The Vermilion Pencil

Homer Lea (November 17, 1876 - November 1, 1912), was an American adventurer, author and geopolitical strategist, best known for his involvement with Chinese reform and revolutionary movements in the early twentieth century and for his writings about China and geopolitics. Lea is less well known for his first major effort at writing a novel entitled, The Vermilion Pencil: A Romance of China (1908). After going to China (1900-1901), he used his experiences there to craft his novel. In it he depicted a colorful picture of Chinese rural life with a fast moving plot centering on the relationship and romance of a French missionary and the young wife of a Chinese viceroy. This revised edition of The Vermilion Pencil: A Romance of China has been edited by Lawrence M. Kaplan to include commentary about Homer Lea and his writings and explanatory footnotes to assist the reader.