Original Text
During the reign of the Red-Haired Kingdom, the imperial court permitted them to trade with China. The border officials, seeing their great numbers, forbade them from coming ashore. The men of the Red-Haired Kingdom persistently begged to land, saying, "We ask only for a piece of land the size of a felt mat." The border official, thinking a felt mat could hold but few men, agreed. They then spread the mat on the shore, which could only accommodate two men; but when they pulled it, it expanded to hold four or five; and as they pulled and stepped ashore, in the blink of an eye the mat grew to the size of an acre, capable of holding several hundred men. At that moment, they drew their short swords and launched a sudden attack, and, catching the defenders off guard, they plundered for several li before departing.
Commentary
This account is clearly based on hearsay, reflecting on one hand the Chinese people's wariness of Western imperialist aggression at the time, while on the other hand catering to the Qing government's policy of maritime prohibition and national seclusion. Dan Minglun commented on this tale, saying: "Strange in appearance and strange in heart, acting like ghosts and monsters—this is the chronic ailment of China." It mirrors the prevalent isolationist mentality among the Chinese people.