Fall of Beijing

Author: [French] Pierre Loti
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: A book of compassion, a book of humiliation, a book of darkness
Pierre Loti (1850-1923) was a renowned French writer, whose Chinese name was Lü Di. He wrote novels such as Madame Chrysantheme and The Fisherman of Iceland. From a young age, Loti was deeply passionate about the sea, dreaming of becoming a sailor and traveling the world. In 1900, Loti arrived in China as a naval officer and witnessed firsthand the siege of the Legation Quarter by the Boxers, as well as the occupation of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance and the suppression of the Boxers. As one of the representatives of the powers who invaded the Chinese imperial palace, Loti closely observed the modern China of that humiliating and dark era. This book is a factual account of his extraordinary experiences. In the author's portrayal, Beijing "lost its splendor, and its secrets were exposed to the world." Lü Di was a highly esteemed French writer, and his works The Fisherman of Iceland and Madame Chrysantheme have been translated into multiple languages. In 1900, Lü Di came to China as a French naval officer and witnessed the occupation of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance and the suppression of the Boxers. This book was written in 1902, with selected excerpts from the diaries of French diplomats who witnessed the war, including the French Ambassador Stephen Pichon and the French Navy Lieutenant Darthes, which directly record the entire course of the conflict. The second part consists of the author's own diaries, focusing on the post-war state of Beijing and the rural life in other parts of North China that the author visited. It includes both objective records of the facts and the author's own observations, reflections, and insights. This book has long been widely read in France but has never been introduced to China. This is the Chinese translation. The Fall of Beijing truthfully and objectively depicts the tragic fate of semi-feudal and semi-colonial China, which suffered at the hands of the powers. As a French naval officer who invaded China, Lü Di had the opportunity to serve as a Western witness to the humiliating and dark era of modern China. He observed China with a unique perspective and described it from a distinctive angle. Reading The Fall of Beijing, readers follow the author back to the chaotic and dark age of war-torn devastation, with corpses strewn across the streets, ruins of buildings, and scenes of bloodshed. The former golden splendor of the imperial palace and the Forbidden City was trampled by the iron hooves of the powers, and the people finally rose in fury against the corruption and incompetence of the Qing government, as well as the cruelty and ferocity of the invaders.