Homer Lea’s "The Vermilion Pencil" is a dramatic and tragic novel set against the backdrop of the Boxer Rebellion in China. The story is a poignant romance centered on a young French artist, Monsieur Tait, and a beautiful Chinese maiden, Hoi Sun. Tait, a gentle and compassionate man, rescues Hoi Sun from a life of misery and they fall deeply in love, marrying against the tumultuous backdrop of rising anti-foreign sentiment. Their love is symbolized by the "vermilion pencil," a traditional instrument of authority in China, which in this context represents the fragile power of their cross-cultural union. Their happiness is short-lived as the violent Boxer Uprising erupts, targeting all foreigners and Chinese Christians. The couple is torn apart by the savage conflict. Tait is captured and subjected to brutal torture by the Boxers, while Hoi Sun faces her own terrible trials. The narrative unflinchingly portrays the horrors of the rebellion, the cruelty of the insurgents, and the desperation of those caught in the middle. Homer Lea, who had firsthand knowledge of China, uses the tragic love story to explore themes of cultural collision, fanaticism, and the devastating human cost of war. The novel is a stark and moving elegy for a love that could not survive the violent prejudices and political turmoil of its time.

Table of Contents:

• The Vermilion Pencil. Part 1

• The Vermilion Pencil. Part 2

• The Vermilion Pencil. Part 3

• The Vermilion Pencil. Part 4