Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1891 — THE HEROINES OF TONKIN. [ARTICLE]

THE HEROINES OF TONKIN.

A Splendid Tempi* Dedicated to Two Girls Who Won Enduring ain e. —), i Yjs A little -out of the City of Hanoi, in Tonkin, is a remarkably handsotne pagoda in which live twenty women. They seldom, leave their chosen heme, and they subsist upon the contributions of visitors and upon some small revenues which the temple receives from the government. Some of them are young and pretty, and in intelligence and attainments they are all above the common people. They are recluses, and their mission is to perform the work of the temple and to keep a light constantly burning before the life-size statues of two young women whose patriotic heroism is thus hbnored, and the memory of their achievements and martyrdom for their couutry kept alive in the hearts of the people, though they lived nearly nineteen centuries ago. Their career greatly resembles i that of Joan of Arc. In the year 36 of the present era,' Tonkin was suffering under the oppressive rule of China, who had driven her legitimate kings from the Tonkin was a Chinese province, ruled by Chinese functionaries, and the people groaned under a heavy yoke. Two young sisters, of noble ’ family, tamed Chin Se and Chin Eul, took advantage of the wide-spread discontent to stir up a revolt. Remarkable for their energy and bravery, and greatly admired for their bravery and splendid horsemanship, they placed themselves at the head pf a volunteer army, aDd drove the foreigners | pell-mell out o 1 Tonkin. For a time Tonkin was her own master, the sisters were idolized, and the people received them with acclamations and gratitude. The news traveled to Pekin of the disgrace two women had inflicted upon the Chinese arms, arid* the Emperor Koang Ti sent a great army under one of his most famous soldiers to teach Tonkin and her female generals a terrible lesson. _ When the army reached Tdnlcin the sisters and their warriors met the Chinese host on the frontier, and contested the ground step by step, performing prodigies of valor. The decisive battle finally took place on ,the outskirts of the capital. The Tonkinese at first had the best of the fight, but in the crisis of the battle some ol their generals passed over to the enemy. This treason gave the victory to the Chinese. The -two- sisters fell from their horses pierced with spears as they were leading a last charge in the vain effort to check the Chinese advance. The memory of their patriotism and feats of arms has been perpetuated in the_costly temple. Hich walls surround it, and only those can enter who have a permit Within are many carvings end paintings, done in the best style ol Tonkinese art, depleting scenes in tho brief but glorious career of the two sisters. A great couch is shown, which Is supposed to be similar to that upon which the sisters sat when they gave audiences. Specimens of ancioul weapons of warfare hang on the wails. There are life-sized paintings to represent the horses upon which the sisters rode, and one wall is entirely devoted to apaintingof the two elephants which always marched at the head of the army of the heroines. The statues of the sisters stand upon bases of stone, and they are richly robed in silks. Before them burns a lamp, and the recluses of the temple are very careful to keep the flame constantly blazing.