Chadourne Marc arrives in Hong Kong in the early 30s. This first stage of his stay in China gives rise to word pictures, strong colors and movements, where the author tries to capture the tumult around him in a lively style and punchy.
Hometown Correze, Marc has 23 years Chadourne sortirs to the Great War. He enlisted as a functionary in the colonial administration and has held positions in Oceania and Cameroon. Translator of Conrad's novels in French, he also lends his pen to many newspapers. In 1927 he published Vasco, in memory of his brother, also a novelist, and recently died and he won the Prix Femina 1930 for Cecilia Madness. The success of these two books allow him to take time to travel. He then embarks on a course of investigations worldwide. First destination: China, with the release of an eponymous book in 1931, awarded the grand prize of reportage. Step One: Hong Kong ...
"Dawn moist. Just up the sun pump for a next typhoon, on the green waters, vapor too bright bay. Eployant their brown wings, night owls, junks tack, we identify. Are these the pirates of Bias Bay, who captured the Solivken and Kochow? "With incisive lyricism, blending strangely short sentences and lists, the French discovered the British colony, its contradictions and contrasts.
The first vision is that of the warships anchored in the bay. "A wreath crown emerges from the clouds, where bald mountains lie in wait for armored cupolas. Incidentally, in the nests of eagles, we guess the big guns ... idle Gibraltar of Asia. " And the image expands to the rest of the port: "The fog opens. Thousand arrows of fire, tumult fair. Frequently Asked ships: freighters, passenger ships, squadrons, hundreds of shells, rusty or flaming, black, gray, white, red, screaming, bellow, hiss, jacked. Between them, slashing dark hordes whose sails are ragged mats or [...]. One of these boats comes over us in a crash of broken wood, canvas slapping, clings to the blunders of twenty times. Clamor of collision. "Marc Chadourne enters port!
"The screams of mad frenzy, this squalor sinister ... I recognize that already. It's China, his cry of hungry hounds, color, spice, and smoke rag, his audacity, his voracity. China ... And the author can change their mind when approaching the coast. "But this town that is slowly emerging from the mists, devises a mirage its prodigious amphitheater buildings, palaces, bungalows, mounted vertically with its hanging gardens, its winding roads, castles in the air, its double peak right to the stormy sky, no, this is not China ... This is an English city is Hong Kong. "As
thousands of other travelers before and after him, Marc Chadourne surprised how two cultures coexist, the two civilizations. And like many others, he is admiring of the British success on the island. "Yesterday a barren rock that, alone, seabirds and fishermen haunted. Beautiful gift to give to the British! Today, a metropolis of Asia, the South Gate. This city has a manhood. They took less than sixty years to build. "
It portrayed a city comfortable, without returning to the drawbacks of a climate in which he was accustomed during his assignments colonial. In a nutshell, he rebuilt Hong Kong, the ocean to the heights: "Work of the titans. The rock ripped, pushed the debris into the sea, they laid the foundations: the docks, WARF, the warehouses, the city-the statue of Queen between four pillars. Then the storm: the homes, gardens, barracks, prisons, cathedrals, hauled stone by stone, basket by basket of earth ground - the side of a precipice, skirting the abyss. Follow paved roads with them on the live rock, all the organs: the black water pipes, gas, electricity. And stone flowers, the arrow Mission palms s'éploient; the pebble springs the hybiscus (sic) with red tongues, frangipani stars. A thousand walls, dark brick or plaster pale, Chelsea or Richmond, where Chinese contemplate the sea fall, children's toys kings, the great MEN of war "of His Majesty. The desert island tamed, opens its gorges and creeks to dairies, clubs, tennis, to golf, cocktails, Repulse Bay. What is Palm Beach, Riviera from this Eden tarmac? Everywhere across the English throughout the English face. At the top, bearing the colors, the Peak Hotel grim and haughty as the Tower of London. With a stroke, the funicular carries you. The peak is conquered. "In this breath enthusiastic, we perceive at once the admiration of the colonial official and a passion for travel writer, enchanted by a world indomitable first glance.
Now on the peak, Chadourne exchange views. It embraces the look of the city from the top, and contemplates Central, Kowloon Bay and ... "This city pompous, glorious square of banks, these docks, the warehouses, these arsenals, and across the gulf that cross loaded humanity, ferries, Kowloon Peninsula Moon rises to the hills where a new city, Kowloon and manufactures its Peninsular (sic) giant rail terminus that tomorrow will link Europe to the Far Asia. " This allusion to the great British railway project during the interwar period shows that the writer with information on the current relevance of the colony. It is the journalist who takes over later in the story.
"Dawn moist. Just up the sun pump for a next typhoon, on the green waters, vapor too bright bay. Eployant their brown wings, night owls, junks tack, we identify. Are these the pirates of Bias Bay, who captured the Solivken and Kochow? "With incisive lyricism, blending strangely short sentences and lists, the French discovered the British colony, its contradictions and contrasts.
The first vision is that of the warships anchored in the bay. "A wreath crown emerges from the clouds, where bald mountains lie in wait for armored cupolas. Incidentally, in the nests of eagles, we guess the big guns ... idle Gibraltar of Asia. " And the image expands to the rest of the port: "The fog opens. Thousand arrows of fire, tumult fair. Frequently Asked ships: freighters, passenger ships, squadrons, hundreds of shells, rusty or flaming, black, gray, white, red, screaming, bellow, hiss, jacked. Between them, slashing dark hordes whose sails are ragged mats or [...]. One of these boats comes over us in a crash of broken wood, canvas slapping, clings to the blunders of twenty times. Clamor of collision. "Marc Chadourne enters port!
"The screams of mad frenzy, this squalor sinister ... I recognize that already. It's China, his cry of hungry hounds, color, spice, and smoke rag, his audacity, his voracity. China ... And the author can change their mind when approaching the coast. "But this town that is slowly emerging from the mists, devises a mirage its prodigious amphitheater buildings, palaces, bungalows, mounted vertically with its hanging gardens, its winding roads, castles in the air, its double peak right to the stormy sky, no, this is not China ... This is an English city is Hong Kong. "As thousands of other travelers before and after him, Marc Chadourne surprised how two cultures coexist, the two civilizations. And like many others, he is admiring of the British success on the island. "Yesterday a barren rock that, alone, seabirds and fishermen haunted. Beautiful gift to give to the British! Today, a metropolis of Asia, the South Gate. This city has a manhood. They took less than sixty years to build. "
It portrayed a city comfortable, without returning to the drawbacks of a climate in which he was accustomed during his assignments colonial. In a nutshell, he rebuilt Hong Kong, the ocean to the heights: "Work of the titans. The rock ripped, pushed the debris into the sea, they laid the foundations: the docks, WARF, the warehouses, the city-the statue of Queen between four pillars. Then the storm: the homes, gardens, barracks, prisons, cathedrals, hauled stone by stone, basket by basket of earth ground - the side of a precipice, skirting the abyss. Follow paved roads with them on the live rock, all the organs: the black water pipes, gas, electricity. And stone flowers, the arrow Mission palms s'éploient; the pebble springs the hybiscus (sic) with red tongues, frangipani stars. A thousand walls, dark brick or plaster pale, Chelsea or Richmond, where Chinese contemplate the sea fall, children's toys kings, the great MEN of war "of His Majesty. The desert island tamed, opens its gorges and creeks to dairies, clubs, tennis, to golf, cocktails, Repulse Bay. What is Palm Beach, Riviera from this Eden tarmac? Everywhere across the English throughout the English face. At the top, bearing the colors, the Peak Hotel grim and haughty as the Tower of London. With a stroke, the funicular carries you. The peak is conquered. "In this breath enthusiastic, we perceive at once the admiration of the colonial official and a passion for travel writer, enchanted by a world indomitable first glance.
Now on the peak, Chadourne exchange views. It embraces the look of the city from the top, and contemplates Central, Kowloon Bay and ... "This city pompous, glorious square of banks, these docks, the warehouses, these arsenals, and across the gulf that cross loaded humanity, ferries, Kowloon Peninsula Moon rises to the hills where a new city, Kowloon and manufactures its Peninsular (sic) giant rail terminus that tomorrow will link Europe to the Far Asia. " This allusion to the great British railway project during the interwar period shows that the writer with information on the current relevance of the colony. It is the journalist who takes over later in the story.
continued ...
FD.
Sources: Marc Chadourne, China, Plon, 1931. Covarrubias illustrations, drawn from the original edition; http://jacbayle.club.fr Azémar Thanks to Yves and his inexhaustible library of old books on Asia, 89 Hollywood Road - Hong Kong.
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