XIX century. China is a proud ancient empire, closed to foreigners. However, from Hong Kong to the Great Wall of China, from the Summer Palace with its stunning treasures and the Forbidden City to the squalid village shacks, dramatic struggles are unfolding throughout the Middle Kingdom. Tracing the fortunes of British, American and Chinese families, Rutherford presents a sweeping story in which the colonial West meets the rich and complex East. This is a novel about the powerful clash of worldviews, mutual misunderstandings, battles and lost loves. This book is for those who have been in China and fell in love with this country, and for those who have yet to visit there. For the first time in Russian!