--- title: A Tartar Joan of Arc — Gleanings from Chinese folklore · full text with trees description: A Tartar Joan of Arc, «Gleanings from Chinese folklore» by Nellie Naomi Russell: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Many hundreds of years ago, there lived far away in the northern mountains of China a very beautiful girl, named Liu Chin Ting. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/6/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Gleanings from Chinese folklore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/) / A Tartar Joan of Arc # A Tartar Joan of Arc A Tartar Joan of Arc of «Gleanings from Chinese folklore» by Nellie Naomi Russell: the whole text, 38 sentences and 978 words. 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Many hundreds of years ago, there lived far away in the northern mountains of China a very beautiful girl, named Liu Chin Ting.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") She was an only daughter and having no girl companions came to spend most of her time with her brothers.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") For long years the country had been rent by rebellions and wars.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") The children, breathing in the spirit of their fathers, played at sham battles and dreamed of rescuing their land.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Chin Ting came gradually to be looked upon as their leader, her wise little head was full of plans, and her eyes would flash fire as she gave her orders to the youths who followed her.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Her deeds were talked of far and near and the people began to say, “Surely a God has come down to lead us, and help us hold our mountain against the roaming tribes of banditti.”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") When she was but sixteen years old she was placed at the head of the mountain clan.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The men and boys looked upon her as the French did upon Joan of Arc and gave her their fullest confidence and devotion.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") She knew their mountains, all the paths leading up and down, the places which needed to be guarded, the caves where she and her soldiers could hide and spring out upon an unsuspecting foe.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The men of the land had either been away fighting, or at home tilling laboriously their poor lands, so there was no one who knew the hills and valleys as did Chin Ting.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") In every attack she was successful until the neighbouring tribes were subdued and left the little kingdom in peace, for, they said, “We cannot fight against a god!”[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") When their enemies were thus overcome Chin Ting’s father and mother thought that the time had come when their daughter should marry.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") From the north and the south, the east and the west, came offers for her hand, but she would listen to none of them, for she said she had still to rescue her land from their great southern foe, the Chinese.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Her parents laid their commands upon her until at last she yielded so far as to say, “I will marry none but the man who can defeat me in my own mountains.”[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") She wrote her vow on a tablet and had it set up in the main pass through which all must go to reach the heights.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Many were the battles fought by the heads of the other tribes, but she easily held her mountain.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") One day the general of the northern Sung dynasty, Kao Chun Pao, on his way to report to the Emperor, crossed the pass and seeing the tablet read the inscription, and in disgust broke the slab into bits, saying, “Is it possible that in our great land there is a woman with so little self-respect as thus to proclaim her want of feminine delicacy?[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") She must surely be some great overgrown ugly creature.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") I would stamp upon her even as I do upon the broken bits of this tablet,” as he ground them under his feet.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") A man of the mountains, who had heard from his lookout post the bitter words, ran in hot haste to Chin Ting and told her all that the General had said and done.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The proud maiden was furious at being thus scorned, and blowing her horn summoned the men of the mountains to hear the insult offered her and to revenge her wrong.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") Meanwhile General Kao had decided to give battle and punish this woman.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") While he was making inquiries as to who she was, her men came upon him with great fury.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") With amazement the famous general saw the young girl who led them.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") The engagement was long and severe, but resulted in the defeat of the Chinese leader, who was made a prisoner and carried to the home of Chin Ting to be beheaded.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, General Kao was a very handsome young man of distinguished bearing.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") His admiration for his conqueror was so evident in his looks and words, that he not only disarmed her anger but won her heart.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") She decided to marry rather than to kill him.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") The wedding was hastily arranged, and the General with his bride set out at once for Peking, to take his report to the Emperor and to take command of a large force which was to move southward from the capital to recapture the city of Yang Chow, which was in the hands of southern rebels.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") According to the law of the land, any officer, under orders, who married during a campaign should be beheaded.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Emperor heard the story of General Kao he ordered that he be degraded and at once executed, but later, as he heard more and more of the valour of the wife he had taken, he said, “If she will take the city of Yang Chow, her husband’s life shall be her reward.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") She was given command of the army in place of Kao Chun Pao, who was allowed to accompany her as assistant.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") She led the army to the south and attacked the city day after day with resistless energy and resourcefulness.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") After a long siege the stronghold fell into her hands.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") The Governor was taken prisoner and sent as voucher for the completeness of her conquest to the Emperor.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") On his arrival the papers granting pardon to her husband were sent to Chin Ting, and she was made Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial forces.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") For thirty years she led them in many victorious battles and recovered much territory which had been lost by the northern kingdom in previous years.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") A picture showing her attack on the gates of Yang Chow is a great favourite with the Chinese, and always on sale at the New Year when Chinese homes are freshly decorated.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Miss Russell’s Funeral Service](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/5/) - next →: [A Daughter of the Orient](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/7/) - ↑ back to [Gleanings from Chinese folklore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/)