Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-12-26
lie aorNEs OF roNKrN.


a Splendid Temple Dedicated to
Two Girls Who Won Enduring
Fame.
A little out OF the city OF Hanoi, in
TonlSin, is a remarkably handsome
pagoda in which live twenty women.
They seldom leave their chosen home.
and they subsist upon the contributions
of visitors and upon some small reve-
nues which the temple receives from
the government. Some OF them are
young and pretty, and in intelligence
and attachments they are all above the
common people. They are recluses,
and their mission is 10 perform the
work OF the temple and to keep light
constantly burning before the life-size
statues OF two young women whose
patriotic heroism is thus honored and
the memory OF their achievements and
martyrdOm for their country kept alive
in the hearts OF the people, though
they lived nearly nineteen centuries
ago. Their career greatly resembles
that of Joan of Arc.
In the year SO OF the present era,
Tonkin was suffering under the OPP
pressive rule of China, who had driven
her legitimate kings from the throne.
Tonxin was a Chinese province, ruled
by Chinese functionaries, and the
people groaned under heavy yoke.
Two young sisters, OF noble family,
named Chin Sc and Chin Eul, took ad-
vantage OF the widespread discomfort
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 OF volunteer army, and
drove the foreigners pell-mell out Of
! Tonkin. For a time Tonkin was her
own master, the sisters were idolized,
and the people received them with
acclamations and gratitude.
The news travelled TO Pekin of the
disgrace two women had inflicted upon
the Chinese arms, and the Emperor
Koang Ii sent "a great army under one
of his most famous soldiers TO teach
Tonkin and her female generals ter
rible lesson. When the army reached
Tonkin 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 Ton
kinese at first had the best of the fight.
but in the crisis OF the battle some oil
their generals passed over to the enc
my. This treason gave the victory
| to the Chinese. The two sisters fell
from their horses pierced with spears
as they were leading last charge in
the vain effort to CHECK the Chinese ad-
vance.
The memory OF their patriotism and
| feats of arms has been perpetuated in
tho costly temple. High walls surround
it, and only those can enter who have
permit Within are many carvings
and paintings, done in the best style OF
Tonkinese art, depicting scenes in the
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 ancient
weapons of warfare hang on the walls.
There are life-sized paintings to rep
resent the horses upon which the sisters
rode, and one wall is entirely devoted
to painting of the two elephants which
always marched at the head OF the
army of the heroines. The statues oil
the sisters stand upon bases of stone,
and they are richly robed in silks.
Before them burns lamp, and the re.
cluses OF the temple are very careful
to keep the fame constantly blazing.