alive in the morning market.Sometimes,sitting at either chair,for her Lily Feet precluded her from walking more end of a narrow punt,we poled slowly along through the than a few paces.There,well above the feathery copses of canals,while the cormorants sat solemnly in a row on each bamboo,we sat in the shade of wide-spreading trees in calm side of the punt;suddenly one would see a'fish below the enjoyment,the hot air tempered by a fresh breeze,which surface;down went the bird,up he came with a fish between was barely felt on the plain below.We were on a look-out his bills,which he was prevented from swallowing by an post with the plain spread out as if it were a panorama for iron ring around his neck;and plop went the fish into the our especial delectation.Everywhere,north,south,east,and tank of water in the middle of the punt.After an hour or west,stretched the level plain,level as the sea.Everywhere two we removed the rings from the necks of the birds,and it was intersected by a network of canals or spotted by sheets gave them freedom to fish on their own account,which they of water,golden where they fashed in the sun,silver where did with greater zest than when fishing on our behalf;but they lay in the shade.The land between was of every colour we kept them in a state of proper discipline by omitting to of the rainbow:warm brown where the fields were ploughed (26) for the second crop,golden brown from ripening wheat
28 IN THE DAYS OP THE TAIPINGS THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 29 golden yellow splashed with silver where the rice stood with had to tell me.The Taiping Army of the North had marched its feet in flooded fields,multicoloured from the blossoms, through the province of Anhwei and entered Honan,and, and of every shade of green in the leaves of the different crops;while here and there a graceful bridge crossed a canal, towards the end of the season.of Grain in the Ear (June and here and there stood the houses,mostly roofed with dark 6-21),laid siege to Kaifeng,at the crossing of the Yellow grey tiles,with now and then the golden yellow of thatch;and River. Here,at last accounts,it was still held;and it everywhere,on canal and on lake,shone out the mat sails of seemed probable that further reinforcements would have to boats of all sizes and descriptions,flashing gold when reflect- be sent out,and that the Taiping forces left in Nanking ing the sun,a cooler russet when in the shade.It was a would not be able,at present,to march on Soochow.To sight never to be forgotten;but,as I looked out on it,my balance this,however,came continual reports of risings and heart sank within me as I thought of those myriads of blood- disturbances in every province of the empire,and it began to thirsty long-haired rebels,devastating as fair regions as this seem probable that the Manchu dynasty of the Tsing had in their march and soon,perhaps,to devastate this. come to the end of its span of years. That thought decided me;I must return to Shanghai.I Mr.Bates still continued to suspend his judgment. must resume my task of preparing myself for my life work, Many,probably a majority,of his fellow missionaries saw and I must be in the busy centre,in which I could have early in the new Taiping Empire the instrument of Providence for news of events on which might depend the fate of my family. regenerating the Chinese people,for placing their govern- There,on the summit of the hill,I explained my resolve and ment on a basis of morality,and for creating an efficient the reason for it to Pingsin,who wept;and,as she wept,I administration.He saw,as elearly as they,the crying need felt a tightening of my heart-strings,for I had come to have for a reform in the corrupt government of China;but he a feeling of affection for the child.On my return home I was unable to.see any constructive ability in the Taiping told my father,who grunted,but he did not say nay;in fact organization;they destroyed,devastated,raped,murdered he approved,but,in words,contented himself with making and plundered,but nowhere had they created an effective plans for all contingencies. administration. I went,with Cockeye,back to Shanghai at the opening of The English and American merchants at Shanghai lived in the season of the Beginning of Autumn (about August 7th.) handsome houses,set in spacious gardens,shaded by um- I at once resumed my studies with Mr.Bates,but it was with brageous trees and bright with flowers;and these houses were, an effort that I could concentrate my mind on the lessons. mainly along the Bund.Behind that,they straggled back to For one thing I had now an assured position.I was a the limit of the residential quarter,the Barrier Road,now the married man,and felt that I stood on an equal footing with Honan Road.West of that again from the Barrier Road my fellow men.Moreover I no longer received an allowance to the line on which,during that summer,the Defence Creek from my father,but,as a married man and engaged on busi- was in course of being dug,lay open fields available for them, ness for the Yungfeng Bank,which for this purpose was but not for any Chinese,to buy for residences,for gardens, considered a part of the estate,I had now succeeded to my or for purposes of recreation;here lay the race-course,on one share in the annual profit of the family estate:This which these energetic Western traders,twice a year,raced gave me a very considerable income,not because I was my each other on horses which,in the winter,gave them mounts father's only son,but because there were not many for their drag hunts,and,in the summer,provided an outing descendants of my great-grandfather,Maochang,still sur- on narrow country lanes,before the heat of the day should viving. begin.A truly wonderful people!Here were less than two I had also much to engage my attention in what Tzetang hundred residents on a mud fat,and within a dozen years