Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book

In Short

This collection presents the "English Notes" of seven graduating students at the Woman’s Anglo-Chinese College in China. Compiled by a student named Bing Ding, the book serves as a charming, idiosyncratic record of their final semester. Through diaries, essays, and folklore retellings, the students document their school life, their evolving relationships with their American teachers, and the friction between their traditional upbringing and the "American ways" they are encouraged to adopt. It remains a rare, whimsical window into a cross-cultural educational moment preserved in its original, unrevised voice.

The Story

The narrative begins with a classroom game: the students are tasked with writing notes about their college life, which are then compiled into a class book. The girls—Bing Ding, Cui Ai, Fuku, and their peers—navigate a world defined by the influence of their "Adored Teacher," Miss Sterling, and their "Honored President," Miss Powers. Early on, the students encounter a mysterious challenge when a classmate, Fuku, experiences a breakdown, revealing her identity as a "boat child"—a member of a marginalized group raised entirely on the water. This incident highlights the deep social divides the girls must reconcile with their Western-style education.

As the semester progresses, the students engage in various activities, such as a river fete that turns dangerous when they are threatened by pirates, forcing them to rely on their own resilience and their teachers’ protection. Throughout these events, the students struggle with the expectations placed upon them, particularly regarding marriage. Cui Ai, for instance, finds herself betrothed, but with the intervention of Miss Sterling, she negotiates for a modern, independent home—a significant departure from the traditional life with a mother-in-law. Similarly, another student, referred to as "Moonflower," navigates a betrothal arrangement while balancing her own secret hopes.

The students express their inner lives through different creative outlets. One student acts as an "Essayist," struggling to interpret Western literary concepts like Pope’s Essay on Man, while another, the "Folklorist," shares traditional Chinese legends about moon goddesses and monkeys to provide a counterweight to the Western curriculum. These writings reveal their deep affection for Miss Sterling, whose own troubled past—a lost love in America and a strict religious upbringing—becomes a focal point for the girls’ empathy.

The arc of the book reaches its zenith with the graduation ceremony. By this time, the students have internalized many of the "American ways" taught to them, from the format of their English essays to the structure of their marriages. Cui Ai graduates and successfully enters a marriage that reflects these new values. The book concludes with the students reflecting on their growth, their newfound "Genius," and the bittersweet reality of leaving their college home. The girls, who began the semester as timid and fearful of foreign customs, exit as young women who have successfully synthesized two disparate worlds, leaving behind a record of their memories, their jokes, and their enduring friendships.

How It Unfolds

The game begins The students are tasked by their President to write English notes, initially struggling with the formality of the assignment. This prompts Bing Ding to take charge as the Biographer, documenting their daily life and the unique atmosphere of the college grounds.

The mystery of Fuku A student named Fuku suffers a public breakdown, revealing she is a "boat child" who has lived her life on the water. This moment shatters the girls' composure and highlights the hidden histories each student brings to the classroom.

The river fete The class embarks on a river excursion that turns perilous when pirates threaten the group. The experience forces the students to act with courage and reveals the protective, maternal bond shared between them and Miss Sterling.

The marriage negotiations Cui Ai and Moonflower navigate the complexities of arranged betrothals while under the guidance of their teachers. They learn to advocate for independent households, marking a significant shift toward the autonomy suggested by the "American way."

Cultural synthesis The students present essays and folklore, blending their traditional Chinese upbringing with their new Western education. They share stories of moon festivals and ancient legends, creating a bridge between their heritage and their current studies.

The final graduation The semester concludes with a formal ceremony where the girls receive their diplomas. They celebrate their success, reflect on their journey from timid students to "Geniuses," and prepare to step into their adult lives.

The People

Bing Ding serves as the primary Biographer. She is deeply observant and anxious about her role as a chronicler, constantly seeking approval from her teachers while navigating the tension between her traditional modesty and the requirement to write openly.

Cui Ai is the central figure in the discussions of marriage. She begins as a student bound by convention but, through the persistent advocacy of Miss Sterling, successfully negotiates a path toward a modern, independent domestic life, serving as the group's symbol of progress.

Miss Sterling is the "Adored Teacher." Her blue eyes and yellow curls make her an object of fascination for the students. She hides a painful personal history involving a lost love in America, and her vulnerability leads her students to treat her with protective, near-filial devotion.

Miss Powers is the "Honored President." She acts as the firm, dignified authority figure who orchestrates the students' education. She is the one who initiates the "game" of writing, encouraging the girls to adopt American habits of deportment and expression.

Fuku is the "boat child." Her presence represents the deep cultural and class divides within China. Her traumatic outburst serves as a catalyst for the girls to confront the existence of lives vastly different from their own, grounding their academic experience in the realities of their country.

In Its Own Voice

"The door open and Miss Powers, (our Honored President), come in."

This line describes the arrival of the school's stern, guiding figure into the classroom.

"Chinese people know all learning is put away in stomach."

The student essayist explains a traditional Chinese belief about the location of wisdom, contrasting it with the Western focus on the brain.

"I think I care not for Gloomy Gus husband; too much troubles."

A student offers a candid, humorous observation after attending the wedding feast of a classmate.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this book is an exploration of the collision between traditional Chinese society and early 20th-century Western missionary education. It focuses on the struggle for female agency, as the students use the "American way" as a tool to gain independence within the structures of marriage and family life. The book asks whether it is possible to adopt a foreign identity without losing one's own, and how friendship can bridge the gap between cultures. It is less a formal history and more a study of the "unique atmosphere" of a transitional era, where the girls find their voices not through grand political movements, but through the small, intimate acts of writing, storytelling, and mutual support.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy historical curiosities and the voices of women in transition will find this book deeply compelling. It feels like stepping into a time capsule; the prose is filtered through the students' developing command of English, which lends it a poetic, often startlingly fresh quality. You will encounter the earnest, sometimes awkward, and always sincere efforts of young women trying to reconcile their ancestral heritage with a rapidly modernizing world.

Be aware that the book contains the period-typical attitudes of its time, particularly regarding "civilizing" missions and the distinct, sometimes caricatured, view of Chinese customs held by Westerners of that era. Additionally, the writing style—a "Chinese class book" in translation—is deliberately idiosyncratic, mirroring the students' struggle to write in a non-native language. For those willing to navigate these stylistic and social complexities, the book offers a rare, intimate look at a specific intersection of history. It remains a touching portrait of friendship, showing how the shared experience of education can become a sanctuary for girls standing on the threshold of adulthood.