Description
Book SynopsisIn 1861, when China's devastating Taiping rebellion began, the author was seven years old. The Taiping rebel army occupied Shaoxing, his hometown, and for the next two years, he hid from Taiping soldiers, local bandits, and imperial troops and witnessed gruesome scenes of violence and death. This book tells his story.
Trade Review"As an important primary source, I highly recommend the English version of this memoir to students of the modern history of China."
-- Kent Dang * Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) *
"[L]ucid and erudite. . . . With Tian’s translation, we now have represented in English a wide range of different primary source perspectives on the Taiping civil war. This is an important and highly readable translation and an outstanding resource for teaching."
-- Tobie Meyer-Fong * Monumenta Serica *
"[A] fascinating memoir. . . . The World of a Tiny Insect makes the human cost of the rebellion more concrete and comprehensible, especially for students. . . . Xiaofei Tian has done an excellent job as translator. . . . [A] unique and extremely valuable source for understanding rebellion and its impact in nineteenth-century China. . . . [A]ccessible and highly engaging."
-- Carl Kilcourse * Journal of the American Oriental Society *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Map of Author’s Travels
Translator’s Introduction
Preface by Zhang Daye
Part 1
“Trip to Tiantai”
An Account of Taizhou Prefecture
The Six Counties of Taizhou
The “One-Headed Woman” at Huangyan
Ten Poems on Xianju
The Birds of Xianju
Part 2
Birth and Early Childhood
On the Run: 1861–1863
“Flames of War,” Ghost Troops, and Other Strange Happenings
Epidemic, Greed, and the Woman Dismembered at Lu’s Dyke
The Occupation of Shaoxing and Its Aftermath
Edible Flora and Fauna
The Pleasures and Horrors of Childhood
Narrow Escapes on Water
Reunion with Father and Father’s Death
