One of China's Scholars

Mrs. Howard Taylor (1862 - 1949)

The first of two volumes telling the life story of Pastor Hsi, a Confucian scholar from Shanxi province in Northern China who became a Christian in the 1870s. Pastor Hsi grew up in a China now long gone, when the scholarly class to which he belonged held a leading place in society. He lived through tumultuous times of change in China, when the opium that enriched the pockets of Western countries brought widespread addiction and poverty while a multi-year drought brought famine, decimating the already weakened population. Into this scene of tragedy, two western men stepped, bringing with them food to help the poor and starving, seeds for planting when the rains returned, and news that The Supreme Ruler was not hidden behind the gates of the Temple of Heaven, reachable only by the Emperor once a year, but instead was reaching out to the people in love, seeking to reconcile them with Himself.

Hsi's life had been one of searching. While trained as a Confucian, he found himself unable to reach the high ideals espoused by its maxims and regulations. He explored Taoism and Buddhism but found them filled with idols and superstitions which trapped the common people in darkness and uncertainty. Hsi knew his heart and bore his failings with inner shame, even while people honored him as a scholarly disciple of Confucius. Was there a power anywhere that could change Hsi from within? (Summary by MaryAnn)

Genre(s): Christianity - Biographies

Language: English

Keyword(s): christian (184), opium (10), Confucius (6), taoism (6), famine (6), shanxi (1), buddism (1), china inland mission (1)

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Preface and Introductory--A Page from a Traveler's Journal MaryAnn
00:23:18
Play 01 Advent of the Little Scholar MaryAnn
00:10:54
Play 02 As Schoolboy MaryAnn
00:15:39
Play 03 As Student MaryAnn
00:16:01
Play 04 As Man of Letters MaryAnn
00:19:39
Play 05 The Home of his Childhood MaryAnn
00:10:00
Play 06 Wedding an Unknown Bride MaryAnn
00:08:52
Play 07 Winning a Reputation MaryAnn
00:09:07
Play 08 Which of the Four Faiths? MaryAnn
00:29:10
Play 09 The Swift Descent MaryAnn
00:13:53
Play 10 The Story of a Crime MaryAnn
00:20:45
Play 11 His Native Province MaryAnn
00:11:49
Play 12 Dark Days in Shan-si MaryAnn
00:12:04
Play 13 Light at Last MaryAnn
00:11:24
Play 14 First-Fruits MaryAnn
00:08:43
Play 15 Fishers of Men MaryAnn
00:11:17
Play 16 Drawing in the Net MaryAnn
00:17:23
Play 17 The Living Christ MaryAnn
00:12:30
Play 18 Stronger thann all the Power of the Enemy MaryAnn
00:10:37
Play 19 Called to Life of Service MaryAnn
00:18:27
Play 20 Appendices MaryAnn
00:10:19