The New Tales of the Great Wall
Chloe Cheuk Nam Chan, Group 3: Fiction, St. Mary's Canossian College
was sightseeing at the Great Wall with Victoria in Heilongjiang.
“
Look Tori, over there!” I urged her to come.
We were awed by the fabulous view.
“
I wonder why there are Russian architectures here in Heilongjiang,” Tori said.
“
Maybe Xianfeng Emperor thought he had too much land so they gave Russians a part of
Heilongjiang.” I giggled. “Remember the Treaty of Aigun?”
We laughed in union.
“
My scarf!” Tori yelled.
Her scarf fluttered in the air. I reached out to get her scarf, without noticing I was in mid-air. I
screamed and plunged myself into the void.
A jingling sound swirled in my mind. I raised my eyelids.
“
Xiao Jie, you are awake.”
I looked around; a 13-year-old girl crouched beside me. She had an agate bracelet on the arm,
jingling.
“
Who are you?” I asked.
“
I am Xuanyi, don’t you remember?”
“
Where’s the Great Wall?”
Xuanyi looked confused; she tilted her head.
“
What wall? You slipped and fell from the stairs just now.”
I looked at my clothes. I was dressed in cheongsam!
“
Where am I?”
“
Heilongjiang, near to the border.”
“
Year?”
“
Xianfeng five years.”
Xianfeng? I was in the 21st century, in Heilongjiang where the Great Wall was located!
“
Stop dilly-dallying, Hailing!”
A lady came out from the main room. She looked rich as a Jew.
“
Good afternoon, Madam Fuca.”
“
Ling-ling, your hand is bleeding! Does it hurt? Get a doctor, now!”
While I was dazed by all of these conversations, Xuanyi quickly propped me to a room and left.
Madam Fuca led the doctor into my room. He lifted my right hand and felt my pulse.
“
Your daughter is fine, just a sedative tea is enough.”
“
Thank you, doctor. Xuanyi, help me in the kitchen for the tea later.”
Madam Fuca led the doctor left the room. Xuanyi used a bandage to wrap my hand.
“
Who am I?”
“
Irgen Gioro Hailing, a Bordered Blue Banner’s girls.”
Suddenly, I thought of the Great Wall.
Though Xuanyi pleaded me to stay, I was determined to go. If I went to the Great Wall and jumped
down from a great height, I might go back to the 21st century.
The soldiers of the Great Wall were all drowsy. I could even get onto the Great Wall effortlessly. The
view was magnificent; there was some kind of placidness I had never experienced before.
I took a deep breath and raised my foot in the mid-air, preparing for a real awakening. Xuanyi
blocked my way and propped me home.
I looked at the Great Wall on the hill top at my first Qing Dynasty night. Tiny little lights glinted at it,
making it visible in the dark. Not long ago, this area witnessed a fight between Chinese and Russian. And
without doubt, Russia overwhelmed us. I was ashamed by the Eight Banner soldiers. They just relax and enjoy
their lives, while the commoners were working hard and strived to survive. I remembered Xuanyi once said,
‘
Reap what we sow’. But this proverb seemed to be unsuitable at late Qing.
“
Do you remember the day when Baba brought you home?”
I turned around, Gege sat beside me.
“
You were not my biological sister. You were a daughter of Baba’s friend. Seven years ago, when
you were a toddler, your parents had a terrible quarrel. According to Baba, your biological father bought a lot of
I