Phantom Voices
By Donald R. Daugs
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
This story is dedicated to voices past, present, and future; some loud and clear, and some from unexpected and mysterious sources. Yes, ravens, wolfberry plants, and people all have voices. This story is a mixture of fact and fiction. The main character “lives” in the sense that his spirit speaks for many others. Real life people, both living and now physically dead, played a role in bringing wolfberries to America. All entities interact to make a reality. Though some parts are imagined, they could have happened.
Dare to Open the Door
Table of Contents
Acknowledgment
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1 Phoenix Tears
Chapter 2 Setting the Stage
Chapter 3 Taiping: Heaven on Earth
Chapter 4 In a Land Far Away
Chapter 5 Coming to Zion
Chapter 6 Plant Spirits
Chapter 7 A Convert
Chapter 8 Escape
Chapter 9 Captain's Steward
Chapter 10 An Unlikely Connection
Chapter 11 1851
Chapter 12 The Company You Keep
Chapter 13 Hawaii and Beyond
Chapter 14 India
Chapter 15 Graduate School
Chapter 16 China: 1853
Chapter 17 A Year in The Heavenly Kingdom
Chapter 18 Who Shall I Turn To?
Chapter 19 1854
Chapter 20 House of Healing
Chapter 21 Raven Speaks Again
Chapter 22 Charles Crocker
Chapter 23 Dutch Flat
Chapter 24 The Turtle Dream
Chapter 25 Brigham Young
Chapter 26 Breakfast at Beehive House
Chapter 27 Conversion
Chapter 28 Two Years in Two Days
Chapter 29 Summer of 1867
Chapter 30 Special Events
Chapter 31 Missionary Call
Chapter 32 A Year in the West Desert
Chapter 33 Competition and The Race
Chapter 34 Marriage?
Chapter 35 Kelton
Chapter 36 Phantom Voices and Loose Ends
Epilog Phoenix Tears
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1 Phoenix Tears
Chapter 2 Setting the Stage
Chapter 3 Taiping: Heaven on Earth
Chapter 4 In a Land Far Away
Chapter 5 Coming to Zion
Chapter 6 Plant Spirits
Chapter 7 A Convert
Chapter 8 Escape
Chapter 9 Captain's Steward
Chapter 10 An Unlikely Connection
Chapter 11 1851
Chapter 12 The Company You Keep
Chapter 13 Hawaii and Beyond
Chapter 14 India
Chapter 15 Graduate School
Chapter 16 China: 1853
Chapter 17 A Year in The Heavenly Kingdom
Chapter 18 Who Shall I Turn To?
Chapter 19 1854
Chapter 20 House of Healing
Chapter 21 Raven Speaks Again
Chapter 22 Charles Crocker
Chapter 23 Dutch Flat
Chapter 24 The Turtle Dream
Chapter 25 Brigham Young
Chapter 26 Breakfast at Beehive House
Chapter 27 Conversion
Chapter 28 Two Years in Two Days
Chapter 29 Summer of 1867
Chapter 30 Special Events
Chapter 31 Missionary Call
Chapter 32 A Year in the West Desert
Chapter 33 Competition and The Race
Chapter 34 Marriage?
Chapter 35 Kelton
Chapter 36 Phantom Voices and Loose Ends
Epilog Phoenix Tears
Prologue
Where do you begin a story that has neither beginning nor end? Perhaps the most convenient place is here and now.
This story is about things, people and places. At times, these entities merge, are interchangeable, or are part of a larger whole. Some people can hear a lot of “phantom voices”.
All things have both a physical and a spiritual component. All things also have a voice. It may seem unrealistic to have a plant speak and tell a story, however that is where
the events in this book begin. One fall day in 2009, one of my daughters, in a telephone conversation, suggested that I go out and talk to my wolfberry plants. Now that is something I
usually do, but must admit that I have often felt communications from various herbs and plants, even to the extent that a piece of lettuce being discarded as unneeded for a salad felt unwanted, so I have often said, “Thanks anyway.” As a user of various herbs, I often feel a helping relationship between the plant and myself. Another daughter regularly talks to her African Violets. Her plants prosper.
So, upon going out to talk to my wolfberries, I felt impressed to take a hold of a large stem with my right hand, and a smaller stem with my left hand. I got the impression that I should lean into the row of plants. I asked, “What is your name?” In a very distinct and audible voice the plant answered, “Lung-Fung.” I was informed that my wolfberries had a story to tell and I was the person to write the story.
Where do you begin a story that has neither beginning nor end? Perhaps the most convenient place is here and now.
This story is about things, people and places. At times, these entities merge, are interchangeable, or are part of a larger whole. Some people can hear a lot of “phantom voices”.
All things have both a physical and a spiritual component. All things also have a voice. It may seem unrealistic to have a plant speak and tell a story, however that is where
the events in this book begin. One fall day in 2009, one of my daughters, in a telephone conversation, suggested that I go out and talk to my wolfberry plants. Now that is something I
usually do, but must admit that I have often felt communications from various herbs and plants, even to the extent that a piece of lettuce being discarded as unneeded for a salad felt unwanted, so I have often said, “Thanks anyway.” As a user of various herbs, I often feel a helping relationship between the plant and myself. Another daughter regularly talks to her African Violets. Her plants prosper.
So, upon going out to talk to my wolfberries, I felt impressed to take a hold of a large stem with my right hand, and a smaller stem with my left hand. I got the impression that I should lean into the row of plants. I asked, “What is your name?” In a very distinct and audible voice the plant answered, “Lung-Fung.” I was informed that my wolfberries had a story to tell and I was the person to write the story.
My Introduction to Lung-Fung
In the tradition of story telling, as often shared with my young children and now my grandchildren, there are three possible approaches to my story telling Some stories may be fact, that is truth as best understood by me with the information I have at present. Some stories may be made-up, consisting of fictional products of my mind. Other stories are made-up, but really could have happened. This story is a combination of all three approaches and the story is presented as if I were telling it to my children.
My children could choose; made-up, made-up but could have happened, or really happened-true stories. For me, the answer that came from the plant: “Lung-Fung,” really happened. The answer to my question was as real as the plants were visible, with touchable characteristics.
Truths are based on evidence. We gather most of our evidence by sensory perceptions, sight, etc., but the unseen spirit world can communicate too. All things have a voice, can hear, and recognize authority. That “plants can talk” is a faith principle. This book is a record of some “Phantom Voices”. This book is framed by my faith in voices that many people do not hear.
If Wolfberries Could Talk
Chapter 1
Phoenix Tears
Once upon a time there were two Gods. They lived in heaven. The Imperial Dragon, Lung, was the companion of Fenghuang, a bird god, who we will refer to as Fung, because that is what she is now called. Somewhere in the past she was referred to as Fenghuang, but for all time she has been a bird-like Phoenix.
Lung was a kind, understanding dragon. Lung's head was attractive to Phoenix, for she saw in his eyes a desire to play. His sides were covered with scales, like those of the colored
carp. There were 117 scales in all, with 81 infused with yang. This made him very masculine and good, notwithstanding that the remaining scales were infused with bad. This dragon was great, good and benevolent, and had the power to grant blessings. Lung had one major shortcoming. He felt incomplete. This feeling was a result of once seeing Fung, the Bird God.
Fenghuang, Fung for us, was a female. Now dragons have been known to associate with pigs, the resulting offspring being elephants, or with mares to sire a racehorse, but Lung’s desire was now for Fung. Lung approached Fung in the heavens. He desired to impress her, so he extended to his full height. She was not impressed. She had seen other dragons before; they all had both good and bad points.
Now Fung was a different story. She had the face and hair of an angel. Her eyes were intense and her hair was of pure gold. Her body was that of a pheasant and pure red. Her legs were long and slim, like unto a crane. Her cape and tail were like that of the amhurst pheasant. Her tail was colored with the five sacred colors: red, blue, yellow, white, and black. Each part of her body symbolized all that was celestial: head- the sky, eyes-the sun, back- the moon, wings-the wind, feet-the earth, and tail-the planets. You might say she “Had been there and done that.” She was the Empress of Heaven.
Phoenix Tears
Once upon a time there were two Gods. They lived in heaven. The Imperial Dragon, Lung, was the companion of Fenghuang, a bird god, who we will refer to as Fung, because that is what she is now called. Somewhere in the past she was referred to as Fenghuang, but for all time she has been a bird-like Phoenix.
Lung was a kind, understanding dragon. Lung's head was attractive to Phoenix, for she saw in his eyes a desire to play. His sides were covered with scales, like those of the colored
carp. There were 117 scales in all, with 81 infused with yang. This made him very masculine and good, notwithstanding that the remaining scales were infused with bad. This dragon was great, good and benevolent, and had the power to grant blessings. Lung had one major shortcoming. He felt incomplete. This feeling was a result of once seeing Fung, the Bird God.
Fenghuang, Fung for us, was a female. Now dragons have been known to associate with pigs, the resulting offspring being elephants, or with mares to sire a racehorse, but Lung’s desire was now for Fung. Lung approached Fung in the heavens. He desired to impress her, so he extended to his full height. She was not impressed. She had seen other dragons before; they all had both good and bad points.
Now Fung was a different story. She had the face and hair of an angel. Her eyes were intense and her hair was of pure gold. Her body was that of a pheasant and pure red. Her legs were long and slim, like unto a crane. Her cape and tail were like that of the amhurst pheasant. Her tail was colored with the five sacred colors: red, blue, yellow, white, and black. Each part of her body symbolized all that was celestial: head- the sky, eyes-the sun, back- the moon, wings-the wind, feet-the earth, and tail-the planets. You might say she “Had been there and done that.” She was the Empress of Heaven.
Lung humbled himself and lowered his head below that of Fung. In this position of worship, he inquired, “Will you join me in creating something perfect?” He reviewed all things the gods had previously created; man and woman, dogs, snakes, owls, carp and silk worms. Each had it’s special talents, and though “good”, did not merit being called perfect. The proposition appealed to Fung, so they flew off together.
All new creations do not originate in heaven. To create something, even gods required some new material. The second requirement is intelligence, and it was in this category that Lung excelled. Fung saw intelligence in the form of light emanating from Lung’s very being. They flew to a place where many forms of intelligence were found, called the Tian Mountains.
Tian Shan Mountains
The intelligences had neither beginning nor end. They just were. They recognized the God-ship of both Lung and Fung. By eternal law, all intelligences are compelled to obey when they recognize authority. Whether a mistake or not, when the gods organized man they created him with agency. He was not compelled to obey, he could choose for himself. That gave him the potential to become a god.
Lung-Fung spent their first night together in the Jade Palace. Here they organized the intelligences into spirits, for all things must be spiritually organized before they are physically created. Before they started this process, they reasoned together.
The dragon said, “Look at what I see.” Looking to where the dragon pointed, the Bird God saw people and places. At each place people ate food that was good in flavor, attractive to the eye, and variably nutritious, but no food was perfect. Therefore the people prayed, “Oh, bless this food that it might nourish and strengthen us.”
For centuries the gods had not listened. There was a time when the Tree of Life had been available, but it is now guarded by beings with flaming swords. Missing was the perfect food.
Lung-Fung spent their first night together in the Jade Palace. Here they organized the intelligences into spirits, for all things must be spiritually organized before they are physically created. Before they started this process, they reasoned together.
The dragon said, “Look at what I see.” Looking to where the dragon pointed, the Bird God saw people and places. At each place people ate food that was good in flavor, attractive to the eye, and variably nutritious, but no food was perfect. Therefore the people prayed, “Oh, bless this food that it might nourish and strengthen us.”
For centuries the gods had not listened. There was a time when the Tree of Life had been available, but it is now guarded by beings with flaming swords. Missing was the perfect food.
The Tree of Life
The event leading to blocking access to the Tree of Life occurred when the first man and first woman thought they were smart enough to be gods. So the Gods said, “Well if you think you can do it on your own, without our food, give it a try.” Ever since then people have been dying, mostly because they think they are gods, but also because they eat incomplete food.
“How sad the people are,” said the Phoenix.
“But we could make their lives better,” the Dragon suggested. “Let’s create a food that is almost perfect.”
Fung responded, “I’m not sure I am up to that challenge. We are only two, it might take more intelligence than we have.”
“No problem,” said the Dragon, “We can do better than hamburgers with fries.” She laughed.
In the meantime, some people were even eating clay to fill their stomachs. “What good will it do if we create a nutritious food and there is no way to get it to everyone,” asked the Bird God.
Dragon’s reply touched her heart, “We will have helpers and the first helper will be Raven. The raven is the wisest of all birds.” Dragon called, “Du Ya, come join us, we need your help.” Even though the Raven is very intelligent, he is also vain. The expressed need for help by two higher gods was sufficient to bring him willingly down from his perch on the highest mountain in Paradise, calling in his raspy voice as he flew. Alighting on a nearby boulder, he did his raven dance. Head bobbing up and down, feet alternately raised and lowered, he asked with a bit of trickery in his eye, “Why would the Dragon and the Bird God need help from a lowly raven?” The Phoenix answered, “We are going to create a new plant. We need help in gathering the materials needed. After it is created we will no longer be gods. I, Fung, will be the spirit of the new plant, and Lung will watch over and protect me, instilling in the new plant a dragon-like power to live and grow. We will need you, Raven, centuries from now, to plant us where we will be noticed, and our story can then be told.”
Raven was incredulous. “No more Imperial Dragon? No more Bird God? You would condescend to place your spirits in a plant? That is as absurd as when Pan Gu made man in his image. Then to make matters worse, Pan Gu did not compel him in all things! I am going back to the sun.”
“No,” commanded Lung, “You will stay and help us. The sun will continue to rise and set. You will from now on have only two legs. Your third leg, moon, will return to the sun to mark time, but sunrise and sunset will change without the seasons.” Raven had to obey.
Then the three commenced to make the new plant. Fung said, “First we will form the fruit and with it the seeds from which new plants will grow. We shall call the fruit, Phoenix Tears.” Fung then shed a tear, perfect in shape. Into this tear she placed her power to heal. Then she gave it the power to temporarily postpone death. Next, she reached into her breast and withdrew her heart, placing it into the tear. She said, “Now this fruit outwardly only lacks one thing, color. I shall give it the color of my breast.”
The above events were all mental processes. They organized the new plant spiritually, not physically. When fully organized spiritually, Raven would go to find the elements needed to create a new fruit and plant.
“How sad the people are,” said the Phoenix.
“But we could make their lives better,” the Dragon suggested. “Let’s create a food that is almost perfect.”
Fung responded, “I’m not sure I am up to that challenge. We are only two, it might take more intelligence than we have.”
“No problem,” said the Dragon, “We can do better than hamburgers with fries.” She laughed.
In the meantime, some people were even eating clay to fill their stomachs. “What good will it do if we create a nutritious food and there is no way to get it to everyone,” asked the Bird God.
Dragon’s reply touched her heart, “We will have helpers and the first helper will be Raven. The raven is the wisest of all birds.” Dragon called, “Du Ya, come join us, we need your help.” Even though the Raven is very intelligent, he is also vain. The expressed need for help by two higher gods was sufficient to bring him willingly down from his perch on the highest mountain in Paradise, calling in his raspy voice as he flew. Alighting on a nearby boulder, he did his raven dance. Head bobbing up and down, feet alternately raised and lowered, he asked with a bit of trickery in his eye, “Why would the Dragon and the Bird God need help from a lowly raven?” The Phoenix answered, “We are going to create a new plant. We need help in gathering the materials needed. After it is created we will no longer be gods. I, Fung, will be the spirit of the new plant, and Lung will watch over and protect me, instilling in the new plant a dragon-like power to live and grow. We will need you, Raven, centuries from now, to plant us where we will be noticed, and our story can then be told.”
Raven was incredulous. “No more Imperial Dragon? No more Bird God? You would condescend to place your spirits in a plant? That is as absurd as when Pan Gu made man in his image. Then to make matters worse, Pan Gu did not compel him in all things! I am going back to the sun.”
“No,” commanded Lung, “You will stay and help us. The sun will continue to rise and set. You will from now on have only two legs. Your third leg, moon, will return to the sun to mark time, but sunrise and sunset will change without the seasons.” Raven had to obey.
Then the three commenced to make the new plant. Fung said, “First we will form the fruit and with it the seeds from which new plants will grow. We shall call the fruit, Phoenix Tears.” Fung then shed a tear, perfect in shape. Into this tear she placed her power to heal. Then she gave it the power to temporarily postpone death. Next, she reached into her breast and withdrew her heart, placing it into the tear. She said, “Now this fruit outwardly only lacks one thing, color. I shall give it the color of my breast.”
The above events were all mental processes. They organized the new plant spiritually, not physically. When fully organized spiritually, Raven would go to find the elements needed to create a new fruit and plant.
The combination of the red color, tear shape, and heart implant were to give the fruit incredible power. The color red represented the heart meridian of man. The ability of the Phoenix Tears to heal and prolong life indicated this fruit would be a powerful medicine. Also, the heart is the center of human life, having power to heal. Here too is where real thinking takes place. Reaching perfection in the summer season and endowed with fire element, there were in this creation the elements of true love. It also was endowed with the power to ward off evil spirits. Evil spirits never wear red, because red is the color of happiness, and evil spirits are never happy.
Lung, feeling left out of the process, but ever thinking exclaimed, “I will place into the fruit my keys to perfect replication. We will call them seeds, but within the seeds we will place magic ladders with four materials on the rungs. We will make the sides of the ladder twist, as a symbol of the spiral ladder to heaven, and give the ladder power to tell the plant all it needs to know. For this, I place my brain in the seeds of your tear drop shaped fruit.”
Raven, also feeling left out, added, “I think we should add some building blocks.”
“Building blocks,” exclaimed Lung, “This is not a toy shop.”
“No, really, the cause of much illness is because people and other animals do not have all the building blocks needed to make them strong and healthy. I know where I can find 18 different kinds of building blocks.”
“Very well,” said Lung, “and I shall add some earth. Not just any old dirt, but earth that builds bones, earth that searches out evil spirits, earth that heals hearts, and earth that carries messages. We will give these elements a voice so that if a person listens, they can hear them call.”
So the two gods sent Raven out to find all that was required to create this new plant. A less clever bird would never have been up to the task, but Raven had seen all of the required ingredients in his many travels. He never forgot anything he saw. One by one he brought back all of the required materials. Some he borrowed from other plants, the more rare or difficult required special help.
Raven knew where all things were originally organized, for that place was his home: the Sun. Here simple things were organized into more complex and heavier things, and into light, heat, and fire. What he could not find on Earth, he knew he could get at home. At noon each day, he reached into the sun with his third leg, and drew out what he needed. Piece by piece all was returned to Lung-Fung. The three of them then commenced to physically form what they had mentally created. As they gave the parts instructions, each part of the new creation obeyed.
The resulting fruit was beautiful to behold. It was the shape of a tear or heart, depending on one's perspective, and had special meaning, as did the red color. Hidden inside the fruit was magic, of which only gods could dream.
Raven, with his clever smile, remarked, “Well, we have settled one thing. The seed came before the plant.” The two gods laughed.
“Now Raven, you must go plant the seeds. It must be a place with a warm summer sun, a place with rich and nourishing soil, and a place with sufficient water.” All agreed. Raven indicated, “I know just the place.” After a brief description of his choice of place, he was off to what is now Ningxia, China.
Ningxia was once a dry, windy place. The winds blew in much dust from the north, forming many layers of mineral rich loess soil. Along the Yellow River were benches of soil well suited for farming. Summers were warm and winters were very cold. It was here that Raven planted the twenty seeds from the first Phoenix Tear. He then flew south and west to rejoin the two gods.
Raven searched for Lung-Fung from one end of the Tian Mountains to the other end. Neither Lung nor Fung were to be found. Raven made daily patrols from north to south, but they were nowhere to be found. He found evidence of Lung’s essence, but no complete Lung. He saw a likeness of his head in the camel and in the male deer, with antlers like those of a dragon. The eyes of the hare shown like those of Lung. He saw Lung’s hands in the paws of the tiger, which also had long canine teeth. The eagle sported Lung-like talons. Similarly, the magnificent pheasants of the forest had various attributes of Fung, the Bird God.
Recalling the events associated with the creation of the first Phoenix Tear, Raven realized that the two gods had given their very being to the creatures and plants of the world. They were everywhere, not only in the creation’s countenance, but also in their behaviors. The camel, symbolically to carry the burdens of man, no matter how harsh the conditions. Lung was in the antlers of the deer as a symbol of power, a male symbol of protection. Yet they were not to be found.
The eyes of the hare were soft and gentle, yet filled with light. The hare was found everywhere, sharing a light from within. The tiger passes silently through the forest, leaving his paw prints for any who know the signs. There are no claw marks on the tiger’s footprints. His lesson for man is that you know who has passed by the tracks they leave behind.
Raven realized that both the Dragon and Phoenix had given all their attributes to their creations. When the creations speak, they speak the words of their creators.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Tears seeds, which had been planted in the rich, riverbank soil began to germinate and grow. Within their being had been placed the desire to reach for the sun and the ability to establish a strong root system. As the first shoots emerged from the ground they turned from golden to green, the color of the Dragon’s scales. Under the soil surface claws reached down to anchor the new plants. Dragon would provide the foundation from which all growth could be supported.
Raven’s heart was touched when he saw the maturing vines arch over in the form of Dragon’s profile. He knew that within each plant was an intelligence that desired to return home. The Dragon’s home had been the Sun. The new plants reached in that direction. The spines appearing on the older stems reminded Raven of the spines on Dragon’s back. Now they were there to protect the plant from intruders.
“What is your name?” My inquiry now had greater meaning. I now understood the answer to my question. The wolfberry plants in my back yard were truly “Lung-Fung.” The berries were mostly composed of the yin of the Bird God, but also were balanced by the yang of the Dragon. The vines and roots were mostly Lung, but were balanced by the green leaves from which the Bird God provided nourishment and growth for the entire plant. Phoenix was the mother. The tie to home, the Sun, was very important. The Dragon and Phoenix had become one. Their longing for home was complimented by the Sun’s desire for them to return.
After a short time blossoms appeared on the plants. The flowers were symbols of the memories of Lung-Fung. The purple petals told of a time when they were together in the Jade Palace. The imperial color purple spoke of the heavens and worlds without number. Though Raven was not intelligent enough to fully appreciate heavenly records, he had read The Book of Records, in which the relationship between the sun and moon were explained, but he did not understand how this relationship established the four directions. Raven remembered helping position a group of stars that rotated around north. This rotation indicated the seasons.
The flowers had five petals, one for each of the elements. Only a God could have been mindful enough to include the symbols of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal in a nearly perfect plant. Raven wondered about the flowers having four anthers. Four is an unlucky number and tells of death. Then he realized that when the number five is combined with four, 5/4, five petals, four anthers, it becomes the symbol for “no death,” almost implying eternal life.
Lung-Fung had designed the flower so that it was self-pollinating. The embryonic seeds at the base of the flower accepted an offering of growth from the pollen on the anthers. This was a much more perfect system than for those plants which were dependent on wind or insects to transfer pollen from another plant. Rather than having bees randomly carrying the germs of growth from here and there, the wolfberry plant exemplified the togetherness of Lung-Fung.
When the first crop of wolfberry fruits matured, Raven dutifully carried them to surrounding fields. He buried each and over the years spread plants throughout the mountains of Asia. As time passed people became his helpers.
The Raven's Seal
Chapter 2
Setting the Stage
The Chinese wolfberry, also called goji berry, is the name currently given to the fruit of Lycium barbarum, or Lyceum chinense. These two Lycium plant types are in the family Solanaceae, which also includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and deadly nightshade, none of which are superfoods, and some of which are very poisonous.
Now grown commercially in Japan, Korea, China, and Tibet, wolfberries have become an important health food item even in the Western World. The Tibetan name for wolfberries is dritshema; dri, meaning, “ghost”, and tshema, meaning “thorn.” The Tibetans must also have heard Phantom Voices. Neither the scientific names nor the name wolfberry are as elegant as the name “Phoenix Tears”.
Most commercially produced fruit comes from the Ningxia Hua Autonomous Region of North-central China and Xinjang Uyghur Autonomous Region of western China. Berries from Ningxia have a reputation for high nutrient content and have been referred to as “red diamonds.”
What most historical and scientific accounts miss is the fact that Raven carried the seeds from place to place, including Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Gansu, Shanxi, and Hebei. Raven played no role in carrying seeds or plants to England. That transfer came about because of the British presence in China. In the chapters that follow, we will learn how wolfberries came to America.
Over the centuries, much has changed in Xinjang. Formerly the area was called East Turkestan. The people of Xinjang once ruled an area that stretched from Mongolia to the Caspian Sea. A thousand years later in 1949, communist China invaded the area and the residents of Uyghur became a minority as masses of Han Chinese flocked to the “New Frontier.” It is not uncommon to find native Uyghurs with light colored skin and hair. Recent genetic studies reveal a strong Eastern Europe DNA tie to the people of this area. Geneticists infer a mixing of European and Asian populations from 2520 to 2940 years ago, placing that even between 500 and 900 B.C.
Between 732 and 700 B.C., the Assyrians took Israel into captivity. This group was called Khumri and later called Gimira. Another group, the Scytheans were allies of the Assyrians. Between 600 and 500 B.C., they were driven north through the Caucasus Mountains by the Medes, with some going east into the area south of the Caspian Sea.
After being taken captive and relocated below the Caspian and Black Seas, the tribes of the House of Israel began several migrations. One group that moved east was called Sakka (Saka) and Isheza by the Medes and Persians. Interestingly, the Japanese name Sakai is very similar to Saka, and there are many strange customs of unknown origin in Japan that can be explained by contact with people of the tribes of Manassah, Ruben, and Gad. The point is, the Lost Tribes of Israel are not lost, just their names are lost.
Historically the Uyghur have been a religious people. The have ties to Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity. Nestorian Christianity reached China in 635 A.D. by way of missionaries from the west. Their doctrine was probably a familiar voice to a people who had both lost their name and origin, but had traditions similar to those of the early Christian church. The Islamic missionaries were much more successful than the Christians and by the 15th century most of the Uyghurs were Islamic.
The history of these people is fraught with warfare and unrest. Expansion of the Qing Empire in the 1600's resulted in many Uyghur revolts. In 1864 they expelled the Qing Dynasty officials, only to be re-invaded by the Manchu. Xingziang, “The New Frontier,” was opened to Chinese settlement. Conflicts over independence continued into the 1900's, when in 1949, the communists became Uyghur oppressors. Historians estimate that a million people were slaughtered and the land devastated during this time period. There have been many pro-independence events since 1949, the latest in July 2009, resulting in a series of violent clashes between Uyghurs and Han Chinese residents, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
Would you believe all this animosity began in heaven? Up in heaven, sometime after the earth had been organized, King Gao Xin was put in charge of the earth. He owned a very nice spotted dog. King Gao Xin had raised the dog from a puppy. The dog was kept on a plate (pa in Chinese) inside a gourd (hu, which sounds like gu) so that the dog was known as Pan Gu.
There were two main rivals in heaven. King Gao Xin, who owned Pan Gu, and King Fang were the leaders of two factions. Fang had many followers and soldiers, and was very effective in convincing others to do things in a compulsory way. King Gao Xin preferred to allow his followers to make their own choices, but he really wanted Fang out of the way.
Gao Xin had a beautiful daughter. He called her Princess of the Earth. Gao Xin proclaimed, “Whoever can bring me the head of King Fang can marry my daughter.” There were no takers, as everyone feared King Fang, his soldiers, and his strong horse.
Now the dog, Pan Gu, listened to all the voices. He very much liked the Princess of the Earth and decided he would have her for his bride. While King Gao Xin was sleeping, he slipped out of the palace and ran to King Fang. Fang was overjoyed to see Pan Gu wagging his tail. King Fang thought, “Yes, King Gao Xin has lost the war, even his dog has deserted him and come over to my side.” Fang then arranged a banquet for all of his followers. Pan Gu sat at his right side, but did not eat any of the food on the table. Fang ate and drank much too much.
At midnight, when Fang was overcome with drink, Pan Gu jumped into his bed and bit off Fang’s head. He ran back to King Gau Xin’s palace with the head in his mouth. King Gao Xin was delighted to see the head of his rival. As a reward, Pan Gu was presented with some meat. Pan Gu refused the meat. In fact, he did not move for three days. He lay on a cushion, curled up and slept.
Concerned, King Gao Xin asked Pan Gu, “Why don’t you eat? Is it because I promised my daughter to he who brought me the head of Fang?” The king had always kept his promises,
but how could he allow a dog to marry his beautiful daughter? To his surprise, Pan Gu rose up off the cushion and began to speak. “Don’t worry, my master, just cover me with your golden bell and in seven nights, I will become a man.” With the princess witnessing all of this and not really wanting to marry a dog, the king placed the bell over Pan Gu, however, on the sixth night the princess could not stand the suspense of not knowing what was happening under the bell. She
thought that perhaps Pan Gu was starving. She lifted the bell to see what was happening. Unfortunately, that broke the magic spell. Pan Gu had almost changed into a man, but still had the head of a dog. Now he had to remain a man with a dog’s head.
By King Gao Xin’s decree, they were married, but the princess did not want to be seen with such a man, so they left heaven and moved to earth, where there were no people. There, in those same mountains where the Phoenix Tears had been created, they lived happily. Their children became the ancestors of mankind.
The rest of the story is about King Fang. It is easy to imagine how distraught Fang was in the morning when he woke up without his head. When he found out that Pan Gu had been partially transformed into a man, but still had the head of a dog, he could not help but laugh. He said, “I too must leave heaven. I will go to earth with all my soldiers. They will place doubts, enmity, and hatred in the hearts of the children of Pan Gu and the Princess of the Earth. With these tools, I will make them as miserable as I am. Many will wish they had no head.”
Amid all this turmoil, the wolfberries of Western China have watched and waited. Their story is also a story of a people, even individuals. One story is about Li Qing Yuen, who is said to have lived to be 252 years old. He was born in 1678 and modern scholars have documented his life span. As a child in the mountains of southwest China, three herbalists confronted Li Quing. At the age of eleven he followed them throughout the area. His desire to learn soon won over the older men and he became their apprentice.
Li Quing Yuen became an expert of the herbal traditions of China, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. Ron Leeguarder, author of The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs, writes:
“Because of his herbal expertise, Master Li was well known for his amazing vigor and excellent health. One day, when he was around 50 years old, while on a hike, he met a very old man who, in spite of his venerable old age, could out-walk Li Qing Yuen. This impressed Master Li very much because he believed that brisk walking was both a way to health and longevity as well as a sign of inner health. Li Qing Yuen inquired as to the old sages secret. He was told that if he consumed a wolfberry soup every day, he would soon attain a new standard of health. Li Qing Yuen did just that and continued to consume the soup daily. Naturally he was greatly revered by those who knew him and he had many disciples who followed him. Even at a very old age, his sight was keen, his legs were strong, and he continued to take his daily vigorous walks. One day he was on a journey through the treacherous mountains. In the mountains he met a Taoist hermit who claimed to be five hundred years old. Humbled by the illumination of the Taoist, Li Qing Yuen begged the sage to tell him his secrets. The old Taoist, recognizing the sincerity of Li, taught him his secrets of Taoist yoga.
He continued to consume his Lycium soup daily. It is said that Master Li also changed his diet so as to consume little meat or root vegetables and limited his consumption of grain. Instead he lived mainly on steamed, above ground vegetables and herbs. He lived to be 252 years old, dying in 1930, reportedly after a banquet presented in his honor by a government official.” During his lifetime, Li Qing Yuen married fourteen times and had nearly 200 descendants.
The time between creation and the mid 1800s in China indeed was a place of many notable events. Wolfberries and Fang prospered. The battle that started in heaven reportedly reared its ugly head in full force in Ningxia and Xinjang, regions that were isolated from much of the world for centuries. Conflict, as it often is, was balanced by a sense of hope. A hint of hope dates back at least to the 5th century B.C., as recorded in Way of Great Peace. Some early Chinese teachers outlined an apocalyptic battle between good and evil, followed by great peace. Many of the Chinese movements have messianic elements. They told of a supreme deliverer. “Only a handful of the human race, guided by a celestial Savior and his representatives on earth, would survive this terrible period. When it is over the faithful will draw together into their own ideal community, in which they would live at last in peace and harmony.”
Canton China was surely not such a place in the early 1800's. One might think that the British who came to China might bring peace and harmony. On the contrary, they seemed to make matters worse. They were confined to a narrow strip of land along the Canton waterfront and only interacted with the Chinese factory controllers. All imported and exported trade goods were carefully tabulated. There was friendship among foreigners, but there was little affection between the British and the Chinese. Money talked. Money was to be made, thousands of dollars a day, if trading in opium.
Christianity came to Canton in 1832 in the person of Reverend Edwin Stevens. As Chaplin of the American Seaman’s Friend Society he visited incoming ships to preach and administer to the sick. His greatest challenge was a drink called “Firewater”; a combination of raw alcohol, tobacco juice, sugar and arsenic which he said, “Destroys the reason and the senses.” It was quite natural for Stevens to broaden his interests to include Chinese missionary work. He found that an individual named Liang Afa had been converted in 1815 by a Scottish missionary and had not only translated a number of scriptures into Chinese, but also was preaching. He had been arrested in 1819 for distributing, “An Annotated Reader for the Saving of the World.” He was imprisoned, fined and beaten. Rising above the behavior of the rulers, he proceeded to convert his wife and baptized her. In 1832, he completed, “Good Works for Exhorting the Age,” a compilation of his fifteen years as a Christian. He quoted passages from both the Old and New Testaments, and recounted the Sermon on the Mount.
When Stevens met Liang in 1832, Liang was actively traveling as far as 250 miles from Cantor to preach the gospel. Though illegal, they distributed bibles and tracts along their paths. One of his favored places to distribute tracts was a local Confucian Examination Hall in Canton. It was there that those who had been successful in their hometown qualifying examination met to be tested a second time. These events were a gathering of educated people who had the potential to shape the future course of the country. It was a good field for missionary work.
In 1835, Karl Gutzlaff, a missionary from Pomerania, traveled up the coast with Stevens. Gutzlaff had the gift of speaking in tongues and dressed like a Chinese sailor. He was so adept at the Chinese language that he could speak any local dialect almost upon hearing it. All he lacked was the long hair of the Chinese.
Now came on the scene one Hong Huoxiu. In the spring of 1836, Hong went to Canton for the Confucian State Examination. A month earlier he passed the qualifying exam in the small rural township of Hua, near his home. He competed with thousands of candidates, knowing only a few would pass the exam. Preparing for the exam took years of intense study. Hong was the scholar of the family. If he could pass the exam, his meager teachers salary would be greatly expanded.
The Hongs were Hakkas, “Guest People,” and were granted only two slots in the local examination. The resident locals referred to themselves as “original inhabitants.” Hakkas were different enough to not be fully accepted. Though land was plentiful and they considered themselves pioneers, they had moved into the area in family groups.
As the twenty two year old Hong mingled with the crowds of fellow students on the road near the examination hall, he noticed two men, one a Cantonese, and the other a foreign-looking man who did not speak good Chinese. To Hong, this man said, “You will not receive the highest ranks, but do not be grieved, for grief will make you sick.”
The next day Hong encountered the same men. They said nothing, but one extended a book to Hong and he took it. It was Liang Afa's collection of religious tracts. The man was probably Stevens. Later, Hong discovered a Chinese character for his own name in the table of contents. The literal meaning of “Hong” is “flood.” The tract stated, “The waters of Hong have destroyed every living thing on the earth.” Furthermore, the destruction was ordered by Ye-Huo-Hua, the God who created all living things. The middle syllable for god’s name, Huo, or “fire” is the first syllable for Hong’s given name, Huoxiu. So Hong shared god’s name. While reading Hong discovered his second name in other places. Here he found that “the highest Lord of all,” an angry God, destroys all evil. None of this really registered as being important, as Hong had grown up with many god stories, including dragons, double numbers, and the nine gods of hell.
Hong failed the exam, but kept the book.
Feeling too ill to walk home after failing the exam, Hong hired two bearers with a sedan chair to take him back to his hometown. He arrived in Guanlubu on the first day of the third month, the birth date of the king of the second hell. This king punishes those who have false hopes. Hong saw this as a sign of his end. “Surely I will die.”
Too weak to move, Hong went to bed. In a dream, a great crowd (Fang’s soldiers) surrounded his bed and invited him to visit King Yan Tuo in hell. Hong felt the darkness of death and summoned his family. He apologized to his parents and brothers for having a name that would never reflect glory on the family. His wife, pregnant, was instructed to not remarry. He laid back, eyes closed, and saw another throng of spirits. They placed him in a sedan chair and carried him to the east.
They stopped at some gates where they were bathed in much light. Attendants greeted him clothed with dragon robes and horn-brimmed hats. They were not the greeters of death’s door. They slit Hong open and removed his soiled organs. He felt no pain. They then replaced all organs with new matter and sealed the wounds as if they had never been. He was then instructed by reading from scrolls, which were slowly unrolled before his eyes.
A woman entered and called him “son.” “Come, your body has been cleansed from your descent into the world and I now can take you to meet your father.”
Hong was then taken to meet father. “Well, you have come back up.” Hong was again instructed. Particular emphasis was on how the demon devils have led Gods children astray. Hong then was granted permission to wage war on the demons. He was told that when he grew weary, angels would come to protect him and give him strength. Then Hong’s elder heavenly brother entered the dream. Father and son indicated that Hong must return to the earth to carry on the fight against evil. Before returning, Hong was told to change his name. Hong Huoxiu was no longer fitting. Instead of Huo, or “fire” in Hong Huoxiu, he was to use the name Quan or “completeness.” He was also given a title, “Heavenly King, Lord of the Kingly Way: Quan.”
Suddenly, on his “death bed,” Hong shocked attending family by shouting, “Slash the demons. Slash the demons.” Over the next week, his behavior elicited this response from family, “He has gone mad.”
Hong Xiuquan slowly recovered and returned to teaching. Family and villagers adjusted to the new name. The dream was beyond comprehension, but a few impressions stuck in Hong's mind. Hong had a father and a mother in heaven. There was also an elder brother. Hong was a chosen person. Hong was the Father’s Chinese son. The dream was not forgotten. Liang Afa's tract, “Good Works for Exhorting the Age,” remained unread for six years, at which time a visiting friend and distant relative noticed the book and asked to read it. Much impressed, he suggested that Hong read the book. After reading the book, a new voice spoke to Hong. It was the voice of Isaiah.
“Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more: the whole heart is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land; strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.”
Isaiah described the turmoil in Canton and across all of China. Members of secret societies, bonded by blood oaths and passwords, plotted to overthrow the government. People were being blown through the air, as in balls of fire when the British rockets hit gunpowder stored in riverboats. On February 27, 1841 the British captured the 900-ton Chesapeake and set it on fire. Purchased from America, the ship had been converted into a man-of-war. When the fire reached the stores of gunpowder and munitions, the explosion was heard for thirty miles. Flaming ship fragments set fires far from the explosion.
“And the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”
Hong then started to preach. Li Jinfang, the person who had suggested that Hong read the Christian texts, joined him. They baptized each other. From Hong’s dream they extracted things that they interpreted as literal, such as three foot long swords to fight demons. They had two double-edged, three-foot long, nine-pound swords forged by a local craftsman. Inscribed on the swords were, “Swords for exterminating demons.”
Hong received a second witness that he was on his Fathers errand. He realized that without the sickness and the dream, he would not have accepted Liang’s writings. He expanded his preaching, first converting family members, but quickly expanding to the conversion of hundreds, then thousands.
Setting the Stage
The Chinese wolfberry, also called goji berry, is the name currently given to the fruit of Lycium barbarum, or Lyceum chinense. These two Lycium plant types are in the family Solanaceae, which also includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and deadly nightshade, none of which are superfoods, and some of which are very poisonous.
Now grown commercially in Japan, Korea, China, and Tibet, wolfberries have become an important health food item even in the Western World. The Tibetan name for wolfberries is dritshema; dri, meaning, “ghost”, and tshema, meaning “thorn.” The Tibetans must also have heard Phantom Voices. Neither the scientific names nor the name wolfberry are as elegant as the name “Phoenix Tears”.
Most commercially produced fruit comes from the Ningxia Hua Autonomous Region of North-central China and Xinjang Uyghur Autonomous Region of western China. Berries from Ningxia have a reputation for high nutrient content and have been referred to as “red diamonds.”
What most historical and scientific accounts miss is the fact that Raven carried the seeds from place to place, including Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Gansu, Shanxi, and Hebei. Raven played no role in carrying seeds or plants to England. That transfer came about because of the British presence in China. In the chapters that follow, we will learn how wolfberries came to America.
Over the centuries, much has changed in Xinjang. Formerly the area was called East Turkestan. The people of Xinjang once ruled an area that stretched from Mongolia to the Caspian Sea. A thousand years later in 1949, communist China invaded the area and the residents of Uyghur became a minority as masses of Han Chinese flocked to the “New Frontier.” It is not uncommon to find native Uyghurs with light colored skin and hair. Recent genetic studies reveal a strong Eastern Europe DNA tie to the people of this area. Geneticists infer a mixing of European and Asian populations from 2520 to 2940 years ago, placing that even between 500 and 900 B.C.
Between 732 and 700 B.C., the Assyrians took Israel into captivity. This group was called Khumri and later called Gimira. Another group, the Scytheans were allies of the Assyrians. Between 600 and 500 B.C., they were driven north through the Caucasus Mountains by the Medes, with some going east into the area south of the Caspian Sea.
After being taken captive and relocated below the Caspian and Black Seas, the tribes of the House of Israel began several migrations. One group that moved east was called Sakka (Saka) and Isheza by the Medes and Persians. Interestingly, the Japanese name Sakai is very similar to Saka, and there are many strange customs of unknown origin in Japan that can be explained by contact with people of the tribes of Manassah, Ruben, and Gad. The point is, the Lost Tribes of Israel are not lost, just their names are lost.
Historically the Uyghur have been a religious people. The have ties to Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity. Nestorian Christianity reached China in 635 A.D. by way of missionaries from the west. Their doctrine was probably a familiar voice to a people who had both lost their name and origin, but had traditions similar to those of the early Christian church. The Islamic missionaries were much more successful than the Christians and by the 15th century most of the Uyghurs were Islamic.
The history of these people is fraught with warfare and unrest. Expansion of the Qing Empire in the 1600's resulted in many Uyghur revolts. In 1864 they expelled the Qing Dynasty officials, only to be re-invaded by the Manchu. Xingziang, “The New Frontier,” was opened to Chinese settlement. Conflicts over independence continued into the 1900's, when in 1949, the communists became Uyghur oppressors. Historians estimate that a million people were slaughtered and the land devastated during this time period. There have been many pro-independence events since 1949, the latest in July 2009, resulting in a series of violent clashes between Uyghurs and Han Chinese residents, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
Would you believe all this animosity began in heaven? Up in heaven, sometime after the earth had been organized, King Gao Xin was put in charge of the earth. He owned a very nice spotted dog. King Gao Xin had raised the dog from a puppy. The dog was kept on a plate (pa in Chinese) inside a gourd (hu, which sounds like gu) so that the dog was known as Pan Gu.
There were two main rivals in heaven. King Gao Xin, who owned Pan Gu, and King Fang were the leaders of two factions. Fang had many followers and soldiers, and was very effective in convincing others to do things in a compulsory way. King Gao Xin preferred to allow his followers to make their own choices, but he really wanted Fang out of the way.
Gao Xin had a beautiful daughter. He called her Princess of the Earth. Gao Xin proclaimed, “Whoever can bring me the head of King Fang can marry my daughter.” There were no takers, as everyone feared King Fang, his soldiers, and his strong horse.
Now the dog, Pan Gu, listened to all the voices. He very much liked the Princess of the Earth and decided he would have her for his bride. While King Gao Xin was sleeping, he slipped out of the palace and ran to King Fang. Fang was overjoyed to see Pan Gu wagging his tail. King Fang thought, “Yes, King Gao Xin has lost the war, even his dog has deserted him and come over to my side.” Fang then arranged a banquet for all of his followers. Pan Gu sat at his right side, but did not eat any of the food on the table. Fang ate and drank much too much.
At midnight, when Fang was overcome with drink, Pan Gu jumped into his bed and bit off Fang’s head. He ran back to King Gau Xin’s palace with the head in his mouth. King Gao Xin was delighted to see the head of his rival. As a reward, Pan Gu was presented with some meat. Pan Gu refused the meat. In fact, he did not move for three days. He lay on a cushion, curled up and slept.
Concerned, King Gao Xin asked Pan Gu, “Why don’t you eat? Is it because I promised my daughter to he who brought me the head of Fang?” The king had always kept his promises,
but how could he allow a dog to marry his beautiful daughter? To his surprise, Pan Gu rose up off the cushion and began to speak. “Don’t worry, my master, just cover me with your golden bell and in seven nights, I will become a man.” With the princess witnessing all of this and not really wanting to marry a dog, the king placed the bell over Pan Gu, however, on the sixth night the princess could not stand the suspense of not knowing what was happening under the bell. She
thought that perhaps Pan Gu was starving. She lifted the bell to see what was happening. Unfortunately, that broke the magic spell. Pan Gu had almost changed into a man, but still had the head of a dog. Now he had to remain a man with a dog’s head.
By King Gao Xin’s decree, they were married, but the princess did not want to be seen with such a man, so they left heaven and moved to earth, where there were no people. There, in those same mountains where the Phoenix Tears had been created, they lived happily. Their children became the ancestors of mankind.
The rest of the story is about King Fang. It is easy to imagine how distraught Fang was in the morning when he woke up without his head. When he found out that Pan Gu had been partially transformed into a man, but still had the head of a dog, he could not help but laugh. He said, “I too must leave heaven. I will go to earth with all my soldiers. They will place doubts, enmity, and hatred in the hearts of the children of Pan Gu and the Princess of the Earth. With these tools, I will make them as miserable as I am. Many will wish they had no head.”
Amid all this turmoil, the wolfberries of Western China have watched and waited. Their story is also a story of a people, even individuals. One story is about Li Qing Yuen, who is said to have lived to be 252 years old. He was born in 1678 and modern scholars have documented his life span. As a child in the mountains of southwest China, three herbalists confronted Li Quing. At the age of eleven he followed them throughout the area. His desire to learn soon won over the older men and he became their apprentice.
Li Quing Yuen became an expert of the herbal traditions of China, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. Ron Leeguarder, author of The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs, writes:
“Because of his herbal expertise, Master Li was well known for his amazing vigor and excellent health. One day, when he was around 50 years old, while on a hike, he met a very old man who, in spite of his venerable old age, could out-walk Li Qing Yuen. This impressed Master Li very much because he believed that brisk walking was both a way to health and longevity as well as a sign of inner health. Li Qing Yuen inquired as to the old sages secret. He was told that if he consumed a wolfberry soup every day, he would soon attain a new standard of health. Li Qing Yuen did just that and continued to consume the soup daily. Naturally he was greatly revered by those who knew him and he had many disciples who followed him. Even at a very old age, his sight was keen, his legs were strong, and he continued to take his daily vigorous walks. One day he was on a journey through the treacherous mountains. In the mountains he met a Taoist hermit who claimed to be five hundred years old. Humbled by the illumination of the Taoist, Li Qing Yuen begged the sage to tell him his secrets. The old Taoist, recognizing the sincerity of Li, taught him his secrets of Taoist yoga.
He continued to consume his Lycium soup daily. It is said that Master Li also changed his diet so as to consume little meat or root vegetables and limited his consumption of grain. Instead he lived mainly on steamed, above ground vegetables and herbs. He lived to be 252 years old, dying in 1930, reportedly after a banquet presented in his honor by a government official.” During his lifetime, Li Qing Yuen married fourteen times and had nearly 200 descendants.
The time between creation and the mid 1800s in China indeed was a place of many notable events. Wolfberries and Fang prospered. The battle that started in heaven reportedly reared its ugly head in full force in Ningxia and Xinjang, regions that were isolated from much of the world for centuries. Conflict, as it often is, was balanced by a sense of hope. A hint of hope dates back at least to the 5th century B.C., as recorded in Way of Great Peace. Some early Chinese teachers outlined an apocalyptic battle between good and evil, followed by great peace. Many of the Chinese movements have messianic elements. They told of a supreme deliverer. “Only a handful of the human race, guided by a celestial Savior and his representatives on earth, would survive this terrible period. When it is over the faithful will draw together into their own ideal community, in which they would live at last in peace and harmony.”
Canton China was surely not such a place in the early 1800's. One might think that the British who came to China might bring peace and harmony. On the contrary, they seemed to make matters worse. They were confined to a narrow strip of land along the Canton waterfront and only interacted with the Chinese factory controllers. All imported and exported trade goods were carefully tabulated. There was friendship among foreigners, but there was little affection between the British and the Chinese. Money talked. Money was to be made, thousands of dollars a day, if trading in opium.
Christianity came to Canton in 1832 in the person of Reverend Edwin Stevens. As Chaplin of the American Seaman’s Friend Society he visited incoming ships to preach and administer to the sick. His greatest challenge was a drink called “Firewater”; a combination of raw alcohol, tobacco juice, sugar and arsenic which he said, “Destroys the reason and the senses.” It was quite natural for Stevens to broaden his interests to include Chinese missionary work. He found that an individual named Liang Afa had been converted in 1815 by a Scottish missionary and had not only translated a number of scriptures into Chinese, but also was preaching. He had been arrested in 1819 for distributing, “An Annotated Reader for the Saving of the World.” He was imprisoned, fined and beaten. Rising above the behavior of the rulers, he proceeded to convert his wife and baptized her. In 1832, he completed, “Good Works for Exhorting the Age,” a compilation of his fifteen years as a Christian. He quoted passages from both the Old and New Testaments, and recounted the Sermon on the Mount.
When Stevens met Liang in 1832, Liang was actively traveling as far as 250 miles from Cantor to preach the gospel. Though illegal, they distributed bibles and tracts along their paths. One of his favored places to distribute tracts was a local Confucian Examination Hall in Canton. It was there that those who had been successful in their hometown qualifying examination met to be tested a second time. These events were a gathering of educated people who had the potential to shape the future course of the country. It was a good field for missionary work.
In 1835, Karl Gutzlaff, a missionary from Pomerania, traveled up the coast with Stevens. Gutzlaff had the gift of speaking in tongues and dressed like a Chinese sailor. He was so adept at the Chinese language that he could speak any local dialect almost upon hearing it. All he lacked was the long hair of the Chinese.
Now came on the scene one Hong Huoxiu. In the spring of 1836, Hong went to Canton for the Confucian State Examination. A month earlier he passed the qualifying exam in the small rural township of Hua, near his home. He competed with thousands of candidates, knowing only a few would pass the exam. Preparing for the exam took years of intense study. Hong was the scholar of the family. If he could pass the exam, his meager teachers salary would be greatly expanded.
The Hongs were Hakkas, “Guest People,” and were granted only two slots in the local examination. The resident locals referred to themselves as “original inhabitants.” Hakkas were different enough to not be fully accepted. Though land was plentiful and they considered themselves pioneers, they had moved into the area in family groups.
As the twenty two year old Hong mingled with the crowds of fellow students on the road near the examination hall, he noticed two men, one a Cantonese, and the other a foreign-looking man who did not speak good Chinese. To Hong, this man said, “You will not receive the highest ranks, but do not be grieved, for grief will make you sick.”
The next day Hong encountered the same men. They said nothing, but one extended a book to Hong and he took it. It was Liang Afa's collection of religious tracts. The man was probably Stevens. Later, Hong discovered a Chinese character for his own name in the table of contents. The literal meaning of “Hong” is “flood.” The tract stated, “The waters of Hong have destroyed every living thing on the earth.” Furthermore, the destruction was ordered by Ye-Huo-Hua, the God who created all living things. The middle syllable for god’s name, Huo, or “fire” is the first syllable for Hong’s given name, Huoxiu. So Hong shared god’s name. While reading Hong discovered his second name in other places. Here he found that “the highest Lord of all,” an angry God, destroys all evil. None of this really registered as being important, as Hong had grown up with many god stories, including dragons, double numbers, and the nine gods of hell.
Hong failed the exam, but kept the book.
Feeling too ill to walk home after failing the exam, Hong hired two bearers with a sedan chair to take him back to his hometown. He arrived in Guanlubu on the first day of the third month, the birth date of the king of the second hell. This king punishes those who have false hopes. Hong saw this as a sign of his end. “Surely I will die.”
Too weak to move, Hong went to bed. In a dream, a great crowd (Fang’s soldiers) surrounded his bed and invited him to visit King Yan Tuo in hell. Hong felt the darkness of death and summoned his family. He apologized to his parents and brothers for having a name that would never reflect glory on the family. His wife, pregnant, was instructed to not remarry. He laid back, eyes closed, and saw another throng of spirits. They placed him in a sedan chair and carried him to the east.
They stopped at some gates where they were bathed in much light. Attendants greeted him clothed with dragon robes and horn-brimmed hats. They were not the greeters of death’s door. They slit Hong open and removed his soiled organs. He felt no pain. They then replaced all organs with new matter and sealed the wounds as if they had never been. He was then instructed by reading from scrolls, which were slowly unrolled before his eyes.
A woman entered and called him “son.” “Come, your body has been cleansed from your descent into the world and I now can take you to meet your father.”
Hong was then taken to meet father. “Well, you have come back up.” Hong was again instructed. Particular emphasis was on how the demon devils have led Gods children astray. Hong then was granted permission to wage war on the demons. He was told that when he grew weary, angels would come to protect him and give him strength. Then Hong’s elder heavenly brother entered the dream. Father and son indicated that Hong must return to the earth to carry on the fight against evil. Before returning, Hong was told to change his name. Hong Huoxiu was no longer fitting. Instead of Huo, or “fire” in Hong Huoxiu, he was to use the name Quan or “completeness.” He was also given a title, “Heavenly King, Lord of the Kingly Way: Quan.”
Suddenly, on his “death bed,” Hong shocked attending family by shouting, “Slash the demons. Slash the demons.” Over the next week, his behavior elicited this response from family, “He has gone mad.”
Hong Xiuquan slowly recovered and returned to teaching. Family and villagers adjusted to the new name. The dream was beyond comprehension, but a few impressions stuck in Hong's mind. Hong had a father and a mother in heaven. There was also an elder brother. Hong was a chosen person. Hong was the Father’s Chinese son. The dream was not forgotten. Liang Afa's tract, “Good Works for Exhorting the Age,” remained unread for six years, at which time a visiting friend and distant relative noticed the book and asked to read it. Much impressed, he suggested that Hong read the book. After reading the book, a new voice spoke to Hong. It was the voice of Isaiah.
“Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more: the whole heart is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land; strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.”
Isaiah described the turmoil in Canton and across all of China. Members of secret societies, bonded by blood oaths and passwords, plotted to overthrow the government. People were being blown through the air, as in balls of fire when the British rockets hit gunpowder stored in riverboats. On February 27, 1841 the British captured the 900-ton Chesapeake and set it on fire. Purchased from America, the ship had been converted into a man-of-war. When the fire reached the stores of gunpowder and munitions, the explosion was heard for thirty miles. Flaming ship fragments set fires far from the explosion.
“And the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”
Hong then started to preach. Li Jinfang, the person who had suggested that Hong read the Christian texts, joined him. They baptized each other. From Hong’s dream they extracted things that they interpreted as literal, such as three foot long swords to fight demons. They had two double-edged, three-foot long, nine-pound swords forged by a local craftsman. Inscribed on the swords were, “Swords for exterminating demons.”
Hong received a second witness that he was on his Fathers errand. He realized that without the sickness and the dream, he would not have accepted Liang’s writings. He expanded his preaching, first converting family members, but quickly expanding to the conversion of hundreds, then thousands.
Chapter Three
Taiping: Heaven on Earth
Hong and Fang left Canton in 1844 on a journey similar to that of the New Testament Apostle Paul. They traveled north from Canton to White Tiger Village then southwest to Guiping near White Thistle Mountain. They left behind the fighting and bitterness between the Chinese, Manchus, and British. On their way north, they baptized many of the Li clan. These people were truly converted and were strong in the Taiping movement. Finally, the two travelers arrived in Guiping where two of Hong’s relatives lived. These two relatives had visited Hong earlier and were now converted and desired to be baptized.
Here in Guiping, Hong began to write various religious tracts. He also continued to have dreams and visions. He condemned China for having “fallen away.” He outlined some principles for proper living, which included: never follow the path of lust, always obey parents, never kill people, shun evil by staying away from witchcraft and magical arts, and never gamble.
The region near Guiping abounded in brotherhoods and secret societies with special identifying signs. One group, the Heaven-and-Earth Society, increased their numbers of members by threat and murdering those that were not willing to join them. As a result local militia assembled and armed themselves. Farmers took weapons with them as they worked their fields, and when alarms were given, they assembled in large groups with hoes and spears. In this environment, Hong’s message of peace and salvation had great appeal. Converts to Hong's God Worship came by the hundreds. Soon, many of the converts also began to have visions. Yang Xiuqing became the earthly spokesman for God, the Father. In trance-like states he spoke in tongues, and said the words of the Father. Similarly, Xiao Chuogui became the earthly voice for Jesus. Hong accepted both of them as being authentic. They and others foretold of Hong’s glory.
Local hostility toward the God Worshipers began to try Hong’s patience. By the end of 1859 the Manchu rulers and the Qing courts were identified by Hong as the demons that needed to be eliminated. At the same time, mass baptisms of 400 or more were common. The ranks of the God Worshipers grew rapidly. The Taiping movement seemed unstoppable. Taiping, Heaven On Earth, in Hong's mind could only happen if the demons were eliminated. In late July, 1850, God (Yang) told Hong to “Fight for Heaven, to control all the rivers and mountains, show all the world the true laws of God, the Father and the Heavenly Elder Brother.” By August and early September, the various Taiping leaders began to arm and assemble troops. Many divisions, each consisting of 15,155 troops were formed. Hong’s army was no longer passive.
Violence in various parts of China produced a massive flow of new recruits. The influx in late 1850 was almost unimaginable, as thousands joined the Heaven On Earth movement. Thus, 1851 became the first year of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
As numbers of converts swelled to the hundreds of thousands, long forgotten were the six basic commandments, for now the goal was to kill the demons. To the outside world Hong appeared to be leading a struggle for religious liberty. He was even identified by some as a living prophet, but to the Christians and their missionaries he was a heretic. His doctrine of a Heavenly Father whose son is Jesus, both as separate entities, did not fit their mystical three in one. No Christian doctrine had room for a Heavenly Mother and certainly none entertained that all of mankind was part of one heavenly family with Jesus as their eldest brother. More importantly, no one on earth could speak for God. The British summary of Hong’s doctrine was, “It is superstition and nonsense.” Polygamy also became an issue. Hong indicated that senior associates could have eleven wives, more junior kings only six, middle ranks two, and common people only one.
Yang told the British, “Your God has come down to you today for one reason and one reason only. Namely, to tell you that both the New and Old Testament contain many falsehoods. It is therefore no longer useful to propagate those books.” The Taiping stopped printing the Bible. Leaders started to search for errors in the scriptures and made changes to match what had been seen in visions.
In 1884, Hong proclaimed Yang Xiuqing as the “Comforter,” the Holy Ghost. This proclamation created some stress among the Taiping leaders as Yang was now designated as the source of all truth. Also, Yang used his new role to judge and criticize some of the other leaders. He became the all-seeing “eye” of God and formed a network of informers to assist him in “seeing.”
In 1851, Hong declared a new Kingdom had been established. The Kingdom of Heavenly Peace, with Hong as the Heavenly King. This act ushered in the era of the Taiping. “Great Peace” had begun. The goal was for a peaceful and prosperous China, with all people worshiping the one and only true God, and everyone as brothers and sisters. Unfortunately this evolved into a well-disciplined and devoted army of soldiers. More than 700,000 Taiping soldiers captured the city of Nanjing in 1855. Nanjing became the capital of the Heavenly Kingdom of Peace. At its peak, the lands claimed by the Taiping had more than 30 million inhabitants. By the end of 1864, they were all gone; the Heavenly King, his family, all the other leaders, along with as many as three million followers. Who is to say if it was the doings of the Qing, the British, or the armies of Hell?
Taiping: Heaven on Earth
Hong and Fang left Canton in 1844 on a journey similar to that of the New Testament Apostle Paul. They traveled north from Canton to White Tiger Village then southwest to Guiping near White Thistle Mountain. They left behind the fighting and bitterness between the Chinese, Manchus, and British. On their way north, they baptized many of the Li clan. These people were truly converted and were strong in the Taiping movement. Finally, the two travelers arrived in Guiping where two of Hong’s relatives lived. These two relatives had visited Hong earlier and were now converted and desired to be baptized.
Here in Guiping, Hong began to write various religious tracts. He also continued to have dreams and visions. He condemned China for having “fallen away.” He outlined some principles for proper living, which included: never follow the path of lust, always obey parents, never kill people, shun evil by staying away from witchcraft and magical arts, and never gamble.
The region near Guiping abounded in brotherhoods and secret societies with special identifying signs. One group, the Heaven-and-Earth Society, increased their numbers of members by threat and murdering those that were not willing to join them. As a result local militia assembled and armed themselves. Farmers took weapons with them as they worked their fields, and when alarms were given, they assembled in large groups with hoes and spears. In this environment, Hong’s message of peace and salvation had great appeal. Converts to Hong's God Worship came by the hundreds. Soon, many of the converts also began to have visions. Yang Xiuqing became the earthly spokesman for God, the Father. In trance-like states he spoke in tongues, and said the words of the Father. Similarly, Xiao Chuogui became the earthly voice for Jesus. Hong accepted both of them as being authentic. They and others foretold of Hong’s glory.
Local hostility toward the God Worshipers began to try Hong’s patience. By the end of 1859 the Manchu rulers and the Qing courts were identified by Hong as the demons that needed to be eliminated. At the same time, mass baptisms of 400 or more were common. The ranks of the God Worshipers grew rapidly. The Taiping movement seemed unstoppable. Taiping, Heaven On Earth, in Hong's mind could only happen if the demons were eliminated. In late July, 1850, God (Yang) told Hong to “Fight for Heaven, to control all the rivers and mountains, show all the world the true laws of God, the Father and the Heavenly Elder Brother.” By August and early September, the various Taiping leaders began to arm and assemble troops. Many divisions, each consisting of 15,155 troops were formed. Hong’s army was no longer passive.
Violence in various parts of China produced a massive flow of new recruits. The influx in late 1850 was almost unimaginable, as thousands joined the Heaven On Earth movement. Thus, 1851 became the first year of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
As numbers of converts swelled to the hundreds of thousands, long forgotten were the six basic commandments, for now the goal was to kill the demons. To the outside world Hong appeared to be leading a struggle for religious liberty. He was even identified by some as a living prophet, but to the Christians and their missionaries he was a heretic. His doctrine of a Heavenly Father whose son is Jesus, both as separate entities, did not fit their mystical three in one. No Christian doctrine had room for a Heavenly Mother and certainly none entertained that all of mankind was part of one heavenly family with Jesus as their eldest brother. More importantly, no one on earth could speak for God. The British summary of Hong’s doctrine was, “It is superstition and nonsense.” Polygamy also became an issue. Hong indicated that senior associates could have eleven wives, more junior kings only six, middle ranks two, and common people only one.
Yang told the British, “Your God has come down to you today for one reason and one reason only. Namely, to tell you that both the New and Old Testament contain many falsehoods. It is therefore no longer useful to propagate those books.” The Taiping stopped printing the Bible. Leaders started to search for errors in the scriptures and made changes to match what had been seen in visions.
In 1884, Hong proclaimed Yang Xiuqing as the “Comforter,” the Holy Ghost. This proclamation created some stress among the Taiping leaders as Yang was now designated as the source of all truth. Also, Yang used his new role to judge and criticize some of the other leaders. He became the all-seeing “eye” of God and formed a network of informers to assist him in “seeing.”
In 1851, Hong declared a new Kingdom had been established. The Kingdom of Heavenly Peace, with Hong as the Heavenly King. This act ushered in the era of the Taiping. “Great Peace” had begun. The goal was for a peaceful and prosperous China, with all people worshiping the one and only true God, and everyone as brothers and sisters. Unfortunately this evolved into a well-disciplined and devoted army of soldiers. More than 700,000 Taiping soldiers captured the city of Nanjing in 1855. Nanjing became the capital of the Heavenly Kingdom of Peace. At its peak, the lands claimed by the Taiping had more than 30 million inhabitants. By the end of 1864, they were all gone; the Heavenly King, his family, all the other leaders, along with as many as three million followers. Who is to say if it was the doings of the Qing, the British, or the armies of Hell?
Chapter 4
In A Land Far Away
Now our search for phantom voices and connections shifts to New England in 1805. Joseph Smith was born on December 25 of that year in Sharon, Vermont. His father, a farmer, moved the family to Palmyra, New York in 1815. Recall Hong Xiuquan. He was born 1813, also to a family of poor farmers.
At the age of fourteen, Joseph Smith began to think about religion. At that time there was much religious fervor in the area, with various groups vying for converts. Even to a fourteen year old, it was evident that they could not all be right. Unlike Hong, Joseph’s first vision was not in the form of a dream. Hong went to Heaven in a dream, God came to Joseph. Engaging in prayer, Joseph had an experience in which Heavenly Father and Jesus appeared to him and gave him instructions. Just as with Hong, Joseph determined that Heavenly Father and Jesus were two separate beings and that Jesus was God’s son. For both, there was no mystical three in one being.
Three years later, while again engaged in prayer, a heavenly messenger further instructed Joseph. At the same time that Liang Afa, William Milne, and Edwin Stevens were instructing Hong, an angel named Moroni told Joseph of a record buried in a hill near Palmyra. The angel said it was a record of God’s dealings with his children in the Americas. Eventually Joseph Smith translated these records into what is now called The Book of Mormon. The response from local clergy was similar to that experienced by the Taiping in China. “Nonsense,” was mild compared to the persecution Joseph experienced. Clearly, the clergy feared a fourteen-year-old boy who spoke with angels and who had seen God.
“As soon as the news of this discovery was made known, false reports, misrepresentations, and slander flew, as on the wings of the wind, in every direction; our home was frequently beset by mobs and evil designing persons. Several times I was shot at, and very narrowly escaped, and every device was made use of to get the plates away from me; but the power and blessings of God attended me, and several began to believe my testimony.”
The gold plates, to which the angel had led Joseph, were in Joseph's possession for some time. They were shown to a number of witnesses. When the translation was completed arrangements were made for the printing of the Book of Mormon. At nearly that same time Hong had been drawn to Liang Afa’s set of nine tracts. Hong read, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, Taiping, Great Peace, and good will toward men.” Hong was converted by what he read. Both Hong and Joseph Smith had heard heavenly voices. Hong and his leaders spoke for God; Joseph Smith became a persecuted prophet. Hong read a tract and assumed the authority to baptize and organize a church. Joseph had more visitors. When the angel Moroni first visited Joseph in September 1823, he gave instruction about the need for authority. Later, while translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver Cowdrey came upon a passage regarding baptism for the remission of sins. Praying about the matter resulted in a series of angelic visitations from John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John; New Testament personages. These visitors conferred priesthood authority on Joseph and others.
On the 6th of April,1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was organized in Fayette, New York. Soon congregations of “Latter Day Saints” appeared in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Farms and land were purchased and prospered, but time after time, all was lost due to persecution. .
Out of all of these voices came doctrine that did not match previous Christian church teachings. Just as Hong believed, Joseph taught of a tangible Heavenly Father and a separate Son, who was the elder brother. All humankind are children of a Heavenly Father and a Heavenly Mother. “And now, after many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: That He lives! For we saw Him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that He is the Only Begotten of the Father.” (D & C 76:22-23)
Both Hong and Joseph preached of the reality of Satan. Both taught that there are levels in heaven, and only a chosen few may inherit the highest order of heaven. Hong received a new name, as did many of Joseph’s followers. Hong got his new name in a dream; Joseph received his in a temple. Both infuriated government leaders and ministers from the existing churches. Hong went to war against the evil ones and was destroyed. Joseph initiated a work that became, “A stone cut out without hands that smote the image and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth(See Daniel 2: 34-35).
There was as much evil in Illinois and Missouri as there was in China, but far fewer people. The western frontier of America included the basest of men, many of whom had fled west to escape the hand of justice. All night drinking, no respect for the Sabbath, horse racing, and gambling, was the norm. First such neighbors ridiculed the Mormons, but as the saints prospered, they resorted to persecution, then organized mobs that burned houses, tarred and feathered church leaders, and finally drove the Mormons into the cold of winter, all with the assistance of the government.
In Joseph Smith’s words: “There were many sick, who were thus inhumanly driven from their houses, and had to endure all this abuse and to seek homes where they could be found. The result was, that a great many of them, being deprived of the comforts of life, and the necessary attendances, died; many children were left orphans, wives (were left) widows, and husbands, widowers; our farms were taken possession of by the mobs, many thousands of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs were taken, and our household goods, store goods and printing press and type were broken, taken or otherwise destroyed.”
“Many of our brethren removed to Clay County, where they continued until 1836. For three years there was no violence offered, but there was a threat of violence. But in the summer of 1836 these threats began to assume a more serious form. Public meetings were called, resolutions were passed, vengeance and destruction were threatened, and the affairs again assumed a fearful attitude; Jackson county was a sufficient precedent, and as the authorities in that county did not interfere, they (the Clay county authorities) boasted that they would not in this; which on application to the authorities we found it to be true, and after much privation and loss of property, we were again driven from our homes.”
“We next settled in Caldwell and Davies counties, where we made large and extensive settlements, thinking to free ourselves from the power of oppression, by settling in new counties, with very few inhabitants in them; but here we were not allowed to live in peace, but in 1838 we were again attacked by mobs, an extermination order was issued by Governor Boggs, and under the sanction of law, and organized bandits ranged through the country, robbed us of our cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., many of our people were murdered in cold blood, the chastity of our women was violated, and we were forced to sign away our property at the point of the sword; and after enduring every indignity that could be heaped upon us by an inhuman, ungodly band of marauders, from twelve to fifteen thousand souls, men, women, and children were driven from their own firesides, and from the lands to which they had warranty deeds, houseless, friendless, and homeless (in the depths of winter) to wander as exiles on the earth, or to seek an asylum in a more genial clime, and among a less barbarous people. Many sickened and died in consequence of the cold and hardships they had to endure.”
“In the situation before alluded to, we arrived in the state of Illinois in 1839, where we found a hospitable people and a friendly home: a people who were willing to be governed by the principle of law and humanity. We have commenced to build a city called “Nauvoo,” in Hancock County. We number from six to eight thousand here, besides vast numbers in the county around, and in almost every county of the state. We have a city charter granted us, and charter for a legion, the troops of which now number 1,500. We have also a charter for a University, for an Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, have our own laws and administrators, and possess all the privileges that other free and enlightened citizens enjoy.”
“Persecution has not stopped the progress of truth, but has only added fuel to the flame, it has spread with increasing rapidity. Proud of the cause which they have espoused, and conscious of our innocence, and of the truth of their system, amidst calumny and reproach, have the elders of the church gone forth, and planted the seed of the gospel in almost every state of the union; it has penetrated our cities, it has spread over our villages, and has caused thousands of our intelligent, noble, and patriotic citizens to obey the divine mandates, and be governed by its sacred truths. It has also spread to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, where, in the year 1840, a few of our missionaries were sent, and over five thousand joined the Standard of Truth; there are numbers now joining in every land.”
“Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and in Germany, Palestine, New Holland (Australia), the East Indies, and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
A few years after the Missouri persecutions, the process of hatred was again repeated in Nauvoo, Illinois. The saints had prospered and built a temple. During this time the prophet sent the Quorum of the Twelve on missions, mostly to England. Orson Hyde was sent to Jerusalem to dedicate that land for the gathering of the Jews. Others were sent to the Pacific Islands. The Church of Jesus Christ was on its way to becoming a worldwide church.
Enemies both in and outside of the church, worked for Joseph's destruction. Political rivals openly called for his murder. The enemies reasoned that the death of the prophet would mean the end of the church. As in Missouri, a governor of the state assured Joseph his protection in a trumped up charge against the Nauvoo city council for causing a civil disturbance. Fully aware that they were guilty of no crime, the prophet, his brother, Hyrum, John Taylor, and others submitted to arrest. As they departed Nauvoo for Carthage, Joseph knew he would not see his family again in this life. “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am as calm as a summer morning.”
Late in the afternoon of 27 June, 1844, a mob of 200 men with painted faces stormed the Carthage jail and shot both the prophet and Hyrum Smith. John Taylor was wounded and only Willard Richards remained unharmed. The mob killed the prophet, but this was not the end of the church. The keys of the kingdom were retained in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and before the summer's end, Brigham Young, the senior apostle, became the prophet and head of the church.
Thus began the events leading up to the destruction of Nauvoo and the great exodus west. Under the leadership of Brigham Young, the Saints were organized into groups of hundreds, fifties, and tens with captains for each group. Wagon shops, wheelwrights, carpenters, and every available hand began construction of wagons. They made preparations to go to a new Zion (Taiping). Plans were to leave in April 1846, but threats of the State militia preventing them from leaving resulted in an exodus that began in the dead of winter.
It took faith, determination, and courage to survive the 310 miles from Nauvoo, crossing Iowa, to Winter Quarters along the Missouri River. It was here that many thousands of Saints assembled for the final journey to the west. Hundreds died, yet life went on. The best descriptor of the journey was, “Faith in every footstep.”
Brigham Young was the “father” of the gathering. Within twenty years, he shepherded seventy thousand Saints to the Salt Lake Valley. Most made the journey without major disasters. These pioneers provided a foundation of “proven” Saints who had “the spirit of gathering.”
Many journeys had started somewhere in Europe; followed by thousands of miles on the ocean and a journey into an unknown future. They left Nauvoo as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Their destination was spiritual, not geographic.
The Taiping revolution was meteoric. The Mormon experience continues to roll forth. Both played a roll in wolfberries coming to America.
In A Land Far Away
Now our search for phantom voices and connections shifts to New England in 1805. Joseph Smith was born on December 25 of that year in Sharon, Vermont. His father, a farmer, moved the family to Palmyra, New York in 1815. Recall Hong Xiuquan. He was born 1813, also to a family of poor farmers.
At the age of fourteen, Joseph Smith began to think about religion. At that time there was much religious fervor in the area, with various groups vying for converts. Even to a fourteen year old, it was evident that they could not all be right. Unlike Hong, Joseph’s first vision was not in the form of a dream. Hong went to Heaven in a dream, God came to Joseph. Engaging in prayer, Joseph had an experience in which Heavenly Father and Jesus appeared to him and gave him instructions. Just as with Hong, Joseph determined that Heavenly Father and Jesus were two separate beings and that Jesus was God’s son. For both, there was no mystical three in one being.
Three years later, while again engaged in prayer, a heavenly messenger further instructed Joseph. At the same time that Liang Afa, William Milne, and Edwin Stevens were instructing Hong, an angel named Moroni told Joseph of a record buried in a hill near Palmyra. The angel said it was a record of God’s dealings with his children in the Americas. Eventually Joseph Smith translated these records into what is now called The Book of Mormon. The response from local clergy was similar to that experienced by the Taiping in China. “Nonsense,” was mild compared to the persecution Joseph experienced. Clearly, the clergy feared a fourteen-year-old boy who spoke with angels and who had seen God.
“As soon as the news of this discovery was made known, false reports, misrepresentations, and slander flew, as on the wings of the wind, in every direction; our home was frequently beset by mobs and evil designing persons. Several times I was shot at, and very narrowly escaped, and every device was made use of to get the plates away from me; but the power and blessings of God attended me, and several began to believe my testimony.”
The gold plates, to which the angel had led Joseph, were in Joseph's possession for some time. They were shown to a number of witnesses. When the translation was completed arrangements were made for the printing of the Book of Mormon. At nearly that same time Hong had been drawn to Liang Afa’s set of nine tracts. Hong read, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, Taiping, Great Peace, and good will toward men.” Hong was converted by what he read. Both Hong and Joseph Smith had heard heavenly voices. Hong and his leaders spoke for God; Joseph Smith became a persecuted prophet. Hong read a tract and assumed the authority to baptize and organize a church. Joseph had more visitors. When the angel Moroni first visited Joseph in September 1823, he gave instruction about the need for authority. Later, while translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver Cowdrey came upon a passage regarding baptism for the remission of sins. Praying about the matter resulted in a series of angelic visitations from John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John; New Testament personages. These visitors conferred priesthood authority on Joseph and others.
On the 6th of April,1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was organized in Fayette, New York. Soon congregations of “Latter Day Saints” appeared in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Farms and land were purchased and prospered, but time after time, all was lost due to persecution. .
Out of all of these voices came doctrine that did not match previous Christian church teachings. Just as Hong believed, Joseph taught of a tangible Heavenly Father and a separate Son, who was the elder brother. All humankind are children of a Heavenly Father and a Heavenly Mother. “And now, after many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: That He lives! For we saw Him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that He is the Only Begotten of the Father.” (D & C 76:22-23)
Both Hong and Joseph preached of the reality of Satan. Both taught that there are levels in heaven, and only a chosen few may inherit the highest order of heaven. Hong received a new name, as did many of Joseph’s followers. Hong got his new name in a dream; Joseph received his in a temple. Both infuriated government leaders and ministers from the existing churches. Hong went to war against the evil ones and was destroyed. Joseph initiated a work that became, “A stone cut out without hands that smote the image and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth(See Daniel 2: 34-35).
There was as much evil in Illinois and Missouri as there was in China, but far fewer people. The western frontier of America included the basest of men, many of whom had fled west to escape the hand of justice. All night drinking, no respect for the Sabbath, horse racing, and gambling, was the norm. First such neighbors ridiculed the Mormons, but as the saints prospered, they resorted to persecution, then organized mobs that burned houses, tarred and feathered church leaders, and finally drove the Mormons into the cold of winter, all with the assistance of the government.
In Joseph Smith’s words: “There were many sick, who were thus inhumanly driven from their houses, and had to endure all this abuse and to seek homes where they could be found. The result was, that a great many of them, being deprived of the comforts of life, and the necessary attendances, died; many children were left orphans, wives (were left) widows, and husbands, widowers; our farms were taken possession of by the mobs, many thousands of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs were taken, and our household goods, store goods and printing press and type were broken, taken or otherwise destroyed.”
“Many of our brethren removed to Clay County, where they continued until 1836. For three years there was no violence offered, but there was a threat of violence. But in the summer of 1836 these threats began to assume a more serious form. Public meetings were called, resolutions were passed, vengeance and destruction were threatened, and the affairs again assumed a fearful attitude; Jackson county was a sufficient precedent, and as the authorities in that county did not interfere, they (the Clay county authorities) boasted that they would not in this; which on application to the authorities we found it to be true, and after much privation and loss of property, we were again driven from our homes.”
“We next settled in Caldwell and Davies counties, where we made large and extensive settlements, thinking to free ourselves from the power of oppression, by settling in new counties, with very few inhabitants in them; but here we were not allowed to live in peace, but in 1838 we were again attacked by mobs, an extermination order was issued by Governor Boggs, and under the sanction of law, and organized bandits ranged through the country, robbed us of our cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., many of our people were murdered in cold blood, the chastity of our women was violated, and we were forced to sign away our property at the point of the sword; and after enduring every indignity that could be heaped upon us by an inhuman, ungodly band of marauders, from twelve to fifteen thousand souls, men, women, and children were driven from their own firesides, and from the lands to which they had warranty deeds, houseless, friendless, and homeless (in the depths of winter) to wander as exiles on the earth, or to seek an asylum in a more genial clime, and among a less barbarous people. Many sickened and died in consequence of the cold and hardships they had to endure.”
“In the situation before alluded to, we arrived in the state of Illinois in 1839, where we found a hospitable people and a friendly home: a people who were willing to be governed by the principle of law and humanity. We have commenced to build a city called “Nauvoo,” in Hancock County. We number from six to eight thousand here, besides vast numbers in the county around, and in almost every county of the state. We have a city charter granted us, and charter for a legion, the troops of which now number 1,500. We have also a charter for a University, for an Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, have our own laws and administrators, and possess all the privileges that other free and enlightened citizens enjoy.”
“Persecution has not stopped the progress of truth, but has only added fuel to the flame, it has spread with increasing rapidity. Proud of the cause which they have espoused, and conscious of our innocence, and of the truth of their system, amidst calumny and reproach, have the elders of the church gone forth, and planted the seed of the gospel in almost every state of the union; it has penetrated our cities, it has spread over our villages, and has caused thousands of our intelligent, noble, and patriotic citizens to obey the divine mandates, and be governed by its sacred truths. It has also spread to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, where, in the year 1840, a few of our missionaries were sent, and over five thousand joined the Standard of Truth; there are numbers now joining in every land.”
“Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and in Germany, Palestine, New Holland (Australia), the East Indies, and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
A few years after the Missouri persecutions, the process of hatred was again repeated in Nauvoo, Illinois. The saints had prospered and built a temple. During this time the prophet sent the Quorum of the Twelve on missions, mostly to England. Orson Hyde was sent to Jerusalem to dedicate that land for the gathering of the Jews. Others were sent to the Pacific Islands. The Church of Jesus Christ was on its way to becoming a worldwide church.
Enemies both in and outside of the church, worked for Joseph's destruction. Political rivals openly called for his murder. The enemies reasoned that the death of the prophet would mean the end of the church. As in Missouri, a governor of the state assured Joseph his protection in a trumped up charge against the Nauvoo city council for causing a civil disturbance. Fully aware that they were guilty of no crime, the prophet, his brother, Hyrum, John Taylor, and others submitted to arrest. As they departed Nauvoo for Carthage, Joseph knew he would not see his family again in this life. “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am as calm as a summer morning.”
Late in the afternoon of 27 June, 1844, a mob of 200 men with painted faces stormed the Carthage jail and shot both the prophet and Hyrum Smith. John Taylor was wounded and only Willard Richards remained unharmed. The mob killed the prophet, but this was not the end of the church. The keys of the kingdom were retained in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and before the summer's end, Brigham Young, the senior apostle, became the prophet and head of the church.
Thus began the events leading up to the destruction of Nauvoo and the great exodus west. Under the leadership of Brigham Young, the Saints were organized into groups of hundreds, fifties, and tens with captains for each group. Wagon shops, wheelwrights, carpenters, and every available hand began construction of wagons. They made preparations to go to a new Zion (Taiping). Plans were to leave in April 1846, but threats of the State militia preventing them from leaving resulted in an exodus that began in the dead of winter.
It took faith, determination, and courage to survive the 310 miles from Nauvoo, crossing Iowa, to Winter Quarters along the Missouri River. It was here that many thousands of Saints assembled for the final journey to the west. Hundreds died, yet life went on. The best descriptor of the journey was, “Faith in every footstep.”
Brigham Young was the “father” of the gathering. Within twenty years, he shepherded seventy thousand Saints to the Salt Lake Valley. Most made the journey without major disasters. These pioneers provided a foundation of “proven” Saints who had “the spirit of gathering.”
Many journeys had started somewhere in Europe; followed by thousands of miles on the ocean and a journey into an unknown future. They left Nauvoo as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Their destination was spiritual, not geographic.
The Taiping revolution was meteoric. The Mormon experience continues to roll forth. Both played a roll in wolfberries coming to America.
Chapter Five
Coming to Zion
The account that follows provides some insight into what the journey west was like for the Mormon pioneers.
Naomi Clark and her husband were visiting family in New York when they received word that Joseph Smith had been killed. They immediately returned to Nauvoo. The Clarks had been prosperous farmers in upstate New York prior to joining the Church. Repeatedly, they lost or left behind whatever resources they had when they joined the Saints, first in Ohio, then Missouri, and finally in Nauvoo. Naomi was an intensely spiritual woman. She viewed the hardships and sacrifices made as a small price to pay for the privilege of participating in “the spirit of gathering.”
In her own words:
“Upon our arrival in Nauvoo from New York, we were informed that there would be a meeting to form a new first presidency. We joined large numbers of Saints in a grove of trees. There Sidney Rigdon and a group of supporters were promoting Rigdon as the new president. At one time Rigdon had been a counselor in the presidency. Joseph shook him off, indicating he had carried him long enough. Many present recognized his unrighteousness and did not show any support for his claims. It was out of the question for such a man to take the place of Joseph.”
“Brigham Young was the man unanimously chosen to be God’s mouthpiece. I can testify that the mantle of Joseph fell upon Brigham Young as he spoke. In my mind, it was as if Joseph himself was speaking. I felt the experience was much like when the mantle of Elijah fell upon Elisha. It seemed like Brigham’s voice, movement and countenance were that of Joseph Smith. We again had a living prophet, seer, and revelator.”
“Shortly after that my youngest child was taken ill. My little two-year-old Fredrick died in two weeks. He joined his brother James. They had two little graves side by side. Fortunately we still had our oldest son.”
“The temple was sufficiently completed so that the Lord saw fit to accept it for the benefit of the Saints. It was dedicated and the worthy members began to receive our endowments, this giving us much strength and commitment to do the Lord’s work. Satan soon saw that the Saints were getting power from on high, so he raged and stirred up the enmity against us. Soon the mobs and hatred we had seen so often before was again on our doorsteps. Rather than fight the mobs we prepared to leave our beautiful Nauvoo for some unseen place in the west.”
“My family, consisting of myself, my husband, and my eldest son Israel Clark, joined the hundreds of others that crossed the ice on the Mississippi River to go into the wilderness beyond civilization. I am not sure what constituted the greatest heartbreak; loss of liberty and justice, loss of homes and all the comforts of civilization, or loss of loved ones buried and left behind.”
“So many events prior to leaving Nauvoo played upon my mind. One night before leaving, I was awakened by the sound of such heavenly music, like I had never heard before. I got up from my bed and looked out the window. The temple was clothed in moonlight. There, on the rooftop, were bands and choristers. It was exquisite. Sadly, we had to leave all of this, our homes, the temple and the pleasant surroundings. Israel moved to tents.”
“A more dramatic event occurred when the roof of the temple caught fire. All gathered and formed a bucket brigade. After the wells were drained, wagons were used to haul water from the river. At last, the flames were no more. Satan used every means to harass us.”
“Now it was our lot to find a resting place among the real men. My wish was that the Lord has mercy on the souls of those evil ones we left behind. Surely our eternal well being was based on trial and suffering, not hatred. We departed with some few belongings and one yoke of oxen. After crossing the river on the ice we camped until a group was formed so it would be safe to travel. The travel was slow. The grass and mud seemed endless. Just before reaching Council Bluffs we camped at Mosquito Creek. My husband took a line and fish hooks and caught quite a string of fish. A short time later, he complained of a severe headache. It was a hot July day. We could not move on. He died a few weeks later and he was buried, wrapped in fine white cloth I had saved from our house in Nauvoo. His coffin was made from the side boards of our wagon.”
“It was here that the U.S. Army came to recruit 500 men to form a Mormon Battalion to go fight in Mexico. Insult to injury. The government that had been so lax in protecting our liberty now wanted our men. Our leaders complied and 500 volunteered. In reality, this proved to be a great blessing. The salaries provided much needed money and the battalion never fired a shot.”
“Now it was my oldest son, age thirteen, myself, a few possessions, a wagon, and a yoke of oxen. We were compelled to stay at Council Bluffs for the winter. We were the only Clarks. There were many Carters among the forty or so families. The place became known as Carterville. My husband’s cousin, Orlin Cox, built us a cabin and moved in with us for the winter.”
“Early in the winter, my husband’s previous employer in Nauvoo passed through and stayed with us a few days before moving on to Kanesville. He had a large load of goods for the Saints there. He said he owed my husband some back pay. He gave us some cash, tea, flour, and sugar. All were much appreciated. Wood was plentiful and the water was good.”
“We stayed at Carterville through the next summer. We planted crops and sold grain, vegetables, flour, cattle and horses. I became known as an honest, but tough bargainer. Our wine, made from wild grapes gathered along the river, walnuts, hickory nuts and dried fruit, brought whatever price I asked. Three years later, my son, now 15, and I were ready to go west. Indirectly, the gold rush had made us relatively rich. The items we had for sale were few and far between on the road to California, so as the would be miners passing through, they paid prime prices for our goods. “
“Darien Carter buried his wife near my husbands’ grave. A few weeks later we were married and I now had my son, a husband, three new daughters, two well outfitted wagons, four yoke of oxen, and supplies to make the journey west. God had blessed us.”
“On the Missouri side of the river we were organized into units of 100 wagons, 50 wagons, and 10 wagons, each with a captain. My new husband was chosen as captain over our group of ten wagons.”
“In the evenings, we enjoyed time around the camp fires. There was always music, dance and prayer.”
“We regularly encountered Indians. They were generally peaceable, but often made out as beggars. One evening, a large band of Sioux came into the camp and a young buck stole a bag of crackers. The chief was informed. Shortly, the young buck and the crackers were returned. We got the crackers and the buck got a public whipping.”
“Buffalo hunts helped with the meat supply. There became a considerable sickness in the camp and some deaths. I myself caught smallpox. We stopped in the country of the black hills to rest and recover. There was good water, grass, and timber. The cattle needed the rest as much as the company. My few cows had given milk all the way and had also worked in the yoke. Elk and deer were plentiful. The wolves were terrible. At night they howled all around the camp. I often went out at night when my husband was on guard, with a bit of nourishment for him, if only a potato. He was beginning to feel the wear of the trip severely. I feared losing a second husband.”
“At last we got to the crossing of the Green River. The river ran cold, swift and looked angry and deep. The first of our ten drove in. Even Brother Gifford lost his grip on the ox bows. He could not swim and disappeared in the current. My husband went to his rescue and brought him out, more dead than alive. The rest of us got across safely.”
“We were now in mountain country. When we finally reached the summit, we were struck with awe as we gazed into the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, the long sought place of refuge. Dwellings dotted the valley; the lake sparkled in a gentle breeze. It looked like paradise after three months of toil. Surely the enemies of the past would not follow us here.”
“It was the 12th day of September, 1850, when we came down into the Valley. My son and husband went back into the mountains daily for a few weeks to obtain wood. We sold wood to obtain provisions, for we were out. We stayed the winter and then moved north and settled near the Ogden River. My son, Israel Clark, left Ogden to help settle the north end of Cache Valley. He and James Miller, William Ricks, Michael Poulson and others camped on a flat just east of the present town of Clarkston. Israel Clark built the first log house and became the first branch president. His wife, Betsy Clark, opened the first Clarkston School in their house. In 1866 most of the first settlers moved to Newton, Smithfield, Logan, and other parts of the valley because of Indian troubles. Some returned the next spring, including Israel, Betsy and their daughter, Candis, age thirteen.”
Though so many of the doctrines of this American church were similar to Hong’s Taiping doctrines, (even to the eliminating wine from the sacrament), the outcomes were dramatically different. Yang cries out, “How often the voices from heaven have spoken in the past. Now Heaven has fallen silent.” By October 1864, Tiangui Fu, Hong’s son, was arrested, he being the last of Taiping leaders. On November 18, 1864, he was executed. All the heavenly kings were gone, millions dead, and the Qing stamped out any remnant of belief. Hong’s Heavenly Father and his Elder Brother, Jesus, had no further words for him. Heavenly Mother, if grieved, said nothing either. China moved toward communism. The Mormons became an ensign to the world.
Chapter Six
Plant Spirits
Tian Lu was born on January 6, 1825 in what is now Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China. The night was crystal clear and very cold. The Heavenly River of distant stars embraced the earth in a dull light. It had snowed lightly during the day and now the temperature dropped to nearly twenty below zero. The cold air sifted down the valleys from the Tian Shan Mountains to the west, settling in the low desert basin to the east.
Tian Lu’s parents were fortunate to have access to a cave for winter shelter. Also, there was plentiful wood for a warm fire and the Muzat River, a tributary of the Tarim River, provided year round cold, clear water in the shadows of the Celestial Mountains. The boy was named after the endless procession of stars. His eyes seemed to reflect a heavenly glow. His eyes were blue, which, though rare among this people, was not a new thing. His mother had red hair. They were very different people than the thousands of Han Chinese, who seemed to come from the east in endless numbers. The Han Chinese had gained control of the region in 1755. The Uyghur and the Han spoke different languages, practiced different religions, lived and worked in different neighborhoods, and in modern times set their clocks two hours apart. The Han operate on Beijing time, and the Uyghur on unofficial local time. For the Han, Xinjiang was the “New Frontier.”
After 1759, the Chinese began to establish state farms. The fertile land, wells and irrigation water from mountain streams, and a land with few people provided an opportunity similar to that occurring in the western United States. By 1830, most of the land was in state farms.
Tian Lu’s ancestors had been local farmers for generations. Over the years they had cultivated walnut trees that were descended from local wild walnuts. They also had orchards of many apple varieties. Their most valuable crops were the wild and cultivated plants grown for medicinal purposes. Tian’s father practiced plant spirit medicine. A blue-eyed son, red haired wife, and the ability to communicate with plants, did not make life among the ruling Chinese easy.
There was also the matter of the mummies in the family cave where they lived. Family tradition was that these were their ancestors who came from somewhere in the west. Father called them the fair ones, for many had light hair, blue eyes, and long noses. Those ancestors were very different than most local Uyghurs. The Han knew of the mummies. They feared the dead and largely avoided contact with that part of the valley. Tian Lu’s grandfather told of a time when the Han were going to expel the family from the caves. They came with many soldiers. On approach to the terrace of land leading to the caves, the soldiers were first confronted with “the eye of the dragon.” Then Raven flew toward the Army and dropped a large stone. When the stone hit the ground, a massive earthquake occurred. Many of the soldiers were swallowed up in cracks in the ground. From 1790 to 1835, no Han bothered the inhabitants of the caves.
Plant Spirits
Tian Lu was born on January 6, 1825 in what is now Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China. The night was crystal clear and very cold. The Heavenly River of distant stars embraced the earth in a dull light. It had snowed lightly during the day and now the temperature dropped to nearly twenty below zero. The cold air sifted down the valleys from the Tian Shan Mountains to the west, settling in the low desert basin to the east.
Tian Lu’s parents were fortunate to have access to a cave for winter shelter. Also, there was plentiful wood for a warm fire and the Muzat River, a tributary of the Tarim River, provided year round cold, clear water in the shadows of the Celestial Mountains. The boy was named after the endless procession of stars. His eyes seemed to reflect a heavenly glow. His eyes were blue, which, though rare among this people, was not a new thing. His mother had red hair. They were very different people than the thousands of Han Chinese, who seemed to come from the east in endless numbers. The Han Chinese had gained control of the region in 1755. The Uyghur and the Han spoke different languages, practiced different religions, lived and worked in different neighborhoods, and in modern times set their clocks two hours apart. The Han operate on Beijing time, and the Uyghur on unofficial local time. For the Han, Xinjiang was the “New Frontier.”
After 1759, the Chinese began to establish state farms. The fertile land, wells and irrigation water from mountain streams, and a land with few people provided an opportunity similar to that occurring in the western United States. By 1830, most of the land was in state farms.
Tian Lu’s ancestors had been local farmers for generations. Over the years they had cultivated walnut trees that were descended from local wild walnuts. They also had orchards of many apple varieties. Their most valuable crops were the wild and cultivated plants grown for medicinal purposes. Tian’s father practiced plant spirit medicine. A blue-eyed son, red haired wife, and the ability to communicate with plants, did not make life among the ruling Chinese easy.
There was also the matter of the mummies in the family cave where they lived. Family tradition was that these were their ancestors who came from somewhere in the west. Father called them the fair ones, for many had light hair, blue eyes, and long noses. Those ancestors were very different than most local Uyghurs. The Han knew of the mummies. They feared the dead and largely avoided contact with that part of the valley. Tian Lu’s grandfather told of a time when the Han were going to expel the family from the caves. They came with many soldiers. On approach to the terrace of land leading to the caves, the soldiers were first confronted with “the eye of the dragon.” Then Raven flew toward the Army and dropped a large stone. When the stone hit the ground, a massive earthquake occurred. Many of the soldiers were swallowed up in cracks in the ground. From 1790 to 1835, no Han bothered the inhabitants of the caves.
Tian Lu started learning about plants before he was eight years old. His father often took him along on collecting trips in the mountains. They enjoyed touching the various plants. The plants often responded by sharing audible words that only Tian could hear. He recognized the plants as part of his family; and just as Tian had ancestral roots, so also, the plants of the mountains had earthly roots. Both types of roots carried nourishment from the unseen to the seen.
Sometimes a plant impressed Tian as generous and helping. Often his father then reconfirmed this impression. On one spring outing, Tian discovered many beautiful azaleas in full bloom. They told Tian of their desire to heal more than a drab landscape. Tian’s father then taught him how to prepare the roots to treat wounds and relieve pain. By age 12, Tian not only spoke with most plant varieties, he had also learned from his father the art of mixing and preparing herbs, minerals and extracts for nearly any ailment. Perhaps more importantly, he could sense what a plant had to offer, and how to administer it for a given malady. He realized that if the spirit of a plant tells how it should be used, then you can use it. This gift would play a major role throughout his life’s journey.
Growing on the terraces in front of the caves were acres and acres of wolfberries. These plants, along with the nut and apple orchards, were the main source of family income. Tian’s first conversation with the wolfberry plants went as follows:
Tian: “I feel so good when I am touching you. What is your name?”
Plant: “I have a real name, but for you my name is Wolfberry.”
Tian: “That is a strong name for a plant. You do not look like a wolf.”
Plant: “I was created many centuries ago. The Raven planted my seeds in many
places. In one mountainous area, I was discovered by a pack of wolves. They ate both berries and leaves. One blue-eyed male, the so-called Alpha male, grew to be much larger than any other wolf. He said I should be called the “Alpha Plant.” In fact, I have many names. Grasp me with both hands and close your eyes. “What do you see?”
Tian: “I see a dragon and a phoenix. They are talking to a raven.”
Plant: “Very good. You are able to see things past, things present, and things that have not yet happened. The Dragon, Phoenix, and Raven created me. I am they, they are me, and now you are part of us. When you talk to me, you talk to them. We can do nothing for you unless you ask. That is true for all things, plant, animal, and mineral. We can help you find joy and richness in the midst of turmoil. You will become a great healer because you cared enough to ask. Healing is not about whether you die, healing is about how you live.”
“Spirits know when they are being watched or touched. The energy from your hands allowed me to get to know you better. Our plant energy will touch your life in many ways. We have waited patiently for you to come. The voice of Dragon, Phoenix, and generations of wolfberries have told of a time when a boy would share the perfect food with the world.”
And so Tian’s education was well under way by age thirteen. With Wolfberry as a daily companion and the wisdom of his father, Tian soon became known as a healer. All who came were treated by Tian Lu as equals.
Chapter Seven
A Convert
In the spring of 1848, Hong Xiuquan went to Canton to attempt to get his friend Feng freed from prison. His plan was to meet with the Governor General, Qiying and plead for Feng’s release. Unfortunately Qiying had been summoned to Peking for an audience with the emperor. Hong visited with his family briefly and then headed back to Thistle Mountain. Meanwhile, Feng was released after fees were paid to local magistrates. Somewhere along the road, they passed each other without meeting.
While in Canton, Hong was introduced to a food new to him. It was a dried red berry from far in the west. The herbalist said that even the wolves ate it to determine which wolf would rule. Hong bought a large quantity of the fruit and returned to Thistle Mountain.
While in Canton Hong learned that there was a boy somewhere in the west that could heal all forms of illness. This boy talked to plants and they answered his questions. It is from this boy's father's farm that the wolfberries purchased in Canton originated. Hong was very disappointed that the local shamans knew nothing of this plant. In another of Hong's dreams, a messenger told him to find the boy and bring him to Thistle Mountain.
While in Canton, a charcoal burner by the name of Yang Xiuquing joined the God worshipers and soon announced that he had been chosen to speak for God, the Father. Hong, on his return to Nanjing, accepted Yang as God’s mouthpiece. Hong asked him to consult the Father about wolfberries and the boy.
Another convert announced that he spoke for Jesus. Between the two of them, Hong learned nothing about the boy. The two oracles spent most of their time teaching the God Worshipers newly composed songs, which were said to be the Words of God. In one of the many endless accounts of events in heaven, the oracles talked about Hong’s youngest son, who was conceived and born in heaven. He had no name and lived with his Grandmother, Heavenly Father’s wife.
In another dream, Hong talked to the boy’s mother, First Chief Moon, and she indicated she was coming to earth for a visit. First Chief Moon came to visit Hong at a village called Siwang. She chided Hong for not coming back to Heaven and not tending to family there. She explained that their son had left heaven and was now on Earth. Hong was overwhelmed by this information and fell to the ground in a faint, covered with sweat. Hong then told First Chief Moon of a perfect plant and a boy somewhere in the west. First Chief Moon indicated that this was their son.
The combination of the information about the wolfberries, a boy in the West, and First Chief Moon’s revelation, prompted Hong to assemble a group of well-armed God Worshipers, led by three faithful Zeng family members. These were the worshipers who were so effective in smashing images in local temples and shrines. First Chief Moon indicated that the boy would have blue eyes and be found in a cave inhabited by evil spirits. He would be surrounded by wolfberries. The Hong emissaries departed in July 1848 with the charge to find the boy and bring him back. They also were to purchase as many wolfberries as possible. The group traveled west on what was once the Old Silk Road.
The Hong emissaries became aware of great quantities of dried wolfberries that were being transported to the east along this same route. They learned that one shipment was bound for Canton and these berries were to be sent to England. It was evident the Hong’s quest for wolfberries, though competitive, would be of no great problem, but what of the boy?
Tian Lu had been forewarned. Raven told him months earlier that he was bringing a group of people from the east. They would come with many gifts for his father. They would have strange stories about heavenly visitors. Also, their leader needed to be healed, a fact the travelers were unaware of.
A Convert
In the spring of 1848, Hong Xiuquan went to Canton to attempt to get his friend Feng freed from prison. His plan was to meet with the Governor General, Qiying and plead for Feng’s release. Unfortunately Qiying had been summoned to Peking for an audience with the emperor. Hong visited with his family briefly and then headed back to Thistle Mountain. Meanwhile, Feng was released after fees were paid to local magistrates. Somewhere along the road, they passed each other without meeting.
While in Canton, Hong was introduced to a food new to him. It was a dried red berry from far in the west. The herbalist said that even the wolves ate it to determine which wolf would rule. Hong bought a large quantity of the fruit and returned to Thistle Mountain.
While in Canton Hong learned that there was a boy somewhere in the west that could heal all forms of illness. This boy talked to plants and they answered his questions. It is from this boy's father's farm that the wolfberries purchased in Canton originated. Hong was very disappointed that the local shamans knew nothing of this plant. In another of Hong's dreams, a messenger told him to find the boy and bring him to Thistle Mountain.
While in Canton, a charcoal burner by the name of Yang Xiuquing joined the God worshipers and soon announced that he had been chosen to speak for God, the Father. Hong, on his return to Nanjing, accepted Yang as God’s mouthpiece. Hong asked him to consult the Father about wolfberries and the boy.
Another convert announced that he spoke for Jesus. Between the two of them, Hong learned nothing about the boy. The two oracles spent most of their time teaching the God Worshipers newly composed songs, which were said to be the Words of God. In one of the many endless accounts of events in heaven, the oracles talked about Hong’s youngest son, who was conceived and born in heaven. He had no name and lived with his Grandmother, Heavenly Father’s wife.
In another dream, Hong talked to the boy’s mother, First Chief Moon, and she indicated she was coming to earth for a visit. First Chief Moon came to visit Hong at a village called Siwang. She chided Hong for not coming back to Heaven and not tending to family there. She explained that their son had left heaven and was now on Earth. Hong was overwhelmed by this information and fell to the ground in a faint, covered with sweat. Hong then told First Chief Moon of a perfect plant and a boy somewhere in the west. First Chief Moon indicated that this was their son.
The combination of the information about the wolfberries, a boy in the West, and First Chief Moon’s revelation, prompted Hong to assemble a group of well-armed God Worshipers, led by three faithful Zeng family members. These were the worshipers who were so effective in smashing images in local temples and shrines. First Chief Moon indicated that the boy would have blue eyes and be found in a cave inhabited by evil spirits. He would be surrounded by wolfberries. The Hong emissaries departed in July 1848 with the charge to find the boy and bring him back. They also were to purchase as many wolfberries as possible. The group traveled west on what was once the Old Silk Road.
The Hong emissaries became aware of great quantities of dried wolfberries that were being transported to the east along this same route. They learned that one shipment was bound for Canton and these berries were to be sent to England. It was evident the Hong’s quest for wolfberries, though competitive, would be of no great problem, but what of the boy?
Tian Lu had been forewarned. Raven told him months earlier that he was bringing a group of people from the east. They would come with many gifts for his father. They would have strange stories about heavenly visitors. Also, their leader needed to be healed, a fact the travelers were unaware of.
By late July the first of the local crop of wolfberries had been dried in the sun. Tian and his father watched with apprehension as the group of a hundred or more soldiers, led by three men in dragon covered yellow robes, wound their way up the valley toward their cave. A raven flew ahead of the group.
All three yellow robed Zeng family emissaries noticed the blue eyes at the same time. Just as First Chief Moon had said, the boy had blue eyes. The three fell to their knees and bowed down. Raven sat perched on a dead branch. Raven told Tian to touch each of the yellow robed leaders on the right shoulder with the palm of his right hand. As he did so each was cleansed from any desire to destroy anything they perceived as evil. In fact, as they entered the cave, they felt perfectly at home. Rather than perceiving the mummies as evil, they were drawn to them and mentioned that they seemed regal.
All three yellow robed Zeng family emissaries noticed the blue eyes at the same time. Just as First Chief Moon had said, the boy had blue eyes. The three fell to their knees and bowed down. Raven sat perched on a dead branch. Raven told Tian to touch each of the yellow robed leaders on the right shoulder with the palm of his right hand. As he did so each was cleansed from any desire to destroy anything they perceived as evil. In fact, as they entered the cave, they felt perfectly at home. Rather than perceiving the mummies as evil, they were drawn to them and mentioned that they seemed regal.
Tarim Mummy
Preparations for the return to Thistle Mountain took a few days. Gifts were extended to Tian’s father, soldiers were reorganized to become wolfberry carriers, and large quantities of fruit were made ready for the trip east. Father-son farewells were extended over the ensuing two days. Neither asked “Why?” It just happened. Both sensed that they would never see each other again in this life. Tian embraced both mother and father. As the group departed from the cave, heading east, Raven followed.
Runners had been sent ahead, fully informing Hong of events in the west. Hong prepared to meet his heavenly son and Tian Lu endured the loneliness of a long trip with strangers. Far from home, missing his family and familiar surroundings, the reception and the baffling barrage of ideas streaming from Hong’s mouth confused Tian Lu. For three days, Tian and Hong remained in the room in which they first met. There was an abundance of fresh fruit. Hong rehearsed all of the events leading up to his exaltation. Intermittently, each fell asleep, only to have the stories begin again on awakening. Hong insisted that Tian Lu must have a new name if he was to be his son. Hong indicated that it would be a great honor for Tian to have his former name, Hong Huexiu, and that he should be baptized. Totally fatigued, Tian submitted.
On August 1, 1848, Tian, now Hong Huexiu, was presented as Hong Xiuquan’s heavenly son. Before being baptized, Hong Huexiu was questioned by Xiao Chaogui, the West King. Hong Xiuquan was present, but did not say anything.
Heavenly Brother asked, “Do you know who is talking to you?” Hong (Tian) answered, “You are my elder brother, Jesus.”
Heavenly Brother, “Who is that sitting over there?”
Hong, “That is my Heavenly Father.”
Heavenly Brother, “Who sent him here?”
Hong, “His Heavenly Father.”
Heavenly Brother, “Why did Heavenly Father send him here?”
Hong, “He was sent here to become the King of Great Peace, which means Taiping.”
And so the interview went on. All the earthly mouthpieces had to be acknowledged.
Hong was cautioned that he would be watched closely. “If you falter or err in any way, you will be thrown out as a pebble from a bin of white rice.”
The next day Hong,(Tian), was baptized by his Heavenly Father.
The event did not receive Raven's seal of approval.
Runners had been sent ahead, fully informing Hong of events in the west. Hong prepared to meet his heavenly son and Tian Lu endured the loneliness of a long trip with strangers. Far from home, missing his family and familiar surroundings, the reception and the baffling barrage of ideas streaming from Hong’s mouth confused Tian Lu. For three days, Tian and Hong remained in the room in which they first met. There was an abundance of fresh fruit. Hong rehearsed all of the events leading up to his exaltation. Intermittently, each fell asleep, only to have the stories begin again on awakening. Hong insisted that Tian Lu must have a new name if he was to be his son. Hong indicated that it would be a great honor for Tian to have his former name, Hong Huexiu, and that he should be baptized. Totally fatigued, Tian submitted.
On August 1, 1848, Tian, now Hong Huexiu, was presented as Hong Xiuquan’s heavenly son. Before being baptized, Hong Huexiu was questioned by Xiao Chaogui, the West King. Hong Xiuquan was present, but did not say anything.
Heavenly Brother asked, “Do you know who is talking to you?” Hong (Tian) answered, “You are my elder brother, Jesus.”
Heavenly Brother, “Who is that sitting over there?”
Hong, “That is my Heavenly Father.”
Heavenly Brother, “Who sent him here?”
Hong, “His Heavenly Father.”
Heavenly Brother, “Why did Heavenly Father send him here?”
Hong, “He was sent here to become the King of Great Peace, which means Taiping.”
And so the interview went on. All the earthly mouthpieces had to be acknowledged.
Hong was cautioned that he would be watched closely. “If you falter or err in any way, you will be thrown out as a pebble from a bin of white rice.”
The next day Hong,(Tian), was baptized by his Heavenly Father.
The event did not receive Raven's seal of approval.
Chapter Eight
Escape
Tian Lu was not comfortable with any of the Taiping leaders. They were very much at
war with the Qing rulers and also with each other. In Tian's mind this was not Heaven on Earth. Tian had heard many phantom voices in his short life, but the Taiping voices were not calming.
It was Raven who comforted Tian. On a forested hillside, Tian and Raven discussed the situation. Tian did most of the talking. Raven mostly nodded his head up and down or from side to side. Sometimes he would roll his head back and emit a loud “kuak.”
“I do not like my new name.” Raven just rolled his head back. “I will keep my old name.” Raven nodes his head up and down. “Hong is not my father.” Raven let out a “kuak.”
“I might have a Father in Heaven, a Mother and brothers and sisters, but if they are really there I don’t think they would let these people speak for them.” Raven moved his head from side to side. “I thought I was coming here to help heal some sick people. These people are spiritually ill, and I do not have the skills, authority or herbs to heal such illness.”
Raven agreed and then intently looking at Tian, Raven said, “You must leave here at once. Go to Canton.”
Taking only the clothes he was wearing Tian left that night. Early in the morning he came upon a Chinese teacher who had a home in the hills. The teacher ran a school for the children of the Miao. He too was a God Worshiper. Tian Lu explained that he had been commanded to go to Canton. He did not tell the teacher the order came from Raven. The teacher assumed Hong had sent his son on an errand. The teacher arranged for a man to accompany Tian to the closest river port and see him on board a boat for Canton. The teacher also gave Tian some money. The trip down the river was uneventful. Tian Lu arrived in Canton in late August of 1848.
Money gone, Tian walked down the gangplank into what seemed like a sea of people. Fearing being swallowed up by the masses of people, Tian sat down on one of the many barrels lined up along the dock. A woman approached him and asked, “Who gave you permission to sit on my gunpowder?”
Gunpowder! A woman with gunpowder! Tian could make no response. Even more frightening were the dozen or so fierce looking men behind her. Then the woman noticed Tian’s eyes. “Who are you? Where do you come from?” She was even more frightening than Hong.
Then Raven landed on a barrel next to Tian. He nodded his head up and down. Over the next hour Tian told the woman his life story. He shared his fear of Hong and more importantly some of his knowledge of plant spirit healing.
“My name is Akeu, I will protect you from evil. You speak with me in my dialect. You can be my voice. I will have you taught in many languages. In return, you will be interpreter for my many business dealings. I will call you “Quan. I will be your Quan Yi, Goddess of Mercy, and I will protect you as if you were my own child.” Tian thought, “First a new father and now a new mother and another name. What next?”
Then began two years of learning and serving as Akeu’s interpreter. Tian Lu Quan had great facility with languages. In a matter of weeks he could be fluent in a new language. He required contact with persons speaking a new language. As he listened, he clasped a piece of wolfberry root in his hand or pocket. A voice from the root translated the meaning of what he was hearing and put the words into his voice and memory. He soon spoke a half dozen Chinese dialects, as well as French, English, American English, German, and Portuguese. Everywhere Akeu went, so also went Tian Lu Quan. Akeu had established a major trade in sugar, cooking oil, and cotton. Her contacts included Tian's homeland. She sent word of Tian’s state of affairs to his father. Along with a quantity of wolfberries from home, came word that his father was well.
Akeu’s contacts also extended up the coast to Amoy and into all the inland waterways between Amoy and Canton. She owned or rented a large fleet of ships. She was continually dealing with both Chinese and foreign brokers for new and better vessels. Her constant companion was Tian Lu Quan.
Akeu also dealt in opium and gunpowder, both of which were easily hidden among the legal commodities. If a party had the price, either opium or gunpowder was available, usually within a few days of making the deal. Pirates and the Taiping were some of her best customers. The Americans and British could never seem to get enough opium.
Akeu had a British lover, Captain J. B. Endicott. He owned the United States receiving ship the Ruparell. He was also the key to Akeu’s gunpowder supplies. When in Canton, Akeu and the Captain had a family-like relationship. Endicott’s children and Tian lived with the parents in a rented house in Macao. Tian fit in well with two white children, and a Chinese stepmother. Tian’s English became perfect through his interaction with Endicott’s children. The children never went anywhere with Akeu and were jealous of the attention Tian received.
On one fun trip, Akeu met some British marines and negotiated the purchase of some six pounder canons. She explained that she could not pay such a large fee as they wanted until her contacts (the people wanting the cannons) paid her. She bought ten cannons on credit and a week later they were delivered to the Taiping at triple the already high price. Tian delivered the sales money to the marines. He was totally trusted.
At home, one of the most exciting activities was to watch vessels in the harbor through Akeu’s telescope. The children took turns watching, but Tian got most of the use because, even if miles away, he could read the lips of a person speaking. No matter what language, he could tell the children what the people were saying. They often thought he was just making things up, but in reality, he also had developed the talent of lip reading.
On one trip across Hong Kong harbor a British patrol boat confronted Akeu. The vessel she and Tian were aboard was loaded with illegal opium. As the patrol boat approached she and Tian jumped off the other side of the vessel and were pulled aboard a sampan. They disappeared in a maze of hundreds of other similar sampans.
Early in December 1851, a “business” associate of Akeu’s double crossed her and seized two of her boats in Amoy. She sent Tian Lu Quan to inform the double crossers that she had arranged for her “foreign friends to wipe them off the map.” They immediately turned the two boats over to Tian, along with a large amount of silver. Tian Lu sent the two boats back to Canton, but neither he nor the silver returned.
Captain Endicott had also given Tian a packet of some importance to be delivered to a Captain Cass. His ship, the Thetis, was docked in Amoy. Captain Cass had been in Amoy since early October. During that time he had recruited 195 Chinese laborers for transport to San Francisco. Captain Cass was most impressed with Tian’s facility with languages. Cass reasoned that such a person would be of much value in brokering good prices when placing the Chinese laborers in San Francisco. The conversation between the two went like this.
Captain Cass: “Tell me how you know Captain Endicott.” Tian openly shared his experiences with Endicott and Akeu. “Well, that not only explains your American accent, but also how trusted you must be.”
At that point Raven landed on the seaward side of the ship. He cocked his head to the side and pointed his beak to the east. As the Cass-Tian conversation continued, Raven repeated the east pointing gesture a number of times.
Captain Cass, “How would you like to go to America?” At that point Raven nodded his head up and down. Tian looked at Raven, then Cass, then to the east. In his pack was a considerable amount of silver.
Escape
Tian Lu was not comfortable with any of the Taiping leaders. They were very much at
war with the Qing rulers and also with each other. In Tian's mind this was not Heaven on Earth. Tian had heard many phantom voices in his short life, but the Taiping voices were not calming.
It was Raven who comforted Tian. On a forested hillside, Tian and Raven discussed the situation. Tian did most of the talking. Raven mostly nodded his head up and down or from side to side. Sometimes he would roll his head back and emit a loud “kuak.”
“I do not like my new name.” Raven just rolled his head back. “I will keep my old name.” Raven nodes his head up and down. “Hong is not my father.” Raven let out a “kuak.”
“I might have a Father in Heaven, a Mother and brothers and sisters, but if they are really there I don’t think they would let these people speak for them.” Raven moved his head from side to side. “I thought I was coming here to help heal some sick people. These people are spiritually ill, and I do not have the skills, authority or herbs to heal such illness.”
Raven agreed and then intently looking at Tian, Raven said, “You must leave here at once. Go to Canton.”
Taking only the clothes he was wearing Tian left that night. Early in the morning he came upon a Chinese teacher who had a home in the hills. The teacher ran a school for the children of the Miao. He too was a God Worshiper. Tian Lu explained that he had been commanded to go to Canton. He did not tell the teacher the order came from Raven. The teacher assumed Hong had sent his son on an errand. The teacher arranged for a man to accompany Tian to the closest river port and see him on board a boat for Canton. The teacher also gave Tian some money. The trip down the river was uneventful. Tian Lu arrived in Canton in late August of 1848.
Money gone, Tian walked down the gangplank into what seemed like a sea of people. Fearing being swallowed up by the masses of people, Tian sat down on one of the many barrels lined up along the dock. A woman approached him and asked, “Who gave you permission to sit on my gunpowder?”
Gunpowder! A woman with gunpowder! Tian could make no response. Even more frightening were the dozen or so fierce looking men behind her. Then the woman noticed Tian’s eyes. “Who are you? Where do you come from?” She was even more frightening than Hong.
Then Raven landed on a barrel next to Tian. He nodded his head up and down. Over the next hour Tian told the woman his life story. He shared his fear of Hong and more importantly some of his knowledge of plant spirit healing.
“My name is Akeu, I will protect you from evil. You speak with me in my dialect. You can be my voice. I will have you taught in many languages. In return, you will be interpreter for my many business dealings. I will call you “Quan. I will be your Quan Yi, Goddess of Mercy, and I will protect you as if you were my own child.” Tian thought, “First a new father and now a new mother and another name. What next?”
Then began two years of learning and serving as Akeu’s interpreter. Tian Lu Quan had great facility with languages. In a matter of weeks he could be fluent in a new language. He required contact with persons speaking a new language. As he listened, he clasped a piece of wolfberry root in his hand or pocket. A voice from the root translated the meaning of what he was hearing and put the words into his voice and memory. He soon spoke a half dozen Chinese dialects, as well as French, English, American English, German, and Portuguese. Everywhere Akeu went, so also went Tian Lu Quan. Akeu had established a major trade in sugar, cooking oil, and cotton. Her contacts included Tian's homeland. She sent word of Tian’s state of affairs to his father. Along with a quantity of wolfberries from home, came word that his father was well.
Akeu’s contacts also extended up the coast to Amoy and into all the inland waterways between Amoy and Canton. She owned or rented a large fleet of ships. She was continually dealing with both Chinese and foreign brokers for new and better vessels. Her constant companion was Tian Lu Quan.
Akeu also dealt in opium and gunpowder, both of which were easily hidden among the legal commodities. If a party had the price, either opium or gunpowder was available, usually within a few days of making the deal. Pirates and the Taiping were some of her best customers. The Americans and British could never seem to get enough opium.
Akeu had a British lover, Captain J. B. Endicott. He owned the United States receiving ship the Ruparell. He was also the key to Akeu’s gunpowder supplies. When in Canton, Akeu and the Captain had a family-like relationship. Endicott’s children and Tian lived with the parents in a rented house in Macao. Tian fit in well with two white children, and a Chinese stepmother. Tian’s English became perfect through his interaction with Endicott’s children. The children never went anywhere with Akeu and were jealous of the attention Tian received.
On one fun trip, Akeu met some British marines and negotiated the purchase of some six pounder canons. She explained that she could not pay such a large fee as they wanted until her contacts (the people wanting the cannons) paid her. She bought ten cannons on credit and a week later they were delivered to the Taiping at triple the already high price. Tian delivered the sales money to the marines. He was totally trusted.
At home, one of the most exciting activities was to watch vessels in the harbor through Akeu’s telescope. The children took turns watching, but Tian got most of the use because, even if miles away, he could read the lips of a person speaking. No matter what language, he could tell the children what the people were saying. They often thought he was just making things up, but in reality, he also had developed the talent of lip reading.
On one trip across Hong Kong harbor a British patrol boat confronted Akeu. The vessel she and Tian were aboard was loaded with illegal opium. As the patrol boat approached she and Tian jumped off the other side of the vessel and were pulled aboard a sampan. They disappeared in a maze of hundreds of other similar sampans.
Early in December 1851, a “business” associate of Akeu’s double crossed her and seized two of her boats in Amoy. She sent Tian Lu Quan to inform the double crossers that she had arranged for her “foreign friends to wipe them off the map.” They immediately turned the two boats over to Tian, along with a large amount of silver. Tian Lu sent the two boats back to Canton, but neither he nor the silver returned.
Captain Endicott had also given Tian a packet of some importance to be delivered to a Captain Cass. His ship, the Thetis, was docked in Amoy. Captain Cass had been in Amoy since early October. During that time he had recruited 195 Chinese laborers for transport to San Francisco. Captain Cass was most impressed with Tian’s facility with languages. Cass reasoned that such a person would be of much value in brokering good prices when placing the Chinese laborers in San Francisco. The conversation between the two went like this.
Captain Cass: “Tell me how you know Captain Endicott.” Tian openly shared his experiences with Endicott and Akeu. “Well, that not only explains your American accent, but also how trusted you must be.”
At that point Raven landed on the seaward side of the ship. He cocked his head to the side and pointed his beak to the east. As the Cass-Tian conversation continued, Raven repeated the east pointing gesture a number of times.
Captain Cass, “How would you like to go to America?” At that point Raven nodded his head up and down. Tian looked at Raven, then Cass, then to the east. In his pack was a considerable amount of silver.
Canton
Chapter Nine
Captain’s Steward
Tian Lu was signed on as “Captain's Steward.” The Thetis was a ship of 460 tons and was owned by a London firm. Captain Cass, Robert Westworth, and a crew of twenty British had departed England on March 2, 1850. When they returned in October 1853, only Cass and Westworth were still with the ship. Both of these individuals reminded Tian Lu of Akeu and Endicott. Tian never mentioned the large amount of silver in his possession.
Among the 200 Chinese on board were a few ticket holders, most of whom were booked for San Francisco. There were no women among either the crew or the passengers. As Captain’s Steward, Tian Lu supervised all the ship’s stewards, the cooking staff, and the servants. He was also the captain’s personal cook. Tian Lu stocked the ship for the voyage from China to Honolulu, with the intent to restock there for the passage to San Francisco. With such a diverse group of voyagers, one menu could not fit all. The British were easy; dried beef, beans, flat bread, butter, and potatoes were daily fare. Sufficient alcohol kept the food and tempers down.
The fare for the Chinese workers was also relatively simple. Rice and crackers, kept down with tea, served three times a day. Some variation was added with dried oysters and fish, salted cabbage, dried fruits and dried vegetables. Each person also received a hand full of dried wolfberries every day.
The ticket paying Chinese had the above diet enhanced with dried bamboo shoots, Chinese sugar, dried seaweed, Chinese bacon, dried abalone, dried mushrooms, peanut oil, and fresh pork, duck, and chicken. Tian was instructed to spare no cost in providing the best for the paying passengers. It was evident that they had more invested in the voyage than a ticket.
Captain Cass ate the same food every day. His morning meal was a cup of green tea, half of which was rum, and biscuits. During the day he chewed on dried beef and flat bread almost constantly. Cass never drank water, but had his own supply of a fermented drink similar to ale. Tian Lu did not know where he had obtained it. The cache of ale occupied a large space in the captain’s cabin. He ate his evening meal with the crew.
The voyage from Amoy to Honolulu was largely uneventful. Tian served regularly as translator between Cass and the ticket holding Chinese. Most were bound for San Francisco and clearly were looking to make lots of money. They were very impressed with Cass and his ability to recruit and not only keep alive, but also keep the shipload of workers healthy. Deaths on most ships carrying Chinese workers were very common. On this voyage there had been neither death nor illness. Little did they realize the key was not Captain Cass, but rather Tian’s food.
Upon arrival in Honolulu there was much bargaining among the local planters wanting to convince Cass to sell his current load of workers to them. The Chinese ticket holders put a quick end to that possibility. It was evident that they had other plans for their fellow countrymen when they arrived in San Francisco.
Not to miss a dollar, Cass made arrangements to deliver his next shipload of Chinese to Honolulu. Bargaining was a bit of a challenge as neither Cass nor Tian spoke the Hawaiian language, and few of the planters spoke English. In a dingy office on Merchant Street, Cass learned that the last effort to recruit Chinese workers had gone astray. On the second of November, a man by the name Herbertsen had left for China with a large sum of planter’s money and they had not heard from him again. The planters were convinced that Cass would be more dependable and honest because he would not give up his current load of Chinese for any price. Cass had said, “No, I have been paid to deliver these workers to San Francisco. I can’t go back on my word.” The reality was that some of the ticket holding Chinese on board were really in control. Had he sold any of their workers, he would have been a dead man. Tian understood their language well.
The outcome was that Cass received $50 each for the promise to deliver 150 Chinese workers on his next trip. This was already a very good deal for Cass as he could get the 150 in Amoy for $3.00 each. Upon delivery, he was to receive an additional $50 for each healthy worker. To make the pot even richer, Cass was commissioned and prepaid to bring exotic plants from China, such as oranges, kumquat, and lychee.
Between these negotiations, Tian and a few of his kitchen help made hast to restock for the trip to San Francisco. In the process of bargaining over the price of pineapples one of the cooks who could not understand what the Hawaiian grower was saying, got angry and threw a pineapple at the grower, who then drew a pistol and shot over the heads of the three negotiating men. Tian stood his ground, but the other two took off running. The grower took another shot at the man who had thrown the pineapple and hit him in the leg. The wound was not serious. When the police arrived, Tian explained in English what had happened. The shooter was arrested.
The next day, Tian was summoned to appear in the court to testify against the shooter. The grower was found guilty and fined five dollars and sentenced to one hour in jail. Tian learned that white man’s justice did not extend to the Chinese.
The Thetis sailed for San Francisco on May 2, 1851. As before, the trip from Honolulu to San Francisco was uneventful. Soon after tying up at the dock in San Francisco Tian Lu, with his few belongings disappeared into the early morning fog coming in off the bay. He shuddered to think of what Captain Cass would do to him if found.
Chapter 10
An Unlikely Connection
In June of 1846, there were about 15,000 Latter Day Saints strung out across Iowa. Forced by mobs to leave their comfortable homes in Nauvoo, they had endured incredible hardships. They had no homes and only the few belongings they could carry on their backs or in wagons. Many were bitter because of the disinterest shown by the U. S. government in their plight.
On January 26, 1846, Brigham Young sent a letter to Jessie C. Little, presiding elder over the New England and Middle States Mission, instructing Little to meet with government officials in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meeting was to seek aid for the migrating Saints in the form of compensation for building trails, forts, and ferries on their trek west. Little arrived in Washington just eight days after congress had declared war on Mexico. Little made the case for building forts to defend the west. President Polk offered to aid the pioneers by asking them to raise a battalion of men to fight in the Mexican war. His proposal was for 500 men to join General Stephen W. Kearny, Commander of the Army of the West, and fight for the United States. Little accepted the offer.
In July 1846 Captain James Allen confronted the Mormons with the request for 500 enlistees. With the urging of Brigham Young, 543 men were mustered at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Thus the so-called “Mormon Battalion” was formed. The men left Council Bluffs on July 20, and arrived at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on the first day of August. They were outfitted for the journey to Santa Fe. Since military uniforms were not mandatory, the clothing allowance of $42 was in many cases sent to families in the Iowa encampments.
The only battle fought by the battalion was the “Battle of the Bulls.” While moving up the San Pedro River in present day Arizona, a column of soldiers was attack by a herd of cattle. A number of bulls were killed and two men were wounded. Continuing west the battalion reached Mission San Diego late in January 1847. On January 30, Colonel Cook issued orders praising the accomplishments of the Mormon Battalion.
Historically no other infantry march was its equal. The battalion members had been through an uncharted wilderness inhabited by hostile Indians and wild beasts, endured desert heat and a nearly unbearable lack of water. The 2000-mile march from Iowa to California was one of the longest military marches in U.S. history.
During the remainder of their enlistment, they did garrison duty and worked on community projects. They were discharged on July 16, 1847 in Los Angeles. Eighty-one men chose to reenlist for an additional eight months. About 276 of the discharged headed northeast to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake to seek out family and friends they had left in Iowa, or to find some who were still on the plains of Iowa and Nebraska.
Two smaller groups of men went north to Sutter’s Fort and then headed east on the California Trail. Near Truckee Lake they met the Captain James Brown and Sam Brannan party coming west from the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Brown carried a letter from Brigham Young instructing the troops to stay in California until spring, unless they had enough food with them to last the winter. Supplies were short in the Valley. About 100 stayed in Northern California for the winter. Most found work with Captain John Sutter.
Sutter wanted to build a mill on the American Fork River. His dilemma during the summer of 1847, was that the white workers available to him could not be trusted to do the job without constant supervision. Then the over 100 Mormon Battalion members appeared on the scene. They camped on the river about two miles from Sutter’s Fort. The group included carpenters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, millwrights, farmers and common workers. They were willing to work for food, horses, cattle, and outfitting to travel east the next summer, if they could not be paid in money.
Within days of their arrival, Sutter decided to construct a sawmill and a gristmill. Without the arrival of the Battalion, the discovery of gold would have been delayed, and the entrance to San Francisco Bay might never have been named “Golden Gate.”
Mormon labor soon commenced on the construction of a seven-mile long millrace that was to serve the gristmill and also provide irrigation water. Henry W. Bigler, James Berger, William Johnson, Azariel Smith, James S. Brown, and Israel Evans were hired to work with Sutter’s partner, James W. Marshall.
The mill site was on a bend in the river, on the bank of what appeared to be an old riverbed. By mid January, after some adjustments in the flow of water, the mill was up and running. It was customary to raise the mill gates at the end of the workday to let the water in the race wash away the loose sand and gravel that had accumulated during the day. On the eventful day Mr. Marshall came down to inspect the site. As he stepped to where the raceway water entered the river he noticed a seam of rock that had been exposed by the previous nights water flow. Henry Bigler was instructed to get a pan so that Marshall could wash some of the sand and gravel. There was no gold.
The next morning all were awakened by the sound of Marshall shutting down the water flow. This was January 24, 1848. Much to the excitement of all, Marshall had indeed found gold. Over the next few days, three to four ounces of gold were found in nearby rock crevasses. Some days later, H. W. Bigler went out in the morning to hunt ducks. He returned in the evening with no ducks, but with about half an ounce of gold in his handkerchief. In fact he had found gold in over a dozen different places. The secret was soon out. Word traveled to a small grocery store at Sutter’s Fort. A fellow Mormon named Smith ran the store for Samuel Brannan, who was at that time also publishing a newspaper in San Francisco. Smith sent the newsworthy item to Brannan..
Upon receiving Smith’s letter, Brannan immediately left for Sutter’s Fort and places along the American Fork River to see if the rumors were true. True they were, and he returned to San Francisco to publish the news in the California Star. Before doing so, he proceeded to buy up all the food, clothing, picks, shovels, and pans he could find, thus assuring his monopoly on gold prospecting supplies. He then printed news of the gold finds and displayed enough gold to start the gold rush, nearly emptying San Francisco of people. A pan he had purchased for twenty cents was sold for $15. His store was bringing in over $5,000 a day.
At a spot about fifteen miles up the river from the grist mill over 100 Mormons filed claims on what became known as Mormon Island. It was here that the rocker for washing gold was invented, which was much more efficient than the jack knives, butcher knives, and even table spoons that were used by the multitude of prospectors. Every crevasse seemed to hold gold.
Yes, it was James W. Marshall who discovered first color, but in less than an hour, six Mormons found gold as well and in less than a week had found gold in hundreds of places Marshall had never seen.
An Unlikely Connection
In June of 1846, there were about 15,000 Latter Day Saints strung out across Iowa. Forced by mobs to leave their comfortable homes in Nauvoo, they had endured incredible hardships. They had no homes and only the few belongings they could carry on their backs or in wagons. Many were bitter because of the disinterest shown by the U. S. government in their plight.
On January 26, 1846, Brigham Young sent a letter to Jessie C. Little, presiding elder over the New England and Middle States Mission, instructing Little to meet with government officials in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meeting was to seek aid for the migrating Saints in the form of compensation for building trails, forts, and ferries on their trek west. Little arrived in Washington just eight days after congress had declared war on Mexico. Little made the case for building forts to defend the west. President Polk offered to aid the pioneers by asking them to raise a battalion of men to fight in the Mexican war. His proposal was for 500 men to join General Stephen W. Kearny, Commander of the Army of the West, and fight for the United States. Little accepted the offer.
In July 1846 Captain James Allen confronted the Mormons with the request for 500 enlistees. With the urging of Brigham Young, 543 men were mustered at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Thus the so-called “Mormon Battalion” was formed. The men left Council Bluffs on July 20, and arrived at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on the first day of August. They were outfitted for the journey to Santa Fe. Since military uniforms were not mandatory, the clothing allowance of $42 was in many cases sent to families in the Iowa encampments.
The only battle fought by the battalion was the “Battle of the Bulls.” While moving up the San Pedro River in present day Arizona, a column of soldiers was attack by a herd of cattle. A number of bulls were killed and two men were wounded. Continuing west the battalion reached Mission San Diego late in January 1847. On January 30, Colonel Cook issued orders praising the accomplishments of the Mormon Battalion.
Historically no other infantry march was its equal. The battalion members had been through an uncharted wilderness inhabited by hostile Indians and wild beasts, endured desert heat and a nearly unbearable lack of water. The 2000-mile march from Iowa to California was one of the longest military marches in U.S. history.
During the remainder of their enlistment, they did garrison duty and worked on community projects. They were discharged on July 16, 1847 in Los Angeles. Eighty-one men chose to reenlist for an additional eight months. About 276 of the discharged headed northeast to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake to seek out family and friends they had left in Iowa, or to find some who were still on the plains of Iowa and Nebraska.
Two smaller groups of men went north to Sutter’s Fort and then headed east on the California Trail. Near Truckee Lake they met the Captain James Brown and Sam Brannan party coming west from the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Brown carried a letter from Brigham Young instructing the troops to stay in California until spring, unless they had enough food with them to last the winter. Supplies were short in the Valley. About 100 stayed in Northern California for the winter. Most found work with Captain John Sutter.
Sutter wanted to build a mill on the American Fork River. His dilemma during the summer of 1847, was that the white workers available to him could not be trusted to do the job without constant supervision. Then the over 100 Mormon Battalion members appeared on the scene. They camped on the river about two miles from Sutter’s Fort. The group included carpenters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, millwrights, farmers and common workers. They were willing to work for food, horses, cattle, and outfitting to travel east the next summer, if they could not be paid in money.
Within days of their arrival, Sutter decided to construct a sawmill and a gristmill. Without the arrival of the Battalion, the discovery of gold would have been delayed, and the entrance to San Francisco Bay might never have been named “Golden Gate.”
Mormon labor soon commenced on the construction of a seven-mile long millrace that was to serve the gristmill and also provide irrigation water. Henry W. Bigler, James Berger, William Johnson, Azariel Smith, James S. Brown, and Israel Evans were hired to work with Sutter’s partner, James W. Marshall.
The mill site was on a bend in the river, on the bank of what appeared to be an old riverbed. By mid January, after some adjustments in the flow of water, the mill was up and running. It was customary to raise the mill gates at the end of the workday to let the water in the race wash away the loose sand and gravel that had accumulated during the day. On the eventful day Mr. Marshall came down to inspect the site. As he stepped to where the raceway water entered the river he noticed a seam of rock that had been exposed by the previous nights water flow. Henry Bigler was instructed to get a pan so that Marshall could wash some of the sand and gravel. There was no gold.
The next morning all were awakened by the sound of Marshall shutting down the water flow. This was January 24, 1848. Much to the excitement of all, Marshall had indeed found gold. Over the next few days, three to four ounces of gold were found in nearby rock crevasses. Some days later, H. W. Bigler went out in the morning to hunt ducks. He returned in the evening with no ducks, but with about half an ounce of gold in his handkerchief. In fact he had found gold in over a dozen different places. The secret was soon out. Word traveled to a small grocery store at Sutter’s Fort. A fellow Mormon named Smith ran the store for Samuel Brannan, who was at that time also publishing a newspaper in San Francisco. Smith sent the newsworthy item to Brannan..
Upon receiving Smith’s letter, Brannan immediately left for Sutter’s Fort and places along the American Fork River to see if the rumors were true. True they were, and he returned to San Francisco to publish the news in the California Star. Before doing so, he proceeded to buy up all the food, clothing, picks, shovels, and pans he could find, thus assuring his monopoly on gold prospecting supplies. He then printed news of the gold finds and displayed enough gold to start the gold rush, nearly emptying San Francisco of people. A pan he had purchased for twenty cents was sold for $15. His store was bringing in over $5,000 a day.
At a spot about fifteen miles up the river from the grist mill over 100 Mormons filed claims on what became known as Mormon Island. It was here that the rocker for washing gold was invented, which was much more efficient than the jack knives, butcher knives, and even table spoons that were used by the multitude of prospectors. Every crevasse seemed to hold gold.
Yes, it was James W. Marshall who discovered first color, but in less than an hour, six Mormons found gold as well and in less than a week had found gold in hundreds of places Marshall had never seen.
Sutter's Mill
Chapter 11
1851
While in Hawaii, Tian Lu had associated with a number of merchants who were food suppliers for the passage to San Francisco. Among these men was an individual who suggested that Tian Lu skip ship as soon as they docked in San Francisco. He told Tian to get out of the employ of Captain Cass.
The man’s name was Hung Wah. He dealt in dried fish, dried seafood, and dried fruit and had connections in both San Francisco and China. He had been impressed by the message of the Taiping, Heaven on Earth, but felt that the rebellion in China was a shameful loss of life. He told Tian Lu that a man named Samuel Brannan had sent buyers to Hawaii. These people told a story about a man in America who had also seen God.
Tian had not been impressed by the God story, but was very receptive to the information supplied about Samuel Brannan. Hung Wah supplied enough information about this man so that Tian was certain he could find him when he arrived in San Francisco.
As Tian slipped through the fog into the dark streets of San Francisco, he could hear familiar voices. He thought, “Surely America must be largely populated by Chinese. I hear no other languages spoken.” It was rare that he heard a woman’s voice, but clearly there were many Chinese men on every street and in every building he passed. Not only were the voices familiar, so were the smells. Dried fish, oyster paste, red bean paste, smoke from oil burnt in a wok, all reminded him of home.
Coming out of a dark alley, Tian Lu noticed a doorway that was well lit with lanterns. The door was bright red and a Chinese dragon seemed to beckon him to come closer. He could hear a woman’s voice coming from the shadows. Her dialect was Cantonese. She stopped talking as Tian approached, and the man she was talking to disappeared into the shadows. She spoke to Tian in very good English. He returned her greeting in Cantonese.
“My name is Tian Lu. I have just come from a ship in the harbor and I need a place to stay for the night.”
The woman replied, “My name is Ah Toy. You may stay at this house for the night.” Ah Toy proceeded to shut down all the lanterns and then bid Tian to follow her up the steps and through the red door. The room was permeated with the smell of incense.
Over tea and rice, the two Chinese immigrants shared their life stories. Ah Toy said she had come to America to “better her condition.” She said a man named Brannan had given her a bag of gold shortly after she arrived in San Francisco. He was drunk and bragged about stealing God’s gold and giving it to the poor.
Tian interrupted her. “Was this man Samuel Brannan?”
“Yes,” answered Ah Toy, “How do you know this name?”
Tian shared the experience he had with Hung Wah in Hawaii.
“I will take you to meet him in the morning.” Ah Toy continued her story. She had used the gold to purchase this house. The red door was the symbol of her trade. She let it be known that when the lanterns were lit, men were invited to come to visit for a price. The original visitors were mostly miners, but soon the clientele evolved to mostly rich merchants. Nights were then less busy, but much more profitable. Ah Toy slept in the mornings and studied the California judicial system in the afternoon. Many of her night time guests also shared information about courts, laws and criminal acts. She wanted to be a lawyer.
Ah Toy told Tian about her second court case. She went to court because some miners had paid her with brass instead of gold. Ah Toy had discovered the brass fillings and tied them to specific miners. The judge indicated that he found it hard to believe that the two men she identified would be so dishonest or even come to her place of business. Ah Toy presented a basin filled with the brass fillings as evidence and then identified several persons in the courtroom who were guilty of the same crime. She dropped the charges, made a few enemies, but greatly impressed the judge.
Her dress for the above case was most impressive. She came into the courtroom dressed in an apricot satin jacket and willow green pantaloon. Her long raven black hair was arranged in a chignon and her eyebrows were thin black penciling. Her cheeks were rice powdered and snow white. Yes, all present were impressed. There was no other lawyer like Ah Toy.
Ah Toy explained to Tian that money flowed into her place like liquid gold. “Soon I will go home to China.”
It was nearly dawn when the stories were over. Both fell asleep in the chairs where they sat.
Morning fog shrouded the sun. It was late morning when the sun finally broke through the fog. Tian woke with a start. It took a few moments for him to orient himself. It all came back as Ah Toy entered the room with teacakes and herb tea. Upon looking at Tian in the morning light she exclaimed, “You have blue eyes!” Over breakfast she learned of Tian’s origins in Uyghur.
“Blue eyes and long black hair. That will never do. If you are going to meet Brannan the hair has got to go.”
An hour later they were leaving the house. Tian’s head was covered with a cap. On the way to the California Star printing office, Ah Toy explained her plan. A group of merchants, led by Brannan, had just formed a vigilante committee. The purpose of the group was to take charge of law and order and see to it that offenders were punished.
Lawlessness was rampant. Most of the police force had gone gold prospecting. Immigrants were coming by the hundreds every day. Included among the immigrants were some of the worst of the worst criminals and paroled convicts from Australia. The “Sydney Ducks” operated unchecked. Robberies, midnight assaults ending in murders, gambling, and starting fires to divert attention while shops or homes were plundered were daily events. Ah Toy said she feared these people.
Her plan was for Tian Lu to be her representative on the Vigilante Committee, for no women were allowed to be involved. She reasoned that as a wealthy businesswoman, she should be allowed representation. Besides, she explained to Tian that many committee members “owed her a favor.”
Samuel Brannan was surprised to see Ah Toy in the company of a blue eyed, very sun tanned kid. “Ah Toy, you always look so beautiful, and who is this boy with you?”
“He is a student of law and language from a province in far western China. He fluently speaks many languages, plus many dialects of Chinese. I have hired him to represent me on the Vigilante Committee, if you will have him.”
Over the next hour the three of them discussed crime, the shortcomings of the judicial system, and what measures were used in China to thwart crime. Tian shared at length what he knew about how the leaders of the Taiping rebellion controlled people. Brannan listened intently. His only comment was, “If only Joseph had been so bold.”
Neither Ah Toy nor Tian Lu knew about Brannan’s dealings with the Mormons. Brannan had recently gone back east to try to persuade Brigham Young to come to California rather than remain in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. His proposal was rejected and Brannan returned to California where he posed as a Church leader. He used the Church’s printing press to publish the California Star. For years he had collected tithing money from Mormons in California. None of this money was ever sent back to Church headquarters. Ah Toy speculated that she had been given some of this money.
Tian Lu was given a small room at the California Star offices. In a matter of a few weeks he was totally informed on what was happening in San Francisco. The newspaper office was his early morning classroom. Later in the day he interacted with newly arrived immigrants. At night he often roamed the dark alleys, listening to conversations in many languages. When the Committee met, Tian knew more about local affairs than any of the rich businessmen. He often suggested a little Taiping justice.
During one meeting, the “Committee Alert” was given. The Monumental Fire Engine Company bell was tolled. A man by the name of John Jenkins was caught robbing a safe. Jenkins was a known Australian criminal and was just the type of person the Committee had been discussing. After a very short trial, Jenkins was found guilty. He remained aloof, even arrogant and unafraid. He had survived both English and Australian justice and was not about to succumb to these, “wealthy crooks.” He expected the group to cave in to his glare and the threat that he had many “friends.” In the balance, were a small group of peaceful merchants versus all of the scum of San Francisco.
Tian whispered a message to Brannan. “The word has gone out that one of theirs is about to be hanged. They are gathering for a rescue. You need to act now!”
Earlier, the prisoner had demanded a clergyman, who turned out to be a fellow thief. The clergyman had been praying for Jenkins’s soul for 45 minutes. Brannan whispered to a Mr. Ryhman, “Do it now.”
Ryhman addressed the clergyman, “Mr. Minister, with all due respect, you have been praying for this crook for three fourths of an hour. Say ‘Amen” and bring this prayer business to a close. We are going to hang Jenkins in fifteen minutes.”
William Howard stood up, laid his revolver on the table and slowly and clearly stated, “Gentlemen, as I understand it, we are going to hang somebody.” There was consensus.
Brannan and Tian were sent out to communicate with the crowd in the street. They had about ten minutes to get the crowd under control. Tian faded into the crowd while Brannan shouted down the curses and threats from the mob. It was his sense of humor that calmed the crowd. “Now what are all you good men collecting here for? Surely not to defend this man Jenkins. England sent him to prison in Australia and the Aussies sent him to us because they could not stand the odor. Even as I speak, he has sent his cronies among you to lift your wallets and pocket watches. If you don’t believe me, check your pockets.”
Five men began shouting, “My wallet is gone.” One more was missing a pocket watch.
“Come on up here,” invited Brannan.
Soon the tide had turned. There was consensus that the likes of Jenkins should be hung. The mob wanted justice and they wanted it now. Brannan concluded with, “Does the committee action meet your approval?” The response was, “Hang him.”
Ryhman had obtained two ropes and led the committee members and most of the mob to the Plaza, where Jenkins was hung. A few of the lawless element gathered in small groups to plan a response, but it was too late. Jenkins was already swinging from a rope and the majority of people felt justice had been done. The committee had made it clear that this would not be the last hanging.
Tian Lu rejoined Brannan, who asked two questions, “Well, how much did you get? Let me see the watch?” Brannan laughed and slapped Tian on the back. “ Good job, you will make a great lawyer.” The next day all 180 committee members had their names published in the California Star. Other hangings did follow.
Meanwhile, Brannan’s store was doing very well. Monthly proceeds exceeded $150,000.
Chapter 12
The Company You Keep
Fall, 1851 was particularly wet and dreary in San Francisco. Samuel Brannan, Ah Toy, and Tian Lu sat around a small table at the rear of Ah Toy’s red door house. Ah Toy and Tian were drinking tea. Brannan added rum to his hot tea. They were discussing the influx of thousands of Chinese who were coming for gold. Brannan indicated that soon the Chinese would be persecuted. He said they were much like the Mormons in New York State, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. Everything they touched, figuratively, turned to gold. Because of hard work even the laundries prospered, notwithstanding the fact that the owner of the laundry might be putting in twenty hours of work a day. “If you look different, believe different, and are prosperous you are in for trouble.”
Ah Toy’s legal background was reflected in her desire to legally bring “employees” from China to San Francisco. She wanted to bring more Chinese woman to America. She reasoned, “Many Chinese gold miners have struck it rich, also there are many successful Chinese business men. Very few have wives. Why not set up a bride service? The men would pay a good price for a Chinese wife.”
The Vigilante Committee had heightened moral awareness and crime was down. Brannan wondered, “What will happen to all the miners when the gold runs out? I think the Chinese will be the only ones willing to take on whatever jobs are available. If they were legal citizens they would be easier to employ.”
Tian offered a suggestion, “There are many Chinese who have accepted Christianity in China. The Taiping Rebellion has opened the door to western religion, and also created chaos in China. Why not go to China and recruit Chinese Christian converts to come to San Francisco?”
Brannan asked, “What makes you think a Chinese Christian would be treated any better than a Chinese heathen?”
Ah Toy responded, “You have a point. Being a Christian does not make you legal. I have another idea. Tian and I are considered citizens of San Francisco. We are as much so as you are Samuel. None of us has papers to prove we belong here, but we own property and pay taxes. We are on the city records. We are not alone, there are hundreds of Chinese that are here and legally own property. Each such person has family in China. I can find 500 such Chinese and they can say they have wives and family in China. Therefore their families should be allowed to be citizens here also. Five hundred, with a wife and four children and you have 2500 legal immigrants. As an added insurance, they must be Christian.” Thus was born the concept of paper sons and daughters.
Brannan exclaimed, “Tian, you get the names and I will print the needed documents. Ah Toy, you will get your brides and I will get the laborers I need for a railroad venture I am interested in.”
After more discussion, a plan emerged. Tian was to get the required information from as many Chinese land owners as possible, but not so many that the desired number of immigrants exceeded 500 persons, with a ratio of four men for every woman, except that if a current Chinese resident and land owner wished to import a wife, she would not be counted in the total. He would pay an up-front fee of $200 for her emigration expenses. In most cases the family members in China only exited on paper.
Ah Toy and Brannan agreed to cover all expenses. Brannan indicated he knew just the person to help pull the venture off; a Christian named Hung Wah, who lived in Hawaii. Tian said, “I know that man. He was the one who sent me to you.”
It took less than two weeks to get the required names and paperwork done. Signatures, fees, and property records were all put in order.
One contact made by Tian, was a friend named Yee. The two of them had shared information on herbal medicines. They both knew Hung Wah. Yee regularly imported herbs from Hawaii and Hung Wah was his supplier. When Yee found that Tian was going to Hawaii, Yee asked him to carry his next order and payment with him. He also supplied the fee for a wife.
Yee, at age twenty five had found gold panning less than desirable so he unpacked his herbs and began treating his countrymen. He would later treat the California governor’s wife for a pulmonary problem. The treatment cured her, but today the ephedrine-loaded herb is banned.
The final challenge was to have the documents signed by the Governor of California. In May 1851, John Bigler had been nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for governor. This was to be the first general election after achieving statehood and Bigler needed help. Brannan approached Bigler and introduced himself as a member of the Vigilante Committee. Brannan suggested that Bigler sign the immigration documents, as governor, and in return he would see to it that the 180 Vigilante members would get him elected. Bigler signed all 500 documents over the title Governor of California.
Bigler was elected by a margin of only 1000 votes. Brannan’s influence may have made the difference.
Not to be outdone, Bigler went on to capitalize on the Chinese immigration situation by placing a $3.00 tax on all exiting Chinese laborers and created a $50 per head tax for Chinese entering California ports, payable within three days of entering the country.
The Company You Keep
Fall, 1851 was particularly wet and dreary in San Francisco. Samuel Brannan, Ah Toy, and Tian Lu sat around a small table at the rear of Ah Toy’s red door house. Ah Toy and Tian were drinking tea. Brannan added rum to his hot tea. They were discussing the influx of thousands of Chinese who were coming for gold. Brannan indicated that soon the Chinese would be persecuted. He said they were much like the Mormons in New York State, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. Everything they touched, figuratively, turned to gold. Because of hard work even the laundries prospered, notwithstanding the fact that the owner of the laundry might be putting in twenty hours of work a day. “If you look different, believe different, and are prosperous you are in for trouble.”
Ah Toy’s legal background was reflected in her desire to legally bring “employees” from China to San Francisco. She wanted to bring more Chinese woman to America. She reasoned, “Many Chinese gold miners have struck it rich, also there are many successful Chinese business men. Very few have wives. Why not set up a bride service? The men would pay a good price for a Chinese wife.”
The Vigilante Committee had heightened moral awareness and crime was down. Brannan wondered, “What will happen to all the miners when the gold runs out? I think the Chinese will be the only ones willing to take on whatever jobs are available. If they were legal citizens they would be easier to employ.”
Tian offered a suggestion, “There are many Chinese who have accepted Christianity in China. The Taiping Rebellion has opened the door to western religion, and also created chaos in China. Why not go to China and recruit Chinese Christian converts to come to San Francisco?”
Brannan asked, “What makes you think a Chinese Christian would be treated any better than a Chinese heathen?”
Ah Toy responded, “You have a point. Being a Christian does not make you legal. I have another idea. Tian and I are considered citizens of San Francisco. We are as much so as you are Samuel. None of us has papers to prove we belong here, but we own property and pay taxes. We are on the city records. We are not alone, there are hundreds of Chinese that are here and legally own property. Each such person has family in China. I can find 500 such Chinese and they can say they have wives and family in China. Therefore their families should be allowed to be citizens here also. Five hundred, with a wife and four children and you have 2500 legal immigrants. As an added insurance, they must be Christian.” Thus was born the concept of paper sons and daughters.
Brannan exclaimed, “Tian, you get the names and I will print the needed documents. Ah Toy, you will get your brides and I will get the laborers I need for a railroad venture I am interested in.”
After more discussion, a plan emerged. Tian was to get the required information from as many Chinese land owners as possible, but not so many that the desired number of immigrants exceeded 500 persons, with a ratio of four men for every woman, except that if a current Chinese resident and land owner wished to import a wife, she would not be counted in the total. He would pay an up-front fee of $200 for her emigration expenses. In most cases the family members in China only exited on paper.
Ah Toy and Brannan agreed to cover all expenses. Brannan indicated he knew just the person to help pull the venture off; a Christian named Hung Wah, who lived in Hawaii. Tian said, “I know that man. He was the one who sent me to you.”
It took less than two weeks to get the required names and paperwork done. Signatures, fees, and property records were all put in order.
One contact made by Tian, was a friend named Yee. The two of them had shared information on herbal medicines. They both knew Hung Wah. Yee regularly imported herbs from Hawaii and Hung Wah was his supplier. When Yee found that Tian was going to Hawaii, Yee asked him to carry his next order and payment with him. He also supplied the fee for a wife.
Yee, at age twenty five had found gold panning less than desirable so he unpacked his herbs and began treating his countrymen. He would later treat the California governor’s wife for a pulmonary problem. The treatment cured her, but today the ephedrine-loaded herb is banned.
The final challenge was to have the documents signed by the Governor of California. In May 1851, John Bigler had been nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for governor. This was to be the first general election after achieving statehood and Bigler needed help. Brannan approached Bigler and introduced himself as a member of the Vigilante Committee. Brannan suggested that Bigler sign the immigration documents, as governor, and in return he would see to it that the 180 Vigilante members would get him elected. Bigler signed all 500 documents over the title Governor of California.
Bigler was elected by a margin of only 1000 votes. Brannan’s influence may have made the difference.
Not to be outdone, Bigler went on to capitalize on the Chinese immigration situation by placing a $3.00 tax on all exiting Chinese laborers and created a $50 per head tax for Chinese entering California ports, payable within three days of entering the country.
Bride to Be
Chapter 13
Hawaii and Beyond
Early November found Samuel Brannan, Ah Toy and Tian Lu on a schooner bound for Hawaii. The two-week passage was uneventful. Upon arrival they immediately went to meet with Hung Wah, who was delighted to see Tian Lu. Conversation continued well into the night. Ah Toy and Brannan finally retired for the night. Hung Wah became very quiet. Tian sensed that Hung Wah had saved something ominous to share with Tian. “What is it?” asked Tian.
“I have recently received a shipment of wolfberries from Uyghur and with it a message for you. Your father has died, and your mother desires that you return home. I was to send this message to Yee with his next order.” Hung Wah took Tian’s right hand in his and looked into Tian’s eyes. “Your mother needs you to put your father’s house in order. Your father has gone home to make an eternal place for your family.”
Tian had no desire to return to China. He also knew there was no other family member there to care for his mother. Yes, he needed to go home.
In the morning the news of Tian’s father’s death was shared, and Brannan explained the reason for their trip. Hung Wah was very impressed by Governor Bigler’s signature on every paper, but was not informed that Bigler had not yet been elected. Hung Wah had been converted to Christianity early in the Taiping Rebellion. He was sure the opportunity to come to America, as a legal citizen, would have much appeal among the Chinese Christians.
Brannan disappeared for a few weeks and returned suntanned. Hung Wah had all the items Brannan and Yee needed ready for shipment. All was loaded on the schooner Golden Rule. Brannon and the shipment departed for San Francisco in mid December and arrived on New Years Day, just in time to participate in Bigler’s inauguration.
Things were not going well between Brannan and his wife, Ann Eliza. She knew he had left for Hawaii with Ah Toy, and the suntan on all parts of his body did not speak well for his behavior. They had lived apart for many years. Finally Ann sent a lawyer with divorce papers and a demand for a cash settlement. Samuel Brannan was forced to convert his vast paper fortune into cash to meet her demand for $500,000. Brannan died a destitute and broken man on May 5, 1889.
Ah Toy and Tian Lu departed for Hong Kong early in 1852. They not only had the “sons” and “daughters” documents, but also had a letter of introduction from Hung Wah. The letter endorsed the plan to legally bring Chinese immigrants to America, but also cited the prosperity of Ah Toy and Tian Lu as examples of what was possible in America. The letter also downplayed the possibility of getting rich in the gold fields of California and emphasized the need for good wives for prominent Chinese already in America. The letter was addressed to Hung Jen-kan, a distant cousin of Hung Xiuquan, the founder of the Taiping movement. Hung Jen-kan had been instrumental in converting Hung Wah to Christianity and had performed his baptism. (Note; Jen-kan and many early Taiping leaders conducted baptisms that were not recognized as valid by the white missionaries. The missionaries said the Taiping had no authority. In fact, Reverend Theodor Hamberg baptized Jen-kan for a second time in 1853. One must wonder where anyone’s authority originated).
Jen-kan was a good choice for a contact person. He knew the territory. He not only knew of many converts who might desire to come to America, he also was close to the white missionaries in China. Rev. Issachar Roberts had instructed him in 1847. Hung Wah had told the travelers they might find Jen-kan in Kwantung, where he was practicing herbal medicine.
On arrival in Hong Kong, Ah Toy and Tian Lu sought out a tailor named Hung Sen, who was Hung Wah’s relative. Hung Sen was at the address provided. As he read the letter of introduction, he was quite amazed, not only by the contents of the letter, but also that it was addressed to Hung Jen-kan. “Surely this is the work of the Lord. I have sent for Hung Jen-kan and expect him to arrive here any day now. I am studying the teachings of Jesus under the instruction of Rev. Theodore Hamberg, and Hamberg desired to meet one of the leaders of the Taiping.”
Jen-kan did arrive two days later. He had no real interest in meeting Hamberg, but out of respect for Jen-kan, spent a few minutes with Hamberg. He indicated that the doctrine of God being a mystical three in one was false doctrine. There was a God who was Elder Brother and another who was Father. Nothing mystical about it. Also, there was a Heavenly Mother.
Ah Toy had no interest in the doctrine. She just wanted to arrange for ship passage for as many Chinese Christians as quickly as possible. Hung Jen-kan indeed was the key to the process. There is no record of how many came to America with Ah Toy, or when they came, but late in 1852 Ah Toy was arrested in San Francisco for running “a disorderly house.”
—The Lord Warriston arrived from China with 780 Chinese passengers, 200 of whom were females. About this time, there was a very large immigration of Chinese, and it was understood that many thousand more of these people were only waiting for ships to embark from the ports of their country to San Francisco.
Chapter 14
India
All of China was in turmoil. Famine, poverty, wars, and roaming gangs made travel nearly impossible. Yet Tian knew his mother needed him, and she was far to the west in his homeland. Jen-kan had made it very clear that Tian would not make a tenth of the distance before being robbed and killed if he traveled alone. “No one can be trusted.”
With Ah Toy gone, Tian felt alone in a completely chaotic environment. Sitting on a pile of hemp rope near where ships docked, Tian contemplated returning to San Francisco. Life was good there. As he sat there, Raven flew in from the northwest, landing on a post. “Raven, have you come to show me the way?”
Hawaii and Beyond
Early November found Samuel Brannan, Ah Toy and Tian Lu on a schooner bound for Hawaii. The two-week passage was uneventful. Upon arrival they immediately went to meet with Hung Wah, who was delighted to see Tian Lu. Conversation continued well into the night. Ah Toy and Brannan finally retired for the night. Hung Wah became very quiet. Tian sensed that Hung Wah had saved something ominous to share with Tian. “What is it?” asked Tian.
“I have recently received a shipment of wolfberries from Uyghur and with it a message for you. Your father has died, and your mother desires that you return home. I was to send this message to Yee with his next order.” Hung Wah took Tian’s right hand in his and looked into Tian’s eyes. “Your mother needs you to put your father’s house in order. Your father has gone home to make an eternal place for your family.”
Tian had no desire to return to China. He also knew there was no other family member there to care for his mother. Yes, he needed to go home.
In the morning the news of Tian’s father’s death was shared, and Brannan explained the reason for their trip. Hung Wah was very impressed by Governor Bigler’s signature on every paper, but was not informed that Bigler had not yet been elected. Hung Wah had been converted to Christianity early in the Taiping Rebellion. He was sure the opportunity to come to America, as a legal citizen, would have much appeal among the Chinese Christians.
Brannan disappeared for a few weeks and returned suntanned. Hung Wah had all the items Brannan and Yee needed ready for shipment. All was loaded on the schooner Golden Rule. Brannon and the shipment departed for San Francisco in mid December and arrived on New Years Day, just in time to participate in Bigler’s inauguration.
Things were not going well between Brannan and his wife, Ann Eliza. She knew he had left for Hawaii with Ah Toy, and the suntan on all parts of his body did not speak well for his behavior. They had lived apart for many years. Finally Ann sent a lawyer with divorce papers and a demand for a cash settlement. Samuel Brannan was forced to convert his vast paper fortune into cash to meet her demand for $500,000. Brannan died a destitute and broken man on May 5, 1889.
Ah Toy and Tian Lu departed for Hong Kong early in 1852. They not only had the “sons” and “daughters” documents, but also had a letter of introduction from Hung Wah. The letter endorsed the plan to legally bring Chinese immigrants to America, but also cited the prosperity of Ah Toy and Tian Lu as examples of what was possible in America. The letter also downplayed the possibility of getting rich in the gold fields of California and emphasized the need for good wives for prominent Chinese already in America. The letter was addressed to Hung Jen-kan, a distant cousin of Hung Xiuquan, the founder of the Taiping movement. Hung Jen-kan had been instrumental in converting Hung Wah to Christianity and had performed his baptism. (Note; Jen-kan and many early Taiping leaders conducted baptisms that were not recognized as valid by the white missionaries. The missionaries said the Taiping had no authority. In fact, Reverend Theodor Hamberg baptized Jen-kan for a second time in 1853. One must wonder where anyone’s authority originated).
Jen-kan was a good choice for a contact person. He knew the territory. He not only knew of many converts who might desire to come to America, he also was close to the white missionaries in China. Rev. Issachar Roberts had instructed him in 1847. Hung Wah had told the travelers they might find Jen-kan in Kwantung, where he was practicing herbal medicine.
On arrival in Hong Kong, Ah Toy and Tian Lu sought out a tailor named Hung Sen, who was Hung Wah’s relative. Hung Sen was at the address provided. As he read the letter of introduction, he was quite amazed, not only by the contents of the letter, but also that it was addressed to Hung Jen-kan. “Surely this is the work of the Lord. I have sent for Hung Jen-kan and expect him to arrive here any day now. I am studying the teachings of Jesus under the instruction of Rev. Theodore Hamberg, and Hamberg desired to meet one of the leaders of the Taiping.”
Jen-kan did arrive two days later. He had no real interest in meeting Hamberg, but out of respect for Jen-kan, spent a few minutes with Hamberg. He indicated that the doctrine of God being a mystical three in one was false doctrine. There was a God who was Elder Brother and another who was Father. Nothing mystical about it. Also, there was a Heavenly Mother.
Ah Toy had no interest in the doctrine. She just wanted to arrange for ship passage for as many Chinese Christians as quickly as possible. Hung Jen-kan indeed was the key to the process. There is no record of how many came to America with Ah Toy, or when they came, but late in 1852 Ah Toy was arrested in San Francisco for running “a disorderly house.”
—The Lord Warriston arrived from China with 780 Chinese passengers, 200 of whom were females. About this time, there was a very large immigration of Chinese, and it was understood that many thousand more of these people were only waiting for ships to embark from the ports of their country to San Francisco.
Chapter 14
India
All of China was in turmoil. Famine, poverty, wars, and roaming gangs made travel nearly impossible. Yet Tian knew his mother needed him, and she was far to the west in his homeland. Jen-kan had made it very clear that Tian would not make a tenth of the distance before being robbed and killed if he traveled alone. “No one can be trusted.”
With Ah Toy gone, Tian felt alone in a completely chaotic environment. Sitting on a pile of hemp rope near where ships docked, Tian contemplated returning to San Francisco. Life was good there. As he sat there, Raven flew in from the northwest, landing on a post. “Raven, have you come to show me the way?”
Cocking his head from side to side, Raven marched all around the pile of rope. Tian followed his every move. Raven then hopped up onto Tian’s knee. “I have come from visiting your mother. She tells you she is well and that you do need to come home, but not by crossing China. In the west there are no wars. The Chinese have abandoned the west and things are peaceful in the west.”
Tian had heard these words as if Raven had really spoken them. They were in Uyghur. He had not heard his native language for years and it was good to hear the message. It continued, “See that ship to the east, the one with the strange paddle wheels? It is going to Calcutta. You need to go home by way of India. It is important to register as Tien Lu, not Tian Lu. The name Tien will be a sign.” Raven nodded his head up and down, and then flew off to the west.
Tian could read the name on the ship from where he sat. Lady Marywood. Tian had listened to Raven before. In his mind he thought, “If indeed the ship is going to India, then I should be on it.” Two days later, he was one of sixty first-class passengers bound for Calcutta. He was registered as Tien Lu.
It was miserably hot for late March, but the forward motion of the ship produced some breeze. Most of the first class passengers were British, and included very few women and children. Among the British was a particularly well-tanned military officer. He appeared to have spent much of his life in the outdoors. His facial skin was wrinkled and weather worn. Also, he avoided the curse of most of the British, alcohol.
The second day out, Tian was on a deck chair sitting two chairs down from this officer. The Marywood was making good time, with her side paddles rhythmically pounding the water. The beat of the paddles and the breeze from the forward motion of the ship made the forward deck a pleasant escape from the noise and heat in the cabins and below. Tian recognized the snacks the officer occasionally popped into his mouth, dried wolfberries, a very strange snack for a British officer. Unable to restrain himself Tian boldly addressed the officer, “I say, where did you find those berries?”
The response was more than cordial. “Oh, would you like to try a few? I got them in a market in Hong Kong.” He introduced himself as David Lindt. Tian introduced himself as Tien Lu.
Tian explained that wolfberries were a major crop in his homeland and that he was going home by way to India to take care of his mother. Conversations on the deck chairs continued over the next few days. Lindt was full of questions and Tian was more than willing to share his life story. On the fourth day, it was Lindt who did most of the talking. “Good morning Tien. Are you aware that Tien is a woman’s name? That is the only part of your story that does not fit.” Not offended, but surprised that a British would know such a detail, Tian asked, “What do you mean?”
Lindt said, “I mean just that, Tien is female, Tian is male and means ‘heaven’. Tian is one who receives the mandate of heaven or is heavenly. Lu is the male deer or stag. Tian Lu would be the Heavenly Stag. I can’t believe you do not know these things, given all your facility with languages.”
Tian asked incredulously, “How do you know these things?”
“I am not British and I am not sun tanned as you previously mentioned. My skin is like yours because I too have ancestors who are Uyghurs. My name is not really David Lindt, it is Tian Shan. I am named after the mountains near where you were born.”
“My name is indeed Tian Lu. I was told by the Raven to register as Tien Lu. I see now that there was a purpose in my so doing.”
The next two days were spent in sharing two remarkable life histories. All conversation was in Uyguhr. Both persons were totally caught up in the delight of recalling event after event from their childhoods. Either person’s story could fill a book.
“You must continue to be called Tian Lu, but I will remain David Lindt. We have come together for a purpose. What I tell you now, I share as a brother. I am not really a British officer. I was chosen out of the ranks because I spoke Uyghur. I am to go from Calcutta to New Deli, where I am to report to a person whose name will be given to me in Calcutta. He is an archeologist and needs an escort to our homeland. His goal is to find records such as you have described in the back of your cave-home. My charge is to get him to Uyghur and back safely. That is the cover-up for my real assignment. I will carry with me certain surveying instruments, and will map the regions through which we travel, particularly the area of our homeland. The British are worried that the Russians will move into the area and invade India. To prevent this there is a need to map the routes from India, especially those passes through which the Russians could arrive. The British know where Kashgar is, but nothing more than that. Our homeland is like a great blank in a game so big it is impossible for me to understand. With the mountains on one side and Taklamakan desert on the other, the British have no political, commercial, or military intelligence about the region. I am a spy for the British. Their plan is to send this archeologist to our homeland as a cover for my spying for the British, but I now also feel I have been sent to help get you home to your mother.”
When the Lady Marywood docked in Calcutta, the two Uyghurs were greeted on the dock by a throng of people. The instruction David Lindt had received in Hong Kong was to look for a person preaching on a bale of hemp, and holding up “another bible.” Remarkably, there he was, just such a person. Lindt went up to the man and spoke the code words, “Can you show me the way?” William Willis immediately stopped preaching and said, “Come, follow me.”
Picking up their belongings, the three wound their way through the crowd of people. William turned out to be an innocent participant in the spy plot. He was serving as a Mormon missionary and had been told that a person speaking English would be disembarking from the Lady Marywood, and that this person would ask, “Can you show me the way?” Willis was instructed to say, “Come, follow me.”
Alexander Cunningham had set up the entire situation. Cunningham was the person who had arranged for Lindt to come to Calcutta. The entire operation was “hush, hush”, British for top secret. Cunningham had noted that whenever a ship arrived in port, Willis and another man found a place to preach to the arriving passengers. Most Europeans were rather immune to such preaching and the two had little success selling their “Bible.”
Cunningham feigned interest in this new religion, and though not converted, had helped finance the building of a small chapel. Prior to the arrival of the Lady Marywood, Cunningham had told Willis that a British officer would be arriving on this ship. As a favor, would Willis bring the officer to Alexander Cunningham’s quarters? Coded messages and instructions were all prearranged.
Tian noted Willis’ accent and inquired about his origin. Willis freely explained his missionary call to India, and was amazed when Tian shared information about his work with Sam Brannan. Willis was familiar with stories about Brannan's attempt to convince Brigham Young to come to California. Lindt remained silent as they made their way through crowded streets. As darkness fell they passed the main entrance to a military compound. A few hundred yards further along a ten foot high stone fence, they came to a soccer field, with bleachers up against the fence. They ascended the bleachers and Willis pointed out a building with a dim light in a second story window. “That is where you are to go. I am not to accompany you.” He handed Tian Lu a book, they dropped their belongings over the fence and Tian Lu and David Lindt slid down the inside of the stone wall. Willis disappeared in the dark.
Alexander Cunningham sat behind a large desk in the dimly lit room. The hall door was open, so David and Tian walked in. Cunningham spoke, “David Lindt, I presume, and who is this other person?” After much questioning and explanation, Cunningham was satisfied that Tian was not a problem.
Cunningham had been chosen to head up this operation for a number of reasons. First, he had a background in surveying. He had been chief of commission for the Lakdahl Tibet Boundary in 1845-1846. He also had an interest in archeology, not the least of which was the hope to find gold and silver similar to that found in the tombs of Egypt. One must add that his British credentials were impeccable, yet Tian Lu saw in him characteristics similar to those of Captain Cass and Sam Brannan.
While Cunningham trained Lindt in the use of a surveyors compass and other details of map-making, Tian Lu spent his time reading the book Willis had handed him. It was written in English, but the phrasing was unfamiliar to him. Tian found the account interesting, and accepted it as factual. It was a history of God’s dealings with a people in the America’s. Tian Lu and David Lindt left Calcutta on April 6, 1852.
Cunningham had sent orders ahead to New Delhi outlining what was to be provided for Lindt and Tian. Lindt became Malcomb Fisk, an English archeologist and historian. Tian Lu was documented as his Uyghur interpreter and guide. Lindt, now Malcomb, was briefed in the history of the Nestorian sect, the origin of the Uyghurs, and stories about the caves surrounding the Taklamakan (“you go in and don’t come out,”) desert.
To all outward appearances, Fisk and Tian were two civilians being escorted by British military. They first traveled from New Delhi to Lahore and on to Kashgar. Over the course of the summer, they had been in Leh and Badakskan. Fisk made regular readings with his surveyor’s compass, made sketches of the routes traveled, and every evening wrote a summary of the day’s travels. Tian’s role was to explain to the government, military, customs, and casual observers that this strange person was looking for remnants of the Silk Road. When detained, Tian skillfully reversed the interrogations. That process went well until they reached Kashgar in early August 1852.
There were rumors of unrest in Kashgar, so Fisk dismissed the accompanying military contingent and sent them back to New Delhi with all his notes and data that had been collected up to that point. There is no record of them ever getting back to Cunningham, which could be explained by the secrecy surrounding the operation.
The evening after dismissing the military, the two Tians sat under a rocky overhang as they discussed their next move. As they sat there, they heard the call of a raven. The bird came up the valley and landed on a limb just outside of the camp. Tian Lu addressed Raven, “You again, surely you have not come all the way from Hong Kong to give me another message.”
Raven ruffled his feathers, cocked his head to one side, then raised his head and in anger snapped his beak. Facing the two men, Raven clearly chuckled. The message was, “If you really knew.”
Then, a much more serious Tian Lu addressed Raven with, “You have instructed me well in the past, what message do you have for us?”
“Do not go to Kashgar. Pass by the walls in the night.”
All Tian Shan saw or heard was the bird bobbing his head up and down while making gurgling sounds, But Tian Lu heard the message in Uyghur.
Then the raven flew off in the direction it had come.
Tian Lu shared Raven’s message. Tian Shan, who had heard no such thing, believed Tian Lu. He was assured that he had done the right thing by sending the military back to New Delhi. As night approached the two moved out of their refuge and made their way along the eastern side of the great wall that surrounded the city. They could hear shouting, screams, and explosions inside. By dawn they were well to the northeast of Kashgar. Traveling only at night, the two arrived in Urumchi two weeks later.
Tian had heard these words as if Raven had really spoken them. They were in Uyghur. He had not heard his native language for years and it was good to hear the message. It continued, “See that ship to the east, the one with the strange paddle wheels? It is going to Calcutta. You need to go home by way of India. It is important to register as Tien Lu, not Tian Lu. The name Tien will be a sign.” Raven nodded his head up and down, and then flew off to the west.
Tian could read the name on the ship from where he sat. Lady Marywood. Tian had listened to Raven before. In his mind he thought, “If indeed the ship is going to India, then I should be on it.” Two days later, he was one of sixty first-class passengers bound for Calcutta. He was registered as Tien Lu.
It was miserably hot for late March, but the forward motion of the ship produced some breeze. Most of the first class passengers were British, and included very few women and children. Among the British was a particularly well-tanned military officer. He appeared to have spent much of his life in the outdoors. His facial skin was wrinkled and weather worn. Also, he avoided the curse of most of the British, alcohol.
The second day out, Tian was on a deck chair sitting two chairs down from this officer. The Marywood was making good time, with her side paddles rhythmically pounding the water. The beat of the paddles and the breeze from the forward motion of the ship made the forward deck a pleasant escape from the noise and heat in the cabins and below. Tian recognized the snacks the officer occasionally popped into his mouth, dried wolfberries, a very strange snack for a British officer. Unable to restrain himself Tian boldly addressed the officer, “I say, where did you find those berries?”
The response was more than cordial. “Oh, would you like to try a few? I got them in a market in Hong Kong.” He introduced himself as David Lindt. Tian introduced himself as Tien Lu.
Tian explained that wolfberries were a major crop in his homeland and that he was going home by way to India to take care of his mother. Conversations on the deck chairs continued over the next few days. Lindt was full of questions and Tian was more than willing to share his life story. On the fourth day, it was Lindt who did most of the talking. “Good morning Tien. Are you aware that Tien is a woman’s name? That is the only part of your story that does not fit.” Not offended, but surprised that a British would know such a detail, Tian asked, “What do you mean?”
Lindt said, “I mean just that, Tien is female, Tian is male and means ‘heaven’. Tian is one who receives the mandate of heaven or is heavenly. Lu is the male deer or stag. Tian Lu would be the Heavenly Stag. I can’t believe you do not know these things, given all your facility with languages.”
Tian asked incredulously, “How do you know these things?”
“I am not British and I am not sun tanned as you previously mentioned. My skin is like yours because I too have ancestors who are Uyghurs. My name is not really David Lindt, it is Tian Shan. I am named after the mountains near where you were born.”
“My name is indeed Tian Lu. I was told by the Raven to register as Tien Lu. I see now that there was a purpose in my so doing.”
The next two days were spent in sharing two remarkable life histories. All conversation was in Uyguhr. Both persons were totally caught up in the delight of recalling event after event from their childhoods. Either person’s story could fill a book.
“You must continue to be called Tian Lu, but I will remain David Lindt. We have come together for a purpose. What I tell you now, I share as a brother. I am not really a British officer. I was chosen out of the ranks because I spoke Uyghur. I am to go from Calcutta to New Deli, where I am to report to a person whose name will be given to me in Calcutta. He is an archeologist and needs an escort to our homeland. His goal is to find records such as you have described in the back of your cave-home. My charge is to get him to Uyghur and back safely. That is the cover-up for my real assignment. I will carry with me certain surveying instruments, and will map the regions through which we travel, particularly the area of our homeland. The British are worried that the Russians will move into the area and invade India. To prevent this there is a need to map the routes from India, especially those passes through which the Russians could arrive. The British know where Kashgar is, but nothing more than that. Our homeland is like a great blank in a game so big it is impossible for me to understand. With the mountains on one side and Taklamakan desert on the other, the British have no political, commercial, or military intelligence about the region. I am a spy for the British. Their plan is to send this archeologist to our homeland as a cover for my spying for the British, but I now also feel I have been sent to help get you home to your mother.”
When the Lady Marywood docked in Calcutta, the two Uyghurs were greeted on the dock by a throng of people. The instruction David Lindt had received in Hong Kong was to look for a person preaching on a bale of hemp, and holding up “another bible.” Remarkably, there he was, just such a person. Lindt went up to the man and spoke the code words, “Can you show me the way?” William Willis immediately stopped preaching and said, “Come, follow me.”
Picking up their belongings, the three wound their way through the crowd of people. William turned out to be an innocent participant in the spy plot. He was serving as a Mormon missionary and had been told that a person speaking English would be disembarking from the Lady Marywood, and that this person would ask, “Can you show me the way?” Willis was instructed to say, “Come, follow me.”
Alexander Cunningham had set up the entire situation. Cunningham was the person who had arranged for Lindt to come to Calcutta. The entire operation was “hush, hush”, British for top secret. Cunningham had noted that whenever a ship arrived in port, Willis and another man found a place to preach to the arriving passengers. Most Europeans were rather immune to such preaching and the two had little success selling their “Bible.”
Cunningham feigned interest in this new religion, and though not converted, had helped finance the building of a small chapel. Prior to the arrival of the Lady Marywood, Cunningham had told Willis that a British officer would be arriving on this ship. As a favor, would Willis bring the officer to Alexander Cunningham’s quarters? Coded messages and instructions were all prearranged.
Tian noted Willis’ accent and inquired about his origin. Willis freely explained his missionary call to India, and was amazed when Tian shared information about his work with Sam Brannan. Willis was familiar with stories about Brannan's attempt to convince Brigham Young to come to California. Lindt remained silent as they made their way through crowded streets. As darkness fell they passed the main entrance to a military compound. A few hundred yards further along a ten foot high stone fence, they came to a soccer field, with bleachers up against the fence. They ascended the bleachers and Willis pointed out a building with a dim light in a second story window. “That is where you are to go. I am not to accompany you.” He handed Tian Lu a book, they dropped their belongings over the fence and Tian Lu and David Lindt slid down the inside of the stone wall. Willis disappeared in the dark.
Alexander Cunningham sat behind a large desk in the dimly lit room. The hall door was open, so David and Tian walked in. Cunningham spoke, “David Lindt, I presume, and who is this other person?” After much questioning and explanation, Cunningham was satisfied that Tian was not a problem.
Cunningham had been chosen to head up this operation for a number of reasons. First, he had a background in surveying. He had been chief of commission for the Lakdahl Tibet Boundary in 1845-1846. He also had an interest in archeology, not the least of which was the hope to find gold and silver similar to that found in the tombs of Egypt. One must add that his British credentials were impeccable, yet Tian Lu saw in him characteristics similar to those of Captain Cass and Sam Brannan.
While Cunningham trained Lindt in the use of a surveyors compass and other details of map-making, Tian Lu spent his time reading the book Willis had handed him. It was written in English, but the phrasing was unfamiliar to him. Tian found the account interesting, and accepted it as factual. It was a history of God’s dealings with a people in the America’s. Tian Lu and David Lindt left Calcutta on April 6, 1852.
Cunningham had sent orders ahead to New Delhi outlining what was to be provided for Lindt and Tian. Lindt became Malcomb Fisk, an English archeologist and historian. Tian Lu was documented as his Uyghur interpreter and guide. Lindt, now Malcomb, was briefed in the history of the Nestorian sect, the origin of the Uyghurs, and stories about the caves surrounding the Taklamakan (“you go in and don’t come out,”) desert.
To all outward appearances, Fisk and Tian were two civilians being escorted by British military. They first traveled from New Delhi to Lahore and on to Kashgar. Over the course of the summer, they had been in Leh and Badakskan. Fisk made regular readings with his surveyor’s compass, made sketches of the routes traveled, and every evening wrote a summary of the day’s travels. Tian’s role was to explain to the government, military, customs, and casual observers that this strange person was looking for remnants of the Silk Road. When detained, Tian skillfully reversed the interrogations. That process went well until they reached Kashgar in early August 1852.
There were rumors of unrest in Kashgar, so Fisk dismissed the accompanying military contingent and sent them back to New Delhi with all his notes and data that had been collected up to that point. There is no record of them ever getting back to Cunningham, which could be explained by the secrecy surrounding the operation.
The evening after dismissing the military, the two Tians sat under a rocky overhang as they discussed their next move. As they sat there, they heard the call of a raven. The bird came up the valley and landed on a limb just outside of the camp. Tian Lu addressed Raven, “You again, surely you have not come all the way from Hong Kong to give me another message.”
Raven ruffled his feathers, cocked his head to one side, then raised his head and in anger snapped his beak. Facing the two men, Raven clearly chuckled. The message was, “If you really knew.”
Then, a much more serious Tian Lu addressed Raven with, “You have instructed me well in the past, what message do you have for us?”
“Do not go to Kashgar. Pass by the walls in the night.”
All Tian Shan saw or heard was the bird bobbing his head up and down while making gurgling sounds, But Tian Lu heard the message in Uyghur.
Then the raven flew off in the direction it had come.
Tian Lu shared Raven’s message. Tian Shan, who had heard no such thing, believed Tian Lu. He was assured that he had done the right thing by sending the military back to New Delhi. As night approached the two moved out of their refuge and made their way along the eastern side of the great wall that surrounded the city. They could hear shouting, screams, and explosions inside. By dawn they were well to the northeast of Kashgar. Traveling only at night, the two arrived in Urumchi two weeks later.
Chapter 15
Graduate School
Tian Lu and Tian Shan made their way to Lu’s home. The area seemed to be deserted. In fact, none of the grottos or houses in the area were occupied. Tian felt apprehensive as they arrived at the cave-home entrance. There was no sign of his mother or of any recent activity by anyone. Sitting on a rock near the entrance was Raven, bobbing his head up and down in welcome.
“I see you finally made it home, but you are too late. The Qing have taken all the locals to the east. In the spring, this land is going to be settled by the Han. Tian, you are to stay here for the winter. I will introduce you to a person who will teach you the wisdom of your ancestors.”
Thus began the long cold winter of 1852-53. Tian Shan left to return to his home at the base of the mountains with his name. Tian Lu remained at the cave with Raven.
The entrance to the cave was at the bottom of a long, vertical crack in the face of a cliff. The actual entrance was small; such that an adult would need to duck down to enter. A short passage led into a large room, which had been Tian’s boyhood home. It remained largely as he remembered it. A crevasse forty or so feet above the entrance, permitted some light to enter the room. Another smaller crack in the ceiling, permitted smoke from a fire pit to leave the room. The ceiling was covered with black from many years of winter fires. Stored on the south side of the room was a large supply of firewood. Next to the wood were woven baskets filled with candles. On the north side of the room were three sleeping couches, each covered with fur robes. It was all very much the same as when he left years earlier. To the left of the entrance hung bags of dried meat, dried herbs, dried fruit, cooking utensils, and items of clothing. Just to the right of the door stood a tree trunk with a three-foot long vertical limb. It was there that Raven spent his nights. What were missing were Tian’s parents.
Clearly the home had not been raided or molested in any way. In fact it appeared as though the place had been intentionally prepared for Tian’s winter stay. All that was lacking was company.
Lighting a candle, Tian moved to the rear of the room and peered into the passageway leading farther into the mountain. He had been down that passageway as a child, but only when accompanied by his father. The artifacts were all still there. Scrolls with strange writing and images in the shape of people and animals were on tables, along with some small skin pouches filled with crystals. At the end of the passageway were the mummies, gaunt, gray, faceless corpses with cloth wrappings over their entire bodies. It was the knowledge that these dead were in the cave that kept the Chinese from raiding the cave. They feared the dead. Tian felt no fear. In fact he felt a sense of “welcome home” from the entire surroundings.
Snow fell in October, followed by the onset of very cold weather. Even without a fire it remained relatively warm in the cave. Warm air arose from a crack in the floor at the rear of the mummy room. It then rose through the living room and out the ceiling crack. The rising warm air indicated that a much larger cavern must lie below the living area, and that far below there must be heated rocks. Having no need to venture out, Tian was secure for the winter.
Shortly before the first snowfall, Raven had bid Tian farewell and flew down the valley to the northeast. His last message was, “Your teacher is waiting for you.”
When Tian closed his eyes he often saw a very old man sitting in the air above the mummies. With legs crossed, arms folded, and head bowed down he seemed to be praying and also watching over the mummies. Tian wondered how long he had been there. He had the impression that the personage was the spirit of some long forgotten person. As if Tian’s thoughts were being heard, the old man raised his head and said, “My name is Alopen, and I have been in this area for a little over 1,200 years. I was assigned to be a watcher and a teacher. I taught your father and now it is my privilege to teach you. You were called to come back here to find your mother. Just as we have many fathers, so also do we have many mothers. In the spring you will find your earthly mother. This winter I will nurture you as a mother, father and teacher.”
Sustained by food stored by loving parents and kept warm with a life-giving stream of warmth from both the crack in the floor and the influence of Alopen, Tian’s mind was alive with many phantom voices. Some came from the old man, some from the scrolls, and some from the mummies. All seemed to have messages from the past. The volume of conversation was so great that only a few of them are recorded here. Each lesson that follows is stated much as it came into Tian’s mind. What is missing are the multitude of questions and answers that occurred as teacher-student interacted. If Tian sat at Alopen’s feet, he heard his voice, if he touched a scroll he heard the voice of the scroll, if he touched a mummy, he heard the voice of the mummy. These voices were recorded in Tian’s mind much as they are written here. The lessons are in no logical order, but rather occur in random order as Tian moved about the cave day by day. When Tian could repeat a lesson word for word, he was allowed to move to another lesson. Many of the words used by the teachers were strange to Tian, for some things shared would not appear to the public for years to come. Thus Tian had many questions.
Lesson 1. Creation
Everything has a spirit; people, plants, animals, rocks and even man made things such as a house or a chair. When anything is created, it is always created twice, first spiritually and then physically. For example, when Dragon and Phoenix created the first wolfberry, it was organized spiritually and then that spirit was joined to the material part of the creation. That spirit included the organizing intelligence capable of reproducing more individuals of its own kind.
The things we call inanimate are also alive, having both a body and a spirit, but they are not capable of reproducing themselves. They agreed when they were created that they would be obedient to Authority. When man creates a new entity the elements recognize his authority and obey to the extent that their properties allow. They must also conform to existing laws. If you desire to create a loaf of bread, you need to first organize the bread in your mind, that is, spiritually create it. Then you combine the components, including the spirit, and place it in the oven. The creator has the power to influence the outcome only to the extent that proper ingredients, time and temperature laws are followed for each type of creation. The dough wants to obey, but if the temperature of the oven is not appropriate, the creation will not be perfect.
Entities that have the capacity to reproduce after their own kind must also obey existing laws. Seeds planted in the dead of winter are not capable of overcoming the laws related to germination of seeds. Thus, as a creator, a plant is far more limited in its ability to create than is a person. In fact, man is godlike in his capacity to create, but is more limited than a God because of lesser intelligence, limited access to materials, and lack of knowledge. Other animals are even more limited. For example, robins build robin nests, humming birds build humming bird nests, but humans build all kinds of houses.
Lesson 2. A Sea of Light
There is no such thing as empty space and all things are in motion. The immensity of space is filled with unseen energy and forces. Man has given some of these forces names, such as gravity. Mathematical formulas will help explain how forces operate, but the forces themselves remain unseen. Things unseen, but hoped for, are faith principles. Most of what man has faith in is incomplete or incorrect. An understanding of gravity, as with many concepts, will change over time due to increased knowledge and intelligence.
The compass and the lodestone are also examples of forces at a distance. They provide evidence of an effect with no detectable substance or matter between the compass needle and the earth. Moving the compass a short distance to either side or even over a mountain range, has little effect on where the needle points. Doubt not that there is something there.
Every creation has a field of influence. An energy field connects two or more objects in space with some form of energy. In the case of the compass needle the energy causes a needle to orient in a certain way. The observer can use this information to determine directions.
In a similar way, energy fields exist around all things, each object having its own field. These fields interact with time, space, and matter, connecting all creations. Tian, with practice you will be able to read the energy fields around you. You can already read mummies, Raven, and people. You are, in a sense, a human compass. This is a great gift. There are few who can hear such phantom voices. Space is filled with a sea of light, most of which can’t be seen with normal eyes.
There are two basic forms of energy: love and hate. They are opposites and repel each other. Hate attracts hate and love attracts love. All light emanates from I AM, and is the organizing substance and the sustaining power of all creations. We call this sustaining life force, light.
Lesson 3. Trails in a Sea of Light
As we walk our daily paths, we walk in a sea of interacting energies. There are no roads or paths in this energy realm. Paths and roads are lines. Walking a line may expand an experience to include time, but the surrounding energies remain largely undetected by the human mind. For each piece of information reaching our mental awareness, millions more impact our subconscious self. As these energies flow through our bodies, we are constantly being changed and remade. Those who love light receive more light. Those who hate light regress. Those who let in an abundance of light find traveling much easier, for them mind traveling to yesterday, tomorrow and across distance becomes possible. The geography for one filled with love exposes a universe consisting of not just places and events, but also realms of energy wave interactions. Places may have names and events have labels, but they do not really exist. They are words, that is language statements that describe very insignificant truths.
When you begin to expand your awareness of the sea of light, you will begin to have mental impressions. These impressions arise from your subconscious where a wealth of information is stored. Once in your conscious thoughts, you are then free to act on the impressions that come to mind. If you love light, there may be a mood change or a feeling about a person or place. If you are among the Chinese that feared the mummies, the light will be blocked out and your mind will remain in darkness. You, Tian Lu, have loved light, and as a result of this, your interactions with the mummies resulted in a feeling of “welcome home.” Because you love light, you will know things about the mummies that no archeologist will ever discover.
Also, be aware that the events of the past remain in our surroundings. Their energies are interwoven with the surroundings and in some cases, the spirit itself remains behind, as with me. I, Alopen, am a spirit, yet as you can see, I have substance.
Lesson 4 Heart
The mineral found in the compass needle is also found in birds, bees, and fish and can operate like an internal compass. This mineral is also found in a small part of our mind, where it reacts to very slight changes in magnetic energy. This part of our mind receives messages carrying information about blood pressure, immunity, pain, reproduction, and stress. It is in this same part of the mind that all the messages of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste are concentrated. This is the message center of the brain, and like the compass, has the ability to orient itself to energy fields. These responses are used to orient us to our surroundings. When these responses are given meaning, they are recorded as memories. The stronger the love-hate orientation, the more memorable the experience becomes.
It is not the mind that stores these memories, it is the heart. Our compass is the heart. The heart is so much more than a pump. It is one of the most powerful electromagnetic generators known, and as such it functions as an organ of perception and communication.
The wisdom of old indicated that the life of the flesh was in the blood. I, Alopen, say also, “The Light of Life is in the heart.” Indeed, the heart does pump blood and that blood is the key to the nourishment of the entire body. Beyond that life-giving role, the heart also influences glands and their secretions, and it controls which messages go to the brain.
The rhythmic beat of the heart is electrically stimulated and controlled. Beyond that, each contraction of the various chambers of the heart produce other energy fields. Within the blood each particle that produces the red color spins like a top. These particles are also electrically charged. So as they spin each sends out an energy signal. Additionally, the rhythmic contractions also create their own energy fields. The result is that the heart is the ultimate compass. The day will come when men will realize that the blood is not propelled just by the heart beat, but mainly by its own momentum and motion in a special flow pattern. The blood moves of its own accord in a spinning tornado like flow, with a vacuum at the center. The vacuum produces a vortex around which the blood spins. The spinning electrically charged particles create magnetic fields throughout the body. The day will come when these fields are used to measure heart function. Also, because of the spinning vortex the components of the blood are separated in the blood vessels. The lighter parts are found along the vessel walls and the heavier parts are toward the center. Because of the layering effect, each layer spins at a different speed, creating another source of magnetic fields.
The heart also secretes substances which affect the function of the heart itself, the brain, and other parts of the body. These liquids, along with parts of the heart tissue that are very similar to brain tissue, are in constant communication with the brain. The heart and the mind work as a team. Information is shared between these two organs. Both store memories.
Within the heart are small areas which rhythmically send out electrical impulses. These groups of cells do not need to touch each other, the fields they produce communicate instantly. The result is a simultaneous stimulation producing the heart beat. The beats themselves also produce more fields of energy. The blood serves as an electrical conductor and carries electrical messages from the heart throughout the body.
The magnetic field generated by each heartbeat emanates out in all directions, getting weaker the farther it extends from the heart. The nature of these fields changes with each heart beat. Emotions, spiritual factors and physical conditions influence the nature of these emanations. Thus, with every beat of the heart, a person sends out messages in all directions and to great distances. All plants and animals have similar message sending mechanisms.
Perhaps more important than the messages sent out are the messages received. The heart, not the brain, evaluates incoming messages and rejects, stores or sends them to the brain. The heart evaluates everything emotionally in the context of the love-hate spectrum. The person with a cold heart sends different sorts of messages to the brain than a person with a kind, loving heart.
When the energy fields of two or more hearts interact, there can be an exchange of both subconscious and conscious information. The incoming information is only available for action after the heart sends the information to the brain. Just as the eye “sees” color, the heart “sees” emotions.
Lesson 5. Fields of Influence
There is no such thing as empty space. For want of a better word, what appears to be empty space is filled with light. Light is not just the colors we perceive with the eye. There are other forms of energy that have light-like characteristics, including fields of influence as generated by the heart or a lodestone. Simply put, a field is a region of influence. It is within fields of influence that energy interacts and is exchanged or redistributed. Much of the energy coming from a person's body is in the form of a very special language. This language consists of waves of energy, each with its own characteristics.
Within the body, water plays a major role in carrying information from place to place. As water moves throughout the body, it interacts with the energy fields of even the smallest particles of matter. Water not only “talks” to the material it comes in contact with; it also remembers the messages it receives. So, if there is a problem in some part of the body, water that has received information from matter in that part of the body can transfer that information elsewhere in the body. Water filled with light can remove undesirable memories.
Note: Tian Lu also received instruction about Yin-Yang, The Five Elements, Energy, Blood and Body Fluids, Organs of the Body, and Meridians.
Lesson 6. Touch, Even at a Distance
When people touch each other, or are even nearby, energy from the heart fields of the two persons interact. Often the transfer is from the person most filled with light to a person with lesser light, but can be in both directions. The caring person who is filled with light is capable of being a healer. The more caring and loving a person is and the more intense the intent of a healer, the more effective they are in healing physical and emotional wounds. These effects are best facilitated by touch, but can be carried out at a distance. States of mental and physical well being can only be modified if the patient is in some state of receptiveness. Energy field interactions are dependent on the nature of both the healer’s and the patient's heart. The intent and correctness of the healer in creating the appropriate energy field is more important than the sufferer’s receptivity.
The information in energy fields can be detected and interpreted by an in-tune person. This process is particularly important in determining the healing properties of plants. For example, if you go for a walk in an environment rich in a variety of plant life, you can identify which plants are best able to assist in healing. Plants want to help. It is in their created nature to provide food, nourishment, and healing, however, they must be addressed and asked for help. As you seek a specific bit of help, ask the appropriate question. Tian Lu, you know the process, because as a child, your father took you with him for such trips. On one trip you asked the question, “What is my plant?” As you walked down the path your attention was drawn to a certain plant. It called to you, “Here am I.” You were drawn to the stinging nettle by the interaction of your and the plant's energy fields. Over the years, the stinging nettle has often been your friend in time of need.
The person who spends time in what is referred to as the wilderness, becomes informed about its inhabitants. The call of the raven is much different from that of its close relative the crow. At the very least, we should know the animals by their calls. It takes great skill to know what they are saying. Even more challenging is to hear the voices of plants and know what they are saying. The call of the crow comes to our ears. The call of a plant comes to our heart. The voice of a plant may not only reveal what it may be used for, but also information needed to affect a cure.
Now, back to the sick and afflicted. The healer who has been touched by a sick person’s energy field may become aware that a given condition requires a helping hand. Most often this help can come from a plant. Take a walk in the woods. Ask for help. One plant will seem more interesting and attractive than all of the others. Let your eyes guide your feet to that plant. First examine the plant with your eyes, marveling at every feature. Then touch various parts of the plant. Notice the scents that may be present. In this way, you will be informed of how to use this plant to heal your patient.
This process works best if you begin with plants to which you are intrinsically drawn. These are the plants with which you already have a heart-field relationship, thus making communication easier. A plant will never turn you away. Your stinging nettle forewarned you not to touch, but from roots to leaves there is goodness in that plant. Over time, when needs arise, you will be able to recall initial messages from plants as clearly as when they first occurred.
When you listen with your heart, the messages from plants may be stored as emotions, not words. The emotions stored are dependent on how you initially approach a plant. An intentional expression of caring, attentiveness, and love triggers a light filled plant response. As you listen with your heart you will begin to understand how the plant can function in a specific healing process. Over time and with much association with a plant, your knowledge about the power of the plant will expand. Tian, you will come to have a great knowledge of the power of the wolfberry plant.
Lesson 7. Worlds Within Worlds
I once knew a person who lived in a bamboo tube. Actually, the tube had no thickness. It had only length. It looked like a straight line. I use the tube idea only so that you might better understand such a world. The man that lived in this linear world had two eyes, one on each end of his short linear body. He could see in either direction in the tube, but all he ever saw was the eye of the persons on either side. His mouth was located between his eyes and he could only talk to his stomach. Motion was very limited. If he moved even a short distance, he would bump into his neighbor’s eye.
I also knew a man who lived in a flat land. This world had no thickness, only length and width. This person, as we looked down on Flatland, was in the form of what we call a square, having equal length and width. He had an eye on one corner of the square and a mouth on another corner. The occupants of Flatland, partly because of the thinness of Flatland, found it somewhat difficult to see other persons moving about. If a person in the shape of a circle approached a square’s eye, the circle looked like a straight line, but the part closest to the eye was clearer than the ends of the line, due to the fog-like atmosphere. These factors helped to identify other persons. For example, if a triangle with a pointed end were headed toward a square the point would be much brighter than more distant parts of the triangle. Being able to make out such features was a valuable tool in avoiding being pierced by a sharp point. One could bleed to death from such a wound.
On one occasion, a line land traveling at a right angle to the surface passed through Flatland. Observed by a square, the intersection of these two worlds looked like a dot. Suspecting either retinal or mental problems, the square inquired as to whether other persons had seen such things. Having no logical explanation for such a phenomenon, no one would admit to seeing dots before their eyes.
One evening while relaxing in his living room, a square was greeted by first a dot before his eye, then a line, which grew longer and then shorter, to the size of a dot and disappeared. The line had the characteristics of a Flatland circle. The square had experienced a visitor from a three dimensional world. A sphere had passed through his living room.
To further complicate his life, the square began to communicate with Lineland dots. When they intersected his mind, they began to talk. Also, the next time an expanding line appeared in his living room, he inserted his mouth into the line and shouted. To the great surprise of that sphere, it heard a voice coming from its stomach. With practice, the communications improved. Using discretion, the square did not share what he was learning about one and a three dimensional worlds.
“Tian Lu, most people are Flatlanders. They think in two dimensions only. Even worse, some only think in one dimension. Their reasoning is linear. Though we are all aware that objects around us have length, width, and thickness, most people don’t really appreciate the complexity of curved surfaces of the so called three dimensional objects. As a result of such incorrect thinking, man made objects consist mostly of straight lines. Curves are sometimes added for aesthetic purposes.”
One of the greatest mental challenges of one, two, or three-dimensional thinking is that of confusing quantity with quality. We can count the number of persons in each type of world, and this is most easily done when we look at each world from a world with more dimensions than the world we are looking at. We can have six oranges in a bag, but when we count them, we are looking at six oranges from a four dimensional world. Both the observer and the observed are changing through time. Yet, for each moment in time, there are six oranges in the bag. That is quantity, number.
Quality is quite another matter. Quality is never exact. You can neither have exactly one cup of water nor exactly one mile to travel. In any world, there may be a number of things, never exact qualities of things.
Because all creations consist of objects with no straight lines, quantity is at the same time both finite and infinite. The limits of an object can never be exactly determined. They go on and on and on.
Long ago, a Greek named Zeno of Elea put the above paradox into a story in which a tortoise and Achilles had a race. In the race, the goal was to touch a distant wall. The length of the distance to the wall can be divided in half, and then half again and so on forever. The wall becomes unreachable, as it is an infinite distance away.
Obviously, Achilles and the tortoise can both reach the wall. They can reach the wall because their thinking is linear, but nature is not linear. A point has no dimensions, a line one, a rectangle two, and sphere three. Such worlds are a product of our thinking and really do not exist other than in our minds. In nature, mountains are not cones, the moon is not a sphere and there are no straight lines on either one. To the ant, the shape of the mountainside is infinitely more complex than when viewed at a distance by man. The distance up the side of the mountain is only quantifiable if you think linearly.
The addition of a fifth dimension; life, further complicates the perspective of a watcher looking in on a four dimensional world. Just as the paradox of quality and quantity is so disconcerting, the paradox of time-life becomes incomprehensible to the flatlander.
The biologist's definition of life is basically linear and most flawed, in that it excludes the role of a spirit. Every object, whether man or rock, has a body and a spirit that are a continuum of mass and energy.
Time is normally measured in rotations and revolutions of heavenly bodies. Thus we determine days and years by the earth’s rotation and revolution. We find similar rhythmic patterns in our bodies. These patterns are neither linear nor quantifiable. To further complicate the picture of worlds beyond the fourth dimension, we have no more right angles within which we can rotate them. Also, all rhythmic patterns such as life processes and even ticking clocks, change their time patterns as a body is accelerated or slowed down. Incredibly, the components of three-dimensional worlds also change with acceleration or deceleration.
The dimension of life is fractured. It consists of events, infinite in number. The tens of thousands of chemical reactions going on in the human body at any one time are each a part of the life dimension of the body. Conception, birth, and maturation, are big events associated with life. Each event, whether micro or macro, results in emission of energy into the surroundings.
In a four dimensional world, all things are not static three dimensional, but are constantly changing states of matter and energy. The mountain may appear to live at a slower rate than a person, but in both cases, an infinite number of physical shapes are created as life flows through space. In such a worldview, we can abandon quantity and being to appreciate quality.
Traditional time is considered linear. That is not a correct concept. Much of what we experience as time-life never really happens. Many events are so devoid of quality that they are not recorded in either the conscious mind or in the subconscious memory. We often refer to a person as so many years old. Not so. Again this is quantity. But in quality, there are constantly varying mixtures of energy fields, emotions and feelings. Energy fields are both transmitted and received by a body. The heart monitors these interactions and just as the sun extends its warmth and light in an ever-expanding universe, so also do the energy fields of individuals continuously expand and extend that person's sphere of influence.
The sun gives and receives. On the whole, receiving and sending are balanced, but there are times when the sun’s energy balance is perturbed. Storms occur and these events extend their influence in the form of energy fields. So too, in the life of a person or a mountain there are disruptions and the energy balance is perturbed. An earthquake or volcanic eruption becomes a memorable and notable event. The moment-by-moment erosion of small particles by wind and rain from the sides of the mountain are less notable. These are quality related characteristics of the time-life dimension.
So also for a person. The thousands of chemical reactions that occur in the body every second all count and are important, but are less notable as stubbing a toe on a rock or falling in love. The heart processes the memories of all events. Some are transferred to the brain for action, by far most events, even millions a day, are sent to the subconscious for storage. The heart monitors, mediates, remembers and controls all information. Only a few bits of information are ever stored in the mind.
The time-life energy fields constitute a reality beyond dimensionality. The word dimension is used only because we have no better word to label such experiential quality loaded phenomena.
Lesson 8. Creation and Healing
Only gods and people are capable of creating, and both gods and people use the same process and operate within the same guiding principles. The first requirement for creating is intelligence. Intelligence is an organizing principle, with neither beginning nor end. This principle is capable of morphing into a spiritual entity having form but not tangible substance. Independently existing intelligences and the intelligence of a god or person interact when new entities are spiritually created.
Little children are more creative than most adults, and of course, gods are far more creative than people. Children use their creative powers to invent games and objects of their own design. They have within their makeup the organizing power, intelligence, and only require the freedom to use materials from their environment to become creators.
You can’t create something out of nothing. In addition to the organizing power of intelligence, matter-energy in some form must be available for use. Also, the form of the matter-energy available is a limiting factor. Creation of a new world requires far more resources than creating a new type of muffin.
When a person sets his mind on the creation of a new entity, it is first created mentally. This phase of the creative process constitutes a spiritual creation. The combination of thought and the organizing potential of intelligence results in a spiritual entity. The result may be a combination of mental image, plan, or recipe. The next step in the creative process is to assemble the required ingredients. No amount of thought will produce a new type of muffin without the required forms of matter and energy.
The transition from a spiritual entity to a physical body with a spirit may require a number of steps. There are rules or laws that govern how ingredients are assembled and how energy is added. The process of creating a butterfly and supplying it with the breath of life is far more complex than mixing muffin ingredients in a certain order and baking for an appropriate time and temperature.
The last step in the creative process is evaluation of the entity created. If the new muffin comes out “good” there is no need to go back to the spiritual creation process. The God’s pronounced all their creations “good.” The creator’s intent may be strong enough to imprint even a muffin’s energy field. If a family cook produces food with a heart filled with enmity, soon the kitchen and the food produced will be filled with that emotion. If the cook dislikes either the process or the consumer, sooner or later the dislike will get into the food. The food may outwardly appear nourishing, but the consumer will be affected in a negative way. Conversely, if the cook is filled with love, that emotion will imprint the kitchen and the food produced. The consumer will be all the richer for being so fed. Love can sanctify food. This principle is perhaps best exemplified in the making and giving a newborn baby a blanket. The love bound into the fabric of the blanket may be so strong that the child will cling to the blanket for years. Both materials and the intent of the creator affect the outcome.
One of the implications of the above is that we can create our own worlds. Both thoughts and emotions play major roles in creating the worlds in which we live. How we use our thoughts has a large impact on both what we become and what we can do.
These same principles apply to the role of a healer when interacting with a patient. The healer must first and foremost be a caring and loving person. The caring part of the heart is the recipient of the patient’s energy field. The loving part of the heart is the transmitting part of the heart. The healer’s mind is used to assess symptoms, diagnose, and assemble matter and energy needed to create a new person.
Creative healing is carried out in the world of emotions, energy fields, and where matter and energy interact simultaneously. The healer’s intent should be to know the patient’s affliction and what may be needed for a cure.
Now, here is how you go about this process.
When an ailing person comes to you, relax and address the person by name. Let your senses take in information. Listen to what the person says. Be aware of the tone of the voice. Process the patient’s appearance: color, texture, and light. Include observations of clothing. All these things carry messages. Be aware of how you respond to each observation. You may be impressed to be seated or move your arm, or your chest may begin to ache. Many different emotions may emerge. Try to remember both your responses and your emotions. Any or all may have special meaning. Your heart will begin to send impressions to your brain. After much practice, you will be able to quickly discern which part of the body is calling to you. Your heart will be able to read the emotional tone of that body part. It may be sad, scared, glad, receptive, hungry, resistant, dying or trying. You will come to have non linguistic impressions. This may happen while still talking to the patient.
Now you are ready to serve as a creator. In the capacity of caring, your heart has been touched. In the capacity of love, you can begin to visualize a cure. Embrace the illness or injured region with a warm, loving embrace. Then ask for light to heal or know what you will need to facilitate a healing process. You may be privileged to know not only the present condition of health, but also its past history and its condition in the future. You may learn how the affliction, disease, or injury affects other parts of the body. You will discover that the disease has an identity with a past, present and future. This identity is perceived as an organized, intelligent, energy emitting and receiving entity. Its behaviors can be segregated from the rest of the person. Such perceptions can be painful experiences for the healer, as you may feel the pain of the illness. Do not make these pains or emotions enemies. This is a very important principle. You must love the enemy. Accept all unconditionally. All of these interactions can influence the impressions about a cure that your heart sends to your brain.
Your experiences with many different plants are recorded in your heart and mind memories. The information resides not as facts, but rather as impressions about a given plants desire and ability to help heal. These impressions are stored in memory files called “helping relationships.” If a plant or plant part comes to mind go to that plant and converse with it. Describe your impressions of the illness and ask the plant if and how it can help. Act in accordance with your thoughts. If in an unfamiliar environment, go for a walk. A plant will call to you and tell you what to do.
At that point you will have spiritually created a cure. Administer the medicine and continue to extend light in the form of love to the region of illness and to the person. You will be able to continue the physical creation of a new person, even from a distance. With practice you will be able, again even from a distance, to know if the process of healing needs to be adjusted. In the process you, the healer, will also become a new person.
If you can’t love the patient, don’t even try to heal.
Lesson 9. Introductions: Places and People
“I realize that you are restrained by the confines of the cave, but the principles of this lesson apply in any environment. Take a walk around the cave (town). Find a place that feels comfortable. Stop at a place of your choice and relax. Look around, take in your surroundings. Get in contact with the area visually, tactily, and even with your nose. Notice any feelings that come to you. Don’t rush. Let emotions sink into your heart. Don’t make any judgments about good or bad. Just get to know the area.”
After the above introduction, Tian picked his father’s bed as the first area of exploration. He noted size, color, unused blankets, and a sense of melancholy, loneliness, gratitude, and love. Tian relived memories of his childhood.
“Now, look around the cave. Pick another very different feeling area and repeat your observations. What different feelings come to mind? Can you tell why? Can you put the feelings into words?”
For the second experience, Tian went to one of the mummies. It was gray and gaunt, covered with cloth wrappings. Unseeing eyes stared out from empty sockets. Tian felt no fear, rather he was drawn closer. He touched the mummy and heard an audible voice say “thank you.”
So Tian went from place to place in the cave, practicing the art of getting to know and communicate with the objects found there.
Tian also traveled back in time and reenacted events from his past. His meeting Ah Toy in San Francisco was a very pleasant recollection. The red lantern outside the door had carried a very different message to Tian than it sent to most observers. The intent of an individual’s heart definitely plays a role in the outcome of an association. He saw a welcoming light, heard familiar voices, and found a caring person and a supportive environment.
Tian perceived the following rules for “knowing” a person:
Let your eyes assess the person. As you look with some intensity, do so unobserved by the person if possible. The intensity and penetration with which you look may be very disconcerting to the person. Note the feelings that come to you when you see the person’s face. What measure of light is coming from their eyes? What is the person’s heart like? What do the clothes tell you? Are the hands alive and aware or are they asleep? Try to internalize how it would feel to live in the person’s skin.
Over the course of the winter, Tian mentally reviewed many of his lifelong contacts with various people. He realized that intuitively he had used these skills to “know” Captain Cass, Akeu, Brannan and many others. In no instance, had he ever experienced fear of an individual. Often there was a feeling of sadness in Tian’s heart, because he knew how unhappy some of these individuals were.
Tian also mentally traveled back to many places he had been in his short life. He practiced the same principles that he had learned about getting to know the objects in the cave to places he had been.
The hours and days in the cave during the winter of 1852/53 were long. In Tian’s mind and heart, the winter was infinite, having neither beginning nor end, yet it passed by swiftly. One day in early March, Alopen said goodbye and thanked Tian Lu for the privilege of being his teacher. The next morning he was gone.
Graduate School
Tian Lu and Tian Shan made their way to Lu’s home. The area seemed to be deserted. In fact, none of the grottos or houses in the area were occupied. Tian felt apprehensive as they arrived at the cave-home entrance. There was no sign of his mother or of any recent activity by anyone. Sitting on a rock near the entrance was Raven, bobbing his head up and down in welcome.
“I see you finally made it home, but you are too late. The Qing have taken all the locals to the east. In the spring, this land is going to be settled by the Han. Tian, you are to stay here for the winter. I will introduce you to a person who will teach you the wisdom of your ancestors.”
Thus began the long cold winter of 1852-53. Tian Shan left to return to his home at the base of the mountains with his name. Tian Lu remained at the cave with Raven.
The entrance to the cave was at the bottom of a long, vertical crack in the face of a cliff. The actual entrance was small; such that an adult would need to duck down to enter. A short passage led into a large room, which had been Tian’s boyhood home. It remained largely as he remembered it. A crevasse forty or so feet above the entrance, permitted some light to enter the room. Another smaller crack in the ceiling, permitted smoke from a fire pit to leave the room. The ceiling was covered with black from many years of winter fires. Stored on the south side of the room was a large supply of firewood. Next to the wood were woven baskets filled with candles. On the north side of the room were three sleeping couches, each covered with fur robes. It was all very much the same as when he left years earlier. To the left of the entrance hung bags of dried meat, dried herbs, dried fruit, cooking utensils, and items of clothing. Just to the right of the door stood a tree trunk with a three-foot long vertical limb. It was there that Raven spent his nights. What were missing were Tian’s parents.
Clearly the home had not been raided or molested in any way. In fact it appeared as though the place had been intentionally prepared for Tian’s winter stay. All that was lacking was company.
Lighting a candle, Tian moved to the rear of the room and peered into the passageway leading farther into the mountain. He had been down that passageway as a child, but only when accompanied by his father. The artifacts were all still there. Scrolls with strange writing and images in the shape of people and animals were on tables, along with some small skin pouches filled with crystals. At the end of the passageway were the mummies, gaunt, gray, faceless corpses with cloth wrappings over their entire bodies. It was the knowledge that these dead were in the cave that kept the Chinese from raiding the cave. They feared the dead. Tian felt no fear. In fact he felt a sense of “welcome home” from the entire surroundings.
Snow fell in October, followed by the onset of very cold weather. Even without a fire it remained relatively warm in the cave. Warm air arose from a crack in the floor at the rear of the mummy room. It then rose through the living room and out the ceiling crack. The rising warm air indicated that a much larger cavern must lie below the living area, and that far below there must be heated rocks. Having no need to venture out, Tian was secure for the winter.
Shortly before the first snowfall, Raven had bid Tian farewell and flew down the valley to the northeast. His last message was, “Your teacher is waiting for you.”
When Tian closed his eyes he often saw a very old man sitting in the air above the mummies. With legs crossed, arms folded, and head bowed down he seemed to be praying and also watching over the mummies. Tian wondered how long he had been there. He had the impression that the personage was the spirit of some long forgotten person. As if Tian’s thoughts were being heard, the old man raised his head and said, “My name is Alopen, and I have been in this area for a little over 1,200 years. I was assigned to be a watcher and a teacher. I taught your father and now it is my privilege to teach you. You were called to come back here to find your mother. Just as we have many fathers, so also do we have many mothers. In the spring you will find your earthly mother. This winter I will nurture you as a mother, father and teacher.”
Sustained by food stored by loving parents and kept warm with a life-giving stream of warmth from both the crack in the floor and the influence of Alopen, Tian’s mind was alive with many phantom voices. Some came from the old man, some from the scrolls, and some from the mummies. All seemed to have messages from the past. The volume of conversation was so great that only a few of them are recorded here. Each lesson that follows is stated much as it came into Tian’s mind. What is missing are the multitude of questions and answers that occurred as teacher-student interacted. If Tian sat at Alopen’s feet, he heard his voice, if he touched a scroll he heard the voice of the scroll, if he touched a mummy, he heard the voice of the mummy. These voices were recorded in Tian’s mind much as they are written here. The lessons are in no logical order, but rather occur in random order as Tian moved about the cave day by day. When Tian could repeat a lesson word for word, he was allowed to move to another lesson. Many of the words used by the teachers were strange to Tian, for some things shared would not appear to the public for years to come. Thus Tian had many questions.
Lesson 1. Creation
Everything has a spirit; people, plants, animals, rocks and even man made things such as a house or a chair. When anything is created, it is always created twice, first spiritually and then physically. For example, when Dragon and Phoenix created the first wolfberry, it was organized spiritually and then that spirit was joined to the material part of the creation. That spirit included the organizing intelligence capable of reproducing more individuals of its own kind.
The things we call inanimate are also alive, having both a body and a spirit, but they are not capable of reproducing themselves. They agreed when they were created that they would be obedient to Authority. When man creates a new entity the elements recognize his authority and obey to the extent that their properties allow. They must also conform to existing laws. If you desire to create a loaf of bread, you need to first organize the bread in your mind, that is, spiritually create it. Then you combine the components, including the spirit, and place it in the oven. The creator has the power to influence the outcome only to the extent that proper ingredients, time and temperature laws are followed for each type of creation. The dough wants to obey, but if the temperature of the oven is not appropriate, the creation will not be perfect.
Entities that have the capacity to reproduce after their own kind must also obey existing laws. Seeds planted in the dead of winter are not capable of overcoming the laws related to germination of seeds. Thus, as a creator, a plant is far more limited in its ability to create than is a person. In fact, man is godlike in his capacity to create, but is more limited than a God because of lesser intelligence, limited access to materials, and lack of knowledge. Other animals are even more limited. For example, robins build robin nests, humming birds build humming bird nests, but humans build all kinds of houses.
Lesson 2. A Sea of Light
There is no such thing as empty space and all things are in motion. The immensity of space is filled with unseen energy and forces. Man has given some of these forces names, such as gravity. Mathematical formulas will help explain how forces operate, but the forces themselves remain unseen. Things unseen, but hoped for, are faith principles. Most of what man has faith in is incomplete or incorrect. An understanding of gravity, as with many concepts, will change over time due to increased knowledge and intelligence.
The compass and the lodestone are also examples of forces at a distance. They provide evidence of an effect with no detectable substance or matter between the compass needle and the earth. Moving the compass a short distance to either side or even over a mountain range, has little effect on where the needle points. Doubt not that there is something there.
Every creation has a field of influence. An energy field connects two or more objects in space with some form of energy. In the case of the compass needle the energy causes a needle to orient in a certain way. The observer can use this information to determine directions.
In a similar way, energy fields exist around all things, each object having its own field. These fields interact with time, space, and matter, connecting all creations. Tian, with practice you will be able to read the energy fields around you. You can already read mummies, Raven, and people. You are, in a sense, a human compass. This is a great gift. There are few who can hear such phantom voices. Space is filled with a sea of light, most of which can’t be seen with normal eyes.
There are two basic forms of energy: love and hate. They are opposites and repel each other. Hate attracts hate and love attracts love. All light emanates from I AM, and is the organizing substance and the sustaining power of all creations. We call this sustaining life force, light.
Lesson 3. Trails in a Sea of Light
As we walk our daily paths, we walk in a sea of interacting energies. There are no roads or paths in this energy realm. Paths and roads are lines. Walking a line may expand an experience to include time, but the surrounding energies remain largely undetected by the human mind. For each piece of information reaching our mental awareness, millions more impact our subconscious self. As these energies flow through our bodies, we are constantly being changed and remade. Those who love light receive more light. Those who hate light regress. Those who let in an abundance of light find traveling much easier, for them mind traveling to yesterday, tomorrow and across distance becomes possible. The geography for one filled with love exposes a universe consisting of not just places and events, but also realms of energy wave interactions. Places may have names and events have labels, but they do not really exist. They are words, that is language statements that describe very insignificant truths.
When you begin to expand your awareness of the sea of light, you will begin to have mental impressions. These impressions arise from your subconscious where a wealth of information is stored. Once in your conscious thoughts, you are then free to act on the impressions that come to mind. If you love light, there may be a mood change or a feeling about a person or place. If you are among the Chinese that feared the mummies, the light will be blocked out and your mind will remain in darkness. You, Tian Lu, have loved light, and as a result of this, your interactions with the mummies resulted in a feeling of “welcome home.” Because you love light, you will know things about the mummies that no archeologist will ever discover.
Also, be aware that the events of the past remain in our surroundings. Their energies are interwoven with the surroundings and in some cases, the spirit itself remains behind, as with me. I, Alopen, am a spirit, yet as you can see, I have substance.
Lesson 4 Heart
The mineral found in the compass needle is also found in birds, bees, and fish and can operate like an internal compass. This mineral is also found in a small part of our mind, where it reacts to very slight changes in magnetic energy. This part of our mind receives messages carrying information about blood pressure, immunity, pain, reproduction, and stress. It is in this same part of the mind that all the messages of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste are concentrated. This is the message center of the brain, and like the compass, has the ability to orient itself to energy fields. These responses are used to orient us to our surroundings. When these responses are given meaning, they are recorded as memories. The stronger the love-hate orientation, the more memorable the experience becomes.
It is not the mind that stores these memories, it is the heart. Our compass is the heart. The heart is so much more than a pump. It is one of the most powerful electromagnetic generators known, and as such it functions as an organ of perception and communication.
The wisdom of old indicated that the life of the flesh was in the blood. I, Alopen, say also, “The Light of Life is in the heart.” Indeed, the heart does pump blood and that blood is the key to the nourishment of the entire body. Beyond that life-giving role, the heart also influences glands and their secretions, and it controls which messages go to the brain.
The rhythmic beat of the heart is electrically stimulated and controlled. Beyond that, each contraction of the various chambers of the heart produce other energy fields. Within the blood each particle that produces the red color spins like a top. These particles are also electrically charged. So as they spin each sends out an energy signal. Additionally, the rhythmic contractions also create their own energy fields. The result is that the heart is the ultimate compass. The day will come when men will realize that the blood is not propelled just by the heart beat, but mainly by its own momentum and motion in a special flow pattern. The blood moves of its own accord in a spinning tornado like flow, with a vacuum at the center. The vacuum produces a vortex around which the blood spins. The spinning electrically charged particles create magnetic fields throughout the body. The day will come when these fields are used to measure heart function. Also, because of the spinning vortex the components of the blood are separated in the blood vessels. The lighter parts are found along the vessel walls and the heavier parts are toward the center. Because of the layering effect, each layer spins at a different speed, creating another source of magnetic fields.
The heart also secretes substances which affect the function of the heart itself, the brain, and other parts of the body. These liquids, along with parts of the heart tissue that are very similar to brain tissue, are in constant communication with the brain. The heart and the mind work as a team. Information is shared between these two organs. Both store memories.
Within the heart are small areas which rhythmically send out electrical impulses. These groups of cells do not need to touch each other, the fields they produce communicate instantly. The result is a simultaneous stimulation producing the heart beat. The beats themselves also produce more fields of energy. The blood serves as an electrical conductor and carries electrical messages from the heart throughout the body.
The magnetic field generated by each heartbeat emanates out in all directions, getting weaker the farther it extends from the heart. The nature of these fields changes with each heart beat. Emotions, spiritual factors and physical conditions influence the nature of these emanations. Thus, with every beat of the heart, a person sends out messages in all directions and to great distances. All plants and animals have similar message sending mechanisms.
Perhaps more important than the messages sent out are the messages received. The heart, not the brain, evaluates incoming messages and rejects, stores or sends them to the brain. The heart evaluates everything emotionally in the context of the love-hate spectrum. The person with a cold heart sends different sorts of messages to the brain than a person with a kind, loving heart.
When the energy fields of two or more hearts interact, there can be an exchange of both subconscious and conscious information. The incoming information is only available for action after the heart sends the information to the brain. Just as the eye “sees” color, the heart “sees” emotions.
Lesson 5. Fields of Influence
There is no such thing as empty space. For want of a better word, what appears to be empty space is filled with light. Light is not just the colors we perceive with the eye. There are other forms of energy that have light-like characteristics, including fields of influence as generated by the heart or a lodestone. Simply put, a field is a region of influence. It is within fields of influence that energy interacts and is exchanged or redistributed. Much of the energy coming from a person's body is in the form of a very special language. This language consists of waves of energy, each with its own characteristics.
Within the body, water plays a major role in carrying information from place to place. As water moves throughout the body, it interacts with the energy fields of even the smallest particles of matter. Water not only “talks” to the material it comes in contact with; it also remembers the messages it receives. So, if there is a problem in some part of the body, water that has received information from matter in that part of the body can transfer that information elsewhere in the body. Water filled with light can remove undesirable memories.
Note: Tian Lu also received instruction about Yin-Yang, The Five Elements, Energy, Blood and Body Fluids, Organs of the Body, and Meridians.
Lesson 6. Touch, Even at a Distance
When people touch each other, or are even nearby, energy from the heart fields of the two persons interact. Often the transfer is from the person most filled with light to a person with lesser light, but can be in both directions. The caring person who is filled with light is capable of being a healer. The more caring and loving a person is and the more intense the intent of a healer, the more effective they are in healing physical and emotional wounds. These effects are best facilitated by touch, but can be carried out at a distance. States of mental and physical well being can only be modified if the patient is in some state of receptiveness. Energy field interactions are dependent on the nature of both the healer’s and the patient's heart. The intent and correctness of the healer in creating the appropriate energy field is more important than the sufferer’s receptivity.
The information in energy fields can be detected and interpreted by an in-tune person. This process is particularly important in determining the healing properties of plants. For example, if you go for a walk in an environment rich in a variety of plant life, you can identify which plants are best able to assist in healing. Plants want to help. It is in their created nature to provide food, nourishment, and healing, however, they must be addressed and asked for help. As you seek a specific bit of help, ask the appropriate question. Tian Lu, you know the process, because as a child, your father took you with him for such trips. On one trip you asked the question, “What is my plant?” As you walked down the path your attention was drawn to a certain plant. It called to you, “Here am I.” You were drawn to the stinging nettle by the interaction of your and the plant's energy fields. Over the years, the stinging nettle has often been your friend in time of need.
The person who spends time in what is referred to as the wilderness, becomes informed about its inhabitants. The call of the raven is much different from that of its close relative the crow. At the very least, we should know the animals by their calls. It takes great skill to know what they are saying. Even more challenging is to hear the voices of plants and know what they are saying. The call of the crow comes to our ears. The call of a plant comes to our heart. The voice of a plant may not only reveal what it may be used for, but also information needed to affect a cure.
Now, back to the sick and afflicted. The healer who has been touched by a sick person’s energy field may become aware that a given condition requires a helping hand. Most often this help can come from a plant. Take a walk in the woods. Ask for help. One plant will seem more interesting and attractive than all of the others. Let your eyes guide your feet to that plant. First examine the plant with your eyes, marveling at every feature. Then touch various parts of the plant. Notice the scents that may be present. In this way, you will be informed of how to use this plant to heal your patient.
This process works best if you begin with plants to which you are intrinsically drawn. These are the plants with which you already have a heart-field relationship, thus making communication easier. A plant will never turn you away. Your stinging nettle forewarned you not to touch, but from roots to leaves there is goodness in that plant. Over time, when needs arise, you will be able to recall initial messages from plants as clearly as when they first occurred.
When you listen with your heart, the messages from plants may be stored as emotions, not words. The emotions stored are dependent on how you initially approach a plant. An intentional expression of caring, attentiveness, and love triggers a light filled plant response. As you listen with your heart you will begin to understand how the plant can function in a specific healing process. Over time and with much association with a plant, your knowledge about the power of the plant will expand. Tian, you will come to have a great knowledge of the power of the wolfberry plant.
Lesson 7. Worlds Within Worlds
I once knew a person who lived in a bamboo tube. Actually, the tube had no thickness. It had only length. It looked like a straight line. I use the tube idea only so that you might better understand such a world. The man that lived in this linear world had two eyes, one on each end of his short linear body. He could see in either direction in the tube, but all he ever saw was the eye of the persons on either side. His mouth was located between his eyes and he could only talk to his stomach. Motion was very limited. If he moved even a short distance, he would bump into his neighbor’s eye.
I also knew a man who lived in a flat land. This world had no thickness, only length and width. This person, as we looked down on Flatland, was in the form of what we call a square, having equal length and width. He had an eye on one corner of the square and a mouth on another corner. The occupants of Flatland, partly because of the thinness of Flatland, found it somewhat difficult to see other persons moving about. If a person in the shape of a circle approached a square’s eye, the circle looked like a straight line, but the part closest to the eye was clearer than the ends of the line, due to the fog-like atmosphere. These factors helped to identify other persons. For example, if a triangle with a pointed end were headed toward a square the point would be much brighter than more distant parts of the triangle. Being able to make out such features was a valuable tool in avoiding being pierced by a sharp point. One could bleed to death from such a wound.
On one occasion, a line land traveling at a right angle to the surface passed through Flatland. Observed by a square, the intersection of these two worlds looked like a dot. Suspecting either retinal or mental problems, the square inquired as to whether other persons had seen such things. Having no logical explanation for such a phenomenon, no one would admit to seeing dots before their eyes.
One evening while relaxing in his living room, a square was greeted by first a dot before his eye, then a line, which grew longer and then shorter, to the size of a dot and disappeared. The line had the characteristics of a Flatland circle. The square had experienced a visitor from a three dimensional world. A sphere had passed through his living room.
To further complicate his life, the square began to communicate with Lineland dots. When they intersected his mind, they began to talk. Also, the next time an expanding line appeared in his living room, he inserted his mouth into the line and shouted. To the great surprise of that sphere, it heard a voice coming from its stomach. With practice, the communications improved. Using discretion, the square did not share what he was learning about one and a three dimensional worlds.
“Tian Lu, most people are Flatlanders. They think in two dimensions only. Even worse, some only think in one dimension. Their reasoning is linear. Though we are all aware that objects around us have length, width, and thickness, most people don’t really appreciate the complexity of curved surfaces of the so called three dimensional objects. As a result of such incorrect thinking, man made objects consist mostly of straight lines. Curves are sometimes added for aesthetic purposes.”
One of the greatest mental challenges of one, two, or three-dimensional thinking is that of confusing quantity with quality. We can count the number of persons in each type of world, and this is most easily done when we look at each world from a world with more dimensions than the world we are looking at. We can have six oranges in a bag, but when we count them, we are looking at six oranges from a four dimensional world. Both the observer and the observed are changing through time. Yet, for each moment in time, there are six oranges in the bag. That is quantity, number.
Quality is quite another matter. Quality is never exact. You can neither have exactly one cup of water nor exactly one mile to travel. In any world, there may be a number of things, never exact qualities of things.
Because all creations consist of objects with no straight lines, quantity is at the same time both finite and infinite. The limits of an object can never be exactly determined. They go on and on and on.
Long ago, a Greek named Zeno of Elea put the above paradox into a story in which a tortoise and Achilles had a race. In the race, the goal was to touch a distant wall. The length of the distance to the wall can be divided in half, and then half again and so on forever. The wall becomes unreachable, as it is an infinite distance away.
Obviously, Achilles and the tortoise can both reach the wall. They can reach the wall because their thinking is linear, but nature is not linear. A point has no dimensions, a line one, a rectangle two, and sphere three. Such worlds are a product of our thinking and really do not exist other than in our minds. In nature, mountains are not cones, the moon is not a sphere and there are no straight lines on either one. To the ant, the shape of the mountainside is infinitely more complex than when viewed at a distance by man. The distance up the side of the mountain is only quantifiable if you think linearly.
The addition of a fifth dimension; life, further complicates the perspective of a watcher looking in on a four dimensional world. Just as the paradox of quality and quantity is so disconcerting, the paradox of time-life becomes incomprehensible to the flatlander.
The biologist's definition of life is basically linear and most flawed, in that it excludes the role of a spirit. Every object, whether man or rock, has a body and a spirit that are a continuum of mass and energy.
Time is normally measured in rotations and revolutions of heavenly bodies. Thus we determine days and years by the earth’s rotation and revolution. We find similar rhythmic patterns in our bodies. These patterns are neither linear nor quantifiable. To further complicate the picture of worlds beyond the fourth dimension, we have no more right angles within which we can rotate them. Also, all rhythmic patterns such as life processes and even ticking clocks, change their time patterns as a body is accelerated or slowed down. Incredibly, the components of three-dimensional worlds also change with acceleration or deceleration.
The dimension of life is fractured. It consists of events, infinite in number. The tens of thousands of chemical reactions going on in the human body at any one time are each a part of the life dimension of the body. Conception, birth, and maturation, are big events associated with life. Each event, whether micro or macro, results in emission of energy into the surroundings.
In a four dimensional world, all things are not static three dimensional, but are constantly changing states of matter and energy. The mountain may appear to live at a slower rate than a person, but in both cases, an infinite number of physical shapes are created as life flows through space. In such a worldview, we can abandon quantity and being to appreciate quality.
Traditional time is considered linear. That is not a correct concept. Much of what we experience as time-life never really happens. Many events are so devoid of quality that they are not recorded in either the conscious mind or in the subconscious memory. We often refer to a person as so many years old. Not so. Again this is quantity. But in quality, there are constantly varying mixtures of energy fields, emotions and feelings. Energy fields are both transmitted and received by a body. The heart monitors these interactions and just as the sun extends its warmth and light in an ever-expanding universe, so also do the energy fields of individuals continuously expand and extend that person's sphere of influence.
The sun gives and receives. On the whole, receiving and sending are balanced, but there are times when the sun’s energy balance is perturbed. Storms occur and these events extend their influence in the form of energy fields. So too, in the life of a person or a mountain there are disruptions and the energy balance is perturbed. An earthquake or volcanic eruption becomes a memorable and notable event. The moment-by-moment erosion of small particles by wind and rain from the sides of the mountain are less notable. These are quality related characteristics of the time-life dimension.
So also for a person. The thousands of chemical reactions that occur in the body every second all count and are important, but are less notable as stubbing a toe on a rock or falling in love. The heart processes the memories of all events. Some are transferred to the brain for action, by far most events, even millions a day, are sent to the subconscious for storage. The heart monitors, mediates, remembers and controls all information. Only a few bits of information are ever stored in the mind.
The time-life energy fields constitute a reality beyond dimensionality. The word dimension is used only because we have no better word to label such experiential quality loaded phenomena.
Lesson 8. Creation and Healing
Only gods and people are capable of creating, and both gods and people use the same process and operate within the same guiding principles. The first requirement for creating is intelligence. Intelligence is an organizing principle, with neither beginning nor end. This principle is capable of morphing into a spiritual entity having form but not tangible substance. Independently existing intelligences and the intelligence of a god or person interact when new entities are spiritually created.
Little children are more creative than most adults, and of course, gods are far more creative than people. Children use their creative powers to invent games and objects of their own design. They have within their makeup the organizing power, intelligence, and only require the freedom to use materials from their environment to become creators.
You can’t create something out of nothing. In addition to the organizing power of intelligence, matter-energy in some form must be available for use. Also, the form of the matter-energy available is a limiting factor. Creation of a new world requires far more resources than creating a new type of muffin.
When a person sets his mind on the creation of a new entity, it is first created mentally. This phase of the creative process constitutes a spiritual creation. The combination of thought and the organizing potential of intelligence results in a spiritual entity. The result may be a combination of mental image, plan, or recipe. The next step in the creative process is to assemble the required ingredients. No amount of thought will produce a new type of muffin without the required forms of matter and energy.
The transition from a spiritual entity to a physical body with a spirit may require a number of steps. There are rules or laws that govern how ingredients are assembled and how energy is added. The process of creating a butterfly and supplying it with the breath of life is far more complex than mixing muffin ingredients in a certain order and baking for an appropriate time and temperature.
The last step in the creative process is evaluation of the entity created. If the new muffin comes out “good” there is no need to go back to the spiritual creation process. The God’s pronounced all their creations “good.” The creator’s intent may be strong enough to imprint even a muffin’s energy field. If a family cook produces food with a heart filled with enmity, soon the kitchen and the food produced will be filled with that emotion. If the cook dislikes either the process or the consumer, sooner or later the dislike will get into the food. The food may outwardly appear nourishing, but the consumer will be affected in a negative way. Conversely, if the cook is filled with love, that emotion will imprint the kitchen and the food produced. The consumer will be all the richer for being so fed. Love can sanctify food. This principle is perhaps best exemplified in the making and giving a newborn baby a blanket. The love bound into the fabric of the blanket may be so strong that the child will cling to the blanket for years. Both materials and the intent of the creator affect the outcome.
One of the implications of the above is that we can create our own worlds. Both thoughts and emotions play major roles in creating the worlds in which we live. How we use our thoughts has a large impact on both what we become and what we can do.
These same principles apply to the role of a healer when interacting with a patient. The healer must first and foremost be a caring and loving person. The caring part of the heart is the recipient of the patient’s energy field. The loving part of the heart is the transmitting part of the heart. The healer’s mind is used to assess symptoms, diagnose, and assemble matter and energy needed to create a new person.
Creative healing is carried out in the world of emotions, energy fields, and where matter and energy interact simultaneously. The healer’s intent should be to know the patient’s affliction and what may be needed for a cure.
Now, here is how you go about this process.
When an ailing person comes to you, relax and address the person by name. Let your senses take in information. Listen to what the person says. Be aware of the tone of the voice. Process the patient’s appearance: color, texture, and light. Include observations of clothing. All these things carry messages. Be aware of how you respond to each observation. You may be impressed to be seated or move your arm, or your chest may begin to ache. Many different emotions may emerge. Try to remember both your responses and your emotions. Any or all may have special meaning. Your heart will begin to send impressions to your brain. After much practice, you will be able to quickly discern which part of the body is calling to you. Your heart will be able to read the emotional tone of that body part. It may be sad, scared, glad, receptive, hungry, resistant, dying or trying. You will come to have non linguistic impressions. This may happen while still talking to the patient.
Now you are ready to serve as a creator. In the capacity of caring, your heart has been touched. In the capacity of love, you can begin to visualize a cure. Embrace the illness or injured region with a warm, loving embrace. Then ask for light to heal or know what you will need to facilitate a healing process. You may be privileged to know not only the present condition of health, but also its past history and its condition in the future. You may learn how the affliction, disease, or injury affects other parts of the body. You will discover that the disease has an identity with a past, present and future. This identity is perceived as an organized, intelligent, energy emitting and receiving entity. Its behaviors can be segregated from the rest of the person. Such perceptions can be painful experiences for the healer, as you may feel the pain of the illness. Do not make these pains or emotions enemies. This is a very important principle. You must love the enemy. Accept all unconditionally. All of these interactions can influence the impressions about a cure that your heart sends to your brain.
Your experiences with many different plants are recorded in your heart and mind memories. The information resides not as facts, but rather as impressions about a given plants desire and ability to help heal. These impressions are stored in memory files called “helping relationships.” If a plant or plant part comes to mind go to that plant and converse with it. Describe your impressions of the illness and ask the plant if and how it can help. Act in accordance with your thoughts. If in an unfamiliar environment, go for a walk. A plant will call to you and tell you what to do.
At that point you will have spiritually created a cure. Administer the medicine and continue to extend light in the form of love to the region of illness and to the person. You will be able to continue the physical creation of a new person, even from a distance. With practice you will be able, again even from a distance, to know if the process of healing needs to be adjusted. In the process you, the healer, will also become a new person.
If you can’t love the patient, don’t even try to heal.
Lesson 9. Introductions: Places and People
“I realize that you are restrained by the confines of the cave, but the principles of this lesson apply in any environment. Take a walk around the cave (town). Find a place that feels comfortable. Stop at a place of your choice and relax. Look around, take in your surroundings. Get in contact with the area visually, tactily, and even with your nose. Notice any feelings that come to you. Don’t rush. Let emotions sink into your heart. Don’t make any judgments about good or bad. Just get to know the area.”
After the above introduction, Tian picked his father’s bed as the first area of exploration. He noted size, color, unused blankets, and a sense of melancholy, loneliness, gratitude, and love. Tian relived memories of his childhood.
“Now, look around the cave. Pick another very different feeling area and repeat your observations. What different feelings come to mind? Can you tell why? Can you put the feelings into words?”
For the second experience, Tian went to one of the mummies. It was gray and gaunt, covered with cloth wrappings. Unseeing eyes stared out from empty sockets. Tian felt no fear, rather he was drawn closer. He touched the mummy and heard an audible voice say “thank you.”
So Tian went from place to place in the cave, practicing the art of getting to know and communicate with the objects found there.
Tian also traveled back in time and reenacted events from his past. His meeting Ah Toy in San Francisco was a very pleasant recollection. The red lantern outside the door had carried a very different message to Tian than it sent to most observers. The intent of an individual’s heart definitely plays a role in the outcome of an association. He saw a welcoming light, heard familiar voices, and found a caring person and a supportive environment.
Tian perceived the following rules for “knowing” a person:
Let your eyes assess the person. As you look with some intensity, do so unobserved by the person if possible. The intensity and penetration with which you look may be very disconcerting to the person. Note the feelings that come to you when you see the person’s face. What measure of light is coming from their eyes? What is the person’s heart like? What do the clothes tell you? Are the hands alive and aware or are they asleep? Try to internalize how it would feel to live in the person’s skin.
Over the course of the winter, Tian mentally reviewed many of his lifelong contacts with various people. He realized that intuitively he had used these skills to “know” Captain Cass, Akeu, Brannan and many others. In no instance, had he ever experienced fear of an individual. Often there was a feeling of sadness in Tian’s heart, because he knew how unhappy some of these individuals were.
Tian also mentally traveled back to many places he had been in his short life. He practiced the same principles that he had learned about getting to know the objects in the cave to places he had been.
The hours and days in the cave during the winter of 1852/53 were long. In Tian’s mind and heart, the winter was infinite, having neither beginning nor end, yet it passed by swiftly. One day in early March, Alopen said goodbye and thanked Tian Lu for the privilege of being his teacher. The next morning he was gone.
Chapter 16
China: 1853
Tian Lu spent a few days putting the cave in order and filling a backpack with items he felt would be of value on his trip east. Intuitively, he knew he should return to San Francisco. With heavy heart, Tian closed the door, both figuratively and literally, on the place of his birth. A short distance down the pathway he turned to say goodbye to the home of his childhood. As he turned, the earth beneath his feet gave a great heave. The rumbling lasted but a short time. As he watched the north side of the crevice that ran from above the door of the cave to the openings in the ceiling began to move down and the south side moved up. The whole mountain was in motion. The door opening became a crack in the wall; the openings in the ceiling were gone. There was no longer any evidence of a cave. The cave’s secrets were now completely hidden from the world.
Tian Lu turned away from the rock wall, and there on a dead tree limb was Raven. “Did you remember the pouch of wolfberries? Do you have a wolfberry root in your pocket?”
Tian thought, “How could Raven know about the pouch of wolfberries and the root?” The berries were the choicest fruit that had been dried and placed in another pouch by his father. Tian had indeed felt impressed to pack them for his journey east. The root was his aid in translating languages.
“Good,” said Raven, reading his thoughts. “You are not to eat those berries. They have a story to tell. You are to carry them wherever you may go. Now follow me and I will guide you through troubled times and places.”
Raven flew off to the northeast. Tian Lu followed in the same direction. Two days of walking brought him to an oasis called Turpan. Even on this day in early spring, it was hot. Tian was covered with sweat, even when walking downhill. The night before was cold, with frost on the ground in the morning, but now, at noonday, the sun reflected off the red baked rocks and sand along the roadway. On approaching the oasis, Tian perceived that there were two walled towns ahead; the one on his right was the larger of the two. Raven was perched on the west gate of the larger town.
The walls were about 35 feet tall, and over 20 feet thick. The gateways’ huge wooden door was swung open and there were no guards at the entrance. Inside the wall was a bustling community, all speaking Tian’s native tongue. These were Uyghur, not Chinese. Raven flew into the square and perched on the arm of a statute that was surrounded by a pool of clear water. Women came to the pool filling their clay vessels with water. Tian particularly noticed one elderly lady who had difficulty with a large empty vessel. “Let me help you.” He took the clay pot from her and filled it with water. Then he said, “Can I carry this for you?”
The grateful old lady touched his arm, and saying nothing, the two of them made their way to a small adobe house. At the entrance, Tian placed the water jug on the ground and was about to depart when the lady turned to him, removed the shawl from her head, and said, “I knew you would come for me.”
Hair, now snow white, not red, facial features wrinkled by time and exposure, there stood Tian’s mother. Raven flew over the wall to the south. Tian’s eyes filled with tears as he embraced his mother.
As a child, Tian Lu had always called her “Mother.” His father often referred to her as “Divine Presence,” but Tian had never really known his mother’s name. Over the next few weeks, mother and son took turns telling about the events of the past few years. His mother also shared her story. As is often the case with children, Tian was not very mindful of all the details. He found the account of her genealogy somewhat boring. She told of a Persian king named Cyrus, who married the sister of Zerubabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Jehoiacdin, son of Jehoiakein, the king of Judah. It was she who asked that the children of Israel be allowed to return to Jerusalem. A son of Cyrus, named Sasan, married a woman named Rahab, who was a descendent of King David and Abraham.
About all Tian got out of the account was that his mother had some pretty powerful ancestors.
His mother also shared how she came to be called “Divine Presence”, by his father. The caves of Tian’s childhood had been in family ownership for many generations. The cave with the mummies had not been lived in for some time. Though not as frightened as the Chinese, family members had reservations about living with mummies. When Tian’s parents were married, the cave with the mummies was the only cave not occupied.
“I went to the entrance of the cave and knelt down, bowing my head. I expressed my desire to know the people who were wrapped in cloth. I felt no fear. Your father stayed back. He said a pillar of light descended directly upon me and I felt filled with light. I saw the Phoenix standing on the right side of the entrance and the Dragon standing on the left side of the entrance to the cave. I slowly arose from my kneeling position and walked toward the entrance. I had the feeling that I was entering a holy place. As I passed the Phoenix and the Dragon, they each touched me and then disappeared. I was filled with light, and as I moved about the cave, the surroundings were lit up by my presence. I felt welcome and completely at home.”
“Your father always loved me, and he frequently reminded me that I was filled with light. Even in the darkest days, he said he could turn to me and feel a divine presence.”
So the stories went. Tian explained that Raven had told him to return to San Francisco. His mother accepted that statement as fact, but added, “You will go beyond San Francisco. I have seen you riding on an iron horse with much smoke filling the air.”
“I will travel with you to Jia Yu Gua, and there I will spend my last days with a friend of yours. His name is Tian Shan. He passed through Turpan last fall. He too met me at the well, and helped me with the water jug. Raven told me to invite him to stay the night. He told me you would be coming in the spring, and that you were to bring me to Jia Yu Gua, and he would care for me as if I were his mother.”
Overcome with joy, Tian Lu placed his head on his mother’s shoulder and wept. Again there was the challenge of closing up a house and making ready for a journey. Arrangements were made to travel with a merchant from the east, who had come to Turpan to purchase raisins. In this company, travel would be safe and relatively easy for his mother.
They arrived in Jia Yu Gua in mid April. Raven joined them as they entered the city and guided them to Tian Shan. It was a joyful reunion, notwithstanding the advent of a major sand storm. The air turned from yellow to red and as night approached, the temperature dropped to below freezing. With roast lamb and rice in their bellies the two travelers were soon sound asleep. They awoke in the morning to the sound of voices.
Around a table sat four strangers and Tian Shan. When Tian Lu entered the room they became silent and Tian Shan said, “Come, Tian Lu, join us for tea. I have some friends I would like you to meet. Tian Lu, this is Zhang Lexing, Lia Wenguang, Zhang Zongyu and Mio Payling.” They all exchanged greetings.
Tian Shan continued, “These men are the reason I am in Jia Yu Gua. I have told them much about the British and the Russians. They would like to ask you some questions.”
The morning passed quickly as Tian Lu answered question after question. Tian Shan remained silent. Near midday Zhang Lexing concluded the questioning with, “You have answered exactly as did Tian Shan. We now know all he told us is true. Tian Shan is one of us. He has the Seal of the White Lotus and the rank of Xin-Pen (Believer) in our rebellion. We are the Nien leaders.”
The afternoon was spent discussing the matter of the Taiping, about which Tian Lu had much information. On one point he was very clear. The Qing were the Taiping's enemies. He shared what he knew about the Taiping leaders. He did not share the events surrounding his name change and baptism, but rather indicated that he thought they were a force to be feared.
Caught up in the excitement of an unfolding revolution, Tian Lu spent the next week interacting with the Nien leaders. Independent of these activities, Tian Shan had arranged for Tian Lu’s mother to be married to Zhang Lexing. Though only a formality, the marriage was designed as payment for the services of Tian Lu. The arrangement was such that Zhang guaranteed the safety and care for Tian Lu’s mother in exchange for Tian Lu’s services in leading a group of Nien emissaries to meet with Hong Xuiquan, the Taiping leader. The goal was to create a Nien-Taiping alliance that would totally crush the Qing.
One warm evening in early May, Tian Lu and two secondary Nien leaders set out for Nanjing. Word had come to Zhang Lexing that the Taiping rebels had taken Nanjing in March, and that they planned to make this city their Heavenly Capital. The report indicated that over 50,000 Manchu defenders had been totally routed. The Taiping armies breached the city walls on March 19th. The Manchu defenders included few trained or battle ready veterans. Many burned their homes and committed suicide. In five days all demons had been eliminated. On March 29 Hong Xiuquan was carried into the city in his exquisite golden palanquin. Dressed in a yellow robe and wearing yellow shoes, his carriage followed a long column of victorious troops. Behind him, astride their horses, were thirty-two women carrying yellow parasols.
To assure safe passage, Tian Lu was given papers indicating his qualifications as a doctor and the two emissaries were identified as his assistants.
Earlier when the Taiping troops approached Nanjing the majority of skilled tradesmen and especially doctors fled to Shanghai or other cities to the south. Battle wounds and the threat of disease were therefore a major challenge for the new rulers. Word was sent out that any who had medical skills, if they could prove their competence, would be given high offices and would receive an engagement fee of ten thousand ounces of silver.
Heavenly Capital special escorts met the three travelers shortly after leaving Jia Yu Gua. Upon presenting their papers and Tian Lu sharing his medical knowledge, they were identified as “priority one” persons. This assured swift, safe passage to the Capital. It was also made clear that though there was a major reward in the form of silver and an office, their real motivation should be to, “Share your talents for the benefit of all mankind.”
Tian Lu and the two Nien leaders arrived at the southeast outer defense wall on May 15th. After having a very thorough interrogation, they were escorted to the Porcelain Pagoda and through the south gate. They were led along about 2 ½ miles of roadway, passing by many shops where hundreds of people were engaged in weaving fabric. They also passed by granaries, and after traveling about three miles, turned to the right. There in the late evening haze, was the palace of Yang Xiuqing, East King. Here the two Nien men and Tian Lu were separated.
The two Nien men were further interrogated and unfortunately were identified as spies. They were sent a short distance away to the House of Reception for the non-Taiping. Tian heard no more from them, but later learned that the Taiping had no interest in being Nien allies. Had they joined forces, the Qing would surely have been defeated.
Tian Lu was directed to a room with a large golden bed surrounded by yellow curtains and decorated with gold and fine jewels. There were five women who stood facing him at the end of the bed. All were clothed in crimson and black silk gowns. Their black hair was to their waists. They were all beautiful women. Tian’s escort commanded him to kneel down and bow his head and to remain in this position until he was commanded to look up. He stayed in this position for what seemed like hours. The five women also did not move. They stood there like statues.
Finally, the curtain parted and two scrawny legs were extended. Yang Xiuqing, East King, Comforter, addressed the women, “Now!” In unison they all turned toward him and each adorned him with various items of clothing. Tian remained bowed down, but was able to see what was happening. He noticed that none of the woman made direct eye contact with Yang. They were also careful to not touch his bare skin as they smoothed the sleeves of the garment. A decorative collar was placed around his shoulders and a hat on his head. When he was fully clothed five more beautiful women emerged from the curtained bed chamber.
Yang addressed Tian, “I am the Comforter, I am the source of all truth, and I speak for God. Do you believe these things?”
Not looking up Tian answered, “I can’t know these things, my eyes are lowered and I can’t see clearly your being, but I perceive that you believe what you say. I also perceive that all is not well with you. If you would permit me to examine you I can use your powers to make you well again.”
Yang responded, “I was told that the search for doctors had yielded a healer of exceptional talent. You are that person. If you can restore my health, you will be adopted as my son and you will have all that I have. Wives, be gone.” The eleven women, including his escort exited.
Thus began the healing of Yang Xiuqing.
Chapter 17
A Year in The Heavenly City
Tian Lu’s first steps in diagnosing Yang’s condition were to look at his fingernails and tongue. He also took his pulse. These were outward acts taken to impress Yang in medical dimensions with which he might be familiar. The pulse was taken on Yang’s right arm with Tian’s left hand, using three fingers. He obtained a cun guan chi reading on the right arm and then repeated the procedure on the left arm. This gave him multiple pulse positions. He noted the character of the pulse at each position: deep to superficial. He also noted whether the beats were slow or rapid, floating or deep. Tian explained to Yang, “I am looking for oppositions, you may know them as yin-yang. I know them as light and darkness; love and hate. The combination of all your pulse signs tells me you have a Fu Mai pulse. Tian did not reveal all the pulse had told him. He did say that there was a blockage and obstruction of the blood and food channels. The blood lacked “life.” What he did not say was that the pulse told him that Yang suffered from depression and the many evils were infecting his vital functions.
Yang responded positively when asked about having frequent headaches.
Tian next looked at Yang’s tongue. It was hammer shaped and covered with a thin white furry coating. This told Tian that Yang was depleted due to excessive sexual activity and also suffered from depleted vital elements. He also had problems related to urine elimination.
Tian instructed Yang to place his tongue along the inside of his upper lip. “What do you feel?” Yang answered, “I feel a little spot or knob on the upper part of my lip.” Tian did not respond, but knew that this indicated a digestive tract problem. He also noted that there was a diagonal crease or line across each ear lobe and there were dark circles under his eyes. The whites of his eyes were slightly reddened. Examination of the fingernails revealed that there were no lenulae on any of the fingers.
“It will take many days to make you feel whole, but if I can find the herbs I need you will feel better quickly.” Tian then instructed Yang to spend the night without his wives. He then had Yang kneel in front of him and he firmly pressed a point just above the right and left sides of Yang’s mouth opening, three times with for about 15 seconds with each of his index fingers. He followed this by pressing his three middle fingers slightly above Yang’s eyebrows, again with both hands, repeated five times. Then Tian pressed a spot at the base of his skull on the back of his neck firmly for about a minute. He concluded with pressure between Yang’s thumb and index finger at the highest place where the muscle sticks out the most when the thumb and index finger are brought together. Yang was then instructed to go to bed, which he did.
As Tian Lu turned around, the escort who had brought him to the bedroom was standing right behind him. She instructed him to follow her. She had observed the entire process. This woman apparently had much authority, for as they passed other women, all bowed to her. Entering a room she said, “You are the only man in this palace other than the comforter. You are not allowed to leave this room unless I am in your presence. You will be supplied with everything you request, but if I receive instructions otherwise, you can expect to be eliminated. Do you have any requests?”
Tian replied, “The Comforter is in poor health, but can be cured. He will sleep well tonight, but requires some herbs and some other helps. Either I, or some others who know plants, need to obtain what I need. These should be available for use in the morning.”
“Very well, it shall be as you ask. You are not to see the Comforter again until he requests your presence. I am the Heavenly Mother and I will attend to your requests, but only if they are correct.”
Very carefully, Tian reviewed with this person, who he felt needed some major help too, the indications he had received during Yang’s examination.
“The Comforter is over extended. He has too many wives. He has expended his fuel and his fires have gone out. Tonight he will sleep well and be refreshed in the morning. I have relaxed him by touch and he will not be required to respond to impulses brought on by company in bed. He should have no more than one bed companion every fourteen days. Perhaps more often when his energy is restored.”
Clearly pleased, Heavenly Mother replied, "You are wise, continue.”
Tian added, “It will take time to reverse the effects of incorrect principles. I need a small amount of Da-huang. This must only be administered in the amounts and at the times I indicate. I must prepare this tonight so that the Comforter can drink the extract with his morning tea. The tea must be made from wolfberry root bark. The Da-huang is only to be given when I say, but the wolfberry root tea is to be given every morning. Some honey may be added if he desires. These two herbs will begin to correct digestive and blood imbalances.”
“I need dried ge-gen root. This will help clean the blood and help with his headaches. Noon and evening teas should be made to include the amount of ge-gen root I indicate. It is best that he also drink Di-gu-pi tea. He should eat a small handful of dried wolfberry fruit, Gou-qi-zi, three times a day. This will help restore his energy, help eliminate headaches, and also clean the blood. Every evening he should have Wu-wei-zi fruit and chi-shao tea before going to bed. Both will help him sleep and also clean his blood.”
Within an hour of Heavenly Mother leaving Tian’s room, all the requested materials were delivered. Each was exactly as requested. Tian prepared each for the morning and Heavenly Mother left with the herbs and instructions. Tian did not hear back from Heavenly Mother for four days.
On the morning of the fifth day, Tian was greeted by Heavenly Mother, “The Comforter has requested your presence. Come with me.” Tian followed her into a spacious throne room.
The only occupant was Yang. Tian was uncertain as to how to proceed. He bowed his head and knelt at Yang’s feet. “You have done well. I feel renewed and invigorated.” Tian noticed at once that the black bags under Yang’s eyes were gone. As he spoke, it was evident the white covering was gone from his tongue. “I have followed your instructions. You are indeed a healer and the one I needed. Now I need you to heal my spirit. I have dreamed a dream and the dream vexes my mind. I do not know its meaning.
Tian thought, “You are supposed to be the Comforter and the source of all truth. Why can’t you interpret your own dreams?”
The energies coming from Yang were those of fear and anxiety. Tian was instructed to sit on the floor facing away from Yang and listen as the dream was shared. All others had left the room.
“In my dream, I was in a small junk on the Yangzi River. A raven landed on the bow of the boat and asked, ‘Are you going to Shanghi or to Nanjing?’ I replied, ‘I am not sure where I should go.’ The raven looked at me with piercing eyes and replied, ‘You are first to go to Nanjing and then to Shanghai.’ We then proceeded up the river. The stream was running high, at nearly flood stage. The water was filled with much debris. Entire towns seemed to float by. There were bloated bodies of people and animals everywhere. The stench was awful. The raven flew over the junk and cried, ‘Clean up your house.’ I awoke in my bed here in the palace.”
“I then fell asleep again. I dreamed that light filled the palace and then all at once I was on a strange ship with people who did not speak Chinese. Though not rude, they did not extend to me the respect I deserved as East King. The raven came back and said, ‘You have cleaned your house, now you must clean your soul.’ I then carried on a conversation with a white man in Shanghai. He said he had something I was seeking, but would not sell it to me. I returned to Taiping angry and disappointed.”
Tian at once was able to interpret the dream, but felt impressed to state, “You have not told me all of the dream, I can not interpret half a dream.”
Yang was distraught. The remainder of the dream had been very disturbing. He was hesitant to share it, but was quite aware that Tian had known there was more. “Yes, there was more. The raven came and told me I was not the Comforter. I have known that for some time, but the title gives me privileges and power. The raven then picked me up by my shoulders and we flew across the countryside and through time. I had no fear of being carried through the air, but what I saw was frightening. I saw the North King and two military generals meet with Hong Xiuquan and they all nodded their heads in agreement. Then I saw myself and all my family lying on the ground dead.”
Tian was grieved, for the account of the dream had made his heart nearly stop beating. However, he was impressed that the dream was a great opportunity for the East King to right many wrongs. At this point in time in the rebellion, it was he who determined nearly all major courses of action, not Hong.
Tian clasped the ever-present wolfberry root in his pocket. It was this that served as his revelator and interpreter. The root placed in Tian’s mind the words he needed to say. “This dream has come to you because the Dragon, Phoenix and Raven want your body to be clean and refreshed. They want you to have a rebirth. Your improved health is a part of this process. Remember a few years ago, when you cured sickness in so many believers by absorbing their sickness into your own body? The result was that you became deaf and dumb and pus poured out of your ears. That was a noble thing to do.”
“Now you are being asked to again heal the sick, but you need not absorb their problems. This time you are required to make some changes in the kingdom that will improve the health of everyone. First, you have too many leaders who are harsh with their women. You have been too indulgent and allowed these men to abuse women, ranging from servants to wives.” Tian then identified a dozen such men by name, including Hong and North King. “When any woman has been offended by a person of authority, and they have a witness, then the man should be named and receive 40 blows of the rod and repent of his sin.”
Tian continued, “Women are not to be forced to work in rain or snow. Concubines who sneer at or interfere with the work of the women who repair or clean palace rooms, tend the gardens, or prepare food, are to be required to crawl on their hands and knees for one day. If they are second or third time offenders, they are to receive 20 blows to the back, unless they are pregnant. In the case of the pregnant offender, the punishment is to be postponed until after the birth of the child.”
“Wrongful executions are to be avoided by referring every execution situation to Hong, where a spirit of gentleness is to be applied.”
“The separation of the sexes should be modified to allow regular home visits, particularly by mothers, so the they can attend to the needs of their children, the needs of the elderly, and to serve their husbands. This should particularly apply to those women who gave up their homes for the good of the kingdom.”
“Dragons are not to be confused with earthly demons. Dragon robes and vessels should be allowed. Every effort should be made to have a clean and orderly house in order to avoid the danger of fire and disease. No piles of garbage may be left around, all flying insects are to be destroyed, and spittoons are to be emptied and cleaned every eight hours. Bathhouses are to be cleaner than cooking areas. Beards should be trimmed and hair combed. On rising in the morning all should rinse their mouth so that all have fresh breath. Hands should be washed before every meal. Feet should be washed daily. Women should wear bright and clean dresses trimmed with flowers. Every Sunday, the ten commandments should be read aloud.”
“If these things become law, the river of your dream will become pure and clean. As East King you have the power to make it to be so.”
“You are going to have some visitors from America. Through them you will have the opportunity to travel down the river to Shanghai. The purpose of this trip will be for you to become a new man. In Shanghai, you will go to a person who should have more light than you do, but your conversations will reveal that the person is an angel of darkness and that you know more about God than he does. You will then return to Nanjing, knowing that neither you yourself nor the man in Shanghai, have the authority needed to act for God.”
East King sat with his head bowed down. He looked very sad, but also thoughtful, “I do not want to hear the rest of your interpretation of my dream. I will do as you say with regard to my family, and beyond. Raven has spoken well. It has been my intent to find or help build a heavenly city. I know of no person in Shanghi who I should see. You have done well in healing my body and perhaps now I can also heal my spirit.”
Chapter 18
Who Shall I Turn To
Yang, the East King, spent the rest of the summer and well into the fall of 1853 facilitating the “house cleaning” principles that Tian had shared as an interpretation of his dream. The spiritual house cleaning was a more complex matter. Yang, who had known for some time that he was not the Comforter, now began to also have misgivings about Hong’s authority. Unable to determine with any assurance that doctrine and procedures were really God’s will, Yang welcomed some possible insights from the British.
Late in April 1853, a British steamship, the Hermes, had come up river to Nanjing. Aboard was Sir George Bonham, who desired to meet with Hong. Bonham was provided protocol instructions, but reacted very negatively to the “very objectionable manner in which the British were required to recognize the divine authority of the Taiping rulers.” Bonham did not condescend to come ashore, but Captain Fishbourne and an interpreter by the name of Meadows, met with the North King. In the meeting, it was determined that the British had worshiped God the Heavenly Father, for over 800 years. A good relationship was established and the Taiping were subsequently allowed on board the Hermes. Exchanges of Taiping silver for swords and music boxes went smoothly, but the conversation of W. H. Medhurst, a cultured missionary interpreter, included telling Bonham that, “The Taiping religious tracts appear in some respects better than European doctrine.” This was too much for Bonham. They headed back to Shanghai.
Not to be outdone by the British, the French also desired to meet with the Taiping. Under the pretext of investigating a ransom demand by a secret society of gangs they requested passage to Nanjing. The gang society had kidnapped a Catholic Chinese. The Cassini, after a six-month wait, received permission to travel from Shanghai to Taiping. Fog, Qing patrol boats, unfamiliar river channels, and the deep draft of the boat, made for a slow trip. They anchored outside the Nanjing walls on December 6.
Taiping emissaries dressed in red and yellow robes were greeted and allowed on board. They were told that the French desired to have an interview with the Taiping leaders, Yang spent a day deliberating. He decided to grant their request the next night. Yang was very curious about a people who had worshiped a Heavenly Father for such a long time. Surely they must have many answers to the questions in his mind.
Guides with horses met the French delegation and together they rode into Taiping to the sound of gongs and past fluttering banners. A group of finely dressed teenagers mounted on ponies presented themselves as the children of the Taiping leaders. Overall, the French were much impressed. Among the French was the French Jesuit priest, Stanislas Calvelin. He reported the entrance to the East King’s Palace as follows:
“With the aid of torches which lit up the room, we saw on each side a large number of onlookers; and at the end, in front of us stood two dignitaries who would receive us. They were clothed in splendid robes of blue satin, richly enhanced on the chest by magnificent embroideries, their red boots, diadems wholly of carved gold on their heads, their grave and dignified bearing, and a large retinue of second rank behind them; all, in a word, contributing to giving the interview a character of dignity and grandeur.”
The two dignitaries were Yang and Tian. Yang was well aware of Tian’s facility with languages, including French. Tian was not to speak, but rather to listen and verify the truth of what the French interpreters said. The dialog on religious matters was amicable, however, the matter of French dealings with the Qing led to a termination of discussions. East King’s logic was as follows:
“If the French revere the Qing ruler Xianfeng so much, they must be his friends. Therefore, they must see the Taiping as rebels. If they see the Taiping as rebels, then they are the Taiping’s enemies and so they must have come to spy on us.”
These thoughts were verified by Tian’s interpretation of conversations he had heard. The French had no clue that anyone present understood their language. The French returned to Shanghai on December 14. None of Yang's questions were answered.
The Americans also desired to check out Nanjing. After numerous delays the Susquehanna reached Nanjing on May 22, 1854. That visit went worse than the British and French visits. Yang and Tian were not involved in the American visit. Despite a possible closeness based on religion, the gulf between the three great world powers and the Taiping only grew larger.
The British remained curious about how the Taiping were progressing. In late June 1854, the British in Shanghi arranged for a Captain Mellersh of the Rattler to investigate the possibility of purchasing coal from the Taiping. Reaching Nanjing on June 20, the British were denied entrance to the city and no Taiping came aboard.
Frustrated, the British assembled a list of thirty questions for East King. Topics included: trade prospects, troop numbers, laws, tariffs, separation of males and females, rank of nobility, and what does it mean when Hong says he is Jesus’ younger brother? Also why does East King include for himself the title of Comforter and Holy Ghost? Tian translated Yang’s reply into English. The answers were delivered in a yellow envelope one foot wide and eighteen inches long. Almost with great humor, Yang also composed his own set of questions for Captain Mellersh.
You have worshiped God for a long time. Does any one of you know:
1. How tall or broad God is?
2. What is the color of his skin and why is it that color?
3. Does he have a protruding abdomen?
4. What is his beard like?
5. How do you know he has a beard?
6. Was his first wife the Celestial Mother of our elder brother Jesus?
7. Does he have any other sons and daughters?
8. Does Jesus look like Heavenly Father? How do you know?
9. How many Heavens are there?
10. What is the highest Heaven like?
The list went on, touching on various doctrinal topics.
Tian Lu personally delivered the questions to Captain Mellersh. The letter of reply was sent to Yang on June 29. The next day, the Rattler left Nanjing for Shanghi docking July 7. No coal deal had been made, but Tian had supplied copies of all the latest books which had come off the Taiping presses: Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. Also included was Hong’s revision of his text on the nature of God. These were exchanged for Tian’s safe passage to Shanghi.
The answers to Yang’s questions came back indicating God has no dimensions and neither “marries” nor does He have any other sons than Jesus. The doctrinal gaps were self-evident.
Yang issued a proclamation:
“Both the Old Testament and the New Testament, which have been preserved in foreign lands, contain numerous falsehoods. These books need correcting.”
Over the many months, Tian Lu had never again mentioned Yang’s dream. The latter part of the dream came true in September 1856. On September 1, 1856, about midnight, North King returned to Nanjing, where he met General Qin Rigang. Following their discussions, they briefly met with Hong Xiuquan. Deciding to move in the dead of night, before Yang could rally loyal troops, they stormed Yang’s palace and cut him down. The generals had assured Hong that only Yang would die, but in a few hours, they had murdered every one of Yang’s family and any followers who could be found in the palace. Yang’s head was severed and hung in the street.
China: 1853
Tian Lu spent a few days putting the cave in order and filling a backpack with items he felt would be of value on his trip east. Intuitively, he knew he should return to San Francisco. With heavy heart, Tian closed the door, both figuratively and literally, on the place of his birth. A short distance down the pathway he turned to say goodbye to the home of his childhood. As he turned, the earth beneath his feet gave a great heave. The rumbling lasted but a short time. As he watched the north side of the crevice that ran from above the door of the cave to the openings in the ceiling began to move down and the south side moved up. The whole mountain was in motion. The door opening became a crack in the wall; the openings in the ceiling were gone. There was no longer any evidence of a cave. The cave’s secrets were now completely hidden from the world.
Tian Lu turned away from the rock wall, and there on a dead tree limb was Raven. “Did you remember the pouch of wolfberries? Do you have a wolfberry root in your pocket?”
Tian thought, “How could Raven know about the pouch of wolfberries and the root?” The berries were the choicest fruit that had been dried and placed in another pouch by his father. Tian had indeed felt impressed to pack them for his journey east. The root was his aid in translating languages.
“Good,” said Raven, reading his thoughts. “You are not to eat those berries. They have a story to tell. You are to carry them wherever you may go. Now follow me and I will guide you through troubled times and places.”
Raven flew off to the northeast. Tian Lu followed in the same direction. Two days of walking brought him to an oasis called Turpan. Even on this day in early spring, it was hot. Tian was covered with sweat, even when walking downhill. The night before was cold, with frost on the ground in the morning, but now, at noonday, the sun reflected off the red baked rocks and sand along the roadway. On approaching the oasis, Tian perceived that there were two walled towns ahead; the one on his right was the larger of the two. Raven was perched on the west gate of the larger town.
The walls were about 35 feet tall, and over 20 feet thick. The gateways’ huge wooden door was swung open and there were no guards at the entrance. Inside the wall was a bustling community, all speaking Tian’s native tongue. These were Uyghur, not Chinese. Raven flew into the square and perched on the arm of a statute that was surrounded by a pool of clear water. Women came to the pool filling their clay vessels with water. Tian particularly noticed one elderly lady who had difficulty with a large empty vessel. “Let me help you.” He took the clay pot from her and filled it with water. Then he said, “Can I carry this for you?”
The grateful old lady touched his arm, and saying nothing, the two of them made their way to a small adobe house. At the entrance, Tian placed the water jug on the ground and was about to depart when the lady turned to him, removed the shawl from her head, and said, “I knew you would come for me.”
Hair, now snow white, not red, facial features wrinkled by time and exposure, there stood Tian’s mother. Raven flew over the wall to the south. Tian’s eyes filled with tears as he embraced his mother.
As a child, Tian Lu had always called her “Mother.” His father often referred to her as “Divine Presence,” but Tian had never really known his mother’s name. Over the next few weeks, mother and son took turns telling about the events of the past few years. His mother also shared her story. As is often the case with children, Tian was not very mindful of all the details. He found the account of her genealogy somewhat boring. She told of a Persian king named Cyrus, who married the sister of Zerubabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Jehoiacdin, son of Jehoiakein, the king of Judah. It was she who asked that the children of Israel be allowed to return to Jerusalem. A son of Cyrus, named Sasan, married a woman named Rahab, who was a descendent of King David and Abraham.
About all Tian got out of the account was that his mother had some pretty powerful ancestors.
His mother also shared how she came to be called “Divine Presence”, by his father. The caves of Tian’s childhood had been in family ownership for many generations. The cave with the mummies had not been lived in for some time. Though not as frightened as the Chinese, family members had reservations about living with mummies. When Tian’s parents were married, the cave with the mummies was the only cave not occupied.
“I went to the entrance of the cave and knelt down, bowing my head. I expressed my desire to know the people who were wrapped in cloth. I felt no fear. Your father stayed back. He said a pillar of light descended directly upon me and I felt filled with light. I saw the Phoenix standing on the right side of the entrance and the Dragon standing on the left side of the entrance to the cave. I slowly arose from my kneeling position and walked toward the entrance. I had the feeling that I was entering a holy place. As I passed the Phoenix and the Dragon, they each touched me and then disappeared. I was filled with light, and as I moved about the cave, the surroundings were lit up by my presence. I felt welcome and completely at home.”
“Your father always loved me, and he frequently reminded me that I was filled with light. Even in the darkest days, he said he could turn to me and feel a divine presence.”
So the stories went. Tian explained that Raven had told him to return to San Francisco. His mother accepted that statement as fact, but added, “You will go beyond San Francisco. I have seen you riding on an iron horse with much smoke filling the air.”
“I will travel with you to Jia Yu Gua, and there I will spend my last days with a friend of yours. His name is Tian Shan. He passed through Turpan last fall. He too met me at the well, and helped me with the water jug. Raven told me to invite him to stay the night. He told me you would be coming in the spring, and that you were to bring me to Jia Yu Gua, and he would care for me as if I were his mother.”
Overcome with joy, Tian Lu placed his head on his mother’s shoulder and wept. Again there was the challenge of closing up a house and making ready for a journey. Arrangements were made to travel with a merchant from the east, who had come to Turpan to purchase raisins. In this company, travel would be safe and relatively easy for his mother.
They arrived in Jia Yu Gua in mid April. Raven joined them as they entered the city and guided them to Tian Shan. It was a joyful reunion, notwithstanding the advent of a major sand storm. The air turned from yellow to red and as night approached, the temperature dropped to below freezing. With roast lamb and rice in their bellies the two travelers were soon sound asleep. They awoke in the morning to the sound of voices.
Around a table sat four strangers and Tian Shan. When Tian Lu entered the room they became silent and Tian Shan said, “Come, Tian Lu, join us for tea. I have some friends I would like you to meet. Tian Lu, this is Zhang Lexing, Lia Wenguang, Zhang Zongyu and Mio Payling.” They all exchanged greetings.
Tian Shan continued, “These men are the reason I am in Jia Yu Gua. I have told them much about the British and the Russians. They would like to ask you some questions.”
The morning passed quickly as Tian Lu answered question after question. Tian Shan remained silent. Near midday Zhang Lexing concluded the questioning with, “You have answered exactly as did Tian Shan. We now know all he told us is true. Tian Shan is one of us. He has the Seal of the White Lotus and the rank of Xin-Pen (Believer) in our rebellion. We are the Nien leaders.”
The afternoon was spent discussing the matter of the Taiping, about which Tian Lu had much information. On one point he was very clear. The Qing were the Taiping's enemies. He shared what he knew about the Taiping leaders. He did not share the events surrounding his name change and baptism, but rather indicated that he thought they were a force to be feared.
Caught up in the excitement of an unfolding revolution, Tian Lu spent the next week interacting with the Nien leaders. Independent of these activities, Tian Shan had arranged for Tian Lu’s mother to be married to Zhang Lexing. Though only a formality, the marriage was designed as payment for the services of Tian Lu. The arrangement was such that Zhang guaranteed the safety and care for Tian Lu’s mother in exchange for Tian Lu’s services in leading a group of Nien emissaries to meet with Hong Xuiquan, the Taiping leader. The goal was to create a Nien-Taiping alliance that would totally crush the Qing.
One warm evening in early May, Tian Lu and two secondary Nien leaders set out for Nanjing. Word had come to Zhang Lexing that the Taiping rebels had taken Nanjing in March, and that they planned to make this city their Heavenly Capital. The report indicated that over 50,000 Manchu defenders had been totally routed. The Taiping armies breached the city walls on March 19th. The Manchu defenders included few trained or battle ready veterans. Many burned their homes and committed suicide. In five days all demons had been eliminated. On March 29 Hong Xiuquan was carried into the city in his exquisite golden palanquin. Dressed in a yellow robe and wearing yellow shoes, his carriage followed a long column of victorious troops. Behind him, astride their horses, were thirty-two women carrying yellow parasols.
To assure safe passage, Tian Lu was given papers indicating his qualifications as a doctor and the two emissaries were identified as his assistants.
Earlier when the Taiping troops approached Nanjing the majority of skilled tradesmen and especially doctors fled to Shanghai or other cities to the south. Battle wounds and the threat of disease were therefore a major challenge for the new rulers. Word was sent out that any who had medical skills, if they could prove their competence, would be given high offices and would receive an engagement fee of ten thousand ounces of silver.
Heavenly Capital special escorts met the three travelers shortly after leaving Jia Yu Gua. Upon presenting their papers and Tian Lu sharing his medical knowledge, they were identified as “priority one” persons. This assured swift, safe passage to the Capital. It was also made clear that though there was a major reward in the form of silver and an office, their real motivation should be to, “Share your talents for the benefit of all mankind.”
Tian Lu and the two Nien leaders arrived at the southeast outer defense wall on May 15th. After having a very thorough interrogation, they were escorted to the Porcelain Pagoda and through the south gate. They were led along about 2 ½ miles of roadway, passing by many shops where hundreds of people were engaged in weaving fabric. They also passed by granaries, and after traveling about three miles, turned to the right. There in the late evening haze, was the palace of Yang Xiuqing, East King. Here the two Nien men and Tian Lu were separated.
The two Nien men were further interrogated and unfortunately were identified as spies. They were sent a short distance away to the House of Reception for the non-Taiping. Tian heard no more from them, but later learned that the Taiping had no interest in being Nien allies. Had they joined forces, the Qing would surely have been defeated.
Tian Lu was directed to a room with a large golden bed surrounded by yellow curtains and decorated with gold and fine jewels. There were five women who stood facing him at the end of the bed. All were clothed in crimson and black silk gowns. Their black hair was to their waists. They were all beautiful women. Tian’s escort commanded him to kneel down and bow his head and to remain in this position until he was commanded to look up. He stayed in this position for what seemed like hours. The five women also did not move. They stood there like statues.
Finally, the curtain parted and two scrawny legs were extended. Yang Xiuqing, East King, Comforter, addressed the women, “Now!” In unison they all turned toward him and each adorned him with various items of clothing. Tian remained bowed down, but was able to see what was happening. He noticed that none of the woman made direct eye contact with Yang. They were also careful to not touch his bare skin as they smoothed the sleeves of the garment. A decorative collar was placed around his shoulders and a hat on his head. When he was fully clothed five more beautiful women emerged from the curtained bed chamber.
Yang addressed Tian, “I am the Comforter, I am the source of all truth, and I speak for God. Do you believe these things?”
Not looking up Tian answered, “I can’t know these things, my eyes are lowered and I can’t see clearly your being, but I perceive that you believe what you say. I also perceive that all is not well with you. If you would permit me to examine you I can use your powers to make you well again.”
Yang responded, “I was told that the search for doctors had yielded a healer of exceptional talent. You are that person. If you can restore my health, you will be adopted as my son and you will have all that I have. Wives, be gone.” The eleven women, including his escort exited.
Thus began the healing of Yang Xiuqing.
Chapter 17
A Year in The Heavenly City
Tian Lu’s first steps in diagnosing Yang’s condition were to look at his fingernails and tongue. He also took his pulse. These were outward acts taken to impress Yang in medical dimensions with which he might be familiar. The pulse was taken on Yang’s right arm with Tian’s left hand, using three fingers. He obtained a cun guan chi reading on the right arm and then repeated the procedure on the left arm. This gave him multiple pulse positions. He noted the character of the pulse at each position: deep to superficial. He also noted whether the beats were slow or rapid, floating or deep. Tian explained to Yang, “I am looking for oppositions, you may know them as yin-yang. I know them as light and darkness; love and hate. The combination of all your pulse signs tells me you have a Fu Mai pulse. Tian did not reveal all the pulse had told him. He did say that there was a blockage and obstruction of the blood and food channels. The blood lacked “life.” What he did not say was that the pulse told him that Yang suffered from depression and the many evils were infecting his vital functions.
Yang responded positively when asked about having frequent headaches.
Tian next looked at Yang’s tongue. It was hammer shaped and covered with a thin white furry coating. This told Tian that Yang was depleted due to excessive sexual activity and also suffered from depleted vital elements. He also had problems related to urine elimination.
Tian instructed Yang to place his tongue along the inside of his upper lip. “What do you feel?” Yang answered, “I feel a little spot or knob on the upper part of my lip.” Tian did not respond, but knew that this indicated a digestive tract problem. He also noted that there was a diagonal crease or line across each ear lobe and there were dark circles under his eyes. The whites of his eyes were slightly reddened. Examination of the fingernails revealed that there were no lenulae on any of the fingers.
“It will take many days to make you feel whole, but if I can find the herbs I need you will feel better quickly.” Tian then instructed Yang to spend the night without his wives. He then had Yang kneel in front of him and he firmly pressed a point just above the right and left sides of Yang’s mouth opening, three times with for about 15 seconds with each of his index fingers. He followed this by pressing his three middle fingers slightly above Yang’s eyebrows, again with both hands, repeated five times. Then Tian pressed a spot at the base of his skull on the back of his neck firmly for about a minute. He concluded with pressure between Yang’s thumb and index finger at the highest place where the muscle sticks out the most when the thumb and index finger are brought together. Yang was then instructed to go to bed, which he did.
As Tian Lu turned around, the escort who had brought him to the bedroom was standing right behind him. She instructed him to follow her. She had observed the entire process. This woman apparently had much authority, for as they passed other women, all bowed to her. Entering a room she said, “You are the only man in this palace other than the comforter. You are not allowed to leave this room unless I am in your presence. You will be supplied with everything you request, but if I receive instructions otherwise, you can expect to be eliminated. Do you have any requests?”
Tian replied, “The Comforter is in poor health, but can be cured. He will sleep well tonight, but requires some herbs and some other helps. Either I, or some others who know plants, need to obtain what I need. These should be available for use in the morning.”
“Very well, it shall be as you ask. You are not to see the Comforter again until he requests your presence. I am the Heavenly Mother and I will attend to your requests, but only if they are correct.”
Very carefully, Tian reviewed with this person, who he felt needed some major help too, the indications he had received during Yang’s examination.
“The Comforter is over extended. He has too many wives. He has expended his fuel and his fires have gone out. Tonight he will sleep well and be refreshed in the morning. I have relaxed him by touch and he will not be required to respond to impulses brought on by company in bed. He should have no more than one bed companion every fourteen days. Perhaps more often when his energy is restored.”
Clearly pleased, Heavenly Mother replied, "You are wise, continue.”
Tian added, “It will take time to reverse the effects of incorrect principles. I need a small amount of Da-huang. This must only be administered in the amounts and at the times I indicate. I must prepare this tonight so that the Comforter can drink the extract with his morning tea. The tea must be made from wolfberry root bark. The Da-huang is only to be given when I say, but the wolfberry root tea is to be given every morning. Some honey may be added if he desires. These two herbs will begin to correct digestive and blood imbalances.”
“I need dried ge-gen root. This will help clean the blood and help with his headaches. Noon and evening teas should be made to include the amount of ge-gen root I indicate. It is best that he also drink Di-gu-pi tea. He should eat a small handful of dried wolfberry fruit, Gou-qi-zi, three times a day. This will help restore his energy, help eliminate headaches, and also clean the blood. Every evening he should have Wu-wei-zi fruit and chi-shao tea before going to bed. Both will help him sleep and also clean his blood.”
Within an hour of Heavenly Mother leaving Tian’s room, all the requested materials were delivered. Each was exactly as requested. Tian prepared each for the morning and Heavenly Mother left with the herbs and instructions. Tian did not hear back from Heavenly Mother for four days.
On the morning of the fifth day, Tian was greeted by Heavenly Mother, “The Comforter has requested your presence. Come with me.” Tian followed her into a spacious throne room.
The only occupant was Yang. Tian was uncertain as to how to proceed. He bowed his head and knelt at Yang’s feet. “You have done well. I feel renewed and invigorated.” Tian noticed at once that the black bags under Yang’s eyes were gone. As he spoke, it was evident the white covering was gone from his tongue. “I have followed your instructions. You are indeed a healer and the one I needed. Now I need you to heal my spirit. I have dreamed a dream and the dream vexes my mind. I do not know its meaning.
Tian thought, “You are supposed to be the Comforter and the source of all truth. Why can’t you interpret your own dreams?”
The energies coming from Yang were those of fear and anxiety. Tian was instructed to sit on the floor facing away from Yang and listen as the dream was shared. All others had left the room.
“In my dream, I was in a small junk on the Yangzi River. A raven landed on the bow of the boat and asked, ‘Are you going to Shanghi or to Nanjing?’ I replied, ‘I am not sure where I should go.’ The raven looked at me with piercing eyes and replied, ‘You are first to go to Nanjing and then to Shanghai.’ We then proceeded up the river. The stream was running high, at nearly flood stage. The water was filled with much debris. Entire towns seemed to float by. There were bloated bodies of people and animals everywhere. The stench was awful. The raven flew over the junk and cried, ‘Clean up your house.’ I awoke in my bed here in the palace.”
“I then fell asleep again. I dreamed that light filled the palace and then all at once I was on a strange ship with people who did not speak Chinese. Though not rude, they did not extend to me the respect I deserved as East King. The raven came back and said, ‘You have cleaned your house, now you must clean your soul.’ I then carried on a conversation with a white man in Shanghai. He said he had something I was seeking, but would not sell it to me. I returned to Taiping angry and disappointed.”
Tian at once was able to interpret the dream, but felt impressed to state, “You have not told me all of the dream, I can not interpret half a dream.”
Yang was distraught. The remainder of the dream had been very disturbing. He was hesitant to share it, but was quite aware that Tian had known there was more. “Yes, there was more. The raven came and told me I was not the Comforter. I have known that for some time, but the title gives me privileges and power. The raven then picked me up by my shoulders and we flew across the countryside and through time. I had no fear of being carried through the air, but what I saw was frightening. I saw the North King and two military generals meet with Hong Xiuquan and they all nodded their heads in agreement. Then I saw myself and all my family lying on the ground dead.”
Tian was grieved, for the account of the dream had made his heart nearly stop beating. However, he was impressed that the dream was a great opportunity for the East King to right many wrongs. At this point in time in the rebellion, it was he who determined nearly all major courses of action, not Hong.
Tian clasped the ever-present wolfberry root in his pocket. It was this that served as his revelator and interpreter. The root placed in Tian’s mind the words he needed to say. “This dream has come to you because the Dragon, Phoenix and Raven want your body to be clean and refreshed. They want you to have a rebirth. Your improved health is a part of this process. Remember a few years ago, when you cured sickness in so many believers by absorbing their sickness into your own body? The result was that you became deaf and dumb and pus poured out of your ears. That was a noble thing to do.”
“Now you are being asked to again heal the sick, but you need not absorb their problems. This time you are required to make some changes in the kingdom that will improve the health of everyone. First, you have too many leaders who are harsh with their women. You have been too indulgent and allowed these men to abuse women, ranging from servants to wives.” Tian then identified a dozen such men by name, including Hong and North King. “When any woman has been offended by a person of authority, and they have a witness, then the man should be named and receive 40 blows of the rod and repent of his sin.”
Tian continued, “Women are not to be forced to work in rain or snow. Concubines who sneer at or interfere with the work of the women who repair or clean palace rooms, tend the gardens, or prepare food, are to be required to crawl on their hands and knees for one day. If they are second or third time offenders, they are to receive 20 blows to the back, unless they are pregnant. In the case of the pregnant offender, the punishment is to be postponed until after the birth of the child.”
“Wrongful executions are to be avoided by referring every execution situation to Hong, where a spirit of gentleness is to be applied.”
“The separation of the sexes should be modified to allow regular home visits, particularly by mothers, so the they can attend to the needs of their children, the needs of the elderly, and to serve their husbands. This should particularly apply to those women who gave up their homes for the good of the kingdom.”
“Dragons are not to be confused with earthly demons. Dragon robes and vessels should be allowed. Every effort should be made to have a clean and orderly house in order to avoid the danger of fire and disease. No piles of garbage may be left around, all flying insects are to be destroyed, and spittoons are to be emptied and cleaned every eight hours. Bathhouses are to be cleaner than cooking areas. Beards should be trimmed and hair combed. On rising in the morning all should rinse their mouth so that all have fresh breath. Hands should be washed before every meal. Feet should be washed daily. Women should wear bright and clean dresses trimmed with flowers. Every Sunday, the ten commandments should be read aloud.”
“If these things become law, the river of your dream will become pure and clean. As East King you have the power to make it to be so.”
“You are going to have some visitors from America. Through them you will have the opportunity to travel down the river to Shanghai. The purpose of this trip will be for you to become a new man. In Shanghai, you will go to a person who should have more light than you do, but your conversations will reveal that the person is an angel of darkness and that you know more about God than he does. You will then return to Nanjing, knowing that neither you yourself nor the man in Shanghai, have the authority needed to act for God.”
East King sat with his head bowed down. He looked very sad, but also thoughtful, “I do not want to hear the rest of your interpretation of my dream. I will do as you say with regard to my family, and beyond. Raven has spoken well. It has been my intent to find or help build a heavenly city. I know of no person in Shanghi who I should see. You have done well in healing my body and perhaps now I can also heal my spirit.”
Chapter 18
Who Shall I Turn To
Yang, the East King, spent the rest of the summer and well into the fall of 1853 facilitating the “house cleaning” principles that Tian had shared as an interpretation of his dream. The spiritual house cleaning was a more complex matter. Yang, who had known for some time that he was not the Comforter, now began to also have misgivings about Hong’s authority. Unable to determine with any assurance that doctrine and procedures were really God’s will, Yang welcomed some possible insights from the British.
Late in April 1853, a British steamship, the Hermes, had come up river to Nanjing. Aboard was Sir George Bonham, who desired to meet with Hong. Bonham was provided protocol instructions, but reacted very negatively to the “very objectionable manner in which the British were required to recognize the divine authority of the Taiping rulers.” Bonham did not condescend to come ashore, but Captain Fishbourne and an interpreter by the name of Meadows, met with the North King. In the meeting, it was determined that the British had worshiped God the Heavenly Father, for over 800 years. A good relationship was established and the Taiping were subsequently allowed on board the Hermes. Exchanges of Taiping silver for swords and music boxes went smoothly, but the conversation of W. H. Medhurst, a cultured missionary interpreter, included telling Bonham that, “The Taiping religious tracts appear in some respects better than European doctrine.” This was too much for Bonham. They headed back to Shanghai.
Not to be outdone by the British, the French also desired to meet with the Taiping. Under the pretext of investigating a ransom demand by a secret society of gangs they requested passage to Nanjing. The gang society had kidnapped a Catholic Chinese. The Cassini, after a six-month wait, received permission to travel from Shanghai to Taiping. Fog, Qing patrol boats, unfamiliar river channels, and the deep draft of the boat, made for a slow trip. They anchored outside the Nanjing walls on December 6.
Taiping emissaries dressed in red and yellow robes were greeted and allowed on board. They were told that the French desired to have an interview with the Taiping leaders, Yang spent a day deliberating. He decided to grant their request the next night. Yang was very curious about a people who had worshiped a Heavenly Father for such a long time. Surely they must have many answers to the questions in his mind.
Guides with horses met the French delegation and together they rode into Taiping to the sound of gongs and past fluttering banners. A group of finely dressed teenagers mounted on ponies presented themselves as the children of the Taiping leaders. Overall, the French were much impressed. Among the French was the French Jesuit priest, Stanislas Calvelin. He reported the entrance to the East King’s Palace as follows:
“With the aid of torches which lit up the room, we saw on each side a large number of onlookers; and at the end, in front of us stood two dignitaries who would receive us. They were clothed in splendid robes of blue satin, richly enhanced on the chest by magnificent embroideries, their red boots, diadems wholly of carved gold on their heads, their grave and dignified bearing, and a large retinue of second rank behind them; all, in a word, contributing to giving the interview a character of dignity and grandeur.”
The two dignitaries were Yang and Tian. Yang was well aware of Tian’s facility with languages, including French. Tian was not to speak, but rather to listen and verify the truth of what the French interpreters said. The dialog on religious matters was amicable, however, the matter of French dealings with the Qing led to a termination of discussions. East King’s logic was as follows:
“If the French revere the Qing ruler Xianfeng so much, they must be his friends. Therefore, they must see the Taiping as rebels. If they see the Taiping as rebels, then they are the Taiping’s enemies and so they must have come to spy on us.”
These thoughts were verified by Tian’s interpretation of conversations he had heard. The French had no clue that anyone present understood their language. The French returned to Shanghai on December 14. None of Yang's questions were answered.
The Americans also desired to check out Nanjing. After numerous delays the Susquehanna reached Nanjing on May 22, 1854. That visit went worse than the British and French visits. Yang and Tian were not involved in the American visit. Despite a possible closeness based on religion, the gulf between the three great world powers and the Taiping only grew larger.
The British remained curious about how the Taiping were progressing. In late June 1854, the British in Shanghi arranged for a Captain Mellersh of the Rattler to investigate the possibility of purchasing coal from the Taiping. Reaching Nanjing on June 20, the British were denied entrance to the city and no Taiping came aboard.
Frustrated, the British assembled a list of thirty questions for East King. Topics included: trade prospects, troop numbers, laws, tariffs, separation of males and females, rank of nobility, and what does it mean when Hong says he is Jesus’ younger brother? Also why does East King include for himself the title of Comforter and Holy Ghost? Tian translated Yang’s reply into English. The answers were delivered in a yellow envelope one foot wide and eighteen inches long. Almost with great humor, Yang also composed his own set of questions for Captain Mellersh.
You have worshiped God for a long time. Does any one of you know:
1. How tall or broad God is?
2. What is the color of his skin and why is it that color?
3. Does he have a protruding abdomen?
4. What is his beard like?
5. How do you know he has a beard?
6. Was his first wife the Celestial Mother of our elder brother Jesus?
7. Does he have any other sons and daughters?
8. Does Jesus look like Heavenly Father? How do you know?
9. How many Heavens are there?
10. What is the highest Heaven like?
The list went on, touching on various doctrinal topics.
Tian Lu personally delivered the questions to Captain Mellersh. The letter of reply was sent to Yang on June 29. The next day, the Rattler left Nanjing for Shanghi docking July 7. No coal deal had been made, but Tian had supplied copies of all the latest books which had come off the Taiping presses: Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. Also included was Hong’s revision of his text on the nature of God. These were exchanged for Tian’s safe passage to Shanghi.
The answers to Yang’s questions came back indicating God has no dimensions and neither “marries” nor does He have any other sons than Jesus. The doctrinal gaps were self-evident.
Yang issued a proclamation:
“Both the Old Testament and the New Testament, which have been preserved in foreign lands, contain numerous falsehoods. These books need correcting.”
Over the many months, Tian Lu had never again mentioned Yang’s dream. The latter part of the dream came true in September 1856. On September 1, 1856, about midnight, North King returned to Nanjing, where he met General Qin Rigang. Following their discussions, they briefly met with Hong Xiuquan. Deciding to move in the dead of night, before Yang could rally loyal troops, they stormed Yang’s palace and cut him down. The generals had assured Hong that only Yang would die, but in a few hours, they had murdered every one of Yang’s family and any followers who could be found in the palace. Yang’s head was severed and hung in the street.
Chapter 19
1854
Tian Lu had learned that the Susquehanna would be leaving Shanghai for Japan and then on to various ports, including San Francisco. After disembarking from the Rattler,
Tian made his way to where the Susquehanna was docked. He made entry to the ship and introduced himself as a recent convert to Christianity. The ships steward had just signed on another Chinese, with a similar story, as a cabin boy. The steward was impressed that they both desired to travel to America and learn Christian principles. Tian too was signed on. Tian remained obscure and did not share any of his language talents during the voyage. His goal was to get back to San Francisco without incident.
The ship docked in San Francisco in late January 1855. Traveling along familiar streets and alleys, he arrived at Ah Toy’s house. The door no longer had red lanterns on display. A knock on the door brought the sound of footsteps and the inquiry, “Who is there?”
“Tian Lu.”
The door swung open and Tian Lu was greeted as a long lost family member. Again an entire night was spent reviewing the events of the past year and a half. Ah Toy indicated that she had assembled enough wealth to “move on.” Her house doors had been closed for some time. The anti-Chinese resentment among miners and other white laborers had made it unsafe for her “girls.” Most had assimilated into the Chinese community.
Ah Toy also indicated that she could no longer practice law or even testify in court, because she was identified as Chinese. In a recent case, the Supreme Court of California had ruled, in a murder case, that the prosecutor’s key witness could not testify because he was Chinese. The witness was placed in the same category as blacks and Indians, neither of whom could testify against a white person. Ah Toy planned to sell her house and move to San Jose, where she had friends. Though younger than most retirees, she had sufficient funds for her needs, and given reports from China, had no desire to return to the turmoil there. She found it hard to comprehend Tian Lu’s indication that over twenty million Chinese had died in the Taiping Rebellion.
Tian indicated his only possessions at present were a bag of dried wolfberries and a wolfberry root in his pocket. As before, dawn found both asleep in their chairs, with their heads on the table. On awakening, Ah Toy proceeded to make tea and Tian stepped outside for a breath of air.
There on the gatepost sat Raven. “You should buy Ah Toy’s house.” Thoughtfully Tian replied, “What would I do with Ah Toy’s house?”
Raven added, “You need to use the skills you learned in the cave. The sick will come to you in this house.” Without further instruction, Raven flew off toward the bay.
Tian reentered the house and sat at the table with Ah Toy. Both silently sipped their tea.
“Just before I awoke I had a dream,” said Ah Toy. “In the dream, I saw many people come to this house. Unlike the visitors of the past, these were young, old, male and female. Instead of a red lantern out front, there was a triangular yellow flag. There was no one at the door to greet them. They just walked in.”
Tian Lu then shared his experience with Raven. “I have been taught many valuable healing skills. I am not sure this is the place to perform my healing skills, but your dream would seem to indicate that people would come to this house to be healed, however, I have no money, so I can’t buy your house.”
“This house has paid for itself many times over. Remember, it was a gift from Brannan in the first place. I will make an agreement with you. For every patient fee that you receive, I will get five percent of the fee in payment for the house. The house will remain in my name until you have paid me $3,000. At that time the house will be yours.”
Both were very pleased and excited by the course of events. Ah Toy could pack and leave for San Jose. Tian Lu could begin to practice medicine. Tian’s reservations centered not on his ability to heal, but rather on his ability to manage a business. In his short lifetime, he had often gone from being relatively wealthy, to without any money, in a few days.
Ah Toy continued, “Here are some simple rules:
1. Your door should be open to all who are in need, but only if they can behave in an orderly manner.
2. You should charge two fees. The first is a set fee to come through your door. The second fee is for your services and the medicines you provide. This second fee should be a variable fee based on the nature of the illness and your impressions about the person. For some there should be no second fee.
3. Hire a person to keep the house clean. I have just such a person working for me now.
4. Hire an all purpose man. He should be large, honest, and reliable. This person should collect fees, keep records, evict unruly persons, and take care of all banking matters. I also have just such a person working for me now.
5. Pay city licenses and taxes on time.
6. Convert each of the upstairs bedrooms into patient rooms. Use the first floor front two rooms to see patients. Use the other four rooms for patients needing to rest overnight or longer.”
It was clear to Tian that Ah Toy was a wise and true friend.
Over the next week, Ah Toy packed her things and cleared up any loose end
business situations. She and her two in-house helpers, the housekeeper and the bouncer,
assisted in packing and redoing the house. Ah Toy also advanced the money needed for supplies
and remodeling the house. The upstairs bedrooms, which were all gaudy red and green, were
repainted and each room was decorated with what Ah Toy called a Feng Shui atmosphere.
The beds were situated so that the foot of the bed did not face the bedroom door. This was the position symbolic of carrying out the dead. Two rooms were painted light purple, with pictures of flowers added to each wall. Purple contributed to the mental and physical wellness of the patients. One room was painted violet. It was in this room that Tian would treat irritable patients. One room was painted yellow. This was the room where patients needing a mood boost were treated. The downstairs patient rooms were painted light yellow. The kitchen had more cupboards added and became a dispensary.
Tian’s bed was in the closet-like room behind the kitchen. The bouncer slept on a mat near the front door and the house cleaner had a smaller, closet-like room at the rear of the house. What had been the dining-living room was made over into a reception room, with chairs along two walls and a large desk and chair opposite the entrance door. Other than the kitchen stove, there was no source of heat in the house. The addition of cupboards full of herbs completely changed the odor of the house. Total cost of the renovations and supplies: $325, a gift from Ah Toy.
Before leaving town, Ah Toy had spread the word among her co-workers that Tian Lu was there to help the thousands of “girls” from China who had medical problems. Among this group tuberculosis, venereal disease, and pregnancy were the major problems. Within weeks a steady stream of patients came through the open door. As word spread, work time grew longer for Tian, as there were often over 100 patients a day. Ah Toy, ever the business woman, had guaranteed that her loan to Tian Lu would be repaid.
1854
Tian Lu had learned that the Susquehanna would be leaving Shanghai for Japan and then on to various ports, including San Francisco. After disembarking from the Rattler,
Tian made his way to where the Susquehanna was docked. He made entry to the ship and introduced himself as a recent convert to Christianity. The ships steward had just signed on another Chinese, with a similar story, as a cabin boy. The steward was impressed that they both desired to travel to America and learn Christian principles. Tian too was signed on. Tian remained obscure and did not share any of his language talents during the voyage. His goal was to get back to San Francisco without incident.
The ship docked in San Francisco in late January 1855. Traveling along familiar streets and alleys, he arrived at Ah Toy’s house. The door no longer had red lanterns on display. A knock on the door brought the sound of footsteps and the inquiry, “Who is there?”
“Tian Lu.”
The door swung open and Tian Lu was greeted as a long lost family member. Again an entire night was spent reviewing the events of the past year and a half. Ah Toy indicated that she had assembled enough wealth to “move on.” Her house doors had been closed for some time. The anti-Chinese resentment among miners and other white laborers had made it unsafe for her “girls.” Most had assimilated into the Chinese community.
Ah Toy also indicated that she could no longer practice law or even testify in court, because she was identified as Chinese. In a recent case, the Supreme Court of California had ruled, in a murder case, that the prosecutor’s key witness could not testify because he was Chinese. The witness was placed in the same category as blacks and Indians, neither of whom could testify against a white person. Ah Toy planned to sell her house and move to San Jose, where she had friends. Though younger than most retirees, she had sufficient funds for her needs, and given reports from China, had no desire to return to the turmoil there. She found it hard to comprehend Tian Lu’s indication that over twenty million Chinese had died in the Taiping Rebellion.
Tian indicated his only possessions at present were a bag of dried wolfberries and a wolfberry root in his pocket. As before, dawn found both asleep in their chairs, with their heads on the table. On awakening, Ah Toy proceeded to make tea and Tian stepped outside for a breath of air.
There on the gatepost sat Raven. “You should buy Ah Toy’s house.” Thoughtfully Tian replied, “What would I do with Ah Toy’s house?”
Raven added, “You need to use the skills you learned in the cave. The sick will come to you in this house.” Without further instruction, Raven flew off toward the bay.
Tian reentered the house and sat at the table with Ah Toy. Both silently sipped their tea.
“Just before I awoke I had a dream,” said Ah Toy. “In the dream, I saw many people come to this house. Unlike the visitors of the past, these were young, old, male and female. Instead of a red lantern out front, there was a triangular yellow flag. There was no one at the door to greet them. They just walked in.”
Tian Lu then shared his experience with Raven. “I have been taught many valuable healing skills. I am not sure this is the place to perform my healing skills, but your dream would seem to indicate that people would come to this house to be healed, however, I have no money, so I can’t buy your house.”
“This house has paid for itself many times over. Remember, it was a gift from Brannan in the first place. I will make an agreement with you. For every patient fee that you receive, I will get five percent of the fee in payment for the house. The house will remain in my name until you have paid me $3,000. At that time the house will be yours.”
Both were very pleased and excited by the course of events. Ah Toy could pack and leave for San Jose. Tian Lu could begin to practice medicine. Tian’s reservations centered not on his ability to heal, but rather on his ability to manage a business. In his short lifetime, he had often gone from being relatively wealthy, to without any money, in a few days.
Ah Toy continued, “Here are some simple rules:
1. Your door should be open to all who are in need, but only if they can behave in an orderly manner.
2. You should charge two fees. The first is a set fee to come through your door. The second fee is for your services and the medicines you provide. This second fee should be a variable fee based on the nature of the illness and your impressions about the person. For some there should be no second fee.
3. Hire a person to keep the house clean. I have just such a person working for me now.
4. Hire an all purpose man. He should be large, honest, and reliable. This person should collect fees, keep records, evict unruly persons, and take care of all banking matters. I also have just such a person working for me now.
5. Pay city licenses and taxes on time.
6. Convert each of the upstairs bedrooms into patient rooms. Use the first floor front two rooms to see patients. Use the other four rooms for patients needing to rest overnight or longer.”
It was clear to Tian that Ah Toy was a wise and true friend.
Over the next week, Ah Toy packed her things and cleared up any loose end
business situations. She and her two in-house helpers, the housekeeper and the bouncer,
assisted in packing and redoing the house. Ah Toy also advanced the money needed for supplies
and remodeling the house. The upstairs bedrooms, which were all gaudy red and green, were
repainted and each room was decorated with what Ah Toy called a Feng Shui atmosphere.
The beds were situated so that the foot of the bed did not face the bedroom door. This was the position symbolic of carrying out the dead. Two rooms were painted light purple, with pictures of flowers added to each wall. Purple contributed to the mental and physical wellness of the patients. One room was painted violet. It was in this room that Tian would treat irritable patients. One room was painted yellow. This was the room where patients needing a mood boost were treated. The downstairs patient rooms were painted light yellow. The kitchen had more cupboards added and became a dispensary.
Tian’s bed was in the closet-like room behind the kitchen. The bouncer slept on a mat near the front door and the house cleaner had a smaller, closet-like room at the rear of the house. What had been the dining-living room was made over into a reception room, with chairs along two walls and a large desk and chair opposite the entrance door. Other than the kitchen stove, there was no source of heat in the house. The addition of cupboards full of herbs completely changed the odor of the house. Total cost of the renovations and supplies: $325, a gift from Ah Toy.
Before leaving town, Ah Toy had spread the word among her co-workers that Tian Lu was there to help the thousands of “girls” from China who had medical problems. Among this group tuberculosis, venereal disease, and pregnancy were the major problems. Within weeks a steady stream of patients came through the open door. As word spread, work time grew longer for Tian, as there were often over 100 patients a day. Ah Toy, ever the business woman, had guaranteed that her loan to Tian Lu would be repaid.
Raven's Seal
Chapter 20
House of Healing
The majority of early patients were coughing, indicating tuberculosis, which was prevalent among both Chinese and white residents. Fortunately, Tian’s treatment was both effective and inexpensive. Anyone with a cough was given a cloth to cover his or her mouth. The house cleaner placed all cloths and room coverings in boiling water every evening. Tian did not take patient's temperatures or pulse rates. He used the diagnostic technique he had learned in his homeland cave. He tuned into energy fields emanating from the patients. He listened and thought with his heart, not his mind. The more he practiced, the more in tune he became. Often his hands provided more information. Touch allowed energy to flow in both directions. His heart-hand complex, though small, would have matched or excelled the performance of large cumbersome MRI’s, ultra sounds, and electroencephalograms found in hospitals 100 years later.
The tuberculosis “reading” was a thirty second diagnosis. Instructions for treatment required less than ten minutes. The first treatment was carried out in one of the upstairs rooms, often with ten or more patients in the room at the same time. Treatment consisted of crushing two large cloves of purple skinned garlic into a mush-like consistency. Tian showed how this was to be done using a mortar and pestle, and in the process of demonstration, also probably enhanced his ability to fight off any patient transferred potential for illness.
The crushed garlic was placed in a 4 to 6-inch tall glass bottle with a 2-inch opening. Using a chopstick, the garlic was spread around the bottom of the bottle. The patient then placed his or her mouth just above the top of the bottle and breathed through the mouth for about 30 seconds, after which the patient took normal deep breaths of fresh air for 30 seconds. Then these steps were repeated over and over. The total treatment time was two hours, and was to be repeated twice a day. The charge for the treatment was $2.00, which included the price of the bottle. Garlic and chopsticks were household items in every Chinese home.
Within a few months, word of the treatment had spread throughout most of the oriental community. The various red light houses experienced little tuberculosis, but had a reputation for smelling like garlic. Tian was responsible for alleviating a major health threat at very little cost to the patients, and given its effectiveness, the tuberculosis treatment was the key to greatly expanding his patient clientele.
The other two great challenges for many of Tian’s early patients were pregnancy and venereal disease. Pregnancy among the Chinese girls was a disaster. In most cases each girl earned barely enough to maintain her own needs. An unexpected child created greater challenges. There was no place for a baby and mother in the various houses, and Chinese men had no inclination to associate with such women, let alone take them into their homes. Tian’s council was to leave the profession and find other work, which fell on largely deaf ears. Furthermore, he had no remedy for pregnancy.
One day as he wandered the hills to the east of San Francisco, he was attracted to a plant unfamiliar to him. Recognizing this attraction as an invitation to provide some service, Tian knelt down beside the plant and stroked its feathery leaves with his hand. He received the impression that these leaves would be excellent to treat upset stomachs. Then, touching the mature flower head, he heard the plant say, “I can prevent pregnancies.” The impression continued to flow into his mind. The power was in the seeds. He chewed a few, bitter, but not terribly so.
It was a simple matter for Tian to hire boys to harvest the seed heads in the area. Soon he had hundreds of pounds of Queen Anne’s Lace seeds dried and stored for future use. Tian vaguely recalled these seeds being used in China as a tincture. The seeds were crushed with a mortar and pestle and then placed in a strong alcohol solution for a few weeks. He was impressed to just have his patients chew the seeds. The rule was, one teaspoon of seeds, thoroughly chewed, on a daily basis. The “thoroughly chewed” and on a “daily” basis was emphasized as absolutely necessary. It worked, Tian’s reputation was enhanced, and another social problem was at least partly alleviated.
The years passed by with Bouncer and the housekeeper carrying out most of the patient related duties. When a challenging case or a particularly important person came in for treatment, Tian took over. He also established a “food service” for miners. He trained a group of Chinese to glean wild onion, wild garlic, watercress, lamb’s quarters and other herbs growing in the hills surrounding the gold fields. Combined with rice, soy sauce, eggs and other herbs and spices, the meals on carts were a big hit among the miners who were living mostly on bread, dried beef, beans and molasses.
During the cooler months, oysters and various dried fruits and vegetables became part of the menus. A slice of bread in San Francisco was $1, $2 if buttered. Ripe pears and apples went for $2.50 each. A real favorite, and very pricey item, was later called Hangtown Fry, which was just a variation of egg omelet, with bacon, oysters and eggs. The miners did not get along well with the Chinese miners, but they liked their cooking.
Tian had become a very wealthy man.
House of Healing
The majority of early patients were coughing, indicating tuberculosis, which was prevalent among both Chinese and white residents. Fortunately, Tian’s treatment was both effective and inexpensive. Anyone with a cough was given a cloth to cover his or her mouth. The house cleaner placed all cloths and room coverings in boiling water every evening. Tian did not take patient's temperatures or pulse rates. He used the diagnostic technique he had learned in his homeland cave. He tuned into energy fields emanating from the patients. He listened and thought with his heart, not his mind. The more he practiced, the more in tune he became. Often his hands provided more information. Touch allowed energy to flow in both directions. His heart-hand complex, though small, would have matched or excelled the performance of large cumbersome MRI’s, ultra sounds, and electroencephalograms found in hospitals 100 years later.
The tuberculosis “reading” was a thirty second diagnosis. Instructions for treatment required less than ten minutes. The first treatment was carried out in one of the upstairs rooms, often with ten or more patients in the room at the same time. Treatment consisted of crushing two large cloves of purple skinned garlic into a mush-like consistency. Tian showed how this was to be done using a mortar and pestle, and in the process of demonstration, also probably enhanced his ability to fight off any patient transferred potential for illness.
The crushed garlic was placed in a 4 to 6-inch tall glass bottle with a 2-inch opening. Using a chopstick, the garlic was spread around the bottom of the bottle. The patient then placed his or her mouth just above the top of the bottle and breathed through the mouth for about 30 seconds, after which the patient took normal deep breaths of fresh air for 30 seconds. Then these steps were repeated over and over. The total treatment time was two hours, and was to be repeated twice a day. The charge for the treatment was $2.00, which included the price of the bottle. Garlic and chopsticks were household items in every Chinese home.
Within a few months, word of the treatment had spread throughout most of the oriental community. The various red light houses experienced little tuberculosis, but had a reputation for smelling like garlic. Tian was responsible for alleviating a major health threat at very little cost to the patients, and given its effectiveness, the tuberculosis treatment was the key to greatly expanding his patient clientele.
The other two great challenges for many of Tian’s early patients were pregnancy and venereal disease. Pregnancy among the Chinese girls was a disaster. In most cases each girl earned barely enough to maintain her own needs. An unexpected child created greater challenges. There was no place for a baby and mother in the various houses, and Chinese men had no inclination to associate with such women, let alone take them into their homes. Tian’s council was to leave the profession and find other work, which fell on largely deaf ears. Furthermore, he had no remedy for pregnancy.
One day as he wandered the hills to the east of San Francisco, he was attracted to a plant unfamiliar to him. Recognizing this attraction as an invitation to provide some service, Tian knelt down beside the plant and stroked its feathery leaves with his hand. He received the impression that these leaves would be excellent to treat upset stomachs. Then, touching the mature flower head, he heard the plant say, “I can prevent pregnancies.” The impression continued to flow into his mind. The power was in the seeds. He chewed a few, bitter, but not terribly so.
It was a simple matter for Tian to hire boys to harvest the seed heads in the area. Soon he had hundreds of pounds of Queen Anne’s Lace seeds dried and stored for future use. Tian vaguely recalled these seeds being used in China as a tincture. The seeds were crushed with a mortar and pestle and then placed in a strong alcohol solution for a few weeks. He was impressed to just have his patients chew the seeds. The rule was, one teaspoon of seeds, thoroughly chewed, on a daily basis. The “thoroughly chewed” and on a “daily” basis was emphasized as absolutely necessary. It worked, Tian’s reputation was enhanced, and another social problem was at least partly alleviated.
The years passed by with Bouncer and the housekeeper carrying out most of the patient related duties. When a challenging case or a particularly important person came in for treatment, Tian took over. He also established a “food service” for miners. He trained a group of Chinese to glean wild onion, wild garlic, watercress, lamb’s quarters and other herbs growing in the hills surrounding the gold fields. Combined with rice, soy sauce, eggs and other herbs and spices, the meals on carts were a big hit among the miners who were living mostly on bread, dried beef, beans and molasses.
During the cooler months, oysters and various dried fruits and vegetables became part of the menus. A slice of bread in San Francisco was $1, $2 if buttered. Ripe pears and apples went for $2.50 each. A real favorite, and very pricey item, was later called Hangtown Fry, which was just a variation of egg omelet, with bacon, oysters and eggs. The miners did not get along well with the Chinese miners, but they liked their cooking.
Tian had become a very wealthy man.
Queen Ann's Lace
Chapter 21
Raven Speaks Again
Returning from one of his trips to the mining camps in the fall of 1859, Tian was invited to spend the night with a group of Mormon miners. Late in the evening the camp was alerted to an accident. One of the miners returning to camp had been crushed by his horse. The horse had stumbled and rolled on the miner. He was presumed dead.
Tian joined four miners to retrieve the body. Upon arrival there were no life signs, but one of the Mormons said, “He is not dead, he is resting.” Tian’s thoughts were, “Sure, permanently.” It was evident that bones were broken and surely there was significant internal injury. There was no pulse. One of the Mormons took a small bottle from his pocket and placed a drop of the liquid on the man’s head. He then placed his hands on the dead mans head and said some words. Then he and another man placed their hands on the dead man’s head and said some more words, including, “Awake, arise and be whole.”
First there was a slight movement in the miner’s eyelids, then his eyes opened and he got up. There were no broken bones or even bruises. Tian was astonished. After much embracing the group returned to camp, where there was much rejoicing.
Tian had never witnessed such an event before. He was full of questions. He said he would pay “big money” to learn this healing technique.
The gibberish that followed was of no help. He had heard the story of Joseph Smith before, and the mystical “power of the priesthood,” though interesting, seemed beyond his grasp. In the morning, Tian departed the camp, intrigued by what he had witnessed, but unmotivated to investigate a religion so similar to that of the Taiping Rebellion.
Traveling down a well-traveled rocky roadway, Tian was brought to a halt by a voice he recognized. Sure enough, there was Raven perched on a limb. “Tian Lu, it has been a long time since we have talked. You have done well.”
Tian stopped, thinking, “Now what, every time you come along, my life gets pointed in a different direction.”
“Ah, you not only can converse with me, you can read my mind.”
Tian answered, “Of course I can converse with you, just as easily as I can hear messages from the plants.”
“And you think the Mormons are weird when they use the power of the priesthood to perform what might be called miracles? Tian, my child, you have much to learn.”
Then came the, “What now?” part of the encounter. Raven said, “A short distance down this road you will meet a man who needs your help. You will not be able to help him without God’s help.” Raven then flew off to the east.
Chapter 22
Charles Crocker
Charles Crocker came to California in 1850. A few years of mining transitioned into a dry goods business in Sacramento. By 1854, he was one of the wealthiest men in town. His association with Mark Hopkins, Collis Huntington, and Leland Stanford played a major role in their involvement in planning for the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
Tian expected to find some disaster along the road. Instead, he found Charles Crocker.
Tian was on foot. Crocker was in a fancy carriage, but going nowhere. A large rattlesnake occupied the middle of the road. Coiled and head reared, the snake had both Crocker and his horse hypnotized. Neither seemed capable of moving. The horse was paralyzed and Crocker was in a similar state. As Tian approached, he addressed the man in English. “I perceive you have a problem. Let me be of assistance.” Holding the horse’s halter, he addressed the rattlesnake. “My dear friend, this man and his horse ask your forgiveness. They did not mean to interfere with your enjoyment of the morning sun. They would be most thankful if you would let them pass. We are so sorry for the inconveniences we have caused you. Please forgive our intrusion.”
The vibration of the tail stopped. The large snake lowered his head and proceeded to disappear into the rocks at the side of the road.
Charles Crocker was a very large man. As his color returned, he addressed Tian, “I am scared to death of snakes, and that was the largest rattlesnake I have ever seen. I can’t believe that you talked the snake into moving. I have never seen anything like that before. Where are you going? Come, get in, and ride along with me.”
Tian released his hold on the horse’s halter and climbed into the carriage.
“My name is Charles Crocker. Who are you?”
Raven Speaks Again
Returning from one of his trips to the mining camps in the fall of 1859, Tian was invited to spend the night with a group of Mormon miners. Late in the evening the camp was alerted to an accident. One of the miners returning to camp had been crushed by his horse. The horse had stumbled and rolled on the miner. He was presumed dead.
Tian joined four miners to retrieve the body. Upon arrival there were no life signs, but one of the Mormons said, “He is not dead, he is resting.” Tian’s thoughts were, “Sure, permanently.” It was evident that bones were broken and surely there was significant internal injury. There was no pulse. One of the Mormons took a small bottle from his pocket and placed a drop of the liquid on the man’s head. He then placed his hands on the dead mans head and said some words. Then he and another man placed their hands on the dead man’s head and said some more words, including, “Awake, arise and be whole.”
First there was a slight movement in the miner’s eyelids, then his eyes opened and he got up. There were no broken bones or even bruises. Tian was astonished. After much embracing the group returned to camp, where there was much rejoicing.
Tian had never witnessed such an event before. He was full of questions. He said he would pay “big money” to learn this healing technique.
The gibberish that followed was of no help. He had heard the story of Joseph Smith before, and the mystical “power of the priesthood,” though interesting, seemed beyond his grasp. In the morning, Tian departed the camp, intrigued by what he had witnessed, but unmotivated to investigate a religion so similar to that of the Taiping Rebellion.
Traveling down a well-traveled rocky roadway, Tian was brought to a halt by a voice he recognized. Sure enough, there was Raven perched on a limb. “Tian Lu, it has been a long time since we have talked. You have done well.”
Tian stopped, thinking, “Now what, every time you come along, my life gets pointed in a different direction.”
“Ah, you not only can converse with me, you can read my mind.”
Tian answered, “Of course I can converse with you, just as easily as I can hear messages from the plants.”
“And you think the Mormons are weird when they use the power of the priesthood to perform what might be called miracles? Tian, my child, you have much to learn.”
Then came the, “What now?” part of the encounter. Raven said, “A short distance down this road you will meet a man who needs your help. You will not be able to help him without God’s help.” Raven then flew off to the east.
Chapter 22
Charles Crocker
Charles Crocker came to California in 1850. A few years of mining transitioned into a dry goods business in Sacramento. By 1854, he was one of the wealthiest men in town. His association with Mark Hopkins, Collis Huntington, and Leland Stanford played a major role in their involvement in planning for the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
Tian expected to find some disaster along the road. Instead, he found Charles Crocker.
Tian was on foot. Crocker was in a fancy carriage, but going nowhere. A large rattlesnake occupied the middle of the road. Coiled and head reared, the snake had both Crocker and his horse hypnotized. Neither seemed capable of moving. The horse was paralyzed and Crocker was in a similar state. As Tian approached, he addressed the man in English. “I perceive you have a problem. Let me be of assistance.” Holding the horse’s halter, he addressed the rattlesnake. “My dear friend, this man and his horse ask your forgiveness. They did not mean to interfere with your enjoyment of the morning sun. They would be most thankful if you would let them pass. We are so sorry for the inconveniences we have caused you. Please forgive our intrusion.”
The vibration of the tail stopped. The large snake lowered his head and proceeded to disappear into the rocks at the side of the road.
Charles Crocker was a very large man. As his color returned, he addressed Tian, “I am scared to death of snakes, and that was the largest rattlesnake I have ever seen. I can’t believe that you talked the snake into moving. I have never seen anything like that before. Where are you going? Come, get in, and ride along with me.”
Tian released his hold on the horse’s halter and climbed into the carriage.
“My name is Charles Crocker. Who are you?”
“Yes,” answered Tian, “I saw you in Sacramento last year prior to your election to the state legislature. I tried to meet with you regarding the unfair tax being placed on Chinese miners. Why should one group be taxed at a different rate than another?”
As they drove along, Tian introduced himself. Crocker was well aware of the wealthy healer from San Francisco. He was most impressed by Tian’s facility with languages, not just with plants and animals, but more important to him was his fluency in both English and Chinese. Crocker tried to hire Tian to return to China and recruit thousands of workers to construct a railroad from California to the east. Tian had no desire to return to China.
Tian had again made connection with a major player in California affairs. This time, Tian was impressed that Crocker, though very much into making money, was honest in his dealings with others. Tian felt impressed that Crocker was a good person to know, but that he would never become a friend like Ah Toy had been.
Collis Huntington had involved Crocker in early railroad ventures, and in 1862, when congress passed the Pacific Railroad Bill the “group” selected Crocker as the main construction contractor. Although Crocker was a railroad board member, legislator, and had never done a day of construction in his life, he agreed. “I had all the experience needed. I knew how to manage men; I had worked them in the ore beds, in the coal pits, worked all sorts of ways, and worked myself right along with them.” The fact that he was already wealthy and would be paid in railroad securities made the dream of a mansion on Knob Hill in San Francisco seem like a fitting retirement goal. His wife was totally supportive.
Crocker resigned his position on the board to avoid a conflict of interest, and in December 1862 the Central Pacific awarded its first construction contract to Charles Crocker and Company. Crocker shrewdly subcontracted the first 18 miles of road to firms that actually had experience in railroad building. He spent every day on site, “supervising” their work, watching and learning.
His experience in the mercantile business provided the background needed relative to supplying materials, all of which were shipped from the east coast, around Cape Horn, by ship. Any delay was a major challenge. He hired James Harvey Strobridge as construction boss.
Crocker had convinced Tian to become a part of the great railroad venture, and though Tian was never granted full public visibility with Crocker, he became Crocker's friend and was a key to the success of the railroad venture.
Upon learning that Tian had accumulated nearly $400,000 in gold and had it sitting in his basement, Crocker suggested that he could easily double that amount by investing it in Wells Fargo stock. Dollar wealth had never been of much concern to Tian. Paper stock was totally unfamiliar to him, and whether the gold was safe or not really did not matter. Bouncer had guarded that wealth night and day since the first healing fees were collected.
In 1852, Henry Wells and William Fargo founded Wells Fargo and Company. Their business was banking, buying gold, selling paper bank drafts, which were as good as gold, and rapid delivery of anything of value. They opened for business in San Francisco and soon had agents in cities and mining camps across the West. Crocker convinced Tian that the Wells Fargo stagecoaches and their ties to the Pony Express were the prelude to their services riding the soon to be built railroads. “ A dollar invested now would be worth four times that amount in a few years.”
Though taking up far less space than the gold in the basement, the pieces of paper that represented Wells Fargo stock were possessions that joined Tian’s items in his back pack, along with the ever present wolfberries and root that had come from his cave home.
Tian had never inquired into the private lives of Bouncer and the housekeeper. They had served him well and Tian was impressed to give them the treatment house and the business. They both were very surprised at the offer and did not believe such a thing was possible. They felt their role was to serve a master.
As the house transfer process progressed, Tian Lu not only found out they had real names, but also that they were husband and wife. They were married in China before coming to America. They left China because of the crime, hardships and violence. Ah Toy and Tian had provided a perfect place of refuge. Now Tian was offering a gift greater than they had ever dreamed. Neither had citizenship papers. With Crocker’s help, they became Don and Linda Anderson, legal citizens, and ownership of the house was transferred to those names.
After the house details were taken care of, Tian also contacted all of his traveling food vendors. He had financed each with carts and utensils, and assigned each an area in which to work. He provided food items as needed and trained each vendor in collecting and preparing wild edibles. For years, he received 20% of their profits. Now he told each vendor they had no further obligation to him. Tian was now Crocker's shadow partner and a major shareholder in the Wells Fargo Company.
Early in 1865, a number of work slow downs and even outright stoppages occurred because of railroad worker unrest. In Crocker’s opinion, the men were lazy. Strobridge thought a bit of violence would improve performance. Crocker and Tian had previously discussed recruiting Chinese to work on the railroad. Originally, the plan was to send Tian to China to recruit new workers. Tian really did not want to return to China and had suggested that with the gold now harder to find, there were plenty of weather hardened Chinese miners who were leaving the mine fields and available for employment. He argued that their hearts were in the outdoors, not in a laundry.
The event that initiated the first hiring of Chinese railroad workers took place at an excavation site east of Newcastle. As Strobridge, Crocker, and Tian arrived on the scene they were threatened by pick and shovel wielding workers. The obscenities were caustic. Strobridge’s drawn pistols ameliorated the threatened violence. The mob chanted, “More pay or we quit.” Crocker’s response was, “No problem, if you do not like the pay, you are fired.” Dozens walked off but some resumed their labors. A reluctant Strobridge was instructed to go over to Auburn and pick up 50 Chinese workers who had agreed to work for half the pay the whites were getting. Tian had recruited the group, and in addition to their pay, they were to receive housing and their group boss was to supply appropriate food.
Strobridge adjusted quickly to the new workers when he found out how reliable and hard working they were. Tian proceeded to hire hundreds more. Soon, Storbrige's opinion of the Chinese workers became much more positive. A letter written by the Central Pacific’s legal counsel to Cornelius Cole, dated April12,1865, reflected this change. It read, “A large part of our force is Chinese, and they prove nearly equal to white men in the amount of labor they perform, and are far more reliable. No danger of strikes among them. We are training them to do all kinds of labor, blasting, driving horses, handling rock, as well as the pick and shovel.”
As hundreds more were hired, Strobridge again objected on the basis that they were not masons. Crocker relayed Tian’s response to Strobridge, “Have you ever seen the great wall of China?” Chief Engineer Montague, in a message to the Board of CPRR stated, “Some distrust was at first felt regarding the capacity of this class for the service required, but the experiment has proven eminently successful. They are faithful and industrious, and skillful in the performance of their duties. Many have become expert in rock drilling, blasting, and other rock work.” Some of those who were first hired became gang bosses.
As they drove along, Tian introduced himself. Crocker was well aware of the wealthy healer from San Francisco. He was most impressed by Tian’s facility with languages, not just with plants and animals, but more important to him was his fluency in both English and Chinese. Crocker tried to hire Tian to return to China and recruit thousands of workers to construct a railroad from California to the east. Tian had no desire to return to China.
Tian had again made connection with a major player in California affairs. This time, Tian was impressed that Crocker, though very much into making money, was honest in his dealings with others. Tian felt impressed that Crocker was a good person to know, but that he would never become a friend like Ah Toy had been.
Collis Huntington had involved Crocker in early railroad ventures, and in 1862, when congress passed the Pacific Railroad Bill the “group” selected Crocker as the main construction contractor. Although Crocker was a railroad board member, legislator, and had never done a day of construction in his life, he agreed. “I had all the experience needed. I knew how to manage men; I had worked them in the ore beds, in the coal pits, worked all sorts of ways, and worked myself right along with them.” The fact that he was already wealthy and would be paid in railroad securities made the dream of a mansion on Knob Hill in San Francisco seem like a fitting retirement goal. His wife was totally supportive.
Crocker resigned his position on the board to avoid a conflict of interest, and in December 1862 the Central Pacific awarded its first construction contract to Charles Crocker and Company. Crocker shrewdly subcontracted the first 18 miles of road to firms that actually had experience in railroad building. He spent every day on site, “supervising” their work, watching and learning.
His experience in the mercantile business provided the background needed relative to supplying materials, all of which were shipped from the east coast, around Cape Horn, by ship. Any delay was a major challenge. He hired James Harvey Strobridge as construction boss.
Crocker had convinced Tian to become a part of the great railroad venture, and though Tian was never granted full public visibility with Crocker, he became Crocker's friend and was a key to the success of the railroad venture.
Upon learning that Tian had accumulated nearly $400,000 in gold and had it sitting in his basement, Crocker suggested that he could easily double that amount by investing it in Wells Fargo stock. Dollar wealth had never been of much concern to Tian. Paper stock was totally unfamiliar to him, and whether the gold was safe or not really did not matter. Bouncer had guarded that wealth night and day since the first healing fees were collected.
In 1852, Henry Wells and William Fargo founded Wells Fargo and Company. Their business was banking, buying gold, selling paper bank drafts, which were as good as gold, and rapid delivery of anything of value. They opened for business in San Francisco and soon had agents in cities and mining camps across the West. Crocker convinced Tian that the Wells Fargo stagecoaches and their ties to the Pony Express were the prelude to their services riding the soon to be built railroads. “ A dollar invested now would be worth four times that amount in a few years.”
Though taking up far less space than the gold in the basement, the pieces of paper that represented Wells Fargo stock were possessions that joined Tian’s items in his back pack, along with the ever present wolfberries and root that had come from his cave home.
Tian had never inquired into the private lives of Bouncer and the housekeeper. They had served him well and Tian was impressed to give them the treatment house and the business. They both were very surprised at the offer and did not believe such a thing was possible. They felt their role was to serve a master.
As the house transfer process progressed, Tian Lu not only found out they had real names, but also that they were husband and wife. They were married in China before coming to America. They left China because of the crime, hardships and violence. Ah Toy and Tian had provided a perfect place of refuge. Now Tian was offering a gift greater than they had ever dreamed. Neither had citizenship papers. With Crocker’s help, they became Don and Linda Anderson, legal citizens, and ownership of the house was transferred to those names.
After the house details were taken care of, Tian also contacted all of his traveling food vendors. He had financed each with carts and utensils, and assigned each an area in which to work. He provided food items as needed and trained each vendor in collecting and preparing wild edibles. For years, he received 20% of their profits. Now he told each vendor they had no further obligation to him. Tian was now Crocker's shadow partner and a major shareholder in the Wells Fargo Company.
Early in 1865, a number of work slow downs and even outright stoppages occurred because of railroad worker unrest. In Crocker’s opinion, the men were lazy. Strobridge thought a bit of violence would improve performance. Crocker and Tian had previously discussed recruiting Chinese to work on the railroad. Originally, the plan was to send Tian to China to recruit new workers. Tian really did not want to return to China and had suggested that with the gold now harder to find, there were plenty of weather hardened Chinese miners who were leaving the mine fields and available for employment. He argued that their hearts were in the outdoors, not in a laundry.
The event that initiated the first hiring of Chinese railroad workers took place at an excavation site east of Newcastle. As Strobridge, Crocker, and Tian arrived on the scene they were threatened by pick and shovel wielding workers. The obscenities were caustic. Strobridge’s drawn pistols ameliorated the threatened violence. The mob chanted, “More pay or we quit.” Crocker’s response was, “No problem, if you do not like the pay, you are fired.” Dozens walked off but some resumed their labors. A reluctant Strobridge was instructed to go over to Auburn and pick up 50 Chinese workers who had agreed to work for half the pay the whites were getting. Tian had recruited the group, and in addition to their pay, they were to receive housing and their group boss was to supply appropriate food.
Strobridge adjusted quickly to the new workers when he found out how reliable and hard working they were. Tian proceeded to hire hundreds more. Soon, Storbrige's opinion of the Chinese workers became much more positive. A letter written by the Central Pacific’s legal counsel to Cornelius Cole, dated April12,1865, reflected this change. It read, “A large part of our force is Chinese, and they prove nearly equal to white men in the amount of labor they perform, and are far more reliable. No danger of strikes among them. We are training them to do all kinds of labor, blasting, driving horses, handling rock, as well as the pick and shovel.”
As hundreds more were hired, Strobridge again objected on the basis that they were not masons. Crocker relayed Tian’s response to Strobridge, “Have you ever seen the great wall of China?” Chief Engineer Montague, in a message to the Board of CPRR stated, “Some distrust was at first felt regarding the capacity of this class for the service required, but the experiment has proven eminently successful. They are faithful and industrious, and skillful in the performance of their duties. Many have become expert in rock drilling, blasting, and other rock work.” Some of those who were first hired became gang bosses.
Chapter 23
Dutch Flat
True to his word, Charlie Crocker paid Tian a finder’s fee of $15,000 for the first 1,500 workers. Actually it was a very good deal for Crocker. Tian had done an excellent job of screening potential workers and had he not done so, the entire venture into hiring Chinese workers would have probably failed. Now the two were arguing over Tian’s role in future dealings with the Chinese workers. Crocker still wanted Tian to go back to China and obtain thousands more workers. Tian countered with his pledge he had made to look after those he had hired. He had indicated, before hiring, that he would speak for them. He could not do that from China. Tian recalled the rattlesnake incident to Crocker’s mind. He further explained that Raven had visited him in Sacramento and told him to follow the railroad as it was constructed to the east. Tian explained that now the key to completing the railroad was not more recruiting, but more importantly, to properly care for the workers. As with the ship voyages of the past Tian explained the key was the right food.
Tian asked Crocker, “What are a few of the most important things in your life?”
After some thought Crocker answered, “My wife, good food, and the respect of my associates.”
“The workers have no wives here and they are largely disrespected. Surely they deserve good food.” Tian drove the case home and though no contract was signed, they parted that day with an agreement that Tian would be responsible for the feeding of the Chinese workers. Within days, he made contacts with suppliers, mostly in San Francisco, for extended contracts for large amounts of food. He also established a network of supervisors and cooks. He paid the cook's and supervisor's salaries out of the $15,000 he had received from Crocker. Food billings all went to Crocker.
Each group of 12-20 workers had an assigned cook. The cook’s role was to not only prepare meals, but also to have a large boiler of hot water ready at the end of the day so that each night, before the evening meal, every worker could take a hot sponge bath and change clothes before eating. During the workday, the workers were to have unlimited access to warm green tea. In fact, each worker was allotted about a gallon of tea a day.
Every day started with lukewarm green tea and congee with dried fruit. There were seldom any morning, afternoon, or lunch breaks. There were moments during the day for a cup of tea and a handful of dried wolfberries or other dried fruit. The evening meal was elaborate by white worker comparison, and often included fresh chicken, duck or pork.
Tian’s network of suppliers provided much the same diet he had used on ship voyages and included dried fish, dried oysters, high quality green tea, dried wolfberries, dried wolfberry leaves for tea and vegetables, rice, crackers, dried bamboo shoots, salted cabbage, Chinese sugar, dried fruits and vegetables, vermicelli, dried seaweed, Chinese bacon, dried abalone, three kinds of dried mushrooms, peanut oil, and fresh pork, chicken, and duck, as often as possible.
The white workers diet was much simpler, more boring and far less nutritious. It consisted of beef, beans, bread, butter, and potatoes and often included contaminated stream water. The Chinese never drank any water that had not been boiled.
Tian set up his headquarters at Dutch Flat even before the railhead had come that far. He purchased a rammed earth house for $200 and used it as his food distribution center through the winter of 1865-66. Earlier, he used facilities in Sacramento, provided by Crocker.
On the first of September 1865, Crocker asked Tian to arrange to feed a group of twenty “guests.” The lunch was to be served in Colfax, some fifty-five miles from the Front Street terminal in Sacramento. Crocker explained that three days hence the track would be finished to Colfax and he wanted to run a three car passenger train up and back the same day, with a Colfax stopover at noon for lunch.
On Saturday morning Superintendent Crocker, Assistant G. F. Hartwell, and 18 guests departed on the 6:30 train. This was billed as the “First Trip” over the new section of railroad. It was a pleasant morning ride, made at a rate at which every bit of scenery and magnitude of the work completed could be appreciated. The first bridge was 450 feet long and 45 feet high, containing one hundred fifty thousand board feet of lumber. The second bridge was even longer. The third, at Deep Gulch, was five hundred feet long and one hundred feet high in the center of the masonry. Each bridge was a work of art, and a tribute to the skills of the Chinese workers. The cuts were also very impressive. The first, after passing Clipper Gap, was 400 feet long and 50 feet deep. Each rock was carried out in small carts, or on the back of a Chinese worker. The cut at Wildcat Summit was nine hundred feet long and fifty feet deep, requiring an excavation of thirty thousand cubic yards of material. The guests were awestruck.
Dutch Flat
True to his word, Charlie Crocker paid Tian a finder’s fee of $15,000 for the first 1,500 workers. Actually it was a very good deal for Crocker. Tian had done an excellent job of screening potential workers and had he not done so, the entire venture into hiring Chinese workers would have probably failed. Now the two were arguing over Tian’s role in future dealings with the Chinese workers. Crocker still wanted Tian to go back to China and obtain thousands more workers. Tian countered with his pledge he had made to look after those he had hired. He had indicated, before hiring, that he would speak for them. He could not do that from China. Tian recalled the rattlesnake incident to Crocker’s mind. He further explained that Raven had visited him in Sacramento and told him to follow the railroad as it was constructed to the east. Tian explained that now the key to completing the railroad was not more recruiting, but more importantly, to properly care for the workers. As with the ship voyages of the past Tian explained the key was the right food.
Tian asked Crocker, “What are a few of the most important things in your life?”
After some thought Crocker answered, “My wife, good food, and the respect of my associates.”
“The workers have no wives here and they are largely disrespected. Surely they deserve good food.” Tian drove the case home and though no contract was signed, they parted that day with an agreement that Tian would be responsible for the feeding of the Chinese workers. Within days, he made contacts with suppliers, mostly in San Francisco, for extended contracts for large amounts of food. He also established a network of supervisors and cooks. He paid the cook's and supervisor's salaries out of the $15,000 he had received from Crocker. Food billings all went to Crocker.
Each group of 12-20 workers had an assigned cook. The cook’s role was to not only prepare meals, but also to have a large boiler of hot water ready at the end of the day so that each night, before the evening meal, every worker could take a hot sponge bath and change clothes before eating. During the workday, the workers were to have unlimited access to warm green tea. In fact, each worker was allotted about a gallon of tea a day.
Every day started with lukewarm green tea and congee with dried fruit. There were seldom any morning, afternoon, or lunch breaks. There were moments during the day for a cup of tea and a handful of dried wolfberries or other dried fruit. The evening meal was elaborate by white worker comparison, and often included fresh chicken, duck or pork.
Tian’s network of suppliers provided much the same diet he had used on ship voyages and included dried fish, dried oysters, high quality green tea, dried wolfberries, dried wolfberry leaves for tea and vegetables, rice, crackers, dried bamboo shoots, salted cabbage, Chinese sugar, dried fruits and vegetables, vermicelli, dried seaweed, Chinese bacon, dried abalone, three kinds of dried mushrooms, peanut oil, and fresh pork, chicken, and duck, as often as possible.
The white workers diet was much simpler, more boring and far less nutritious. It consisted of beef, beans, bread, butter, and potatoes and often included contaminated stream water. The Chinese never drank any water that had not been boiled.
Tian set up his headquarters at Dutch Flat even before the railhead had come that far. He purchased a rammed earth house for $200 and used it as his food distribution center through the winter of 1865-66. Earlier, he used facilities in Sacramento, provided by Crocker.
On the first of September 1865, Crocker asked Tian to arrange to feed a group of twenty “guests.” The lunch was to be served in Colfax, some fifty-five miles from the Front Street terminal in Sacramento. Crocker explained that three days hence the track would be finished to Colfax and he wanted to run a three car passenger train up and back the same day, with a Colfax stopover at noon for lunch.
On Saturday morning Superintendent Crocker, Assistant G. F. Hartwell, and 18 guests departed on the 6:30 train. This was billed as the “First Trip” over the new section of railroad. It was a pleasant morning ride, made at a rate at which every bit of scenery and magnitude of the work completed could be appreciated. The first bridge was 450 feet long and 45 feet high, containing one hundred fifty thousand board feet of lumber. The second bridge was even longer. The third, at Deep Gulch, was five hundred feet long and one hundred feet high in the center of the masonry. Each bridge was a work of art, and a tribute to the skills of the Chinese workers. The cuts were also very impressive. The first, after passing Clipper Gap, was 400 feet long and 50 feet deep. Each rock was carried out in small carts, or on the back of a Chinese worker. The cut at Wildcat Summit was nine hundred feet long and fifty feet deep, requiring an excavation of thirty thousand cubic yards of material. The guests were awestruck.
Colfax was not so impressive. About thirty partly finished frame buildings dotted the hillside. Tian’s team greeted the arrivals and directed them to tents, benches, and tables set up in the shade, near an old mine entrance. Just before the train arrived, the stagecoach from the east arrived with Tian, Senator Commes, Secretary Redding, and some other passengers returning from Donner Lake. Tian was in charge of the food. Cold chicken, fresh bread prepared that morning in Dutch Flat, along with a fine mix of citrus fruit, which had been brought up on the train, were all soon consumed, along with a dozen bottles of champagne. There was lots of conversation, but no speeches. At the sound of the whistle, the “guests” boarded the Atlantic and were back in Sacramento at five in the evening.
Colfax was the hub of railroad business the fall and winter of 1865-66, but Dutch Flat became the main camp for thousands of Chinese workers. It was also at Dutch Flat that Tian supervised the distribution of food. Much of the food for the workers came by freighter and things like livestock were hauled by Wells Fargo. Nelson Hammond, the local Wells Fargo agent, was not very pleased with either the livestock or the fact that Tian road free when ever and where ever he wanted to go. The instructions to Hammond came directly from Wells. Tian, behind the scenes, had played a major role in financing the company at a critical time and his stock value was increasing daily.
Dutch Flat was first settled in 1851 by German miners. The placer mining in the area had been very productive, with regular finds of large nuggets of pure gold. With the advent of water cannons, the area became even more productive and the Wells Fargo stage was the main transporter of gold out and gold coins on return runs.
Though the Dutch Flat Chinese were primarily involved with the railroad and had no interest in mining, white animosity toward them ran strong. Whites probably torched their first camp.
Tian occasionally treated workers for various ailments and wounds, but fall of 1886 introduced a new role in his life. The workers who had originally been recruited by Tian were now largely crew chiefs. They remembered Tian’s pledge to look after their welfare, which in their minds included after they died.
Accidents were not uncommon, often including fatalities. Chinese tradition was that when a person died, his body was to be taken home. This tradition created a many faceted crisis, which was placed in Tian’s lap. One problem was that there were no funds to send the bodies back to China. Second, there was no one to receive and tend to the bodies. Third, there was no place to put the bodies, and fourth, there were no identification or place of origin records for most of the workers who died. Also, the whites would not let the Chinese be buried in their cemeteries.
Tian arranged for burial grounds near town, with volunteers to oversee the care and burial of bodies. To the extent possible, each was identified and buried with documentation papers, with the hope that a time would come when they could be sent back to China. The cemetery workers were to receive any back pay that had not been collected by the dead person. It was the gang boss’ responsibility to send that amount of money along with each body. Initially, the bodies came on the stagecoach, but after the rail was laid past Dutch Flat, they came by train.
Many of the deaths were associated with the use of gunpowder. Large quantities of gunpowder were used to blast solid rock and material for fills. Holes were drilled 18 to 20 feet into the rock and then loaded with a keg or two of gunpowder. When a few of these holes were touched off in succession, the roar was deafening. The work in solid granite of some tunnels was often very slow.
Events in the Chinese section of Dutch Flat ranged from humorous to sorrowful. One night a drunken white railroad worker accidentally stumbled through the window of a Chinese store. The occupants, expecting to be robbed yelled, “Lobber, Lobber,” and gave him a blast from a shotgun. Soon, a large mob of mixed nationalities assembled and the intruder was taken into custody, largely unharmed. Buckshot had only riddled his pants.
Typical of the more sorrowful events, was a late April explosion that killed seven people. The crew foreman had not followed accepted procedures. Normally, the foreman tested material to be blasted with a few pounds of powder prior to loading the regular charge of seven or eight kegs. The foreman had loaded the main charge before the fuse used in the testing process had been extinguished. As a result, he and six others died. Five of the seven were Chinese. They were brought to Dutch Flat in a wooden box. The cemetery volunteers looked in the box and closed it again. They buried a box containing what was left of five men. It would have been impossible to match up the legs, arms, and body parts for the five who had been so blown apart.
Events such as these played upon Tian’s mind. Nameless bodies buried so many thousands of miles from home. Even if they were sent to China, how could such a box of remains be sorted out and returned to their places of birth?
Tian often reflected on the experience he had with the Mormon miners in which a man who appeared dead was brought back to life. He had offered money to learn that skill. Each dead railroad worker that came to Dutch Flat seemed to whisper, “Tian, please help us?”
Colfax was the hub of railroad business the fall and winter of 1865-66, but Dutch Flat became the main camp for thousands of Chinese workers. It was also at Dutch Flat that Tian supervised the distribution of food. Much of the food for the workers came by freighter and things like livestock were hauled by Wells Fargo. Nelson Hammond, the local Wells Fargo agent, was not very pleased with either the livestock or the fact that Tian road free when ever and where ever he wanted to go. The instructions to Hammond came directly from Wells. Tian, behind the scenes, had played a major role in financing the company at a critical time and his stock value was increasing daily.
Dutch Flat was first settled in 1851 by German miners. The placer mining in the area had been very productive, with regular finds of large nuggets of pure gold. With the advent of water cannons, the area became even more productive and the Wells Fargo stage was the main transporter of gold out and gold coins on return runs.
Though the Dutch Flat Chinese were primarily involved with the railroad and had no interest in mining, white animosity toward them ran strong. Whites probably torched their first camp.
Tian occasionally treated workers for various ailments and wounds, but fall of 1886 introduced a new role in his life. The workers who had originally been recruited by Tian were now largely crew chiefs. They remembered Tian’s pledge to look after their welfare, which in their minds included after they died.
Accidents were not uncommon, often including fatalities. Chinese tradition was that when a person died, his body was to be taken home. This tradition created a many faceted crisis, which was placed in Tian’s lap. One problem was that there were no funds to send the bodies back to China. Second, there was no one to receive and tend to the bodies. Third, there was no place to put the bodies, and fourth, there were no identification or place of origin records for most of the workers who died. Also, the whites would not let the Chinese be buried in their cemeteries.
Tian arranged for burial grounds near town, with volunteers to oversee the care and burial of bodies. To the extent possible, each was identified and buried with documentation papers, with the hope that a time would come when they could be sent back to China. The cemetery workers were to receive any back pay that had not been collected by the dead person. It was the gang boss’ responsibility to send that amount of money along with each body. Initially, the bodies came on the stagecoach, but after the rail was laid past Dutch Flat, they came by train.
Many of the deaths were associated with the use of gunpowder. Large quantities of gunpowder were used to blast solid rock and material for fills. Holes were drilled 18 to 20 feet into the rock and then loaded with a keg or two of gunpowder. When a few of these holes were touched off in succession, the roar was deafening. The work in solid granite of some tunnels was often very slow.
Events in the Chinese section of Dutch Flat ranged from humorous to sorrowful. One night a drunken white railroad worker accidentally stumbled through the window of a Chinese store. The occupants, expecting to be robbed yelled, “Lobber, Lobber,” and gave him a blast from a shotgun. Soon, a large mob of mixed nationalities assembled and the intruder was taken into custody, largely unharmed. Buckshot had only riddled his pants.
Typical of the more sorrowful events, was a late April explosion that killed seven people. The crew foreman had not followed accepted procedures. Normally, the foreman tested material to be blasted with a few pounds of powder prior to loading the regular charge of seven or eight kegs. The foreman had loaded the main charge before the fuse used in the testing process had been extinguished. As a result, he and six others died. Five of the seven were Chinese. They were brought to Dutch Flat in a wooden box. The cemetery volunteers looked in the box and closed it again. They buried a box containing what was left of five men. It would have been impossible to match up the legs, arms, and body parts for the five who had been so blown apart.
Events such as these played upon Tian’s mind. Nameless bodies buried so many thousands of miles from home. Even if they were sent to China, how could such a box of remains be sorted out and returned to their places of birth?
Tian often reflected on the experience he had with the Mormon miners in which a man who appeared dead was brought back to life. He had offered money to learn that skill. Each dead railroad worker that came to Dutch Flat seemed to whisper, “Tian, please help us?”
Chapter 24
The Turtle Dream
Admittedly, Tian saw and heard many unusual things, but he had never before had a dream that played on his mind like the experience he had early in the morning of April 6, 1867. It had been a somewhat restless night. There was regular blasting in the distance, each time waking him with a start. With each blast he would ask himself, “Were there any injuries?” Then he would drift off to sleep again, wondering what the morning work train or stage would bring.
In this state of unrest, Tian dreamed a dream. In the dream, the morning stage from the east arrived right on schedule. Amazingly, it was driven by Raven. There were no bodies, no passengers, and no freight. Raven bid Tian, “Come aboard.”
Tian climbed up on the driver's seat with Raven and they were off. They traveled down the road a ways and then the coach effortlessly rose into the air. Raven asked, “What do you see?”
“I see a very large turtle,” answered Tian. “It is a strange creature with a huge shell. There are four legs and a head, but no tail. The legs and head are disappearing into the shell.”
Suddenly, the stage was back on the ground. Raven was laughing. The horses slowed to a walk and then stopped. A rather frightful looking man appeared from behind a large rock. The man said, “You are running late today. Off with you, Raven, I will make up your lost time.” Raven flew off and Tian woke up.
The phrase, “I will make up your lost time,” played over and over in Tian’s mind. He could not get the thought out of his head. In fact the entire dream became a disturbing reality. Raven’s initial invitation. Getting on the driver’s seat. The incredible feeling of actually flying through the air. Seeing the strange turtle and the compelling countenance of the man who emerged from behind the rock. All played over and over in his mind. Why was Raven laughing?
Tian wished that Ah Toy were available. She was very good at interpreting dreams, and Tian felt this dream had a purpose, but he had no clue as to its interpretation.
Shortly after dawn, the first stage from Virginia City rolled into Dutch Flat. To his amazement, the man Tian had seen in the dream emerged from the coach. For the first time in his memory, Tian felt fear. It was not the beard, long hair, or the pistols that touched off a desire to run, but rather a strange light in the man’s eyes. Over the years, Tian had dealt with all sorts of crooks, thieves, murderers, and fanatics. None had elicited any feeling of fear.
The man addressed Tian, “I see you have not yet received his image in your countenance, but I perceive that you see in me a light that causes you to tremble. Fear not, the Master said for I am with you always.”
The man continued, “It has been my experience that most men can look Satan in the eye and not tremble, but to look God in the eye is a fearful experience. I am not God.” The man extended his hand, “My name is Porter Rockwell. I thought I was coming to Dutch Flat to discuss stage line finances with Wells and Fargo, that may happen, but I am impressed that I have come to make up lost time.”
The instant Tian’s hand touched Rockwell’s, Tian felt a shock travel up his arm and encompass his entire body. He was not sure if the feeling originated from Rockwell or if it was a response to the “lost time” phrase. Tian felt dwarfed, humbled, inadequate, and amazed, all at the same time.
The Turtle Dream
Admittedly, Tian saw and heard many unusual things, but he had never before had a dream that played on his mind like the experience he had early in the morning of April 6, 1867. It had been a somewhat restless night. There was regular blasting in the distance, each time waking him with a start. With each blast he would ask himself, “Were there any injuries?” Then he would drift off to sleep again, wondering what the morning work train or stage would bring.
In this state of unrest, Tian dreamed a dream. In the dream, the morning stage from the east arrived right on schedule. Amazingly, it was driven by Raven. There were no bodies, no passengers, and no freight. Raven bid Tian, “Come aboard.”
Tian climbed up on the driver's seat with Raven and they were off. They traveled down the road a ways and then the coach effortlessly rose into the air. Raven asked, “What do you see?”
“I see a very large turtle,” answered Tian. “It is a strange creature with a huge shell. There are four legs and a head, but no tail. The legs and head are disappearing into the shell.”
Suddenly, the stage was back on the ground. Raven was laughing. The horses slowed to a walk and then stopped. A rather frightful looking man appeared from behind a large rock. The man said, “You are running late today. Off with you, Raven, I will make up your lost time.” Raven flew off and Tian woke up.
The phrase, “I will make up your lost time,” played over and over in Tian’s mind. He could not get the thought out of his head. In fact the entire dream became a disturbing reality. Raven’s initial invitation. Getting on the driver’s seat. The incredible feeling of actually flying through the air. Seeing the strange turtle and the compelling countenance of the man who emerged from behind the rock. All played over and over in his mind. Why was Raven laughing?
Tian wished that Ah Toy were available. She was very good at interpreting dreams, and Tian felt this dream had a purpose, but he had no clue as to its interpretation.
Shortly after dawn, the first stage from Virginia City rolled into Dutch Flat. To his amazement, the man Tian had seen in the dream emerged from the coach. For the first time in his memory, Tian felt fear. It was not the beard, long hair, or the pistols that touched off a desire to run, but rather a strange light in the man’s eyes. Over the years, Tian had dealt with all sorts of crooks, thieves, murderers, and fanatics. None had elicited any feeling of fear.
The man addressed Tian, “I see you have not yet received his image in your countenance, but I perceive that you see in me a light that causes you to tremble. Fear not, the Master said for I am with you always.”
The man continued, “It has been my experience that most men can look Satan in the eye and not tremble, but to look God in the eye is a fearful experience. I am not God.” The man extended his hand, “My name is Porter Rockwell. I thought I was coming to Dutch Flat to discuss stage line finances with Wells and Fargo, that may happen, but I am impressed that I have come to make up lost time.”
The instant Tian’s hand touched Rockwell’s, Tian felt a shock travel up his arm and encompass his entire body. He was not sure if the feeling originated from Rockwell or if it was a response to the “lost time” phrase. Tian felt dwarfed, humbled, inadequate, and amazed, all at the same time.
Wells and Fargo had consulted with Tian early in 1866 regarding their intent to purchase Ben Holladay’s stagecoach empire. Holladay had lines in eight western states and was challenging the Well Fargo dominance in the West. Tian’s stock in the company had expanded in value to over one million dollars. Though of no real meaning to Tian, he consented to their using his stock to buy out Holladay. The result was the Wells Fargo, Holladay, and Overland Mail line.
Thoroughly confused by the disconnected items of conversation and thought associated with Rockwell’s conversation, Tian suggested, “Let’s go have breakfast.” The idea was well received and they soon were seated at a table in the rear of the stagecoach building. It was from this room that Tian coordinated all of his dealings with the railroad workers, the regular stream of bodies and injured, and where, when the occasion demanded, special guests were fed and housed. It was in this room that the arrangements to purchase Holladay’s empire had occurred earlier.
A man with a white apron appeared. “Good morning Tian, will you have the usual?”
“Yes,” answered Tian, “My friend might want something more substantial.”
Rockwell asked, “What is your usual?”
Tian answered, “Green tea, rice and dried wolfberries.”
“My god, no wonder you look like you have seen a ghost. If possible, a large steak, fried potatoes, four eggs up, and a pint of whiskey would be my desire.”
The waiter did not blink an eye. “Would you like the whiskey and a glass up front?”
“Excellent.” Rockwell leaned back in his chair and asked, “Who are you?”
Tian provided a name and brief personal history.
“You are the person Brigham Young sent me to find.” Rockwell explained that Brigham Young had heard there was a person in Dutch Flat who had helped Wells and Fargo not only get their business started, but also was a major help in assuring their dominance by making the Holladay’s purchase possible. The message from Young included the information that when the railroad was completed, the Wells Fargo stock would be worth far less. Rockwell’s quote was, “Sell your stock now and invest in an enterprise that will have eternal benefits.” Rockwell explained that he could not provide details, but when he found a blue-eyed Chinaman in Dutch Flat, he was to bring him to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake to meet with Brigham Young.
Tian, of course, knew of Brigham Young, the so-called Mormon Prophet. However true to form, he had no interest in going to see Young to discuss some business deal. As this thought passed through his head, he also reflected on the fact that it was Rockwell he had seen in his dream. His response to Rockwell was, “I will go to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake with you if you can interpret a dream I had last night.”
“Could you order another pint?” Rockwell explained that he would need some extra help to interpret a dream. Tian shared his dream. Rockwell, with eye to eye contact, stated, “Well the morning stage did arrive on schedule. We who drive the stages are like the raven, smart beyond human intelligence, or we would not live out a single day. We often travel a section and arrive as if the stage wheels have never touched the ground.”
“In your dream it was I who stepped out from behind a rock. Rock Well. My message was that with me in the driver’s seat, we will make up for lost time. Raven laughed because you thought you had seen a huge turtle. What you saw was the nearly completed tabernacle in Salt Lake City. From high in the sky the tabernacle roof might look like a turtle shell. The legs on the sides of the shell were lines of people going into the building.” Rockwell used a charred piece of steak to sketch out what the tabernacle looked like. In the distance, Tian heard the call of a raven.
Thoroughly confused by the disconnected items of conversation and thought associated with Rockwell’s conversation, Tian suggested, “Let’s go have breakfast.” The idea was well received and they soon were seated at a table in the rear of the stagecoach building. It was from this room that Tian coordinated all of his dealings with the railroad workers, the regular stream of bodies and injured, and where, when the occasion demanded, special guests were fed and housed. It was in this room that the arrangements to purchase Holladay’s empire had occurred earlier.
A man with a white apron appeared. “Good morning Tian, will you have the usual?”
“Yes,” answered Tian, “My friend might want something more substantial.”
Rockwell asked, “What is your usual?”
Tian answered, “Green tea, rice and dried wolfberries.”
“My god, no wonder you look like you have seen a ghost. If possible, a large steak, fried potatoes, four eggs up, and a pint of whiskey would be my desire.”
The waiter did not blink an eye. “Would you like the whiskey and a glass up front?”
“Excellent.” Rockwell leaned back in his chair and asked, “Who are you?”
Tian provided a name and brief personal history.
“You are the person Brigham Young sent me to find.” Rockwell explained that Brigham Young had heard there was a person in Dutch Flat who had helped Wells and Fargo not only get their business started, but also was a major help in assuring their dominance by making the Holladay’s purchase possible. The message from Young included the information that when the railroad was completed, the Wells Fargo stock would be worth far less. Rockwell’s quote was, “Sell your stock now and invest in an enterprise that will have eternal benefits.” Rockwell explained that he could not provide details, but when he found a blue-eyed Chinaman in Dutch Flat, he was to bring him to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake to meet with Brigham Young.
Tian, of course, knew of Brigham Young, the so-called Mormon Prophet. However true to form, he had no interest in going to see Young to discuss some business deal. As this thought passed through his head, he also reflected on the fact that it was Rockwell he had seen in his dream. His response to Rockwell was, “I will go to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake with you if you can interpret a dream I had last night.”
“Could you order another pint?” Rockwell explained that he would need some extra help to interpret a dream. Tian shared his dream. Rockwell, with eye to eye contact, stated, “Well the morning stage did arrive on schedule. We who drive the stages are like the raven, smart beyond human intelligence, or we would not live out a single day. We often travel a section and arrive as if the stage wheels have never touched the ground.”
“In your dream it was I who stepped out from behind a rock. Rock Well. My message was that with me in the driver’s seat, we will make up for lost time. Raven laughed because you thought you had seen a huge turtle. What you saw was the nearly completed tabernacle in Salt Lake City. From high in the sky the tabernacle roof might look like a turtle shell. The legs on the sides of the shell were lines of people going into the building.” Rockwell used a charred piece of steak to sketch out what the tabernacle looked like. In the distance, Tian heard the call of a raven.
Chapter 25
Brigham Young
The stage for Virginia City and points east departed Dutch Flat on time. Rockwell was in the drivers seat. It had been a very busy day for Tian. Instructions for workers, distributing gifts, and packing of a few personal items consumed the entire day. As the only passenger, Tian stretched out on the seat and was soon sound asleep.
During the night, they ascended up over Donner Pass and down the East Slope pulling into Pollard’s Station five minutes early. Scheduled to arrive at 6:00 am, Rockwell had made up for lost time on a route he had never driven before. J.D. Pollard himself greeted Rockwell. It was immediately evident that they knew each other. Conversation was spontaneous and centered on mutual hotel business interests. Pollard ordered Rockwell’s usual breakfast without any need to ask what was desired. Tian was largely ignored and ordered the usual stage traveler breakfast, jerky, biscuits and coffee. He expected to be on their way again in half an hour.
The stage left without them. Rockwell and Tian’s possessions had been placed in a room in the hotel. About nine in the morning, Rockwell appeared in the room, took off his boots, laid down on the bed and said he needed to take a nap. He was asleep almost instantly. Rockwell woke up early in the morning the next day, April 8, after a 20 hour nap.
Tian washed up and put on clean clothes. He spent the day walking about town. It was a busy place, with coach repair shops, horse shoeing facilities, lumber mills, freight stations, mining supplies, many saloons, and a large Chinese population, among whom there was much excitement when they learned that Tian Lu was in town. Tian’s Dutch Flat activities were well known among all the Chinese communities.
Tian spent most of the day setting up his process of handling the bodies of workers who had died or who might die in the future. This established an extension of the Dutch Flat work for the Chinese dead to the entire East Slope and on to Reno. Tian again promised that he would come back sometime in the future and arrange for all the dead to go “home.”
Returning to the hotel late in the evening, Tian was greeted with a fine spread of food, which included grouse, hare, eggs, milk, fresh bread, butter, and honey. The hotel guests were dining and having a fine time, but Rockwell was nowhere to be seen. On returning to their room Tian found Rockwell still sound asleep. Rather than join him on the bed, Tian placed a blanket on the floor and was also soon asleep.
Tian awoke to Rockwell’s shout, “Up with you, we are going fishing. Perhaps we will see some more of your turtles.”
Breakfast was with Pollard and then the three of them rode in a carriage to the lake where a boat and a man to row were waiting. Food, drinks, fishing equipment, and the four of them were soon on the mirror smooth waters of Donner Lake. By noon, dozens of cutthroat trout were in a large wooden box covered with snow and ice from the mountains. Lunch was on shore. The box of fish was dispatched to the hotel and would be used for the evening meal. Tian had not really gotten into the fishing and totally avoided the drinking. Rockwell and Pollard were definitely feeling the effects of the whiskey.
Tian headed back to the hotel, leaving the two drinkers to spend the afternoon as they saw fit. On the walk back to town, Raven appeared and landed on a rock next to the road. He addressed Tian with a very stern face and piercing eyes. “Rockwell is going to take a vacation. Get your things from the hotel and spend the next few weeks in the Chinese community.”
Tian left word at the hotel where he could be found. Rockwell and Pollard did spend the next two weeks drinking and fishing. By April 22nd, Tian was wondering if he had made a major error by putting his trust in Porter Rockwell. The dream and events leading up to leaving Dutch Flat had all seemed so in order, but now Rockwell’s “vacation” was totally irrelevant to the goal of reaching Salt Lake. Tian decided that Rockwell or not, come the next morning he was taking the stage back to Dutch Flat.
During the night, Tian was awakened by shouts of “Fire.” Everyone was running toward Pollard’s Station. The hotel was totally engulfed in flames. There was no reason to set up a bucket brigade. The building was doomed. The rumor was that the stage from Dutch Flat had brought in two containers of nitro glycerin for the Comstock Mine. Someone had poured out a tiny amount of the material and dropped the container in the dinning room. All but that person were said to have come out alive. No trace of a body was found.
Tian found Rockwell totally sober and mounted on a horse. He was leading another horse and on seeing Tian said, “Mount up and we will get your things. We need to hit the road, we are running late and Pollard is not happy with me.” Tian wondered, “Did the two drinkers burn the place down?”
Days of hard riding and sleeping with the saddle for a pillow left little time for conversation. Not that Rockwell was very talkative at any time, but Tian sure had a lot of blanks in his understanding of what was going on. The two just did not seem to have much in common.
They arrived at Point of the Mountain on May first. Rockwell’s Station was located on the site of an old brewery and next to a hot spring. They dismounted and were greeted by shouts from children and a wife who Porter did not introduce. “Put this man up,” and Rockwell was off to see his horses.
Again, there were days of waiting. Rockwell was off dealing with Indian problems somewhere just to the south. To pass time, Tian began reading the Book of Mormon. As he read he translated each verse into German, French, and his native language. It became a time passing game to find the correct words in the four languages. When he found a verse particularly challenging, he would grasp the wolfberry root in his pocket and the words would come to him.
His favorite expression was, “And it came to pass.”
And it came to pass, that on June 23, 1867, Rockwell greeted Tian with, “We are off to the Bowery.” Tian climbed into the carriage and they headed into Salt Lake City. They arrived at the Bowery in time for lunch. Conspicuously missing were the alcoholic beverages so prevalent in most white gatherings. Everyone knew Rockwell and all were very cordial to Tian, but Tian was not introduced to anyone, until at one point, a man of very commanding appearance came up to Rockwell and. after a hand shake and an embrace, Rockwell said, “This is the man you sent me to fetch from Dutch Flat. Tian Lu, this is Brigham Young.”
“Welcome to Zion, I would like to meet with you at six in the morning. Please be my guest for breakfast.”
Rockwell responded, “He will be there.”
Tian watched as Brigham Young moved through the crowd. After a short time, everyone was seated and a prayer was said. Then a number of people spoke on a variety of topics, with Brigham Young the final speaker. Tian listened intently as Young talked about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Light of Christ, truth, intelligences, creation, and various stations after this earth life. Three hours passed in what seemed like a few minutes.
Brigham Young
The stage for Virginia City and points east departed Dutch Flat on time. Rockwell was in the drivers seat. It had been a very busy day for Tian. Instructions for workers, distributing gifts, and packing of a few personal items consumed the entire day. As the only passenger, Tian stretched out on the seat and was soon sound asleep.
During the night, they ascended up over Donner Pass and down the East Slope pulling into Pollard’s Station five minutes early. Scheduled to arrive at 6:00 am, Rockwell had made up for lost time on a route he had never driven before. J.D. Pollard himself greeted Rockwell. It was immediately evident that they knew each other. Conversation was spontaneous and centered on mutual hotel business interests. Pollard ordered Rockwell’s usual breakfast without any need to ask what was desired. Tian was largely ignored and ordered the usual stage traveler breakfast, jerky, biscuits and coffee. He expected to be on their way again in half an hour.
The stage left without them. Rockwell and Tian’s possessions had been placed in a room in the hotel. About nine in the morning, Rockwell appeared in the room, took off his boots, laid down on the bed and said he needed to take a nap. He was asleep almost instantly. Rockwell woke up early in the morning the next day, April 8, after a 20 hour nap.
Tian washed up and put on clean clothes. He spent the day walking about town. It was a busy place, with coach repair shops, horse shoeing facilities, lumber mills, freight stations, mining supplies, many saloons, and a large Chinese population, among whom there was much excitement when they learned that Tian Lu was in town. Tian’s Dutch Flat activities were well known among all the Chinese communities.
Tian spent most of the day setting up his process of handling the bodies of workers who had died or who might die in the future. This established an extension of the Dutch Flat work for the Chinese dead to the entire East Slope and on to Reno. Tian again promised that he would come back sometime in the future and arrange for all the dead to go “home.”
Returning to the hotel late in the evening, Tian was greeted with a fine spread of food, which included grouse, hare, eggs, milk, fresh bread, butter, and honey. The hotel guests were dining and having a fine time, but Rockwell was nowhere to be seen. On returning to their room Tian found Rockwell still sound asleep. Rather than join him on the bed, Tian placed a blanket on the floor and was also soon asleep.
Tian awoke to Rockwell’s shout, “Up with you, we are going fishing. Perhaps we will see some more of your turtles.”
Breakfast was with Pollard and then the three of them rode in a carriage to the lake where a boat and a man to row were waiting. Food, drinks, fishing equipment, and the four of them were soon on the mirror smooth waters of Donner Lake. By noon, dozens of cutthroat trout were in a large wooden box covered with snow and ice from the mountains. Lunch was on shore. The box of fish was dispatched to the hotel and would be used for the evening meal. Tian had not really gotten into the fishing and totally avoided the drinking. Rockwell and Pollard were definitely feeling the effects of the whiskey.
Tian headed back to the hotel, leaving the two drinkers to spend the afternoon as they saw fit. On the walk back to town, Raven appeared and landed on a rock next to the road. He addressed Tian with a very stern face and piercing eyes. “Rockwell is going to take a vacation. Get your things from the hotel and spend the next few weeks in the Chinese community.”
Tian left word at the hotel where he could be found. Rockwell and Pollard did spend the next two weeks drinking and fishing. By April 22nd, Tian was wondering if he had made a major error by putting his trust in Porter Rockwell. The dream and events leading up to leaving Dutch Flat had all seemed so in order, but now Rockwell’s “vacation” was totally irrelevant to the goal of reaching Salt Lake. Tian decided that Rockwell or not, come the next morning he was taking the stage back to Dutch Flat.
During the night, Tian was awakened by shouts of “Fire.” Everyone was running toward Pollard’s Station. The hotel was totally engulfed in flames. There was no reason to set up a bucket brigade. The building was doomed. The rumor was that the stage from Dutch Flat had brought in two containers of nitro glycerin for the Comstock Mine. Someone had poured out a tiny amount of the material and dropped the container in the dinning room. All but that person were said to have come out alive. No trace of a body was found.
Tian found Rockwell totally sober and mounted on a horse. He was leading another horse and on seeing Tian said, “Mount up and we will get your things. We need to hit the road, we are running late and Pollard is not happy with me.” Tian wondered, “Did the two drinkers burn the place down?”
Days of hard riding and sleeping with the saddle for a pillow left little time for conversation. Not that Rockwell was very talkative at any time, but Tian sure had a lot of blanks in his understanding of what was going on. The two just did not seem to have much in common.
They arrived at Point of the Mountain on May first. Rockwell’s Station was located on the site of an old brewery and next to a hot spring. They dismounted and were greeted by shouts from children and a wife who Porter did not introduce. “Put this man up,” and Rockwell was off to see his horses.
Again, there were days of waiting. Rockwell was off dealing with Indian problems somewhere just to the south. To pass time, Tian began reading the Book of Mormon. As he read he translated each verse into German, French, and his native language. It became a time passing game to find the correct words in the four languages. When he found a verse particularly challenging, he would grasp the wolfberry root in his pocket and the words would come to him.
His favorite expression was, “And it came to pass.”
And it came to pass, that on June 23, 1867, Rockwell greeted Tian with, “We are off to the Bowery.” Tian climbed into the carriage and they headed into Salt Lake City. They arrived at the Bowery in time for lunch. Conspicuously missing were the alcoholic beverages so prevalent in most white gatherings. Everyone knew Rockwell and all were very cordial to Tian, but Tian was not introduced to anyone, until at one point, a man of very commanding appearance came up to Rockwell and. after a hand shake and an embrace, Rockwell said, “This is the man you sent me to fetch from Dutch Flat. Tian Lu, this is Brigham Young.”
“Welcome to Zion, I would like to meet with you at six in the morning. Please be my guest for breakfast.”
Rockwell responded, “He will be there.”
Tian watched as Brigham Young moved through the crowd. After a short time, everyone was seated and a prayer was said. Then a number of people spoke on a variety of topics, with Brigham Young the final speaker. Tian listened intently as Young talked about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Light of Christ, truth, intelligences, creation, and various stations after this earth life. Three hours passed in what seemed like a few minutes.
Chapter 26
Breakfast at Beehive House
Rockwell had indicated that Brigham’s house was the big one on the corner. Tian had left his horse at a stable a short distance from where the tabernacle was nearing completion. The large metal sheets on the roof did look like the back of a turtle. Also nearing completion was a large house with two lion statutes out front. Tian arrived promptly at six and was greeted at the door by a woman who looked as fierce as did Rockwell. He thought, “They would make a good pair.”
He was ushered into a large dinning room with a very large table. Seated around the table were about a dozen women and a whole lot of children. Brigham greeted Tian and indicated he should be seated next to him at the head of the table. “We are engaged in morning scripture reading. My son John W. is reading from the Book of Mormon. Please listen with us.”
The boy concluded with, “and there were some who died with fevers, which at some times were very frequent in the land, but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of the diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate. But there are many of them who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must need suppose.” (Alma 46:40-41).
After a blessing on the food and a general atmosphere of good feelings and passing of food Brigham said, “That scripture should have much meaning to you. I understand that you are skilled at the art of using plants to heal the sick.”
Tian replied, “I know that verse well,” and then Tian recited from memory the same verse in German, “Jarh eszeiten in Land sehr haufig war—aber doch nicht so viel Fieber, und zwarwegen der aus geziechneten Eigen shaflen der vielen Pflanzen und Wurzelen, die Gott beritet hatte, umdie Ursache von krankheiten zu beseitigen, denn die Menchen aufgrund des Klimas unterworfen waren.” Tian followed this with the same scripture in French, Norwegian, and Chinese. During the recital there was total and complete silence. When he had finished, the room was filled with laughter and clapping.
“Amazing. I have not heard such fluency even from the Apostles. How have you come to this knowledge?”
Tian answered Brigham, “I had much time to read while waiting at Point of the Mountain. I find languages easy to learn, so when I read the Book of Mormon, I attempted to translate it into other languages with which I was familiar. Some verses like this one are easy and the understanding is clear. The last verse your son read is more difficult. ‘Died in the faith’ and ‘happy in him’ are more challenging and required some extra help.” Tian did not mention the wolfberry root in his pocket.
“You are more amazing then they said.”
Out of courtesy to his host, Tian tried to eat some of the mush and drink a little milk, but as they talked, a woman brought out freshly baked hot biscuits with butter. Tian found them irresistible. Tian asked, “Who do you mean by ‘they’, and why did you want me to come here?”
Brigham answered, “You were first mentioned by a man named Samuel Brannan many years ago. Our missionaries in both Hawaii and India wrote about you in their reports. Most recently, Wells and Fargo shared information about how your financing had made possible their initial success and also the Holladay stage purchase. I have been impressed by the Spirit that you are being prepared for a great work.”
Tian buttered another biscuit.
Breakfast at Beehive House
Rockwell had indicated that Brigham’s house was the big one on the corner. Tian had left his horse at a stable a short distance from where the tabernacle was nearing completion. The large metal sheets on the roof did look like the back of a turtle. Also nearing completion was a large house with two lion statutes out front. Tian arrived promptly at six and was greeted at the door by a woman who looked as fierce as did Rockwell. He thought, “They would make a good pair.”
He was ushered into a large dinning room with a very large table. Seated around the table were about a dozen women and a whole lot of children. Brigham greeted Tian and indicated he should be seated next to him at the head of the table. “We are engaged in morning scripture reading. My son John W. is reading from the Book of Mormon. Please listen with us.”
The boy concluded with, “and there were some who died with fevers, which at some times were very frequent in the land, but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of the diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate. But there are many of them who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must need suppose.” (Alma 46:40-41).
After a blessing on the food and a general atmosphere of good feelings and passing of food Brigham said, “That scripture should have much meaning to you. I understand that you are skilled at the art of using plants to heal the sick.”
Tian replied, “I know that verse well,” and then Tian recited from memory the same verse in German, “Jarh eszeiten in Land sehr haufig war—aber doch nicht so viel Fieber, und zwarwegen der aus geziechneten Eigen shaflen der vielen Pflanzen und Wurzelen, die Gott beritet hatte, umdie Ursache von krankheiten zu beseitigen, denn die Menchen aufgrund des Klimas unterworfen waren.” Tian followed this with the same scripture in French, Norwegian, and Chinese. During the recital there was total and complete silence. When he had finished, the room was filled with laughter and clapping.
“Amazing. I have not heard such fluency even from the Apostles. How have you come to this knowledge?”
Tian answered Brigham, “I had much time to read while waiting at Point of the Mountain. I find languages easy to learn, so when I read the Book of Mormon, I attempted to translate it into other languages with which I was familiar. Some verses like this one are easy and the understanding is clear. The last verse your son read is more difficult. ‘Died in the faith’ and ‘happy in him’ are more challenging and required some extra help.” Tian did not mention the wolfberry root in his pocket.
“You are more amazing then they said.”
Out of courtesy to his host, Tian tried to eat some of the mush and drink a little milk, but as they talked, a woman brought out freshly baked hot biscuits with butter. Tian found them irresistible. Tian asked, “Who do you mean by ‘they’, and why did you want me to come here?”
Brigham answered, “You were first mentioned by a man named Samuel Brannan many years ago. Our missionaries in both Hawaii and India wrote about you in their reports. Most recently, Wells and Fargo shared information about how your financing had made possible their initial success and also the Holladay stage purchase. I have been impressed by the Spirit that you are being prepared for a great work.”
Tian buttered another biscuit.
Chapter 27
Conversion
Tian wondered, “Is this man really a prophet? Does he speak for the Lord, or is he just another crook? Why would any man want a dozen wives, especially if they looked like yesterday’s door greeter? Some of them really did look as stern as Rockwell, but they did make really good biscuits.”
As Tian and Brigham left Beehive House and walked past the nearly completed Lion House, Brigham said, “I have been inspired to bring you here for a purpose, but it is you that must know that what you are doing is correct. You must pray to the Lord and ask for an assurance that I am a living prophet and that the work I have for you to do is the Lord’s work.”
Tian said, “I was just wondering about your status. I am sure Rockwell told you about my dream. I feel assured that there is purpose in my coming to Salt Lake, but as to praying, I have never said a prayer other than in my heart. I find it hard to speak to an unknown god.”
“God lives, he is real.” Brigham then shared the account of Joseph Smith’s first vision. “You should go up to the mouth of Emigration Canyon. It will be quiet there. Address Heavenly Father verbally and then ask him for whatever comes to your mind. With real intent to know, ask why you are here, ask about Joseph Smith, and about me, ask about all the Chinese who lie buried in Dutch Flat. Then close your conversation with, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
“Your horse is saddled and waiting for you. I will be at the Bowery the entire day and at home in the evening. Come and report to me at any time.”
The stable attendant gave directions to what he referred to as, “This Is The Place.” It was a short ride to the east, into the foothills. Tian rode a bit farther and dismounted by a small pond of water. A cool breeze flowed out of the canyon. Birds were singing and spring was in the air. Noticing the bulge in his saddlebag,Tian opened it to find six buttered biscuits, a flask of water and a Book of Mormon. He did not remove any of the items.
Tian was about to address a being that he was sure existed, but was not sure that being was like what Joseph Smith saw in his vision. Tian reflected on what he had read in Alma about having even a particle of faith, and in Enos about having faith in Christ, who had not been seen nor heard. As did Enos, Tian reflected on the fate of so many who were good people, but who did not know the way home.
Kneeling on a grassy spot by the pond, Tian began, “Heavenly Father, are you really there? I do have hope that you are. I desire to converse with you. Surely if I can talk to the plants and to Raven, then I can also talk to an unseen God.”
“I have been shielded from harm or accident over the years. Surely I would have perished long ago if it were not for thy care and keeping.”
Tian opened his eyes. He had never used the word “thy” before. It was as if someone had spoken to him and told him what to say. He again closed his eyes and continued, “If you are really the creator of this world, you must be very busy, so I will get right to the point. Why am I here in Salt Lake City?” As he stated the question, Tian clearly saw Brigham Young taking him by the hand and leading him into the pond near which he was kneeling. Both were dressed in white. Tian was then immersed in the water.
A whole series of events then played out in his mind. Sitting on a rock, two men placed their hands on his head. In another place, Brigham Young and two other men again placed their hands on his head. The events that played out in his mind seemed to be flowing out of some source of light and should have taken hours to transpire, yet they seemed to occur in an instant.
Tian continued his prayer, “Is the Book of Mormon your word?” As he asked the question his mind went back to that day at Rockwell’s hotel when he reached out and picked up a Book of Mormon lying on a table. When he touched it, it was as if an electrical shock went through his entire body. He had known since that touch that only by divine intervention could the book have been written. It was true, and Joseph Smith had to have been a prophet.
“Is Brigham Young your authorized agent? Is he a living prophet?” Again almost instantly there appeared in Tian’s mind a vision of Brigham Young. He was in a kneeling position and a personage of extreme brightness and a few other men had their hands on his head. One of the men spoke and said, “Brigham, the hand of the Lord is upon you.” Tian knew!
Tian continued, “Why can I see multitudes of Chinese marching in endless procession?” They just keep coming.”
For this there was no vision, no answer, just a feeling of love and kinship. Tian closed with, “In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Tian reached into the saddlebag and retrieved the Book of Mormon. Without opening the book he thought, “I, Tian, having been born of goodly parents---.” He ate the six biscuits while riding back into town.
Conversion
Tian wondered, “Is this man really a prophet? Does he speak for the Lord, or is he just another crook? Why would any man want a dozen wives, especially if they looked like yesterday’s door greeter? Some of them really did look as stern as Rockwell, but they did make really good biscuits.”
As Tian and Brigham left Beehive House and walked past the nearly completed Lion House, Brigham said, “I have been inspired to bring you here for a purpose, but it is you that must know that what you are doing is correct. You must pray to the Lord and ask for an assurance that I am a living prophet and that the work I have for you to do is the Lord’s work.”
Tian said, “I was just wondering about your status. I am sure Rockwell told you about my dream. I feel assured that there is purpose in my coming to Salt Lake, but as to praying, I have never said a prayer other than in my heart. I find it hard to speak to an unknown god.”
“God lives, he is real.” Brigham then shared the account of Joseph Smith’s first vision. “You should go up to the mouth of Emigration Canyon. It will be quiet there. Address Heavenly Father verbally and then ask him for whatever comes to your mind. With real intent to know, ask why you are here, ask about Joseph Smith, and about me, ask about all the Chinese who lie buried in Dutch Flat. Then close your conversation with, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
“Your horse is saddled and waiting for you. I will be at the Bowery the entire day and at home in the evening. Come and report to me at any time.”
The stable attendant gave directions to what he referred to as, “This Is The Place.” It was a short ride to the east, into the foothills. Tian rode a bit farther and dismounted by a small pond of water. A cool breeze flowed out of the canyon. Birds were singing and spring was in the air. Noticing the bulge in his saddlebag,Tian opened it to find six buttered biscuits, a flask of water and a Book of Mormon. He did not remove any of the items.
Tian was about to address a being that he was sure existed, but was not sure that being was like what Joseph Smith saw in his vision. Tian reflected on what he had read in Alma about having even a particle of faith, and in Enos about having faith in Christ, who had not been seen nor heard. As did Enos, Tian reflected on the fate of so many who were good people, but who did not know the way home.
Kneeling on a grassy spot by the pond, Tian began, “Heavenly Father, are you really there? I do have hope that you are. I desire to converse with you. Surely if I can talk to the plants and to Raven, then I can also talk to an unseen God.”
“I have been shielded from harm or accident over the years. Surely I would have perished long ago if it were not for thy care and keeping.”
Tian opened his eyes. He had never used the word “thy” before. It was as if someone had spoken to him and told him what to say. He again closed his eyes and continued, “If you are really the creator of this world, you must be very busy, so I will get right to the point. Why am I here in Salt Lake City?” As he stated the question, Tian clearly saw Brigham Young taking him by the hand and leading him into the pond near which he was kneeling. Both were dressed in white. Tian was then immersed in the water.
A whole series of events then played out in his mind. Sitting on a rock, two men placed their hands on his head. In another place, Brigham Young and two other men again placed their hands on his head. The events that played out in his mind seemed to be flowing out of some source of light and should have taken hours to transpire, yet they seemed to occur in an instant.
Tian continued his prayer, “Is the Book of Mormon your word?” As he asked the question his mind went back to that day at Rockwell’s hotel when he reached out and picked up a Book of Mormon lying on a table. When he touched it, it was as if an electrical shock went through his entire body. He had known since that touch that only by divine intervention could the book have been written. It was true, and Joseph Smith had to have been a prophet.
“Is Brigham Young your authorized agent? Is he a living prophet?” Again almost instantly there appeared in Tian’s mind a vision of Brigham Young. He was in a kneeling position and a personage of extreme brightness and a few other men had their hands on his head. One of the men spoke and said, “Brigham, the hand of the Lord is upon you.” Tian knew!
Tian continued, “Why can I see multitudes of Chinese marching in endless procession?” They just keep coming.”
For this there was no vision, no answer, just a feeling of love and kinship. Tian closed with, “In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Tian reached into the saddlebag and retrieved the Book of Mormon. Without opening the book he thought, “I, Tian, having been born of goodly parents---.” He ate the six biscuits while riding back into town.
Chapter 28
Two Years in Two Days
It was mid afternoon when Tian returned to the Bowery. Brigham Young was speaking to a small group of people. He nodded in acknowledgment of Tian’s return and continued speaking. “Baptism opens the door to the Kingdom. Throughout the churches of the world men who have no authority to perform this sacred ordinance baptize many. Therefore, if there is no authority, no power of the priesthood, then that baptism is of no efficacy in this life or in the life to come.”
Tian had wondered about this matter, recalling his baptism long ago when among the Taiping. That whole experience had been like a very bad dream. Brigham continued, “I once knew a man who had been baptized by a protestant minister. When confronted with the need to be baptized by immersion, and by one holding the true priesthood, he claimed there was no need for a second baptism, however, the matter troubled him, so he searched the Bible for an answer. To his disappointment he did not find a clear explanation of the hows and whys of becoming a member of the true church. Prayer did not help resolve the issue either.”
“One evening, in a lonely, dingy, hotel room, far from home, this man, out of habit asked the Lord to help him choose the right. As he so prayed, there appeared, suspended in the air an image of a near relative. This personage told the man that he was a prisoner and could not escape until someone holding the true priesthood baptized him. As an infant, this personage and the man had both been sprinkled with water by the same minister. The personage said to the man, ‘you will know what I have said is true when you return home.’ On the man’s return home he was informed that the relative had been killed in a tragic accident. His entire body from the chest down had been crushed by a huge boulder. The man then recalled that when the relative had appeared to him in the hotel room, only his head and shoulders were visible. It was the witness he needed to realize both he and the relative had been baptized by one having no authority.”
“Except ye be baptized by one having proper authority, ye can in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven. As to the baptism for the dead relative, we will leave that topic for another time.”
“I have been informed that there will be a baptism in the pond at This Is The Place this evening at five. You are all invited.”
As Brigham walked past Tian he said, “Come follow me.”
They walked up the street to The Beehive House and went into Brigham’s office. Eyes met and in Brigham’s arms Tian heard, “Welcome home.”
Tian asked, “Are you going to baptize me tonight in that pond near where I prayed?”
Brigham answered, “Yes.”
The baptism was not the end of day one. Still dripping wet, Tian was seated on a rock and the two men he had seen in his afternoon vision placed their hands on his head and confirmed him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and conferred upon him the gift of he Holy Ghost. Raven seemed to be present, but was not visible.
While changing into dry clothes behind a canvas screen, Brigham commented, “Very few people are baptized by a Prophet of God and confirmed by two Apostles.”
The string of carriages returned down the hill, with only Brigham and Tian stopping and entering the Beehive House. Over the next six hours, it was Brigham who asked the questions. Tian reported his life history. Brigham was particularly interested in the mummies and the records in his cave home. Brigham’s comment was, “One day an earthquake will reopen that rock wall, and we will read the record of your people and how they came to be there.”
Much time was spent discussing the Taiping rebellion. Again Brigham’s comment was prophetic, “The day will come when those 20 to 30 million who died believing what measure of truth they had, will receive a fullness of glory. Your baptism today was the beginning of their rescue.”
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, both men leaned back in their chairs and had a brief sleep before the dawn clatter in the kitchen woke them. Tian smelled the biscuits baking.
Scriptures were read by a daughter. Brigham blessed the food and the day. After breakfast it was off to Brigham’s office, where two other men joined them. Brigham introduced them as a Collis P. Huntington, a friend of Charles Crocker, and Lloyd Travis.
“Mr. Travis is on his way from New York to San Francisco. We had an interesting discussion a few days ago, and I told him that I knew a man who might be the key to quickly achieving his goal. That person is you, Tian.” Brigham continued, “Mr. Travis has convinced me that when the railroad is completed, the stage coach role in distributing people and goods from place to place will be greatly diminished. In fact, the Wells Fargo Company is already in deep financial trouble. They recently borrowed nearly $1,800,000 to buy out Ben Holladay. (This was no news to Tian). It is the intent of Travis to purchase a majority of Wells Fargo stock as quickly as possible, but at a reasonable price.”
Travis added, “Wells Fargo stock is now worth one hundred dollars a share. With completion of the east-west railroad, I predict the value per share will drop to $10. Huntington and I have verbally agreed to an exclusive right for the Central Pacific Railroad, to control who can ship by way of rail. We intend to form the Pacific Union Express. To make this work we need to have control of over half the existing Wells Fargo stock. You are the largest single Wells Fargo stockholder and we would like to purchase all of your shares.”
“We estimate your shares to be worth nearly $2,000,000. Those 20,000 shares will be worth only $200,000 in a short time. We are willing to offer you $30 a share at this time, with an assurance that when the Pacific Union Express Company is formed, you will be awarded 1000 shares of company stock.”
Tian had never had much interest in money matters. All of this paper money was puzzlement to him.
Brigham counseled, “Tian, you have indeed been incredibly blessed. If you were to sell your stock to these men and use that money for investment here in Salt Lake City, I know the Lord would be pleased.”
After some further discussion, Brigham called in another person. He was introduced as Enoch Reese. Mr. Reese handled the required paperwork for the transfer of money and Tian’s stock. Huntington and Travis left on the afternoon stage west, with Tian’s Wells Fargo shares.
Mr. Reese finalized the details of transferring $600,000 to an account in Tian’s name at the Office of the Trustee-in-trust.
Nearing the noon hour, Tian inquired, “Do you think any of your wives would have any fresh biscuits?”
Heber C. Kimball and Daniel Wells joined them at lunch. Conversation was informal, with some of the time devoted to Porter Rockwell’s vacation at Donner Lake and the fire at the Station. After lunch, the four returned to the office again. Brigham spent nearly an hour explaining the power of the priesthood, divine authority and the restoration of the priesthood. Brother Kimball talked at some length about the plan of salvation. Daniel Wells explained how the priesthood functioned and described the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. He then asked Tian, “Do you desire to hold the priesthood?”
The afternoon had been intense. As the three men talked, Tian could feel light flow into his being. He desired not only the knowledge, but also the privilege of holding the priesthood.
“Come, sit here and we will confer upon you the two priesthoods.” Tian sat in a chair while Kimball and Daniels placed their hands on his head and Kimball conferred on Tian the Aaronic priesthood and its offices and then Daniels ordained him an elder in the Melchizedek priesthood. This was followed by all three placing their hands on Tian’s head and Brigham Young pronouncing a blessing. The blessing went as follows:
“Tian Lu, we, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, holding the authority of God, place our hands upon your head for the purpose of giving you a special blessing. This blessing is the word of the Lord. We, as your brothers, salute you for your great humility, service to others, and goodness. You were chosen before the earth was formed to come to the earth at this time. You have been taught true principles from your childhood through adulthood. Yesterday and today are the culmination of years of preparation. In two short days you have received more knowledge, power, and authority than most brethren in the Church have received in a lifetime. We have a witness that the teachings are recorded in your mind and are incorporated in your heart.”
“You now hold the Priesthood of God. By God's design, you will have power to raise the dead from the grave. That is what you have been called to do. It is your greatest blessing and dwarfs all other earthly and heavenly gifts. You are a messenger who will raise millions from the grave. Your work will extend into the next life, where you will direct the homecoming of a righteous people.”
“As was Nephi, you were born of goodly parents. You will see them again. Your linage extends back to David, the King of Israel, and by virtue of that linage, you are entitled to many blessings. David was one of the great and noble ones. You, like David, have been given much, but the blessings of tomorrow and the next life are dependent on your continued faithfulness and on making correct choices. You are a humble person. Remain so. You have to this point in your life kept yourself clean from the sins of this world. Your associations with all manner of people have been praiseworthy. Therefore, continue to listen to the Phantom Voices, they will continue to guide you on your pathway home.”
“The time will come when you supervise the work of restoration in the place of your birth. That place will be a place of refuge and an eternal inheritance for you and your people.”
“Your heart is not set on the things of this world. Nevertheless, you will continue to be blessed with both good health and much wealth. The time is near when you will marry and have children, however, your restless spirit will not really feel at home until you are in the company of angels from on high.”
“We pronounce these blessings upon you and any others that either the Lord intends for you, or that you might righteously desire, all dependent on your faithfulness; in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Two Years in Two Days
It was mid afternoon when Tian returned to the Bowery. Brigham Young was speaking to a small group of people. He nodded in acknowledgment of Tian’s return and continued speaking. “Baptism opens the door to the Kingdom. Throughout the churches of the world men who have no authority to perform this sacred ordinance baptize many. Therefore, if there is no authority, no power of the priesthood, then that baptism is of no efficacy in this life or in the life to come.”
Tian had wondered about this matter, recalling his baptism long ago when among the Taiping. That whole experience had been like a very bad dream. Brigham continued, “I once knew a man who had been baptized by a protestant minister. When confronted with the need to be baptized by immersion, and by one holding the true priesthood, he claimed there was no need for a second baptism, however, the matter troubled him, so he searched the Bible for an answer. To his disappointment he did not find a clear explanation of the hows and whys of becoming a member of the true church. Prayer did not help resolve the issue either.”
“One evening, in a lonely, dingy, hotel room, far from home, this man, out of habit asked the Lord to help him choose the right. As he so prayed, there appeared, suspended in the air an image of a near relative. This personage told the man that he was a prisoner and could not escape until someone holding the true priesthood baptized him. As an infant, this personage and the man had both been sprinkled with water by the same minister. The personage said to the man, ‘you will know what I have said is true when you return home.’ On the man’s return home he was informed that the relative had been killed in a tragic accident. His entire body from the chest down had been crushed by a huge boulder. The man then recalled that when the relative had appeared to him in the hotel room, only his head and shoulders were visible. It was the witness he needed to realize both he and the relative had been baptized by one having no authority.”
“Except ye be baptized by one having proper authority, ye can in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven. As to the baptism for the dead relative, we will leave that topic for another time.”
“I have been informed that there will be a baptism in the pond at This Is The Place this evening at five. You are all invited.”
As Brigham walked past Tian he said, “Come follow me.”
They walked up the street to The Beehive House and went into Brigham’s office. Eyes met and in Brigham’s arms Tian heard, “Welcome home.”
Tian asked, “Are you going to baptize me tonight in that pond near where I prayed?”
Brigham answered, “Yes.”
The baptism was not the end of day one. Still dripping wet, Tian was seated on a rock and the two men he had seen in his afternoon vision placed their hands on his head and confirmed him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and conferred upon him the gift of he Holy Ghost. Raven seemed to be present, but was not visible.
While changing into dry clothes behind a canvas screen, Brigham commented, “Very few people are baptized by a Prophet of God and confirmed by two Apostles.”
The string of carriages returned down the hill, with only Brigham and Tian stopping and entering the Beehive House. Over the next six hours, it was Brigham who asked the questions. Tian reported his life history. Brigham was particularly interested in the mummies and the records in his cave home. Brigham’s comment was, “One day an earthquake will reopen that rock wall, and we will read the record of your people and how they came to be there.”
Much time was spent discussing the Taiping rebellion. Again Brigham’s comment was prophetic, “The day will come when those 20 to 30 million who died believing what measure of truth they had, will receive a fullness of glory. Your baptism today was the beginning of their rescue.”
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, both men leaned back in their chairs and had a brief sleep before the dawn clatter in the kitchen woke them. Tian smelled the biscuits baking.
Scriptures were read by a daughter. Brigham blessed the food and the day. After breakfast it was off to Brigham’s office, where two other men joined them. Brigham introduced them as a Collis P. Huntington, a friend of Charles Crocker, and Lloyd Travis.
“Mr. Travis is on his way from New York to San Francisco. We had an interesting discussion a few days ago, and I told him that I knew a man who might be the key to quickly achieving his goal. That person is you, Tian.” Brigham continued, “Mr. Travis has convinced me that when the railroad is completed, the stage coach role in distributing people and goods from place to place will be greatly diminished. In fact, the Wells Fargo Company is already in deep financial trouble. They recently borrowed nearly $1,800,000 to buy out Ben Holladay. (This was no news to Tian). It is the intent of Travis to purchase a majority of Wells Fargo stock as quickly as possible, but at a reasonable price.”
Travis added, “Wells Fargo stock is now worth one hundred dollars a share. With completion of the east-west railroad, I predict the value per share will drop to $10. Huntington and I have verbally agreed to an exclusive right for the Central Pacific Railroad, to control who can ship by way of rail. We intend to form the Pacific Union Express. To make this work we need to have control of over half the existing Wells Fargo stock. You are the largest single Wells Fargo stockholder and we would like to purchase all of your shares.”
“We estimate your shares to be worth nearly $2,000,000. Those 20,000 shares will be worth only $200,000 in a short time. We are willing to offer you $30 a share at this time, with an assurance that when the Pacific Union Express Company is formed, you will be awarded 1000 shares of company stock.”
Tian had never had much interest in money matters. All of this paper money was puzzlement to him.
Brigham counseled, “Tian, you have indeed been incredibly blessed. If you were to sell your stock to these men and use that money for investment here in Salt Lake City, I know the Lord would be pleased.”
After some further discussion, Brigham called in another person. He was introduced as Enoch Reese. Mr. Reese handled the required paperwork for the transfer of money and Tian’s stock. Huntington and Travis left on the afternoon stage west, with Tian’s Wells Fargo shares.
Mr. Reese finalized the details of transferring $600,000 to an account in Tian’s name at the Office of the Trustee-in-trust.
Nearing the noon hour, Tian inquired, “Do you think any of your wives would have any fresh biscuits?”
Heber C. Kimball and Daniel Wells joined them at lunch. Conversation was informal, with some of the time devoted to Porter Rockwell’s vacation at Donner Lake and the fire at the Station. After lunch, the four returned to the office again. Brigham spent nearly an hour explaining the power of the priesthood, divine authority and the restoration of the priesthood. Brother Kimball talked at some length about the plan of salvation. Daniel Wells explained how the priesthood functioned and described the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. He then asked Tian, “Do you desire to hold the priesthood?”
The afternoon had been intense. As the three men talked, Tian could feel light flow into his being. He desired not only the knowledge, but also the privilege of holding the priesthood.
“Come, sit here and we will confer upon you the two priesthoods.” Tian sat in a chair while Kimball and Daniels placed their hands on his head and Kimball conferred on Tian the Aaronic priesthood and its offices and then Daniels ordained him an elder in the Melchizedek priesthood. This was followed by all three placing their hands on Tian’s head and Brigham Young pronouncing a blessing. The blessing went as follows:
“Tian Lu, we, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, holding the authority of God, place our hands upon your head for the purpose of giving you a special blessing. This blessing is the word of the Lord. We, as your brothers, salute you for your great humility, service to others, and goodness. You were chosen before the earth was formed to come to the earth at this time. You have been taught true principles from your childhood through adulthood. Yesterday and today are the culmination of years of preparation. In two short days you have received more knowledge, power, and authority than most brethren in the Church have received in a lifetime. We have a witness that the teachings are recorded in your mind and are incorporated in your heart.”
“You now hold the Priesthood of God. By God's design, you will have power to raise the dead from the grave. That is what you have been called to do. It is your greatest blessing and dwarfs all other earthly and heavenly gifts. You are a messenger who will raise millions from the grave. Your work will extend into the next life, where you will direct the homecoming of a righteous people.”
“As was Nephi, you were born of goodly parents. You will see them again. Your linage extends back to David, the King of Israel, and by virtue of that linage, you are entitled to many blessings. David was one of the great and noble ones. You, like David, have been given much, but the blessings of tomorrow and the next life are dependent on your continued faithfulness and on making correct choices. You are a humble person. Remain so. You have to this point in your life kept yourself clean from the sins of this world. Your associations with all manner of people have been praiseworthy. Therefore, continue to listen to the Phantom Voices, they will continue to guide you on your pathway home.”
“The time will come when you supervise the work of restoration in the place of your birth. That place will be a place of refuge and an eternal inheritance for you and your people.”
“Your heart is not set on the things of this world. Nevertheless, you will continue to be blessed with both good health and much wealth. The time is near when you will marry and have children, however, your restless spirit will not really feel at home until you are in the company of angels from on high.”
“We pronounce these blessings upon you and any others that either the Lord intends for you, or that you might righteously desire, all dependent on your faithfulness; in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Chapter 29
Summer of 1867
Daniel Wells went with Tian to a little one-room cabin. This was to be his home for the next little while. The cabin was clean and stocked with all the needs of a single man. “Your rent will be deducted from what pay Brigham Young allocates for your services. If you need to contact me during the day, I am usually at my office. As mayor of Salt Lake City, I am at your service. It was a privilege to participate in your ordinations.”
“Tomorrow morning you are to be at the Bowery, promptly at nine. I think you will find suitable clothing in your cabin. Good night.”
Tian arrived at nine as instructed. Brigham greeted him. No one else was present. In the next 45 minutes, Tian was briefed on what was to take place at ten. Brigham was going to discuss the ongoing problem of non-mormons jacking up prices for church members, both at a local level and nationally by wholesalers. Brigham asked why, in San Francisco, prices for everything were far less expensive in China Town.
“It is very simple, if you are Chinese you buy Chinese. That is the rule for all residents. If you are a business, you work together with all others in the same business to form a business community. You buy not just for your store, but rather buy for all the stores in the same business. In volume, the non-Chinese wholesaler makes more because he sells more, and makes more profit than if dealing with individual businesses. The savings are passed on to the community. Also the Chinese will always work for a lower wage than the white worker. Again, this lowers the price of any product. When you work together the whole community benefits,” explained Tian.
“We call that a cooperative, and that is what I am going to try to explain to the brethren today.” Brigham then indicated it was his desire to use Tian’s funds from the Wells Fargo stock to finance such a company. “With your permission, only you, I, and the Lord will know how this new entity got its name and its initial funding. I will call it Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution.”
“Well, I don’t want to be as guilty as those spoken of in Malachi 3:8, ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.’ Use the money as you see fit,” responded Tian.
A while later, men began arriving. At ten, Brigham called the meeting to order and after an opening prayer, began his discourse. First, he instructed those who did not speak or understand English very well, to sit in groups by place of origin. Germans in one group and Scandinavians in another group. He explained that he desired all to understand the proceedings of the day and that “Nephi” would translate for each group. Brigham pointed to Tian.
Tian thought, “Oh no, not another name,” but understood the problem posed by being introduced as Tian Lu.
The meeting went well and became the basis for many such meetings. Each meeting was introduced by discussing the following two topics:
1. Capitalists in the East determined prices for most things. Locally non-Mormons charged Mormons higher prices than charged to other customers.
Goal: Eliminate this problem.
2. Mining and the railroad are bringing many more non-Mormons into the area. The morals of these new people may be a challenge.
Goal: Minimize non-Mormon moral influence.
There were many bitter memories of past non-Mormon behavior in Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio. No one wanted a repetition of those experiences. The entire summer and fall were spent in conducting similar meetings throughout the Mormon settlements. In December 1867, the meetings got a name: School of the Prophets. The title was modeled after Joseph Smith’s School of the Prophets, but the format and purpose were much different.
Brigham’s school was a forum for Church leaders in which not only theology, but also Church government and economic growth were discussed. The primary goal was to establish consensus within each group. All topics were under the direction of the First Presidency and each session was under the direction of an approved agent of the prophet. Tian (Nephi) was often the person in charge. When there was no consensus or when opinions varied from that of the First Presidency, the rule was, “Brigham and the Lord are always a majority.”
Under Brigham’s guidance, emphasis was on economic planning. Tian often mentally referred to the process as, “School of the Profits.”
Admission to all sessions was by recommend, a paper signed by a Church leader after a personal interview, and all matters discussed were not considered secret, but rather confidential. Public disclosure of matters discussed were grounds for losing the admission paper that was required to participate.
One of the early solutions to keeping out unwanted non-Mormon influence was a contract to build the railroad from Echo Canyon to Ogden. This 90-mile stretch was one of the more difficult parts of the eastern section of the transcontinental railroad. The money for the work went to the Church. Local Church members, some of whom were paid in the form of tithing credit, supplied Labor. In every case, the money received was spent locally. Tian’s Chinatown principles were evident, and Brigham added in the tithing credit.
Other notable results of the School of the Prophets included a variety of manufacturing endeavors, a carriage and wagon shop, manufacture of agricultural equipment, furniture making, woolen mills, an ink factory, and a matchmaking factory. Much of the labor for these endeavors was at reduced wages, or free, in the form of Church callings. The overall result was increased employment, lower local prices, and higher profits when items were sold out of the area.
One group came up with the idea of using money that was saved by living the Word of Wisdom to help fund the Perpetual Immigration Fund. Money that was formerly spent on coffee, tea, alcohol and tobacco was now donated to the Church. This challenge became a personal goal for many, and the motto was, “For the weakest of the Saints,” and the process was first to give up the use of these products, and then use the money saved to help bring new converts from Europe.
The School created an atmosphere of togetherness that had been missing earlier. It was time to introduce the Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution. This had been the original goal Brigham had in mind when he started he meetings. Now it was time for all Mormon businesses to band together under one roof. ZCMI became America’s first department store.
Chapter 30
Special Events
The week of June 23 to June 29 1867, was a whirlwind of experiences for Tian. He felt totally overwhelmed by the company in which he found himself. Though not uncomfortable in the presence of so many prestigious Church and community leaders, he did not feel at home. The mix of religion and business was hard for him to sort out. He concluded that for Brigham Young, there was no distinction between things spiritual and things physical.
The baptism, confirmation, and ordinations were “heavy.” Whether that feeling came because of the weight of the hands on his head, or some other factor, they did not fill his heart with joy. Tian’s first special spiritual experience after baptism and confirmation occurred on Sunday June 30. He was told where his Sunday meetings would be held, so, true to the faith, he walked the few blocks to the designated meeting house at the appointed time. A man who introduced himself as Bishop Smith greeted him at the door. Tian observed that as people arrived, they found a place to sit on rows of benches. He followed their example. Shortly thereafter, Bishop Smith was joined by two other men, and they sat on chairs facing the congregation. Off to the left side was a table with some objects covered by a white cloth.
A prayer was followed by a song. The format for the prayer was familiar, but Tian had never sung in public before. In fact, he had never before looked at a book with printed music. He found the designated page and followed along silently. As the song progressed, a feeling of peace came over him.
The song was followed by another prayer and the passing of small pieces of bread, then another prayer and the passing of water. The prayer words were familiar to Tian, but no one had explained the sacrament. He felt even better after these events. Then a little girl sitting on a woman’s lap got up and walked to the front of the room. Bishop Smith held out his hands and the girl went to his open arms and climbed into his lap. She sat there for the next hour. Tian thought of the scripture, “Suffer little children to come unto me.”
Two persons spoke at some length about the need for baptism, and explained the concept of baptism for the dead. While the second person was speaking, Tian heard a voice, “Welcome home, Tian.” He looked around, but saw no one addressing him. He closed his eyes, “Welcome home, Tian.” He did feel at home.
The meeting closed with another song and a prayer.
Tian really did feel at home in the meeting. It was difficult for him to go back to his little cabin. He missed his mother and father. He had the impression that the real church was about families and feeling at home, not about what went on when the priesthood got together. Over the next twelve months, the weekly special event was Sunday meetings. In his travels, there was always the feeling of being at home wherever he attended. More often than not, it was the families in attendance that touched his heart, not the speaker's messages.
Another very special event occurred on July 24. It had been twenty years since the pioneers entered the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. The day started with a parade. Tian had only to bring a chair from his cabin for a front row seat. The parade went right by his door. Bishop Smith, Brigham Young, and a number of others in the parade, recognized him and waved. Porter Rockwell actually stopped his horse, dismounted, and congratulated Tian on joining the Church.
After the parade, there was food and music at the Bowery. Tian noticed a red haired woman that looked much like he remembered his mother. The woman did not seem to be attached to any family. As the afternoon drew on and the stories about the faith and courage of the pioneers became somewhat repetitive, Tian returned to his cabin.
Evening events were planned for This Is The Place. When Tian arrived, there were already hundreds of people milling about. A man with a fiddle and a caller had a lively square dance under way. Tian thought, “It looks like work.” He gravitated toward a rock, near the pond where he had been baptized a month earlier. He sat there and reflected on all that had happened in the past month. In his heart he said a prayer of thanksgiving. In his mind he felt lonely.
These thoughts were interrupted by a tiny, but sweet voice, “Would you dance with me?” There standing next to him was the red haired woman he had noticed earlier in the day along with a younger woman. Tian was totally at a loss for words. The woman continued, “This is Candis Clark Her father is branch president in Clarkston. I am a Clark too. My name is Sara. I saw you earlier today and you were looking at me in a very strange way.”
“I don’t dance,” responded Tian, somewhat regaining his composure, “I am glad to meet you and Candis. Yes, I did notice you at the Bowery. It was your red hair. It reminded me of someone very special, my mother.”
“Are you sure you don’t dance? I really could teach you, but not tonight. I have time for only one dance. Candis and I are leaving shortly to return to Clarkston by way of Logan. I am not to let Candis out of my sight. She came to Salt Lake City without her father’s permission and I was sent to fetch her back.”
Tian felt both relived and saddened. He was very much attracted to Sara, but the prospect of dancing with a woman was totally frightening. With Candis under tow, Sara departed a few minutes later. Tian remained sitting on the rock until well after dark, and was probably the last person to leave the hill.
Tian’s next special event occurred on October 6. The occasion was Church General Conference, and it was being held in the nearly completed tabernacle. Actually, it was his turtle dream come true. He was with the group of people lined up at the front door, and as the “head” of the turtle went into the building, Tian was again impressed with a feeling of being at home.
Tian did not remember much of what was said during the meeting. He felt particularly touched by the singing. Rather than listening to the speakers, Tian was listening to a voice in his mind. It was like an extension of the original turtle dream. It seemed as if he was again traveling in the sky. He saw different groups of people at different times in the past. Each group worshiped some form of god, but for most, the object of their worship was an unknowable mystery. He saw one small group of people dressed similar to the Indians of the west. They had captured a large turtle from a big river. It was late in the evening and beginning to get dark. They proceeded to get the turtle to grab a stick, and as it did so, they pulled on the stick to extend the head and neck. A person then came down on the neck with a sharp ax, severing the head from the body. With darkness upon them, they turned the carcass upside-down on a hastily build platform. Their intent was to protect the body from marauding animals and return in the morning to remove the meat.
Upon their return in the morning, they proceeded to remove the bottom shell from the top shell with flint knives. As the top parts became separated, the innards of the turtle were exposed. They stood in amazement as they saw the heart of the turtle still beating. Crying out, “We have cut off the head of the Great Spirit.” They fled the area in fear.
Tian’s mind saw that from that time on these people worshiped the turtle. When a chief died he was buried in a large mound of soil shaped like a turtle. Buried in the place where the heart of the turtle would be found, all that was required for a great journey was also placed there. A Phantom Voice said, “So you see Tian, every people finds a god. You have found the one true God and this place is where His heart is found. The events that originate in this place will touch the entire world.”
“—and this Church will roll forth to fill the entire earth.” This was the concluding remark of the last conference speaker. Tian was back in the tabernacle.
During the week after October Conference, assignments were made for School of the Prophets visits. Tian usually traveled with whomever he was assigned, but when it was mentioned that the Clarkston Branch was being made a ward, he requested to travel with the authority so assigned. His request was approved.
There were four in the carriage that left Salt Lake City Friday morning. It was an all day ride to Logan. The maple trees in the mountains were just beginning to turn red. Friday evening was spent receiving progress reports on construction of the Logan tabernacle. Early Saturday morning the group departed for Clarkston, arriving just before lunchtime. Israel Clark, the Branch President, who had previously been informed of the pending formation of a new ward, greeted the four. Much to Tian’s pleasant surprise, there was Sara Clark helping serve lunch. As she passed Tian a basket of fresh biscuits, she asked, “Would you like to dance?” Tian grinned from ear to ear.
Tian clearly was not needed for any language translation at the meetings of the afternoon and was dismissed. Sara met Tian shortly after lunch. Two fine horses were saddled and she indicated for him to mount up. They rode north up the valley and then west up a small canyon. Upon reaching the crest, they could see a large encampment of Indians in the valley below.
As they rode into the encampment, Sara was greeted as if very well known. “Tian Lu, this is Chief Washakie. He knows the same God that we know. I have told him about a man who speaks many tongues and knows plant medicine. He knows you travel with the Church leaders as Brigham Young’s ears. I have also told him that Raven is your friend.”
“Chief Washakie and I recently talked about the need to celebrate knowing good people. He said that if someday the three of us should happen to have the opportunity to share some time, we should dance for joy.”
As the three of them sat in the Chief’s tent, it was evident that there was considerable activity taking place around them. There is no record of what was said in that tent. At the sound of a regular drumbeat, they emerged to a gathering of many Indians. Venison was roasting and a small group was acting out in dance the story of the hunt which had produced the deer. Again Sara said, “Want to dance?” They both joined the many natives who were dancing what they called the 'Dance of Joy'. To the beat of drums, about fifteen people moved in and out in contracting and expanding circles. When they came to the center and could reach out and touch hands on both the left and the right, they all then turned their heads skyward and shouted, “Haih,” which meant Raven. Then the process was repeated over and over again. Tian moved with the beat of the drums and reflected on all the times Raven had provided him sound counsel. He felt very grateful to Sara for what was happening.
As evening approached Sara and Tian prepared to depart. Washakie and Tian carried on a conversation in French, with Washakie concluding in English, “If not before, I will dance with you in heaven.”
The ride back over the mountain was slow. It cooled off quickly after the sun went down and each rode quietly, wrapped in a wool blanket. Reins were loose on the saddle horns and the horses followed Sara’s command, “Take us home.”
Sunday morning meeting saw the release of Israel Clark as Branch President, and William Rigby sustained as bishop of a new ward.
When the group of Church authorities departed, there was a basket of fresh biscuits and butter for Tian, with a note reading, “God be with you, until we meet again.” Tian touched Sara’s hand as she handed him the basket.
Summer of 1867
Daniel Wells went with Tian to a little one-room cabin. This was to be his home for the next little while. The cabin was clean and stocked with all the needs of a single man. “Your rent will be deducted from what pay Brigham Young allocates for your services. If you need to contact me during the day, I am usually at my office. As mayor of Salt Lake City, I am at your service. It was a privilege to participate in your ordinations.”
“Tomorrow morning you are to be at the Bowery, promptly at nine. I think you will find suitable clothing in your cabin. Good night.”
Tian arrived at nine as instructed. Brigham greeted him. No one else was present. In the next 45 minutes, Tian was briefed on what was to take place at ten. Brigham was going to discuss the ongoing problem of non-mormons jacking up prices for church members, both at a local level and nationally by wholesalers. Brigham asked why, in San Francisco, prices for everything were far less expensive in China Town.
“It is very simple, if you are Chinese you buy Chinese. That is the rule for all residents. If you are a business, you work together with all others in the same business to form a business community. You buy not just for your store, but rather buy for all the stores in the same business. In volume, the non-Chinese wholesaler makes more because he sells more, and makes more profit than if dealing with individual businesses. The savings are passed on to the community. Also the Chinese will always work for a lower wage than the white worker. Again, this lowers the price of any product. When you work together the whole community benefits,” explained Tian.
“We call that a cooperative, and that is what I am going to try to explain to the brethren today.” Brigham then indicated it was his desire to use Tian’s funds from the Wells Fargo stock to finance such a company. “With your permission, only you, I, and the Lord will know how this new entity got its name and its initial funding. I will call it Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution.”
“Well, I don’t want to be as guilty as those spoken of in Malachi 3:8, ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.’ Use the money as you see fit,” responded Tian.
A while later, men began arriving. At ten, Brigham called the meeting to order and after an opening prayer, began his discourse. First, he instructed those who did not speak or understand English very well, to sit in groups by place of origin. Germans in one group and Scandinavians in another group. He explained that he desired all to understand the proceedings of the day and that “Nephi” would translate for each group. Brigham pointed to Tian.
Tian thought, “Oh no, not another name,” but understood the problem posed by being introduced as Tian Lu.
The meeting went well and became the basis for many such meetings. Each meeting was introduced by discussing the following two topics:
1. Capitalists in the East determined prices for most things. Locally non-Mormons charged Mormons higher prices than charged to other customers.
Goal: Eliminate this problem.
2. Mining and the railroad are bringing many more non-Mormons into the area. The morals of these new people may be a challenge.
Goal: Minimize non-Mormon moral influence.
There were many bitter memories of past non-Mormon behavior in Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio. No one wanted a repetition of those experiences. The entire summer and fall were spent in conducting similar meetings throughout the Mormon settlements. In December 1867, the meetings got a name: School of the Prophets. The title was modeled after Joseph Smith’s School of the Prophets, but the format and purpose were much different.
Brigham’s school was a forum for Church leaders in which not only theology, but also Church government and economic growth were discussed. The primary goal was to establish consensus within each group. All topics were under the direction of the First Presidency and each session was under the direction of an approved agent of the prophet. Tian (Nephi) was often the person in charge. When there was no consensus or when opinions varied from that of the First Presidency, the rule was, “Brigham and the Lord are always a majority.”
Under Brigham’s guidance, emphasis was on economic planning. Tian often mentally referred to the process as, “School of the Profits.”
Admission to all sessions was by recommend, a paper signed by a Church leader after a personal interview, and all matters discussed were not considered secret, but rather confidential. Public disclosure of matters discussed were grounds for losing the admission paper that was required to participate.
One of the early solutions to keeping out unwanted non-Mormon influence was a contract to build the railroad from Echo Canyon to Ogden. This 90-mile stretch was one of the more difficult parts of the eastern section of the transcontinental railroad. The money for the work went to the Church. Local Church members, some of whom were paid in the form of tithing credit, supplied Labor. In every case, the money received was spent locally. Tian’s Chinatown principles were evident, and Brigham added in the tithing credit.
Other notable results of the School of the Prophets included a variety of manufacturing endeavors, a carriage and wagon shop, manufacture of agricultural equipment, furniture making, woolen mills, an ink factory, and a matchmaking factory. Much of the labor for these endeavors was at reduced wages, or free, in the form of Church callings. The overall result was increased employment, lower local prices, and higher profits when items were sold out of the area.
One group came up with the idea of using money that was saved by living the Word of Wisdom to help fund the Perpetual Immigration Fund. Money that was formerly spent on coffee, tea, alcohol and tobacco was now donated to the Church. This challenge became a personal goal for many, and the motto was, “For the weakest of the Saints,” and the process was first to give up the use of these products, and then use the money saved to help bring new converts from Europe.
The School created an atmosphere of togetherness that had been missing earlier. It was time to introduce the Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution. This had been the original goal Brigham had in mind when he started he meetings. Now it was time for all Mormon businesses to band together under one roof. ZCMI became America’s first department store.
Chapter 30
Special Events
The week of June 23 to June 29 1867, was a whirlwind of experiences for Tian. He felt totally overwhelmed by the company in which he found himself. Though not uncomfortable in the presence of so many prestigious Church and community leaders, he did not feel at home. The mix of religion and business was hard for him to sort out. He concluded that for Brigham Young, there was no distinction between things spiritual and things physical.
The baptism, confirmation, and ordinations were “heavy.” Whether that feeling came because of the weight of the hands on his head, or some other factor, they did not fill his heart with joy. Tian’s first special spiritual experience after baptism and confirmation occurred on Sunday June 30. He was told where his Sunday meetings would be held, so, true to the faith, he walked the few blocks to the designated meeting house at the appointed time. A man who introduced himself as Bishop Smith greeted him at the door. Tian observed that as people arrived, they found a place to sit on rows of benches. He followed their example. Shortly thereafter, Bishop Smith was joined by two other men, and they sat on chairs facing the congregation. Off to the left side was a table with some objects covered by a white cloth.
A prayer was followed by a song. The format for the prayer was familiar, but Tian had never sung in public before. In fact, he had never before looked at a book with printed music. He found the designated page and followed along silently. As the song progressed, a feeling of peace came over him.
The song was followed by another prayer and the passing of small pieces of bread, then another prayer and the passing of water. The prayer words were familiar to Tian, but no one had explained the sacrament. He felt even better after these events. Then a little girl sitting on a woman’s lap got up and walked to the front of the room. Bishop Smith held out his hands and the girl went to his open arms and climbed into his lap. She sat there for the next hour. Tian thought of the scripture, “Suffer little children to come unto me.”
Two persons spoke at some length about the need for baptism, and explained the concept of baptism for the dead. While the second person was speaking, Tian heard a voice, “Welcome home, Tian.” He looked around, but saw no one addressing him. He closed his eyes, “Welcome home, Tian.” He did feel at home.
The meeting closed with another song and a prayer.
Tian really did feel at home in the meeting. It was difficult for him to go back to his little cabin. He missed his mother and father. He had the impression that the real church was about families and feeling at home, not about what went on when the priesthood got together. Over the next twelve months, the weekly special event was Sunday meetings. In his travels, there was always the feeling of being at home wherever he attended. More often than not, it was the families in attendance that touched his heart, not the speaker's messages.
Another very special event occurred on July 24. It had been twenty years since the pioneers entered the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. The day started with a parade. Tian had only to bring a chair from his cabin for a front row seat. The parade went right by his door. Bishop Smith, Brigham Young, and a number of others in the parade, recognized him and waved. Porter Rockwell actually stopped his horse, dismounted, and congratulated Tian on joining the Church.
After the parade, there was food and music at the Bowery. Tian noticed a red haired woman that looked much like he remembered his mother. The woman did not seem to be attached to any family. As the afternoon drew on and the stories about the faith and courage of the pioneers became somewhat repetitive, Tian returned to his cabin.
Evening events were planned for This Is The Place. When Tian arrived, there were already hundreds of people milling about. A man with a fiddle and a caller had a lively square dance under way. Tian thought, “It looks like work.” He gravitated toward a rock, near the pond where he had been baptized a month earlier. He sat there and reflected on all that had happened in the past month. In his heart he said a prayer of thanksgiving. In his mind he felt lonely.
These thoughts were interrupted by a tiny, but sweet voice, “Would you dance with me?” There standing next to him was the red haired woman he had noticed earlier in the day along with a younger woman. Tian was totally at a loss for words. The woman continued, “This is Candis Clark Her father is branch president in Clarkston. I am a Clark too. My name is Sara. I saw you earlier today and you were looking at me in a very strange way.”
“I don’t dance,” responded Tian, somewhat regaining his composure, “I am glad to meet you and Candis. Yes, I did notice you at the Bowery. It was your red hair. It reminded me of someone very special, my mother.”
“Are you sure you don’t dance? I really could teach you, but not tonight. I have time for only one dance. Candis and I are leaving shortly to return to Clarkston by way of Logan. I am not to let Candis out of my sight. She came to Salt Lake City without her father’s permission and I was sent to fetch her back.”
Tian felt both relived and saddened. He was very much attracted to Sara, but the prospect of dancing with a woman was totally frightening. With Candis under tow, Sara departed a few minutes later. Tian remained sitting on the rock until well after dark, and was probably the last person to leave the hill.
Tian’s next special event occurred on October 6. The occasion was Church General Conference, and it was being held in the nearly completed tabernacle. Actually, it was his turtle dream come true. He was with the group of people lined up at the front door, and as the “head” of the turtle went into the building, Tian was again impressed with a feeling of being at home.
Tian did not remember much of what was said during the meeting. He felt particularly touched by the singing. Rather than listening to the speakers, Tian was listening to a voice in his mind. It was like an extension of the original turtle dream. It seemed as if he was again traveling in the sky. He saw different groups of people at different times in the past. Each group worshiped some form of god, but for most, the object of their worship was an unknowable mystery. He saw one small group of people dressed similar to the Indians of the west. They had captured a large turtle from a big river. It was late in the evening and beginning to get dark. They proceeded to get the turtle to grab a stick, and as it did so, they pulled on the stick to extend the head and neck. A person then came down on the neck with a sharp ax, severing the head from the body. With darkness upon them, they turned the carcass upside-down on a hastily build platform. Their intent was to protect the body from marauding animals and return in the morning to remove the meat.
Upon their return in the morning, they proceeded to remove the bottom shell from the top shell with flint knives. As the top parts became separated, the innards of the turtle were exposed. They stood in amazement as they saw the heart of the turtle still beating. Crying out, “We have cut off the head of the Great Spirit.” They fled the area in fear.
Tian’s mind saw that from that time on these people worshiped the turtle. When a chief died he was buried in a large mound of soil shaped like a turtle. Buried in the place where the heart of the turtle would be found, all that was required for a great journey was also placed there. A Phantom Voice said, “So you see Tian, every people finds a god. You have found the one true God and this place is where His heart is found. The events that originate in this place will touch the entire world.”
“—and this Church will roll forth to fill the entire earth.” This was the concluding remark of the last conference speaker. Tian was back in the tabernacle.
During the week after October Conference, assignments were made for School of the Prophets visits. Tian usually traveled with whomever he was assigned, but when it was mentioned that the Clarkston Branch was being made a ward, he requested to travel with the authority so assigned. His request was approved.
There were four in the carriage that left Salt Lake City Friday morning. It was an all day ride to Logan. The maple trees in the mountains were just beginning to turn red. Friday evening was spent receiving progress reports on construction of the Logan tabernacle. Early Saturday morning the group departed for Clarkston, arriving just before lunchtime. Israel Clark, the Branch President, who had previously been informed of the pending formation of a new ward, greeted the four. Much to Tian’s pleasant surprise, there was Sara Clark helping serve lunch. As she passed Tian a basket of fresh biscuits, she asked, “Would you like to dance?” Tian grinned from ear to ear.
Tian clearly was not needed for any language translation at the meetings of the afternoon and was dismissed. Sara met Tian shortly after lunch. Two fine horses were saddled and she indicated for him to mount up. They rode north up the valley and then west up a small canyon. Upon reaching the crest, they could see a large encampment of Indians in the valley below.
As they rode into the encampment, Sara was greeted as if very well known. “Tian Lu, this is Chief Washakie. He knows the same God that we know. I have told him about a man who speaks many tongues and knows plant medicine. He knows you travel with the Church leaders as Brigham Young’s ears. I have also told him that Raven is your friend.”
“Chief Washakie and I recently talked about the need to celebrate knowing good people. He said that if someday the three of us should happen to have the opportunity to share some time, we should dance for joy.”
As the three of them sat in the Chief’s tent, it was evident that there was considerable activity taking place around them. There is no record of what was said in that tent. At the sound of a regular drumbeat, they emerged to a gathering of many Indians. Venison was roasting and a small group was acting out in dance the story of the hunt which had produced the deer. Again Sara said, “Want to dance?” They both joined the many natives who were dancing what they called the 'Dance of Joy'. To the beat of drums, about fifteen people moved in and out in contracting and expanding circles. When they came to the center and could reach out and touch hands on both the left and the right, they all then turned their heads skyward and shouted, “Haih,” which meant Raven. Then the process was repeated over and over again. Tian moved with the beat of the drums and reflected on all the times Raven had provided him sound counsel. He felt very grateful to Sara for what was happening.
As evening approached Sara and Tian prepared to depart. Washakie and Tian carried on a conversation in French, with Washakie concluding in English, “If not before, I will dance with you in heaven.”
The ride back over the mountain was slow. It cooled off quickly after the sun went down and each rode quietly, wrapped in a wool blanket. Reins were loose on the saddle horns and the horses followed Sara’s command, “Take us home.”
Sunday morning meeting saw the release of Israel Clark as Branch President, and William Rigby sustained as bishop of a new ward.
When the group of Church authorities departed, there was a basket of fresh biscuits and butter for Tian, with a note reading, “God be with you, until we meet again.” Tian touched Sara’s hand as she handed him the basket.
Chapter 31
Missionary Call
With the summit of the Sierra Nevada behind him, James Crocker expected smooth sailing in building the railroad the rest of the way east. The land was now relatively flat and there were no more high mountain ranges to pass over. By early spring 1868 the CPR construction had reached Reno. Quite unexpectedly, the entire Chinese work force had threatened to walk off the job. At issue was the handling of dead worker’s bodies. Dutch Flat was in the midst of Chinese persecution and the burial grounds there would no longer accept bodies. Every assurance had been given that each body would be returned to their home in China. The workers knew there were no records being kept, and there were no funds to send bodies to China. Unless these problems were resolved, the entire Chinese work force was going home before they died.
Not being sure of what to do, Crocker headed for Salt Lake City, only to find that the Union Pacific was negotiating with Brigham Young regarding the Mormon offer to build 90 miles of track. Crocker was invited to join the contract signing. They met in the Continental Hotel on May 21. Brigham got $2,125,000 plus free transportation from Omaha for men, tools and teams, plus at cost pricing for materials and tools. The contract was one of the greatest achievements of the School of the Prophets.
After the meeting, Crocker met with Brigham and Tian. Crocker was clearly unhappy with what had just taken place. The relationship between the three had always been cordial, but the contract signing only made the threat of Chinese worker desertion even worse. After further explanation, Crocker wondered if Mormons could be contracted to replace the Chinese. Brigham explained that there were nowhere near enough able bodied Mormons in all of Zion to replace the 10,000 Chinese workers. “However, I have one man who can resolve all of your Chinese worker problems. This man is the equivalent of 10,000 men. I hereby call Tian Lu on a special mission to attend to the needs of the Chinese workers. He is not to be paid by the railroad. If he needs funds beyond those he can generate on his own, he is to request them from the School of the Prophets.” Tian thought of the song, I Stand All Amazed.
Tian spent the evening with the Prophet at the Endowment House. In addition to instructions, Tian was given a special blessing in which he was informed that his mission was not to preach the restored gospel, but to establish trust among persons, such that this trust would carry into the next life.
Crocker and Tian departed on the noon stage the next morning.
Chapter 32
A Year In The West Desert
Word soon spread that Tian Lu was again, “In charge.” Morale improved and food sources and deliveries were put in order. As the railroad progressed to the east, new camps were set up. The Chinese camps were always separate from the white camps. Deaths occurred, if for no other reason than age. The procedure for any death was to follow the standard procedure for preserving the body, and then placing it in a specially made wooden box, along with any personal belongings. Each work gang foreman was charged with determining, at a minimum, the deceased person’s name and where he was born. The foreman’s name and the location of the death were also placed on the box cover.
Tian moved his tent to the most forward work camp as the construction progressed to the east. Each day he road the work trains to pick up any body boxes and gather information. All foremen were located and information was verbally gathered about former deaths. The information was stored in Tian’s head and the boxes were transported to a camp for temporary burial.
Over the days, weeks, and months, dozens, then hundreds, of person’s identities were stored in Tian’s head. Incredibly, name, date of death, birthplace, and any other data was all stored in his perfect memory. Tian became a living genealogy file. For example, Hung Wah died on July 4 1868 near Virginia City. He had slipped and fell into the Truckee River and drowned. He was born on May 30, 1824, in Canton. He started working on the railroad in 1864.
Ah Sing was bitten by a rattlesnake and died August 18, 1868 at Humbolt Plains, Nevada. He was 33 years old. No one knew his birthplace.
The confidence among the Chinese workers was greatly enhanced by Tian’s ability to recall these details for hundreds of people. As he traveled, a worker would inquire about someone who had died and Tian would immediately recite that person’s statistics. Coupled with the recalled information, was the assurance that Tian would get them all home.
Tian’s day to day life was at best incredibly primitive. Shelter was usually in a camp where the best to be had was a small tent or a cover built of juniper boughs and sagebrush. Spiders, scorpions, and snakes were occasional bed partners. The winter of 1868-69 was cruel. Housing was the same as in summer, with only a wool blanket added for warmth. Hot tea was available at all times.
The winter was made even worse by an outbreak of smallpox. Anna Strobridge, wife of James Harvey Strobridge, the construction foreman, joined Tian in caring for sick workers in “pest” cars. Tian remained immune, but Anna contracted the disease. Her face became badly scarred.
Tian Lu had never dealt with such a disease before. He had no treatment or cure stored in his memory. Frustrated with the severity of the disease and how quickly it spread, Tian, using skills he had learned years earlier, went for a plant walk. His experience had been that for every human affliction there was a plant nearby wanting to help. As he walked from the pest car railroad siding into the foothills north of the camp, he was overwhelmed by the quantity and clarity of messages that came to his mind. The acres of sage brush literally shouted, “Here am I, use me.” Not only was the offer given, but also the method of treatment was made clear. Large quantities of sage brush stems and leaves were to be placed in boiling water and then left to steep as the water cooled. All affected parts of the body were to be washed three times a day with this decoction. The cloths used to bathe were to be placed in boiling water, for at least ten minutes before being rung out to dry.
Twice a day, each Pest Car was to receive a smudge treatment consisting of dampened sagebrush leaves placed on hot coals. Patients were to remain in the rail car during the cleansing if they did not have breathing problems. Also every camp, tent, and person was to be exposed to as much sagebrush smoke as possible, both morning and evening.
The sage treatments had an immediate soothing effect, and over a short time diminished the blisters and scarring. The smudge treatments were tolerated only because they had been ordered by Tian. In a few weeks new cases of smallpox declined dramatically. Strobridge sent word to Crocker indicating that Tian Lu had apparently saved the day again. He also indicated that Tian had requested a large shipment of wolfberries. Each recovering patient was to receive an additional ration of one handful of dried wolfberries every day.
Stories of earlier deaths and accidents also played on Tian’s mind. For example, during the winter of 1866, about 3,000 workers lived in tunnels dug into forty foot snowdrifts. The workers went from living quarters, to work areas, through dimly lit tunnels. As snow accumulated on higher ridges avalanches became a real danger. Without warning a work crew on Christmas day was swept into the canyon below. The bodies had never been recovered. All that remained were bones, no names, and no information. A similar event occurred at Tunnel 10, where twenty workers were swept away in an avalanche. Two wagon road repairers were also covered at that same site the winter before.
Early snowfall during the winter of 1866-67, drove a few thousand workers out of the mountains into Truckee. They occupied all of the empty barns and sheds available. Many froze to death and four were killed by a collapsed barn. It took time, but Tian was able to find the names of all of these workers. Those swept away by avalanches were a much bigger challenge. In some instances bodies had been placed in unmarked graves along the roadbed. Tian often had other workers accompany him in his search for graves. As they traveled back over previously completed track, they would look for heaps of stone marked with wooden sticks. Digging under the stones often revealed a skeleton next to a wax sealed bottle, holding a strip of cloth inscribed with the workers name, birth date and district of origin. Such finds were treated as treasures and transported to a holding area.
Tian made arrangements for a charnel house in San Francisco, and another bone box storage facility in Elko. The boxes containing identified remains were shipped to California. Various Chinese merchants in San Francisco paid the railroad $10 for each body shipped.
Word also spread about Tian’s role in handling dead Chinese, among Chinese miners, so when Chinese miners died, their bodies were also often sent to Tian. There were hundreds, if not thousands of Chinese miners working mines in Nevada and Idaho.
Tian also visited a mass grave site at Battle Creek, where hostile Indians killed 300 Chinese and 2 white men in the early spring of 1866. Soldiers had dug a 12 foot square grave into which the bodies were thrown and covered with soil. All Tian found were the restless spirits of 300 men. The spirits did not know where to go and Tian was not prompted to dig up their bones.
On that same trip, Tian investigated a report by travelers, of 102 bodies of Chinese lying along the road. He found no bodies. After a year of lying there exposed to the elements and animals, only a few bones remained.
As the track laying progressed into Utah, a large Chinese camp was set up at Sinks of Dove Creek. It was here that Tian established his final body-collecting site. Dove Creek was both literally and figuratively, nearly the end of the road and was the last gathering place and camp for the Chinese railroad workers. Just southwest of Kelton, the Sinks of Dove Creek have now been reclaimed by the desert. There was some uncertainty about why the place was named Sinks of Dove Creek. Dove Creek originates in the mountains to the northwest. At some point in time, a stream may have flowed into the Great Salt Lake, but in 1868 it seeped into the ground near where the Chinese camp was located. This may have been the source of the name. Also there were many depressions around the camp where the Chinese had dug into the ground and covered the depressions with boughs for their shelters. The third possible origin of the name, was the depressions where bodies were exhumed to be shipped to San Francisco in 1870. Kelton, a nearby thriving railroad town of post 1869, is now also gone.
It is uncertain how many Chinese died building the railroad. As if in a modern day computer, all of the dead person's information collected by Tian was stored in his mind. What is certain is that many confused spirits of those dead Chinese remained at the Sinks of Dove Creek after the bodily remains were removed. Most of these spirits were the spirits of those who had no identity record.
Missionary Call
With the summit of the Sierra Nevada behind him, James Crocker expected smooth sailing in building the railroad the rest of the way east. The land was now relatively flat and there were no more high mountain ranges to pass over. By early spring 1868 the CPR construction had reached Reno. Quite unexpectedly, the entire Chinese work force had threatened to walk off the job. At issue was the handling of dead worker’s bodies. Dutch Flat was in the midst of Chinese persecution and the burial grounds there would no longer accept bodies. Every assurance had been given that each body would be returned to their home in China. The workers knew there were no records being kept, and there were no funds to send bodies to China. Unless these problems were resolved, the entire Chinese work force was going home before they died.
Not being sure of what to do, Crocker headed for Salt Lake City, only to find that the Union Pacific was negotiating with Brigham Young regarding the Mormon offer to build 90 miles of track. Crocker was invited to join the contract signing. They met in the Continental Hotel on May 21. Brigham got $2,125,000 plus free transportation from Omaha for men, tools and teams, plus at cost pricing for materials and tools. The contract was one of the greatest achievements of the School of the Prophets.
After the meeting, Crocker met with Brigham and Tian. Crocker was clearly unhappy with what had just taken place. The relationship between the three had always been cordial, but the contract signing only made the threat of Chinese worker desertion even worse. After further explanation, Crocker wondered if Mormons could be contracted to replace the Chinese. Brigham explained that there were nowhere near enough able bodied Mormons in all of Zion to replace the 10,000 Chinese workers. “However, I have one man who can resolve all of your Chinese worker problems. This man is the equivalent of 10,000 men. I hereby call Tian Lu on a special mission to attend to the needs of the Chinese workers. He is not to be paid by the railroad. If he needs funds beyond those he can generate on his own, he is to request them from the School of the Prophets.” Tian thought of the song, I Stand All Amazed.
Tian spent the evening with the Prophet at the Endowment House. In addition to instructions, Tian was given a special blessing in which he was informed that his mission was not to preach the restored gospel, but to establish trust among persons, such that this trust would carry into the next life.
Crocker and Tian departed on the noon stage the next morning.
Chapter 32
A Year In The West Desert
Word soon spread that Tian Lu was again, “In charge.” Morale improved and food sources and deliveries were put in order. As the railroad progressed to the east, new camps were set up. The Chinese camps were always separate from the white camps. Deaths occurred, if for no other reason than age. The procedure for any death was to follow the standard procedure for preserving the body, and then placing it in a specially made wooden box, along with any personal belongings. Each work gang foreman was charged with determining, at a minimum, the deceased person’s name and where he was born. The foreman’s name and the location of the death were also placed on the box cover.
Tian moved his tent to the most forward work camp as the construction progressed to the east. Each day he road the work trains to pick up any body boxes and gather information. All foremen were located and information was verbally gathered about former deaths. The information was stored in Tian’s head and the boxes were transported to a camp for temporary burial.
Over the days, weeks, and months, dozens, then hundreds, of person’s identities were stored in Tian’s head. Incredibly, name, date of death, birthplace, and any other data was all stored in his perfect memory. Tian became a living genealogy file. For example, Hung Wah died on July 4 1868 near Virginia City. He had slipped and fell into the Truckee River and drowned. He was born on May 30, 1824, in Canton. He started working on the railroad in 1864.
Ah Sing was bitten by a rattlesnake and died August 18, 1868 at Humbolt Plains, Nevada. He was 33 years old. No one knew his birthplace.
The confidence among the Chinese workers was greatly enhanced by Tian’s ability to recall these details for hundreds of people. As he traveled, a worker would inquire about someone who had died and Tian would immediately recite that person’s statistics. Coupled with the recalled information, was the assurance that Tian would get them all home.
Tian’s day to day life was at best incredibly primitive. Shelter was usually in a camp where the best to be had was a small tent or a cover built of juniper boughs and sagebrush. Spiders, scorpions, and snakes were occasional bed partners. The winter of 1868-69 was cruel. Housing was the same as in summer, with only a wool blanket added for warmth. Hot tea was available at all times.
The winter was made even worse by an outbreak of smallpox. Anna Strobridge, wife of James Harvey Strobridge, the construction foreman, joined Tian in caring for sick workers in “pest” cars. Tian remained immune, but Anna contracted the disease. Her face became badly scarred.
Tian Lu had never dealt with such a disease before. He had no treatment or cure stored in his memory. Frustrated with the severity of the disease and how quickly it spread, Tian, using skills he had learned years earlier, went for a plant walk. His experience had been that for every human affliction there was a plant nearby wanting to help. As he walked from the pest car railroad siding into the foothills north of the camp, he was overwhelmed by the quantity and clarity of messages that came to his mind. The acres of sage brush literally shouted, “Here am I, use me.” Not only was the offer given, but also the method of treatment was made clear. Large quantities of sage brush stems and leaves were to be placed in boiling water and then left to steep as the water cooled. All affected parts of the body were to be washed three times a day with this decoction. The cloths used to bathe were to be placed in boiling water, for at least ten minutes before being rung out to dry.
Twice a day, each Pest Car was to receive a smudge treatment consisting of dampened sagebrush leaves placed on hot coals. Patients were to remain in the rail car during the cleansing if they did not have breathing problems. Also every camp, tent, and person was to be exposed to as much sagebrush smoke as possible, both morning and evening.
The sage treatments had an immediate soothing effect, and over a short time diminished the blisters and scarring. The smudge treatments were tolerated only because they had been ordered by Tian. In a few weeks new cases of smallpox declined dramatically. Strobridge sent word to Crocker indicating that Tian Lu had apparently saved the day again. He also indicated that Tian had requested a large shipment of wolfberries. Each recovering patient was to receive an additional ration of one handful of dried wolfberries every day.
Stories of earlier deaths and accidents also played on Tian’s mind. For example, during the winter of 1866, about 3,000 workers lived in tunnels dug into forty foot snowdrifts. The workers went from living quarters, to work areas, through dimly lit tunnels. As snow accumulated on higher ridges avalanches became a real danger. Without warning a work crew on Christmas day was swept into the canyon below. The bodies had never been recovered. All that remained were bones, no names, and no information. A similar event occurred at Tunnel 10, where twenty workers were swept away in an avalanche. Two wagon road repairers were also covered at that same site the winter before.
Early snowfall during the winter of 1866-67, drove a few thousand workers out of the mountains into Truckee. They occupied all of the empty barns and sheds available. Many froze to death and four were killed by a collapsed barn. It took time, but Tian was able to find the names of all of these workers. Those swept away by avalanches were a much bigger challenge. In some instances bodies had been placed in unmarked graves along the roadbed. Tian often had other workers accompany him in his search for graves. As they traveled back over previously completed track, they would look for heaps of stone marked with wooden sticks. Digging under the stones often revealed a skeleton next to a wax sealed bottle, holding a strip of cloth inscribed with the workers name, birth date and district of origin. Such finds were treated as treasures and transported to a holding area.
Tian made arrangements for a charnel house in San Francisco, and another bone box storage facility in Elko. The boxes containing identified remains were shipped to California. Various Chinese merchants in San Francisco paid the railroad $10 for each body shipped.
Word also spread about Tian’s role in handling dead Chinese, among Chinese miners, so when Chinese miners died, their bodies were also often sent to Tian. There were hundreds, if not thousands of Chinese miners working mines in Nevada and Idaho.
Tian also visited a mass grave site at Battle Creek, where hostile Indians killed 300 Chinese and 2 white men in the early spring of 1866. Soldiers had dug a 12 foot square grave into which the bodies were thrown and covered with soil. All Tian found were the restless spirits of 300 men. The spirits did not know where to go and Tian was not prompted to dig up their bones.
On that same trip, Tian investigated a report by travelers, of 102 bodies of Chinese lying along the road. He found no bodies. After a year of lying there exposed to the elements and animals, only a few bones remained.
As the track laying progressed into Utah, a large Chinese camp was set up at Sinks of Dove Creek. It was here that Tian established his final body-collecting site. Dove Creek was both literally and figuratively, nearly the end of the road and was the last gathering place and camp for the Chinese railroad workers. Just southwest of Kelton, the Sinks of Dove Creek have now been reclaimed by the desert. There was some uncertainty about why the place was named Sinks of Dove Creek. Dove Creek originates in the mountains to the northwest. At some point in time, a stream may have flowed into the Great Salt Lake, but in 1868 it seeped into the ground near where the Chinese camp was located. This may have been the source of the name. Also there were many depressions around the camp where the Chinese had dug into the ground and covered the depressions with boughs for their shelters. The third possible origin of the name, was the depressions where bodies were exhumed to be shipped to San Francisco in 1870. Kelton, a nearby thriving railroad town of post 1869, is now also gone.
It is uncertain how many Chinese died building the railroad. As if in a modern day computer, all of the dead person's information collected by Tian was stored in his mind. What is certain is that many confused spirits of those dead Chinese remained at the Sinks of Dove Creek after the bodily remains were removed. Most of these spirits were the spirits of those who had no identity record.
Sinks of Dove Creek
Chapter 33
Competition and The Race
Early in 1869, the Union Pacific broke all records by laying six miles of track in a day. Crocker and his “Celestial Pets” were invited to beat that record. They beat it by a mile. Then the Union Pacific gangs laid seven and a half miles in a day by working from three in the morning until midnight. Crocker was not a loser, and set the goal of ten miles in a day.
Crocker and Strobridge spent days planning and organizing their men and materials. Ties were hauled ahead and laid out along the right of way. Rails and track material were brought up from the rear and placed on trains ready to move when needed. Over 4,000 men and hundreds of horses and wagons were assembled. The Chinese workers were festive and celebrated the night before the event with fireworks and extra rations, including wolfberries and wolfberry tea.
The task began at seven the morning of April 28. The entire operation was orchestrated with precision and progressed at the incredible rate of a mile an hour. Not to be left out, Crocker had invited Tian to “sight the rails.” His role was to sight down a track line to assure that every rail was in perfect alignment. By the motion of his hands, he directed the straighteners and when in place, tampers, 400 strong, secured the rails with spikes, shovels and tamping bars.
The string of men from the tampers forward, stretched out for about two miles and advanced at a mile an hour. Vital to the operations were the dozens of Chinamen moving among the men with water and wolfberry tea. At noon, after laying six miles of track, a halt was called for a noon meal. The meal was Tian’s suggestion, as was his prayer of thanksgiving for the morning progress, and a solicitation for the Lord to grant a successful afternoon. Though unheard by the majority of workers, the word soon spread that Tian had talked to God. The lunch spot was named “Victory.”
The afternoon work was more difficult as the grade was now uphill into the west slope of the Promontory Mountains and there were now many curves. Sighting was replaced by bending the iron rails. When work stopped at seven in the evening, ten miles and fifty six feet of track had been laid.
Competition and The Race
Early in 1869, the Union Pacific broke all records by laying six miles of track in a day. Crocker and his “Celestial Pets” were invited to beat that record. They beat it by a mile. Then the Union Pacific gangs laid seven and a half miles in a day by working from three in the morning until midnight. Crocker was not a loser, and set the goal of ten miles in a day.
Crocker and Strobridge spent days planning and organizing their men and materials. Ties were hauled ahead and laid out along the right of way. Rails and track material were brought up from the rear and placed on trains ready to move when needed. Over 4,000 men and hundreds of horses and wagons were assembled. The Chinese workers were festive and celebrated the night before the event with fireworks and extra rations, including wolfberries and wolfberry tea.
The task began at seven the morning of April 28. The entire operation was orchestrated with precision and progressed at the incredible rate of a mile an hour. Not to be left out, Crocker had invited Tian to “sight the rails.” His role was to sight down a track line to assure that every rail was in perfect alignment. By the motion of his hands, he directed the straighteners and when in place, tampers, 400 strong, secured the rails with spikes, shovels and tamping bars.
The string of men from the tampers forward, stretched out for about two miles and advanced at a mile an hour. Vital to the operations were the dozens of Chinamen moving among the men with water and wolfberry tea. At noon, after laying six miles of track, a halt was called for a noon meal. The meal was Tian’s suggestion, as was his prayer of thanksgiving for the morning progress, and a solicitation for the Lord to grant a successful afternoon. Though unheard by the majority of workers, the word soon spread that Tian had talked to God. The lunch spot was named “Victory.”
The afternoon work was more difficult as the grade was now uphill into the west slope of the Promontory Mountains and there were now many curves. Sighting was replaced by bending the iron rails. When work stopped at seven in the evening, ten miles and fifty six feet of track had been laid.
The men had put into position 25,800 railroad ties, 3520 rails averaging 560 pounds each, 55,000 spikes, 14,080 bolts and many other materials, for a total of 4,462,000 pounds. Each of the rail handlers had lifted 125 tons of iron during the day, in addition to carrying the weight of the tongs used to carry the rails.
The coming together of the east and west portions of the railroad at Promontory Point was anticlimactic for the workers. Strobridge had sent most of the workers back along the line to the west to complete unfinished work. The event was a big deal for the nation and the dignitaries, but the Chinese were clearly left out. The only Chinese workers at the ceremony arrived early on the morning of May 10th on the construction train from Victory. At about 10:30, the Chinese began the final grading for the last two rails and the driving of the historic spikes.
Tian Lu had also come in on the early morning work train. He was appalled by the drunkenness and behavior of the crowd. Even most of the so-called dignitaries, especially the honorary spike drivers, had too much to drink. They had trouble hitting the spikes. What took a Chinese worker three strokes took the dignitaries 10 to 20 blows, only to be finished off by a Chinaman.
Tian had hoped to see Brigham Young or some other Church authority at the event, but they too were not invited. Tian had hoped to report on the progress of his mission. Then a flash of red hair caught Tian’s eye. It was Sara Clark.
Once again, Sara had been sent to fetch Candis back home. Forbidden by her father to “enter the den of iniquity,” Candis had run off to the big rail joining event, threatening to get just as drunk as any good Irishman. Sara had Candis physically in tow.
“I am at once glad to see you, and at the same time, so sorry I did not write you any letters,” stammered Tian.
Sara replied, “I heard about your mission call.”
Just then, James Crocker hailed Tian. “Nephi T. I have some information for you. By telegraph, Brigham Young has complimented us on today’s event, and all the good work that has been done. As a side note he said, ‘Tian Lu is released from his mission.’ He wished us all well.”
The coming together of the east and west portions of the railroad at Promontory Point was anticlimactic for the workers. Strobridge had sent most of the workers back along the line to the west to complete unfinished work. The event was a big deal for the nation and the dignitaries, but the Chinese were clearly left out. The only Chinese workers at the ceremony arrived early on the morning of May 10th on the construction train from Victory. At about 10:30, the Chinese began the final grading for the last two rails and the driving of the historic spikes.
Tian Lu had also come in on the early morning work train. He was appalled by the drunkenness and behavior of the crowd. Even most of the so-called dignitaries, especially the honorary spike drivers, had too much to drink. They had trouble hitting the spikes. What took a Chinese worker three strokes took the dignitaries 10 to 20 blows, only to be finished off by a Chinaman.
Tian had hoped to see Brigham Young or some other Church authority at the event, but they too were not invited. Tian had hoped to report on the progress of his mission. Then a flash of red hair caught Tian’s eye. It was Sara Clark.
Once again, Sara had been sent to fetch Candis back home. Forbidden by her father to “enter the den of iniquity,” Candis had run off to the big rail joining event, threatening to get just as drunk as any good Irishman. Sara had Candis physically in tow.
“I am at once glad to see you, and at the same time, so sorry I did not write you any letters,” stammered Tian.
Sara replied, “I heard about your mission call.”
Just then, James Crocker hailed Tian. “Nephi T. I have some information for you. By telegraph, Brigham Young has complimented us on today’s event, and all the good work that has been done. As a side note he said, ‘Tian Lu is released from his mission.’ He wished us all well.”
Chapter 34
Marriage?
As Tian, Candis, and Sara were leaving the Golden Spike area, Tian noticed a person in a fine carriage. The man looked familiar, and as they rode past the carriage Tian inquired, “Hezekiah Thatcher?”
It had been years since Tian had treated Hezekiah Thatcher in Tian’s San Francisco home.
Thatcher had come west in search of gold. A friend had referred Hezekiah to Tian for treatment. He arrived with hiccups. It had gone on for days and Thatcher was becoming weak and debilitated from not eating or sleeping. No one had been able to help him. Tian's cure was quick and permanent. Tian placed Thatcher in a chair, firmly pressed two places at the back of his neck, just above the level of the shoulders. Tian continued the pressure and they waited a minute. It was the first minute without a hiccup for two full days. Tian had been impressed to say, “No charge, some day I may need a favor from you.”
After introductions all around and an explanation of where each party was headed, it was decided that all would ride in Thatcher’s carriage as a gesture of returning the favor. The Clark’s horses were tied behind the carriage and they headed east.
Hezekiah Thatcher had done very well in California’s gold rush. Perhaps Brigham Young was the only man in Utah worth more than Hezekiah. “If you had not cured my hiccups I’d have never made it rich.” Hezekiah briefly reviewed his success stories and indicated he was investing heavily in Northern Utah. At the moment he was living in Logan. Tian considered it strange that while traveling with School of the Prophets, he had never heard the name Hezekiah Thatcher.
Following the new railroad right of way, they made very good time. It was a bit dusty due to the volume of traffic, but very comfortable in the carriage. They traveled east through Beaver Dam and up over the rise into Cache Valley. Candis, Sara, and Tian switched to their two horses just as it was starting to get dark. They rode north, with Tian and Sara on her horse. It felt good to have her so close.
During the trip from Golden Spike to Cache Valley, Hezekiah had done all the talking. He made no inquiry about Tian and how he happened to be with the railroad crew, or about his association with two women. All he had determined was that the group were going to Clarkston. One comment he made suggested that he thought both Candis and Sara were Tian’s wives.
Shortly after dark, the trio arrived in Newton. The town of Newton had been established earlier that year as an alternate site for Clarkston residents who had been relocated due to Indian problems. Sara knocked on a door and was greeted by Candice’s mother. All three travelers were warmly welcomed. Candis mother remembered Tian from his earlier Clarkston visit. Bread and milk were followed by a good nights sleep. Tian was appreciative of sleeping in a warm, clean bed, the first in nearly a year.
Sara was the first to stir in the morning. It was evident that she was familiar with the household. In the absence of Candis’ father, Sara arranged prayer, a scripture, and wonderful whole wheat pancakes, with butter and box elder tree syrup. After breakfast Sara saddled two horses and told Tian, “Come on.”
“Where are we going,” inquired Tian.
She answered, “Wellsville.”
“I need to go back to the camp at Dove Creek and get some things,” protested Tian.
“That can wait,” answered Sara.
“Why are we going to Wellsville?” asked Tian.
“We are going to get married,” answered Sara.
“Married!” exclaimed Tian.
“Yes, we will go to my friend Peter Maughan and he will marry us. Then we can go wherever you want, but I am going to go with you, where ever that is. Now get on that horse,” ordered Sara.
Tian mounted the horse and they headed south along the hills at the base of the mountains, to the west. They arrived in Wellsville just after noon and found Peter Maughan, with a group of men, constructing a new log cabin. Peter recognized both Sara and Tian. A late lunch was enlivened with the announcement of a wedding and dance in the evening. Tian joined the work crew and Sara went off with a few of Peter’s wives.
Peter Maughan performed the wedding, which was followed by a dinner and a brass band. There was dancing in the street. Tian and Sara slipped off shortly before dark and rode their horse up into a meadow in Sardine Canyon. Bedrolls, a fire, and two tethered horses complimented a star filled sky. Newlyweds, who had never really carried on much of a conversation with each other, closed the day with a prayer of thanksgiving and talked all night.
Marriage?
As Tian, Candis, and Sara were leaving the Golden Spike area, Tian noticed a person in a fine carriage. The man looked familiar, and as they rode past the carriage Tian inquired, “Hezekiah Thatcher?”
It had been years since Tian had treated Hezekiah Thatcher in Tian’s San Francisco home.
Thatcher had come west in search of gold. A friend had referred Hezekiah to Tian for treatment. He arrived with hiccups. It had gone on for days and Thatcher was becoming weak and debilitated from not eating or sleeping. No one had been able to help him. Tian's cure was quick and permanent. Tian placed Thatcher in a chair, firmly pressed two places at the back of his neck, just above the level of the shoulders. Tian continued the pressure and they waited a minute. It was the first minute without a hiccup for two full days. Tian had been impressed to say, “No charge, some day I may need a favor from you.”
After introductions all around and an explanation of where each party was headed, it was decided that all would ride in Thatcher’s carriage as a gesture of returning the favor. The Clark’s horses were tied behind the carriage and they headed east.
Hezekiah Thatcher had done very well in California’s gold rush. Perhaps Brigham Young was the only man in Utah worth more than Hezekiah. “If you had not cured my hiccups I’d have never made it rich.” Hezekiah briefly reviewed his success stories and indicated he was investing heavily in Northern Utah. At the moment he was living in Logan. Tian considered it strange that while traveling with School of the Prophets, he had never heard the name Hezekiah Thatcher.
Following the new railroad right of way, they made very good time. It was a bit dusty due to the volume of traffic, but very comfortable in the carriage. They traveled east through Beaver Dam and up over the rise into Cache Valley. Candis, Sara, and Tian switched to their two horses just as it was starting to get dark. They rode north, with Tian and Sara on her horse. It felt good to have her so close.
During the trip from Golden Spike to Cache Valley, Hezekiah had done all the talking. He made no inquiry about Tian and how he happened to be with the railroad crew, or about his association with two women. All he had determined was that the group were going to Clarkston. One comment he made suggested that he thought both Candis and Sara were Tian’s wives.
Shortly after dark, the trio arrived in Newton. The town of Newton had been established earlier that year as an alternate site for Clarkston residents who had been relocated due to Indian problems. Sara knocked on a door and was greeted by Candice’s mother. All three travelers were warmly welcomed. Candis mother remembered Tian from his earlier Clarkston visit. Bread and milk were followed by a good nights sleep. Tian was appreciative of sleeping in a warm, clean bed, the first in nearly a year.
Sara was the first to stir in the morning. It was evident that she was familiar with the household. In the absence of Candis’ father, Sara arranged prayer, a scripture, and wonderful whole wheat pancakes, with butter and box elder tree syrup. After breakfast Sara saddled two horses and told Tian, “Come on.”
“Where are we going,” inquired Tian.
She answered, “Wellsville.”
“I need to go back to the camp at Dove Creek and get some things,” protested Tian.
“That can wait,” answered Sara.
“Why are we going to Wellsville?” asked Tian.
“We are going to get married,” answered Sara.
“Married!” exclaimed Tian.
“Yes, we will go to my friend Peter Maughan and he will marry us. Then we can go wherever you want, but I am going to go with you, where ever that is. Now get on that horse,” ordered Sara.
Tian mounted the horse and they headed south along the hills at the base of the mountains, to the west. They arrived in Wellsville just after noon and found Peter Maughan, with a group of men, constructing a new log cabin. Peter recognized both Sara and Tian. A late lunch was enlivened with the announcement of a wedding and dance in the evening. Tian joined the work crew and Sara went off with a few of Peter’s wives.
Peter Maughan performed the wedding, which was followed by a dinner and a brass band. There was dancing in the street. Tian and Sara slipped off shortly before dark and rode their horse up into a meadow in Sardine Canyon. Bedrolls, a fire, and two tethered horses complimented a star filled sky. Newlyweds, who had never really carried on much of a conversation with each other, closed the day with a prayer of thanksgiving and talked all night.
Sara
Chapter 35
Kelton
The return to Dove Creek was uneventful. The couple followed the new railroad right of way. Tian collected his few possessions from his tent. The camp still had a few hundred Chinese railroad workers, but most had left for California or the mines. Though released from his mission calling, Tian had resolved to complete the relocation of the dead Chinese as best he could. There was still work to do, but the camp at Sinks of Dove Creek was not the place for Sara. They traveled a short distance to Kelton.
Some of the Chinese workers from the Dove Creek camp and other camps along the railroad, had moved to Kelton in April. Now they had no work there and were dispersing to various section gangs along the completed track or heading back to California. A few moved to various locations in Utah. Because of this exodus, there were some cabins available in Kelton. Sara and Tian found one that had been deserted and moved in.
At that time, Kelton was known as Indian Creek. When a post office was established in December 1869, the name was changed to Kelton, named after a local cattleman. 1869-1871 were the hay days for Kelton. The combination of railroad access and activity, along with newly established stage connections to the north, positioned Kelton for growth and prosperity. Soon, there were two fine hotels, stores, homes, and a variety of saloons and gambling places.
Kelton was the closest railroad connection to the large, northern markets of Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The first stage between Kelton and Boise, Idaho was established in the summer of 1869. Along with the stage lines came stagecoach robberies. The gold from the mines to the north was moved by stage, to the railroad at Kelton where the robbers often waited.
The siding at Terrace, near Dove Creek, housed Tian’s meager work force, where an old boxcar had been converted into a dwelling. One end of the car had three bunks, the other end a cooking area and a cast iron stove. Similar cars had been converted to service cars for the section gangs, each car was set up to house up to 18 workers. Pots and pans hung on the walls and cubbyholes were filled with teacups, chopsticks, and small blue bowls. A table and wooden chairs occupied the space in the middle of each car, between the two sliding doors.
Many Chinese workers were employed on the section gangs. Every twelve to fourteen miles of railroad had a gang boss and up to 30 workers. Each gang was responsible for maintaining sections of track, all the way from Ogden to Roseberg, Oregon.
Tian spent the summer and fall of 1869 traveling back and forth to each section gang searching for more information on buried Chinese workers. Each section gang became his research team. As remains were discovered they were sent to Dove Creek, most without names or any other identification. By spring 1870, Tian concluded that he had found nearly every worker who had died building the railroad. He spent the winter of 1869-70 preparing identifiable bodies for shipment to China. Others with no name or place of origin, were placed in graves, mostly at Sinks of Dove Creek. On January 4 1870, many boxcars of bodies departed from Dove Creek and points west for Sacramento. A day later, six more boxcars were added to the shipment at Elko, arriving in California a few days later. Even though now on the way to China, the information on each of these men was stored in Tian’s amazing memory.
Chapter 36
Phantom Voices and Loose Ends
Burial of the unidentified bodies did not solve the problem of getting them home. Tian’s visits to the various burial sites early in the spring of 1870, invariably resulted in a similar experience. As he approached a burial site, he could feel the presence of the spirits of the dead . They would crowd about him and cry for relief. They had no place to go and were caught in time and space. They wandered between their places of death and where their bodies were buried. They often traveled between these places on ghost work trains. They were trapped in yesterdays time and a dimension with no way out. They wanted and needed a home.
On April 6, 1870, Sara and Tian left their cabin in Kelton early in the morning. They did not follow the railroad to the west, but rather rode their horses up over the ridge just to the west of Kelton, and crossed down to the north side of the Sinks of Dove Creek camp. The day before Tian had received word that Brigham Young was in Southern Utah, and because of his absence, the annual general conference of the Church scheduled for April 6 would just be one short session, with no business conducted. The main conference was to be postponed until May 5.
Tian had felt impressed that he should hold a General Conference at Dove Creek. Though he had no Church authorization to do so, Tian resolved that the real conference of April 6, 1870 would be held under his direction and held at Sinks of Dove Creek.
Before dawn that morning, the west bound train out of Kelton had stopped on the Terrace siding. The section boss had telegraphed Kelton asking for a replacement for the engineer and fireman. Near Victory they had sighted the headlight of a train coming east on their track, at a high speed. Expecting a head on collision, they stopped their train and were about to leap from the engine, when the oncoming train passed right through their stopped train, as if it did not exist. The engineer and fireman were not coherent when they arrived at the Terrace siding. They both were certain they had seen a raven in the engineers seat of the oncoming engine.
The ghost train had collected spirits, first at Dutch Flat and then east, all along the way to Dove Creek. The engineer also swore there was a Chinese dragon perched on top of the engine and the fireman said he a saw strange, many colored bird in the left cab window. The passenger cars were filled with Chinese.
Raven greeted Tian and Sara as they dismounted. With much bobbing of head and raucous calling, Raven indicated his approval of Sara, and the pouch of treasures Tian had in his pant pocket.
A small stand had been constructed on the north side of the amphitheater-like depression that formed the camp. On the stand were two chairs, two perch-like juniper boughs, and a table with the two chairs on the side opposite the amphitheater, and the perches on each end of the table. Raven circled the camp calling, “Now is the time.”
Tian sat in one of the chairs and Sara sat in the one on his left. Raven occupied the perch to Tian's right and Phoenix the one to his left. On the far right, Dragon stood with his left front leg raised and extended over all sitting at the table. Stretched out before them in the amphitheater were hundreds of spirits, nearly all male, and nearly all Chinese. There was total silence. This was truly a solemn assembly.
Raven hopped down off his perch and moved to the center of the stage. He addressed the assembly. “Greetings on behalf of The Powers That Be. You were invited here to be instructed and acted upon according to your desires. Those on the stand need no introduction. You know them by name and your silence is witness of their authority. Your reverence acknowledges your admiration. Each of us has a purpose. Dragon and Phoenix are here to represent God’s presence. Sara, the woman with hair of fire, is here to represent the reality, tangibility, and beauty of the Phoenix. Tian Lu is here to represent the reality, tangibility, and power of Dragon. I of course represent the wisdom of the ages and the source of all truth.”
Raven then indicated that Sara would be the first to speak to the assembled spirits. She had not been previously informed of what was going to happen.
As she arose from her chair, Phoenix touched her hair. Inspired, she began, “There is in the heart of every person, the desire to go home. Home is where we are nurtured and learn to feel the love a mother has for her children. A Heavenly Mother once nurtured you by her side. You see her symbol next to me. She is beautiful beyond description. She knows your names and loves each of you. She and I witness that, without a wife, you cannot go home. Home is a place where families; a man, a wife and children, live together in harmony. You are all part of Dragon’s and Phoenix’ family. You are all their children. They want you to come home. The work and glory of Dragon, Phoenix and Raven is to make that homecoming possible for each of you.”
“You had elsewhere your beginning, as spirit children. You came here to this life to obtain a tangible body. You have laid those bodies down in the dust, and now are spirits, without a physical body or a home.”
Sara continued with an explanation of the role of a Savior, through whom all will receive perfected bodies in a resurrection. She also explained that to go home, really meant to go back to where we were created. This celestial place was not China, but “out there,” pointing skyward. Sara concluded with an explanation of the three heavenly kingdoms, emphasizing the need to have a husband or a wife to live where Heavenly Father lives.
As she sat down, there was some general murmuring among the assembled spirits. The home explanation seemed reasonable enough, but the wife requirement caused quite a stir. Some had left wives in China, but most had never married, and now, as dead men, the requirement was not only unthinkable, but also unattainable.
Raven then spoke briefly. He witnessed that all of what Sara had shared was true. He then shared a story about a man named Elijah, who was a prophet of God. “ This Elijah found himself in the desert, with neither food nor drink. At the command of God, my kind, the ravens, fed him with bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank from a brook. Now, if Heavenly parents can command the ravens to feed one in the wilderness, don’t you imagine that they can also supply a wife?”
Raven then indicated that Tian would speak. “I come as your servant. You know the validity of my actions. I have worked long and hard to assemble you and your brothers for this trip home. Some bodies we were able to send back to China. You who are here, are marooned without names. My purpose is to provide you with both an earthly refuge, and present the opportunity to go home to live with Dragon and Phoenix.”
“The soul of man consists of a body and a spirit. The spirit enters the body at birth and leaves the body at death. Your earthly bodies are scattered across the west. When you died, you became confused and you did not know where to go. You thought you should return to where you were born in China. While that might one day be your eternal home, you should have gone to a Spirit World for further instruction. I have the power to offer you a place of peace and beauty until the day comes for your Spirits to reclaim your bodies.”
“If you choose not to accept my offer, you will either spend years wandering from place to place, or, if more fortunate, go to a Spirit prison where you will be bound until the resurrection.”
“Raven told you about the time when his kind fed Elijah. Elijah had great power. When he commanded that there be no rain, it was so. That power came from God. I, too, have some of the same power. My power is a gift from God.”
“The elements, the animals, and the plants, all recognize this power, and will obey the instructions given by a man who worthily acts for God. I am just a man, but I can give you peace and rest until the day when you are permanently rescued.”
“I have spoken with a plant having a purple flower. It blooms this time of the year, and though now few in number, it has the potential to be many. The plants have expressed the desire to house your spirits until the time comes for you to go home. At my command, each of you will be assigned to a designated iris. You will spend the long, cold winters safely housed beneath the ground. Each spring, your host will emerge as a green plant, sending up one bud. On every April 6th, you will see through the eyes of a blossom. For many years, you will see expanding fields of purple, and you will have company.”
Kelton
The return to Dove Creek was uneventful. The couple followed the new railroad right of way. Tian collected his few possessions from his tent. The camp still had a few hundred Chinese railroad workers, but most had left for California or the mines. Though released from his mission calling, Tian had resolved to complete the relocation of the dead Chinese as best he could. There was still work to do, but the camp at Sinks of Dove Creek was not the place for Sara. They traveled a short distance to Kelton.
Some of the Chinese workers from the Dove Creek camp and other camps along the railroad, had moved to Kelton in April. Now they had no work there and were dispersing to various section gangs along the completed track or heading back to California. A few moved to various locations in Utah. Because of this exodus, there were some cabins available in Kelton. Sara and Tian found one that had been deserted and moved in.
At that time, Kelton was known as Indian Creek. When a post office was established in December 1869, the name was changed to Kelton, named after a local cattleman. 1869-1871 were the hay days for Kelton. The combination of railroad access and activity, along with newly established stage connections to the north, positioned Kelton for growth and prosperity. Soon, there were two fine hotels, stores, homes, and a variety of saloons and gambling places.
Kelton was the closest railroad connection to the large, northern markets of Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The first stage between Kelton and Boise, Idaho was established in the summer of 1869. Along with the stage lines came stagecoach robberies. The gold from the mines to the north was moved by stage, to the railroad at Kelton where the robbers often waited.
The siding at Terrace, near Dove Creek, housed Tian’s meager work force, where an old boxcar had been converted into a dwelling. One end of the car had three bunks, the other end a cooking area and a cast iron stove. Similar cars had been converted to service cars for the section gangs, each car was set up to house up to 18 workers. Pots and pans hung on the walls and cubbyholes were filled with teacups, chopsticks, and small blue bowls. A table and wooden chairs occupied the space in the middle of each car, between the two sliding doors.
Many Chinese workers were employed on the section gangs. Every twelve to fourteen miles of railroad had a gang boss and up to 30 workers. Each gang was responsible for maintaining sections of track, all the way from Ogden to Roseberg, Oregon.
Tian spent the summer and fall of 1869 traveling back and forth to each section gang searching for more information on buried Chinese workers. Each section gang became his research team. As remains were discovered they were sent to Dove Creek, most without names or any other identification. By spring 1870, Tian concluded that he had found nearly every worker who had died building the railroad. He spent the winter of 1869-70 preparing identifiable bodies for shipment to China. Others with no name or place of origin, were placed in graves, mostly at Sinks of Dove Creek. On January 4 1870, many boxcars of bodies departed from Dove Creek and points west for Sacramento. A day later, six more boxcars were added to the shipment at Elko, arriving in California a few days later. Even though now on the way to China, the information on each of these men was stored in Tian’s amazing memory.
Chapter 36
Phantom Voices and Loose Ends
Burial of the unidentified bodies did not solve the problem of getting them home. Tian’s visits to the various burial sites early in the spring of 1870, invariably resulted in a similar experience. As he approached a burial site, he could feel the presence of the spirits of the dead . They would crowd about him and cry for relief. They had no place to go and were caught in time and space. They wandered between their places of death and where their bodies were buried. They often traveled between these places on ghost work trains. They were trapped in yesterdays time and a dimension with no way out. They wanted and needed a home.
On April 6, 1870, Sara and Tian left their cabin in Kelton early in the morning. They did not follow the railroad to the west, but rather rode their horses up over the ridge just to the west of Kelton, and crossed down to the north side of the Sinks of Dove Creek camp. The day before Tian had received word that Brigham Young was in Southern Utah, and because of his absence, the annual general conference of the Church scheduled for April 6 would just be one short session, with no business conducted. The main conference was to be postponed until May 5.
Tian had felt impressed that he should hold a General Conference at Dove Creek. Though he had no Church authorization to do so, Tian resolved that the real conference of April 6, 1870 would be held under his direction and held at Sinks of Dove Creek.
Before dawn that morning, the west bound train out of Kelton had stopped on the Terrace siding. The section boss had telegraphed Kelton asking for a replacement for the engineer and fireman. Near Victory they had sighted the headlight of a train coming east on their track, at a high speed. Expecting a head on collision, they stopped their train and were about to leap from the engine, when the oncoming train passed right through their stopped train, as if it did not exist. The engineer and fireman were not coherent when they arrived at the Terrace siding. They both were certain they had seen a raven in the engineers seat of the oncoming engine.
The ghost train had collected spirits, first at Dutch Flat and then east, all along the way to Dove Creek. The engineer also swore there was a Chinese dragon perched on top of the engine and the fireman said he a saw strange, many colored bird in the left cab window. The passenger cars were filled with Chinese.
Raven greeted Tian and Sara as they dismounted. With much bobbing of head and raucous calling, Raven indicated his approval of Sara, and the pouch of treasures Tian had in his pant pocket.
A small stand had been constructed on the north side of the amphitheater-like depression that formed the camp. On the stand were two chairs, two perch-like juniper boughs, and a table with the two chairs on the side opposite the amphitheater, and the perches on each end of the table. Raven circled the camp calling, “Now is the time.”
Tian sat in one of the chairs and Sara sat in the one on his left. Raven occupied the perch to Tian's right and Phoenix the one to his left. On the far right, Dragon stood with his left front leg raised and extended over all sitting at the table. Stretched out before them in the amphitheater were hundreds of spirits, nearly all male, and nearly all Chinese. There was total silence. This was truly a solemn assembly.
Raven hopped down off his perch and moved to the center of the stage. He addressed the assembly. “Greetings on behalf of The Powers That Be. You were invited here to be instructed and acted upon according to your desires. Those on the stand need no introduction. You know them by name and your silence is witness of their authority. Your reverence acknowledges your admiration. Each of us has a purpose. Dragon and Phoenix are here to represent God’s presence. Sara, the woman with hair of fire, is here to represent the reality, tangibility, and beauty of the Phoenix. Tian Lu is here to represent the reality, tangibility, and power of Dragon. I of course represent the wisdom of the ages and the source of all truth.”
Raven then indicated that Sara would be the first to speak to the assembled spirits. She had not been previously informed of what was going to happen.
As she arose from her chair, Phoenix touched her hair. Inspired, she began, “There is in the heart of every person, the desire to go home. Home is where we are nurtured and learn to feel the love a mother has for her children. A Heavenly Mother once nurtured you by her side. You see her symbol next to me. She is beautiful beyond description. She knows your names and loves each of you. She and I witness that, without a wife, you cannot go home. Home is a place where families; a man, a wife and children, live together in harmony. You are all part of Dragon’s and Phoenix’ family. You are all their children. They want you to come home. The work and glory of Dragon, Phoenix and Raven is to make that homecoming possible for each of you.”
“You had elsewhere your beginning, as spirit children. You came here to this life to obtain a tangible body. You have laid those bodies down in the dust, and now are spirits, without a physical body or a home.”
Sara continued with an explanation of the role of a Savior, through whom all will receive perfected bodies in a resurrection. She also explained that to go home, really meant to go back to where we were created. This celestial place was not China, but “out there,” pointing skyward. Sara concluded with an explanation of the three heavenly kingdoms, emphasizing the need to have a husband or a wife to live where Heavenly Father lives.
As she sat down, there was some general murmuring among the assembled spirits. The home explanation seemed reasonable enough, but the wife requirement caused quite a stir. Some had left wives in China, but most had never married, and now, as dead men, the requirement was not only unthinkable, but also unattainable.
Raven then spoke briefly. He witnessed that all of what Sara had shared was true. He then shared a story about a man named Elijah, who was a prophet of God. “ This Elijah found himself in the desert, with neither food nor drink. At the command of God, my kind, the ravens, fed him with bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank from a brook. Now, if Heavenly parents can command the ravens to feed one in the wilderness, don’t you imagine that they can also supply a wife?”
Raven then indicated that Tian would speak. “I come as your servant. You know the validity of my actions. I have worked long and hard to assemble you and your brothers for this trip home. Some bodies we were able to send back to China. You who are here, are marooned without names. My purpose is to provide you with both an earthly refuge, and present the opportunity to go home to live with Dragon and Phoenix.”
“The soul of man consists of a body and a spirit. The spirit enters the body at birth and leaves the body at death. Your earthly bodies are scattered across the west. When you died, you became confused and you did not know where to go. You thought you should return to where you were born in China. While that might one day be your eternal home, you should have gone to a Spirit World for further instruction. I have the power to offer you a place of peace and beauty until the day comes for your Spirits to reclaim your bodies.”
“If you choose not to accept my offer, you will either spend years wandering from place to place, or, if more fortunate, go to a Spirit prison where you will be bound until the resurrection.”
“Raven told you about the time when his kind fed Elijah. Elijah had great power. When he commanded that there be no rain, it was so. That power came from God. I, too, have some of the same power. My power is a gift from God.”
“The elements, the animals, and the plants, all recognize this power, and will obey the instructions given by a man who worthily acts for God. I am just a man, but I can give you peace and rest until the day when you are permanently rescued.”
“I have spoken with a plant having a purple flower. It blooms this time of the year, and though now few in number, it has the potential to be many. The plants have expressed the desire to house your spirits until the time comes for you to go home. At my command, each of you will be assigned to a designated iris. You will spend the long, cold winters safely housed beneath the ground. Each spring, your host will emerge as a green plant, sending up one bud. On every April 6th, you will see through the eyes of a blossom. For many years, you will see expanding fields of purple, and you will have company.”
“Then one springtime, you will emerge from your winter sleeping place, and I will call you home. I will call each of you by name.”
“You will know me. I will know you by name. You know my works. No one has done more for the dead Chinese than I have done. I have not done this work for my glory, but rather for Him who sent me, and for you, my brothers and sisters. I bear witness that God lives. Only He can provide the means for you to return home.”
After Tian Lu concluded his address to the spirits, he proceeded to perform three rituals.
First, he addressed Dragon, and commanded him to watch over the bones of all those who had been buried along the railroad line. Dragon was commanded to note who and when anyone disturbed any human remains, with the charge that he was to report such events, and present charges against such persons in the Grand Court. Tian instructed Dragon to place himself on a hill, overlooking the railroad right of way and Dove Creek Camp.
“You will know me. I will know you by name. You know my works. No one has done more for the dead Chinese than I have done. I have not done this work for my glory, but rather for Him who sent me, and for you, my brothers and sisters. I bear witness that God lives. Only He can provide the means for you to return home.”
After Tian Lu concluded his address to the spirits, he proceeded to perform three rituals.
First, he addressed Dragon, and commanded him to watch over the bones of all those who had been buried along the railroad line. Dragon was commanded to note who and when anyone disturbed any human remains, with the charge that he was to report such events, and present charges against such persons in the Grand Court. Tian instructed Dragon to place himself on a hill, overlooking the railroad right of way and Dove Creek Camp.
Then Tian took from his pocket the bag of dried wolfberries that he had carried and protected as his greatest possession from the time he left his cave-home in western China. He then commanded Raven to take the bag and plant the dried wolfberry fruit in a few places close by, where they might prosper and grow. Thus, when the spirits emerged each spring to check on conditions and view the world around them, they would see the handiwork of Phoenix and be reminded of the perfect food that had been created so long ago. That perfection lies in the tears shed for someone other than self.
The group then moved a short distance to the north. Here, where the slope increased toward the mountain, and fresh, clean water flowed through the vales, first one, then a few, then many purple iris were encountered. Overhead, a red tailed hawk circled and made note of the proceedings. Tian Lu knelt by an alter of green rocks and uttered an unheard prayer.
The group then moved a short distance to the north. Here, where the slope increased toward the mountain, and fresh, clean water flowed through the vales, first one, then a few, then many purple iris were encountered. Overhead, a red tailed hawk circled and made note of the proceedings. Tian Lu knelt by an alter of green rocks and uttered an unheard prayer.
Then, one by one, the spirits lined up to pass by Tian. The ritual went as follows:
First, each spirit stated his name and place of birth. This information was recorded in Tian’s memory.
Tian then repeated the person’s name and said, “By divine authority, and in full concurrence of this plant, I commend you into its protective care, until a future time, when you will be called forth to inherit a home worthy of a king, (or queen, as there were also a few women). I dedicate this particular plant as your place of rest and protection. I command the elements to feed and water this place, so all may remain living until a time when you will receive a body like unto that which you had in your early adult years. Amen.”
Hours passed, and finally all the willing spirits had been laid to rest. In the distance was heard the ghost train leaving Dove Creek Camp. On board were the rebellious and unwilling spirits, who had not accepted Tian's invitation.
Sara and Tian did not return to Kelton. They first rode east and then north, around the base of the mountains, traveling through the night. Near dawn, they dismounted and stretched out on their blankets.
Well after sunrise, they were awakened by Raven, “Konk, konk, sleep all day and miss the fun. The seeds are planted. They will grow and be as graceful as the phoenix that created them. Her tears will be had for good, and Dragon stands guard over the graves.”
“Sarah, what is that strange mound of dirt you used for a pillow? Look, something glitters under your head.”
Sara pushed away a bit of the dirt, and there, in quantity, was a large cache of gold coins. Raven continued, “These gold coins are a reward for your great kindness to God’s children. You will not find happiness among this people. Your friend, Washakie, said for you to leave this country and not come back here again in this life.
Saddle bags filled with gold, Sara and Tian disappeared. Where they went, only Raven knows.
First, each spirit stated his name and place of birth. This information was recorded in Tian’s memory.
Tian then repeated the person’s name and said, “By divine authority, and in full concurrence of this plant, I commend you into its protective care, until a future time, when you will be called forth to inherit a home worthy of a king, (or queen, as there were also a few women). I dedicate this particular plant as your place of rest and protection. I command the elements to feed and water this place, so all may remain living until a time when you will receive a body like unto that which you had in your early adult years. Amen.”
Hours passed, and finally all the willing spirits had been laid to rest. In the distance was heard the ghost train leaving Dove Creek Camp. On board were the rebellious and unwilling spirits, who had not accepted Tian's invitation.
Sara and Tian did not return to Kelton. They first rode east and then north, around the base of the mountains, traveling through the night. Near dawn, they dismounted and stretched out on their blankets.
Well after sunrise, they were awakened by Raven, “Konk, konk, sleep all day and miss the fun. The seeds are planted. They will grow and be as graceful as the phoenix that created them. Her tears will be had for good, and Dragon stands guard over the graves.”
“Sarah, what is that strange mound of dirt you used for a pillow? Look, something glitters under your head.”
Sara pushed away a bit of the dirt, and there, in quantity, was a large cache of gold coins. Raven continued, “These gold coins are a reward for your great kindness to God’s children. You will not find happiness among this people. Your friend, Washakie, said for you to leave this country and not come back here again in this life.
Saddle bags filled with gold, Sara and Tian disappeared. Where they went, only Raven knows.
A New Day
Phoenix Tears
My hands grasped the wolfberry vines
Sincerely desiring to communicate
All about me hung Phoenix tears
Plant and tears testified of bitter sadness
A tale to tell
I felt loneliness, pain, and sorrow
The feeling penetrated my soul
I desired to be free
Wanting the obligations to disappear
I then wept with joy and sadness
Rejoicing in being selected
Fighting fears of inadequacy
Balanced by a sense of love and hope
A glimpse of things to come
I have never been so compelled
Touch, sight, and mind beheld a vision
I saw many bent and tired
They paraded through decades of time
My tears joined the Phoenix’ tears
This Phoenix cried in Heaven
Her tears became perfect
Her being was supported by the Dragon’s strength
Just as Hope and Love never die
So too the Phoenix lives on
So I asked this living God
To embrace me in her arms
I promised to tell the story of Dragon and Phoenix
To listen to Her every story
With hope for blessings upon all
Her arms in the form of vines
Were as an angels head on my shoulder
We embraced in silence
Then prayed for the voices
Let every spirit speak
Both shed tears
Mine wet and fleeting
Hers red and perfect in every way
Words follow in cascades
Needing to be recorded in written form
The creation of perfection
The distribution of fruits over time
The crushing impact of conflict
The influence of Yan Luo
The ultimate victory
The well intended thoughts and actions
The opposition
Drugs, wars, gangs, oppression
Things that rob the spirit
And end precious lives
Spirits longing to go home
Balancing incorrect choices
Many worship false gods
Money, power, fame,
Emptiness
Yet, here one, there another, desires to be embraced
Hold me, never let me go
And hope and love spring forth again
Sunrise on a new day
Filled with heavenly bright and blue
What counts
Children at play
Family time together
Cookies, fishing, rocks, flowers, food
Babies first smile and first word
And out of it all comes new voices
First a thought, the a whisper
Followed by a still small voice
Becoming louder, then a shout
I love you
We pray to the One God
Let all around us
And all we do
Perfect our relationship
Until we are as perfect as the Phoenix Tears
So now, Lung-Fung, help us remember
We learn, we dream, we hear voices, we want more
Let the stories be told
Before our special associations are swept away
Let there be hugs from friends
The third rescue comes
For us all
When one like Tian Lu
Calls each of us by name
Once again joining body and spirit for eternity
Please do not desert us in our time of great need
Angels, one and all, come be our eternal companions
Only with guidance from afar
Can we fill our hearts with perfect love
Phantom voices call
My hands grasped the wolfberry vines
Sincerely desiring to communicate
All about me hung Phoenix tears
Plant and tears testified of bitter sadness
A tale to tell
I felt loneliness, pain, and sorrow
The feeling penetrated my soul
I desired to be free
Wanting the obligations to disappear
I then wept with joy and sadness
Rejoicing in being selected
Fighting fears of inadequacy
Balanced by a sense of love and hope
A glimpse of things to come
I have never been so compelled
Touch, sight, and mind beheld a vision
I saw many bent and tired
They paraded through decades of time
My tears joined the Phoenix’ tears
This Phoenix cried in Heaven
Her tears became perfect
Her being was supported by the Dragon’s strength
Just as Hope and Love never die
So too the Phoenix lives on
So I asked this living God
To embrace me in her arms
I promised to tell the story of Dragon and Phoenix
To listen to Her every story
With hope for blessings upon all
Her arms in the form of vines
Were as an angels head on my shoulder
We embraced in silence
Then prayed for the voices
Let every spirit speak
Both shed tears
Mine wet and fleeting
Hers red and perfect in every way
Words follow in cascades
Needing to be recorded in written form
The creation of perfection
The distribution of fruits over time
The crushing impact of conflict
The influence of Yan Luo
The ultimate victory
The well intended thoughts and actions
The opposition
Drugs, wars, gangs, oppression
Things that rob the spirit
And end precious lives
Spirits longing to go home
Balancing incorrect choices
Many worship false gods
Money, power, fame,
Emptiness
Yet, here one, there another, desires to be embraced
Hold me, never let me go
And hope and love spring forth again
Sunrise on a new day
Filled with heavenly bright and blue
What counts
Children at play
Family time together
Cookies, fishing, rocks, flowers, food
Babies first smile and first word
And out of it all comes new voices
First a thought, the a whisper
Followed by a still small voice
Becoming louder, then a shout
I love you
We pray to the One God
Let all around us
And all we do
Perfect our relationship
Until we are as perfect as the Phoenix Tears
So now, Lung-Fung, help us remember
We learn, we dream, we hear voices, we want more
Let the stories be told
Before our special associations are swept away
Let there be hugs from friends
The third rescue comes
For us all
When one like Tian Lu
Calls each of us by name
Once again joining body and spirit for eternity
Please do not desert us in our time of great need
Angels, one and all, come be our eternal companions
Only with guidance from afar
Can we fill our hearts with perfect love
Phantom voices call