China and the West

Thoreau, Henry David. Journal (1860)
The river reposes in the midst of a broad brilliant yellow valley amid green fields and hills and woods, as if, like the Nanking or Yang-ho (or what-not), it flowed through an Oriental Chinese meadow where yellow is the imperial color.
These several colors are as it were daubed on – as on china ware – or as distinct & simple as a child's painted.
Said there was a tree by the road side on the farm of the late Wm read in West Action – which nobody thereabouts knew the name of – but he had been south - & knew it to be a China-berry tree planted by a robin – for they are very fond of its fruit.