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This historic year is vividly pictured as a young American surgeon and Canadian wife dare to enter the exotic Manchu (Ching) Empire only a decade after the Empress Dowagers Boxers massacred foreigners. Admired as missionaries, deeply in love, Nell on the ocean liner - begins to doubt James's judgment.
James, eager to bring modern medicine to antique China, is shocked by the shabbiness of his assigned Hospital-of-Last-Resort with only male apprentices as aides. He faces poor patients with monstrous tumors, plague, stones, do operations never observed, is opposed by unbelievable superstitions.
Astonishingly, the foreign doctor (true) is called to Military Headquarters where the Vice-roy of the two Kwang Provinces -- as large as Germany -- has called brilliantly robed Mandarins Ministers of Army, Navy, Law, Treasury, Literary chancellor. Why? Unknown anarchists tried to assonate the Tartar General! Is Revolution brewing? On return, James sedan chair is waylaid by Ming Secret Society dissidents.
Different Chinese factions seek James USA support. Pretty teacher, impetuous Stephanie, sponsors returned student radicals. Medical assistants-- for Republic, therefore, anti-Manchu (very dangerous) -- hide a rebel in his neutral Hospital. Chinese Officials in Manchu Administration expect support for their Self-Strengthening moderates.
Meanwhile, Nell struggles with her new house knowing no Cantonese, then with intelligent cook-helper knowing no English. Sir Gladwyn, the British diplomat, takes her to the ancient pagoda; she climbs inside! Shocked at primitive child-birthing in this medieval village, she’s chased as Blue-Eyed Witch!
James, eager to bring modern medicine to antique China, is shocked by the shabbiness of his assigned Hospital-of-Last-Resort with only male apprentices as aides. He faces poor patients with monstrous tumors, plague, stones, do operations never observed, is opposed by unbelievable superstitions.
Astonishingly, the foreign doctor (true) is called to Military Headquarters where the Vice-roy of the two Kwang Provinces -- as large as Germany -- has called brilliantly robed Mandarins Ministers of Army, Navy, Law, Treasury, Literary chancellor. Why? Unknown anarchists tried to assonate the Tartar General! Is Revolution brewing? On return, James sedan chair is waylaid by Ming Secret Society dissidents.
Different Chinese factions seek James USA support. Pretty teacher, impetuous Stephanie, sponsors returned student radicals. Medical assistants-- for Republic, therefore, anti-Manchu (very dangerous) -- hide a rebel in his neutral Hospital. Chinese Officials in Manchu Administration expect support for their Self-Strengthening moderates.
Meanwhile, Nell struggles with her new house knowing no Cantonese, then with intelligent cook-helper knowing no English. Sir Gladwyn, the British diplomat, takes her to the ancient pagoda; she climbs inside! Shocked at primitive child-birthing in this medieval village, she’s chased as Blue-Eyed Witch!