Thrilling Experiences

The Story of the Revolution at Ningsia Fu, Kansuh

By John S. Fiddler of the China Inland Mission. Printed at Sze Hing and Co. Chefoo. [Published c.1912]

[PART I of a rare CIM pamphlet giving an eye-witness account of the tumultuous events in NW China when the Republicans overthrew the Manchu Qing dynasty in 1911.]

It is now six and a half-months since our awful experiences began. While I kept a daily record and some months after mailed it to Mr J.W. Stevenson, Deputy Director of the China Inland Mission, Shanghai, he never received it. Hence a brief statement although late in point of time may be of interest.

We had been warned of impending danger on several occasions prior to the outbreak.

Being Sunday we went out on the street as usual and had an open-air meeting. On the evening of the same day, Sunday November 19th 1911, I was in my study, making notes when at 7 p.m I heard the sound of guns firing, unearthly yells and crackling of fire. At the prefect’s residence near us tremendous firing was going on and the place all ablaze. Six men were shot dead. I stayed on the roof about two minutes when a shot went whizz over my head, then went down again to consult with my wife what we had better do. At eight o’clock I again got the ladder and went up on the roof and could see the district magistrate’s residence and two pawn shops all on fire. Now we were lit up on both sides and could hear the howling mobs rushing to and fro in the darkness.

Later a crowd arrived and were smashing our windows and firing guns. My wife and I ran into the bedroom with great fear and trembling, blew out the lights, picked up the children and wrapped their fur gowns round them and made our way out through a side-door. David our eldest was walking through the mud in his bare feet but although a few moments previous they had all been sleeping in nice warm beds God prevented them even catching colds.

In fifteen minutes we arrived at the home of Mr Li, one of our old church members. Personally my clothes were not off my back for 40 days. I was ready to flee not knowing how soon we might all be in Eternity. The mad frantic crowd as again knocking at the door of an official residence near by. They smashed open the doors with axes, set fire to the place and were looting right and left. They killed the official who was a Manchurian. The place was all in flames in five minutes. The crowd which was now several hundreds and increasing all the time made off for the west section of the city where they spent the night burning and robbing all but two pawn shops, several yamens (official residences) and a great many of the wealthier homes. The city was on fire all night.

I put my head out through the door and was greeted by the most notorious gambler of the city who pointed a sword at me and called out to kill the foreign devil. We all stood trembling and felt it would only be a few minutes (except God intervened, which He did) before we would be present with the Lord. Then a voice was heard asking them to go away saying they must not harm us for we were good people. Who this was we know not but for us it was surely the voice of God as they went away. Then friendly soldiers arrived saying fear not. They wrote a flag saying we belonged to the Revolutionary party, that the Manchurians would be destroyed and the Chinese triumph. Our evangelist, wife and son, Mrs Fiddler our three children and myself all left Mr Li’s place at 6.30 am and marched off to Mr Lo’s home and had a welcome. Mrs Lo at once made breakfast for us.

At about twelve noon we drove off to Mr Chai’s where we were received with hospitality and great kindness shown for two and a half months. He gave us food, fire and some bedding and the ladies of the house were very kind in helping make clothes for our children. God reward them. Four Chinese and ourselves, nine in all, had one room and one bed. It was pretty tight quarters but the weather was cold so we huddled together and did the best we could.

During the night of November 19th all our things were stolen and the house set on fire. But was put out by a man who befriended us so while we lost all the mission lost nothing worth speaking of. I am glad to say none of our little church perished in the conflict but two were wounded, shot through the legs.

Two servants of the telegraph master began stealing their master’s things and were at once executed, and their heads hung up, one over the Telegraph Office (just opposite ours) and the other on a pole on the big street.

After having killed all the officials and all those unwilling to follow the revolutionaries they then took to a strange policy of killing everyone in whose houses stolen goods were found. The fact was they all seemed thirsty for blood. They carried dead bodies on doors all over the streets as a warning to those who would be unruly. They began fighting amongst themselves.

There were too many leaders and this caused great unrest among the people. Thus day after day passed by with all kinds of wild rumours.

I used to go out in the courtyard every night and look into the starry heavens to see if our blessed Lord was making His appearance. If ever we longed for Heaven and His appearance it was then.

About 10th December war was declared between the Manchurian city west of Ningsia (our city) and Ningsia. It went on for ten days. The rebels lost 1,000 or more while the Manchus only lost two or three men. On 17 December it was rumoured that Mohammedan Imperial soldiers from Lanchow were nearing so the rebels left off fighting, but plundering as they went. It was good for them they went for that evening 3,500 Moslem soldiers arrived. The Tartar general said to their leader,’ I want you to go to Ningsia city and kill every man woman and child for they mean to kill us. Upon their entry into the city they shot down every person they saw so that in half an hour 400 people lay dead. The Moslem soldiers never ceased murder and plunder for four days and nights saying the Emperor allowed them to do so to any place which had gone over to the rebels.

They went up on the city walls and opened fire on all they saw from there until nothing living was seen. Every door was shut and not a soul on the streets (except the Moslems.) The doings of the rebels had shattered many nerves, scattered many families and ruined many homes, but that was as nothing compared to this new outbreak. A number went deranged, two of them we knew, one our next door neighbour. Others hanged themselves.

Just after this we got a great scare for bugles began to sound and every one in the house ran into our small room thinking they would be safer with us. It was said that more rebels had arrived and that they were outside the city walls and that these soldiers were being called out to fight them. This, however, proved false for it was the execution of the man who had been acting Brigadier General for a month. He was shot through both legs and so was unable to flee with the rest. The Moslem or Imperial soldiers feared his friends would come and make trouble at his execution so while any one Mosalem feared not to knock the head of a man alone a few hours before, this act, to kill the military leader, required 3,500 of them to do it.

All was then quiet until 11 pm when a gentle knock came on our outer door. All we males ran into the yard.

….to be continued

Copyright OMF International