March, 1910 - Peking
[Originally titled "Peking, March 1910" in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles released on June 26, 1993 on ABC, then paired with "Benares, January 1910" to become "Journey of Radiance" for the Adventures of Young Indiana Jones released on home video July 11, 2000.]
After their time in Benares, the Jones family travels to Peking, China - now formally known as Beijing - the capital of the People’s Republic of China, and the third most populated city in the world.
As Henry was occupied by his work, Anna, Miss Seymour, and Indiana were determined to explore the county, and they set out with a personal guide that brings them to a Buddhist temple as well as the Great Wall of China.
Afterwards they take a barge to the birthplace of Confucius, despite the warning from their guide that the journey would be long and strenuous. En route to their destination by way of a wagon, Indiana learns the Chinese language, values, and customs from their guide - yet is continuously distracted by a suspicious man that he believes is following them.
Later on while Anna and Miss Seymour aren’t looking, the same man make a valiant effort of tricking their guide and stealing their wagon, but Indiana intervenes and unhitches the horse before he’s able to get away. The guide then scolds the man but is left in shame for his own negligence, and he asks Indiana to please not the share the story with his mother and governess, as Indiana had “already acted well and didn’t need the approval of others.”
As they continue their journey across the country in their wagon, Indiana becomes increasingly sick and comes down with a high fever. As the storm approaches they decide to head to a nearby mission, yet as they attempt to cross a river their horse becomes frightened and overthrows their cart. Although everyone gets safely to shore, they lose their horse and all their luggage, and Indiana’s condition continuously worsens.
They make their way through the rain to the farmhouse, and they are greeted by a poor family who welcomes them into their home. Although a local Chinese doctor is readily available, Anna is insistent that Indiana is treated by an American doctor, despite the fact that those resources were at minimum three days away.
Once the wagon is fixed Miss Seymour and their guide travel to find the American doctor, yet as time passes by Indiana’s health begins to rapidly deteriorate, and in a state of delusion he asks his mother if he’s going to die like Susie - his younger sister who had died in her infancy stages due to a similar condition.
The next day it’s revealed that the local family is in debt over their land, and an altercation ensues until interrupted by Indiana’s screams from his bedside. That same evening the family begins to pray for Indiana, and Anna comes to realization that they need the Chinese doctor in order for her son to survive.
The next day the doctor arrives and treats Indiana with acupuncture, a key component to Traditional Chinese Medicine otherwise known as TCM. Days later, Miss Seymour arrives with the American doctor who diagnoses Indiana with Typhoid Fever, yet commends the Chinese doctor for his efforts, whom both take note that Indiana’s health is improving.
As Indiana regains his strength, he spends time playing Chinese checkers with the children, and as is always the case makes a point to learn more of their language.
Later on the debt collectors return and Anna decides to give the local family the money for their gratitude, which they are reluctant to accept due to honor and pride. Inevitably, however, they accept the gesture, and celebrate over a small feast before the Jones family continues their journey.
[Revealed in Indy in China: The Runaway Adventure from the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Magazine, released in 1992]
Indiana’s time however wasn’t done in the People’s Republic of China, as they then embark to Shanghai to meet back up with Henry, and along the way Indiana meets a young girl named Yang Wei - whom Indiana notices is in a state of sorrow and disarray.
While working with a translator, Indiana learns that Yang-Wei has been arranged to be married to an older man, and he subsequently is horrified by that revelation - which ultimately causes him to create a distraction that allows the two children to run away.
Although Indiana and Yang-Wei do not share the same language, the two are able to address one another through body language, and Indiana is further convinced that he should help his new friend escape.
Before long ,however, Miss Seymour finds the pair and says that the young girl must be returned to the village, as her arranged marriage was a tradition and custom of Chinese culture that Indiana need not try to understand.
At Miss Seymour’s request, the pair return to the village where Yang-Wei accepts her fate, yet not before giving Indiana a gift of a small Buddha statue that would symbolize their friendship.
Thus by the completion of Indiana’s first stay in China, he did not have any cross encounters with anybody of notable fame, yet he did study and learn about:
Confucius - a Chinese teacher, politician, and philosopher who emphasized morality, justice, and sincerity. His principles are thought to be the basis of Chinese traditions and beliefs, and over time his works have been developed into a system known as Confucianism. Among many other contributions he created the Golden Rule that proclaims you should “not do to others what you would not want done to yourself.”
Great Wall of China - a series of fortifications made up of numerous materials (mainly stone and brick) that stretches across the East to West off the countryside, that’s original purpose was to protect the Chinese Empire from invaders such as the Mongolians. Although the Wall was built by many generations of families and dynasties throughout history, the Wall that stands today was mainly built by the Ming Dynasty - that ruled from 1368 to 1684.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - built on a foundation of more than 2,500 years of Chinese medical practice, it’s basic principle is the belief that the “body's vital energy (chi or qi) circulates through channels, called meridians, that have branches connected to bodily organs and functions." This concept is not supported however by any scientific evidence, and even today is widely debated as regards to it’s efficiency. Nonetheless methods such as Acupuncture have been adopted and widely used around the world, despite it’s label of pseudoscience that it still carries to this day.