The Question of Hu

208 Pages·1989·4.209 MB·English

by  Jonathan D. Spence

The Question of Hu
ALSO BY JONATHAN D. SPENCE
The Memory PaJace of Matteo Ried
The Gate of Heavenly Peace:
The Chinese and Their Revolution, 1895-1980
The Death of Woman Wang
Emperor of China:
Self-Portrait of K’ang-hsi
To Change China:
Western Advisors in China, 1620-1960
Ts’ao Yin and the K’ang-hsi Emperor
Bondservant and Master
The
QUESTION
o f HU
Jonathan D . Spence
Vintage Books
A Division of Random House, Inc.
New York
First Vintage Books Edition, September 1989
Copyright © 1988 by Jonathan D. Spence
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copy­
right Conventions. Published in the United States by Vintage Books,
a division of Random House, Inc, New York, and simultaneously in
Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally
published, in hardcover, by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, New York,
in 1988.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Spence, Jonathan D.
The question of Hu/ Jonathan Spence.— 1st Vintage Books ed.
p. cm.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-679-72580-6:18.95
1. Hu, John, 18th cent. 2. Converts, Catholic—China-
Biography. 3. Foucquet, Jean. Francçis, 1665-1741. 4. Mental
! I ' it
illness—France—History— 18th century. I. Tide.
[BX4668.H82S66 1989]
909.7'092—dc20
[B] 89-40102
CIP
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FOR
Colin and Ian

Heureux qui, comme Ulysse,
a fait un beau voyage
—Joachim du Bellay

Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Preface XVÜ
i. The Question 3
2. Departure 3
3. The Ocean Voyage 29
4. Landfall 44
5. In the Provinces 0
6. Paris 70
7. Orléans 88
8. The Road to Charenton 93
9. Inside Charenton 103
10. Release 119
11. Return »33
Notes 13S
Bibliography 173
Index iSi