Riding the Chinese Emperor’s Train in Suffolk? Is WG Sebald Pulling my Leg?

I keep coming across references in literary pieces and among literary types to WG Sebald’s great classic The Rings of Saturn. It seems Sebald is back in fashion (something than happens with him occasionally), which is good news as he has long been a favourite eclectic writer of mine. For those who don’t know it, The Rings of Saturn is meandering tale of Sebald’s walk from Lowestoft across the flatlands of eastern England and the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Along the way he muses in a rambling, but engrossing, fashion on everything from Dutch land reclamation, the decline of medieval sea ports on the eastern English coast, the misadventures of sericulture (silk cultivation) in Europe and, while in the lovely town of Southwold in Suffolk (an early home of George Orwell as a boy by the way), notes the bridge crossing the river Blyth between Walberswick and Southwold (pictured in all its summer seaside glory below),  which once supported a narrow‐gauge railway line bearing a train originally built for the Emperor of China. From this Sebald muses entertainingly on dragons and, at some length and depth, on the Taiping Rebellion.

This is a most intriguing story – a train, specifically built for the Guangxu Emperor that for various reasons never got to China and so was left to plough along this neglected narrow gauge railway line in Suffolk…apparently. Now I like Southwold. My parents took me there when I was a child, I’ve been back several times, it’s the home of the Adnams Brewery (one of the best pints in England) and, as noted, Orwell lived there. But is this story of the Chinese emperor’s train true? Sebald was there in the late 80s/early 90s but I can’t find a reference to this tale of the Chinese emperor’s train anywhere except in reviews of The Rings of Saturn. But, like those demented people who see UFOs everywhere, I want to believe a Chinese emperor’s train lived, and perhaps still lives, on a little narrow gauge railway in an English backwater.

But I’m going to have to conclude that it’s not true and was just a local legend Sebald heard, or that he had his leg pulled in a local Southwold pub (Sebald was German and so might not have been that good with ze English humour) or that he was good at English humour and was pulling his readers collective leg. But if anyone knows any different do tell? The Rings of Saturn, by the way, remains a great summer read if you’re looking for something to take on holiday.

The Last Surviving Boone Road Houses – Dens of Collaboration?

Back in January I posted on some once lovely houses that were now the last survivors on Hongkou’s Tanggu Road (formerly Boone Road). The houses had fallen into a severe state of disrepair though were still occupied. They were surrounded by partial clearance and some hasty jerry built structures from the nearby clothing market and some decidedly unlovely and shoddy tower blocks. This area, sometimes known as the Japanese Colony, is almost now totally obliterated.

Anyway, it seems perhaps my rather useless photography inspired some rather better photographers to go and nose around this buildings (which was the idea, so good!). The excellent Shanghai photographer who has recorded enormous amounts of lost building Gropius has some great pictures of the houses and reports that residents there claimed that the house once belong to Liang Hongzi, who served in various warlord administrations in northern China before joining Wang Jingwei’s collaborationist puppet government during the Second World War. Certainly Liang died in Shanghai in 1946 – executed by firing squad. It also makes sense that a collaborator with the Japanese would retain his base in the former Japanese area of the city. And, finally, having had a predecessor who was a collaborator is not something many residents would invent!!

As I’ve said before (and will doubtless say again!) – if only houses could talk…

I’ll repost my camera phone picture here so as not to invade anyone’s copyright but do go to Gropius’s site to see his superb and professional photos of the structure (here), its interior and details. Additionally, the great Shanghai street photogapher (and good friend of this blog) Sue Anne Tay went down to Tanggu Road and shot both the house I’d mentioned and the nearby remaining longtang Long Spring Lane (here). As ever superb pictures from Sue Anne and some more details on the area and its residents.

The usual warning to the interested – if you want to see Liang Hongzi’s old house and Long Spring Lane don’t take your time about it – neither look long for this world.

Tientsin on a Cigarette Card

After posting a shot of British soldiers in Tientsin a while back I dug out this small cigarette card, courtesy of Ogden’s Guinea Gold cigarettes. Once again I don’t have a date though this looks early – Ogden’s (a Liverpool tobacconist) started issuing photographic cigarette cards in 1894. After 1906 Ogden’s mostly concentrated on cards featuring famous footballers of the day so this card may be pre-1906. Ogden’s stopped issuing cigarette cards in 1939 due to the paper shortages brought on by World War Two. Any estimates from any old Tientsiners out there?

Beijing Bookworm Talk This Wednesday – Beijing Postcards on the City’s Central Axis

An interesting talk with a lot of very interesting images from Simon Gjore and the Beijing Postcards people at the bookworm this week:

where: Beijing Bookworm

When: Wednesday 13th July, 7.30pm

Through their collection of historical photos, Beijing Postcards will tell the history of the south-north central axis and how it has affected the capital for more than 600 years. This 7.8 km long axis divides the old capital in two, with all the important pieces of architecture placed along or directly upon this commanding stretch – among them the imperial throne hall, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Gate and the Drum and Bell Towers.

Midnight in Peking – Sneak Preview of my new Cover

My forthcoming new book Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China is launched initially in Australia and Asia in September. It’ll be launched in the UK, Europe and North America in 2012 to give me a chance to get everywhere. Penguin Australia have put my new cover up on the web so I might as well show it off here to. I rather like it – and we looked at a gazillion designs before settling on this one. In fact the more I see the more it grows on me. Hopefully bookshops will feel the same and feel it worthy of displaying with the cover facing outwards (the Holy Grail!!).

Range Road – A Mystery Solved – Seventh Day Adventists in Old Shanghai

Back in April I appealed for help in identifying a rather interesting building that had been perplexing me on the old Range Road (now Wujin Road). Range Road marked the northern border of the International Settlement in Hongkou (Hongkew) where it met Chinese Shanghai in the form of Paoshan (now Boashan). The structure – below – seemed to me neither residential, commercial or quite (despite feint overtones) religious while not being typical of any Shanghai Municipal Council architectural styles. Just to jog your memory here it is:

Anyway, the very smartypants (and excellent photographer) Sue Anne Tay appears to have solved the mystery. She managed to acertain (in fine Sherlock Holmes style…or is that Nancy Drew?) that the building covers several numbers including numbers 193 but also 181 and 171 Wujin Road. Still, she has worked out that this is indeed the former Seventh-Day Adventist Church (沪北会堂), which feels right – religious feeling but not a classical style church. Seems it was built originally around 1905 and then modified into the structure we see now around 1924 while, probably being the first Seventh-Day Adventist church in Shanghai. Now what we need is a Seventh Day Adventist who’s into Shanghai history from before 1949 and we’re home and dry!!

By the way in terms of architectural style I did come across this picture of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Edinburgh which is of a similar style and period.

Hongkew Park as it was

Back in February I posted some pictures of Hongkew Park before 1949 and as it is now as Lu Xun Park. The stadium now leans over a portion of the old open ground. Here’s one more picture of Hongkew Park I came across recently. The bandstand and all the lovely old buildings in a sort of compradoric style the background are long gone. I don’t have an exact date though the dress of the family in the picture out for a stroll in the park is clearly Edwardian placing this some time before the First World War.Interesting I do believe that some of the saplings still exist as full grown trees now. The youth of the trees indicates that this picture is probably from not that long after the park in this form was laid out – 1905 (though open land used for sports and rifle practise existed from the 1890s).

British Soldiers on Parade in Tientsin – 1920-something

A picture I came across recently of British soldiers on parade in Tientsin (Tianjin) sometime in the late 1920s I believe. Clearly it’s winter is about all I know I’m afraid. Anyone who can shed any light then please do.