An English Lady in Chinese Turkestan

by Lady Macartney, Peter Hopkirk (Introduction)

In 1898 Cather Borland married George Macartney and, as a bride of 21, journeyed with him to one of the least accessible places on earth - Kashgar in Turkestan, on the remote borders of India, Russia and China. George Macartney represented Britain at Kashgar from 1890 to 1918. Officially he was responsible for looking after the interests of the small British Indian community there, but unofficially he kept a watch on the activities of the Russians. For at that time Kashgar was Britain's most advanced position in the Great Game, the long and shadowy struggle with the Tsarist Russia for political and economic supremacy in Asia. Lady Macartney spent seventeen years in Kashgar and extended her hospitality to many famous travellers, among them Sir Aurel Stein, Albert von Le Coq and Dr G.E.Morrison. This book, first published in 1931, is a charming account of her life there and of the sometimes exotic customs of Turkestan. This edition is now reprinted with the addition of an Introduction by Peter Hopkirk, the author of three books on the Central Asian travellers. "Foreign Devils on the Silk Road", "Trespassers on the Roof of the World", and "Setting the East Ablaze".

Genres: China, History

256 pages, Paperback

Published March 20, 1986

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An English Lady in Chinese Turkestan
by Catherine Macartney

In the heart of Central Asia, the town of Kashgar (Kashi) has always been a prisoner of its awesome surroundings. To the east the Taklamakan desert and on the other three sides the high mountains ranges of the Tian Shan, the Pamir and further south the Karakorum. For many centuries the mud walled town of Kashgar was one of the loneliest and most inaccessible spots in the world.

For more than fifty years its was also Britain’s most advanced position in the Great Game, that long and shadowy struggle with Tsarist (and later Bolshevik) Russia for political and economic supremacy in Asia. Its extraordinary to think that the diplomatic representatives of these two great powers lived and competed in this remote oasis, plotting and planning each other’s downfall while at the same time meeting for dinner and drinks on a regular basis. Driven to friendship by isolation, while at the same time serving the interests of their different distant masters in London and Moscow.

Sir George Maccartney was the first Indian Government official in Kashgar in 1890, at the age of twenty-four. Little did he dream that he was destined to spend the next twenty-eight years of his life in this isolated town. Macartney was of a mixed Brits-Chinese background, spoke perfectly Chinese and was familiar with the Chinese way of life. In 1898 Macartney returns from leave in England with a bride (the author of this book) Catherine Borland. The daughter of one of his fathers’ friends, James Borland, and in their youth, they spent some holidays together. Catherine was just twenty-one and she was to spend seventeen years with her husband in the English consulate ‘Chine Bagh’ (Chinese garden) in Kashgar. They became legendary among the few European travellers who passed through Kashgar. She also would raise their three children Eric, Robin and Sylvia there.

This delightful book describes day-to-day life in the remote and tiny community. George Maccartney left no memoirs, which adds to the importance of this book. On my visit to Kashgar next month (May 2019) I look forward to seeing what remains, if anything, of the Chinese garden that Catherine created in Kashgar.

After their retirement George and Catherine Maccartney settle on the Channel Island of Jersey in 1919. Where George died in 1945, while Catherine would spend the last years with her son Eric and his wife at Charminster in Dorset, where she died in 1949.

[Jing Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very interesting book taking us back to the mysterious Kashgar in the beginning of early 20th Century. The description of the culture and landscape is fascinating. Lady Catherine Macartney was clearly brave and calm during the chaotic era, and her sense of humor was brilliant.
Love the book. I'd love to visit the 'Chinese garden' one day.
Here's a blog I found about 'Chini Bagh'-
https://flashmen.wordpress.com/2013/0...

[Rapket Ghazi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very good book about Kashgar and Uighurs written almost a century ago. You can get very profitable information about the social and political situation of the Uighur society in late 19th Century and beginning of the 20th century. I especially like the the style of writing of this book.

[Mikael Prytz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting account of life among the small European contingency in Kashgar, Chinese Turkestan (today’s Xinjiang) around 1900-1920, including travels to and from the region crossing the very difficult Tien-Shan and Karakoram mountain passes and daily interactions with the people of the region.

[Gurpreet Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is an unstoppable memoir of days gone by one with which I could relate to having travelled to this then last frontier post of British India where the Union Jack flew and the big mass of earth between Kashgar and the North Pole remained devoid of the British Flag .
Beautifully written in simple style and with many an anecdotes I could relate to having travelled there in 2008 nearly 100 years later .
For those who love to read travel writers go pick this one from a women's perspective in flowing simple words .
I loved every bit and finished in 2 days .
The Great Game and it's intrigues written from personal notes .