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A Lost Treasure Recovered
Although the title of this review could be taken for a summary of the plot, I'm really using it to describe this edition, published by the University of Chicago Press.Illustrations by the author appear in full page size!

Here Judge Dee tackles a strange murder case that begins when the drummer on the dragonboat favored to win the festival races drops dead just before the finish line.As Dee traces the prior movements of the murdered man, he goes in the guise of a boxing master.A beautiful and refined woman hires him to guard her steps as she goes to a meeting.Although she pays him well and dismisses him, Dee can't resist following her farther.He finds her still-warm body and the gold she had in her sleeve is missing. Then he discovers that the gold she was carrying was to have been used to purchase the Emperor's Pearl, a treasure that had gone missing one hundred years ago and which had caused the execution of four people!

Dee is hampered on this case because his usual assistants are out of town.Only his old servant, Sgt. Hoong is available to help. With the "tough guys" out of town, the action lags in spots.But with the assistance of a small tortoise, Dee draws the murderer out of hiding in a denouement in the library that will have the reader on the edge of the chair, hair standing on end!

Thew Emperors Pearl
I thought I had read all of the Judge Dee books and then I stumbled across this one. I absolutely love Van Gulik and this book does not disappoint.

Clever mystery with a little extra
This novel, written by the author both in English and in Dutch ("De Parel van de Keizer") is part of the second series of mystery books featuring Judge Dee as the sleuth. These novels are a bit shorter and a bit "lighter" than the first series of five books, which starts with "The Chinese Maze Murders" ("Labyrinth in Lan-Fang"). Once again Judge Dee solves three unrelated mysteries, using his skills of observation and logical thinking, employing casual conversations with various protagonists as his main approach. However, in this book Judge Dee also surprises the reader by an unusual gambit that almost misfires.
What I liked most about this book were hints of the supernatural that nonetheless stay within the limits of the traditional mystery novel.
This novel makes great bedtime or vacation reading!

Excellent
All the "Judge Dee" books I have read are good.Some better than others, sure, but I like them all.Intelligent, well written, humane, and even sometimes with a touch of humor.A good mystery is worth a lot and these books by Gulik are certainly that.

The Emperor's Pearl
ROBERT VAN GULIK HAS THE ABILITY TO HOLD YOU IN SUSPENSE FROM BEGINNING TO END. HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREAS OF CHINA AND THE PEOPLE HELP ONE TO IMMEDIATELY ENTER INTO THE STORY AS IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY THERE. I HAVE READ ALL OF JUDGE DEE MYSTERIES AND WISH THERE WERE MORE. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

MOST OF THESE STORIES ARE VERY GOOD--BUT NOT ALL OF THEM
In Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories there exist some significant quality-control problems, as even lifelong fans like myself freely admit. This is also true of the works of Shakespeare, Hemingway, Faulkner, Melville, Twain, and everyone else who wrote a large body of fiction or drama--ANDthe same is true of Robert van Gulik'sJudge Dee stories.

JUDGE DEE AT WORK was first published in 1967; seven of these eight stories are basically Fair-Play Puzzle stories (most of them very good, but not all of them); the remaining tale (the last one in this book) is a Feel-Good story with a fortunate outcome despite some unsuccessful "detection." I will deal briefly with each story in the order of appearance in the book.

"Five Auspicious Clouds" is a fairly good Puzzle story centered around the time of death of a murder victim.

"The Red Tape Murder" is interesting for its civilian vs. military context but is very implausible as far as both the means of the murder and the rapid death of the victim are concerned (SPOILER ALERT: an arrow lying on a floor is kicked with a bare foot upwards into the gut of the victim--who dies right away); further, this case is "solved" chiefly because of several lucky coincidences.

"He Came with the Rain" contains a simple Puzzle involving the murder of a pawn shop owner but is enjoyable for other factors: Judge Dee, along the way, learns about folk beliefs--and makes a decision about his future marital condition.

"The Murder on the Lotus Pond" (which has frequently been reprinted elsewhere) has only a so-so Puzzle about the murder of a poet.

"The Two Beggars" is one of the best stories in this book: it involves the appearance of a "ghost" that causes Judge Dee to investigate the death of a man dressed in rags--and its Puzzle is a good challenge to the reader's wits.

"The Wrong Sword" contains a fairly good Puzzle, and its format is quite different: Judge Dee's subordinates gather the information while he is away, and he "puts it together" when he returns.

"The Coffins of the Emperor" contains a better-than-average Puzzle and better-than-average background material: among many other things, van Gulik (writing at least at least 43 years ago) portrays Judge Dee as totally non-judgmental about gay officers serving in the army of the T'ang Empire. (I consulted two professors of Chinese history and a Taiwanese lawyer by email, but was unable to verify whether this viewpoint is historically accurate.)

"Murder on New Year's Eve" concludes the collection with a non-Puzzle story: a somewhat touching tale of Judge Dee's successful attempt to assist a little boy in need.

As a final bonus feature, this book contains a 4-page "Judge Dee Chronology" which provides a useful overview to Judge Dee's career and the cases covered in this book and other books by van Gulik.

The legendary Judge Dee
Indeed, during China's glorious Tang Dynasty (AD 618-960) - the golden age of China, under the reign of Empress Wu Tzi Tien, there was a great judge whose actualnative name was Pao Kung (Judge Dee). He was compassionate and full of wisdom and many well-known cases were judged and solvedby him and his loyalsubordinates. Sometime Justice Pao Kung would commence his judgement at night in his magistrate under candlelight which surely added mystery and awe to the solemn occasion. One of his most celebrated cases was the judgement of a murdered baby prince in which the murderess substitited the corpse with the body of a civet cat...!Legend had it that Magistrate Pao or Dee (as translated by Van Gulik) was born inside a coffin of her deceasedmother and therefore half of his face was black and the other half white. Reputedly,he had the supernatural ability to converse with gods and departed souls in the Spirit World which would assist him in delivering judgement. Judge Dee was revered and respected by the throne as well as high officials and he travelled a great deal from province to province to supervise difficult to solve cases. The late Robert Van Gulik had translated many cases of the famous Judge Dee and derived most of his stories from the files of the Tang Dynasty archives and then embellished them somewhat for excitement and drama. Even today, in the tea houses of China, professional storytellers would enthrilled their audience with stories of Justice Pao...! When I was growingup in the then British Malaysia in the 1950s, I had listenedto an oldstoryteller, under a bean oil lamp, telling exciting tales of Judge Dee.He would charge a penny each from the audiencePresently, Ihave had read many of his translations by Van Gulik- notably the Chinese Murder Series which are now classics and give both the Western and Oriental readers an insight into the lives and times of the glorious Tang Dynasty. Justice Pao or Judge Dee was an honest official, incorruptible, learned, a good homicidal investigator and judge of human characters. His judgments, as translatedby Van Gulik, is firm and without the slightest error. I urge readers of mysteries and crimes to read the translated works of Judge Dee - never a dull moment and please go for them to while away your time...Cheers.

Judge Dee Short Stories
Dutch diplomat Robert van Gulik wrote the Judge Dee mysteries (in English!) to introduce the West to the Chinese version of the mystery story, which arose centuries before the English detective story.Judge Dee is an actual historical person, a magistrate of the seventh century during the T'ang dynasty, who was renown in China for his ability to solve crimes.In Judge Dee at Work, van Gulik presents us with eight short stories each of a single case (the novels, in the Chinese tradition, involve 3 intertwined cases) that take place throughout the judge's long career (magistrates were usually moved to a new post every three years).A table at the back of the book, places each case and all the novels within the timeline of Judge Dee's life.

I have read about half the novels and this book of short stories, and I have enjoyed them all.Early on, Judge Dee employs three different men to be his lieutenants, and they do much of the legwork for him.However, Dee is also very hands-on, going to the crime scenes and sometimes even going about in disguise.In some of the short stories here, he solves the mystery on his own.van Gulik has created a good detective in Dee; he is very, very smart, fair, compassionate to victims and stern with criminals.The cases are varied and interesting, and difficult to solve. I especially like the setting of ancient China.van Gulik really seems to know the era he is writing about, and he brings it alive through the actions and dialog of the story.There is no exposition here.If we need to know the differences of Taoism to Buddhism, we find out through a conversation of Dee with a monk or other character.That really makes the stories glide along.Sometimes a choice of phrase seems a little odd or modern for the setting, and I assume that arises from the fact that van Gulik was Dutch writing about China in English.In any event, these quirks become rather fun and don't detract at all from the stories. van Gulik also made illustrations in the traditional Chinese style of the time, and they add to the stories.I am very glad I have found the Judge Dee mysteries, and Judge Dee at Work is an excellent way to meet the judge and his world.You will be glad you did.

Wonderful Chinese detective stories - 7th Century style!
I first became aware of the Judge Dee stories after reading the short story "He Came with the Rain" in a historical mystery collection.I loved the story so much that I promptly went to Amazon.com to find moreJudge Dee novels and stories.This collection of eight short stories isparticularly interesting as it covers about 20 years in Judge Dee's careerthrough several of his postings.The stories are extremely interesting,both for the wealth of historical detail as well as the actual mysterycontent.Judge Dee as a District Magistrate is the leading civilianauthority but I found stories such as "The Red Tape Murder"particularly interesting when he clashes with military authorities.Thisgives Dr. Van Gulik the opportunity to introduce snippets about ancientChinese history, particularly about the clashes with Korea and the Tartaroffenses on China's Western borders.This is a period of Chinese historywhere very little is known - almost a sort of Chinese Dark Ages - so it iswonderful to learn more about that time, also about the social customs ofthe era, which I found surprisingly modern, with the exception of theaccepted practice of polygamy!If you are interested in historical mysteryfiction, I would highly recommend the series.Also try the Sister Fidelmaseries about a mystery solving nun in Dark Ages Ireland - it is equallyatmospheric!

Sketches of the Judicial Life: China,Seventh Century
The wonderful thing about these stories is the sense of time and place which comes through in all of them.We find ourselves easily transported to seventh century China, and the world of a highly organisedempire, withits representative in the various cities which serve as venues for thestories, the Magistrate, in the person of Judge Dee.

Robert VanGulick's picture of Chinese life, crafted from his own extensive study ofChina, both underpins and overlays these elegant detective stories.Thoseinhabiting these stories are truly the inhabitants of the places: walkingthrough the streets,eating at the restaurants, working in the Tribunal,and interacting with all classes of their highly stratified society.

The characters are well developed, from Judge Dee himself to his variouscolourful assistants and lieutenants, who do most (but not all) of theTribunal's leg work.Criminals, victims, witnesses, and others along theway complete the fascinating tableaux.

There are references to thevarious Judge Dee novels at the beginning of each story providing a contextwithin the magistrate's career. Numerous line drawings by the author gentlyilluminate the stories. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Mystery with History!
The Haunted Monastery is a different kind of mystery! I read this book when it first came out in English in 1961. I also read all the other Judge Dee murder mysteries about that time period.

Through surfing Amazon.com, I found out at least sixteen of the series were reprinted in the recent past; so I am rereading them 38 years later! This book, The Haunted Monastery, is set in the Chinese Ming period, and the plates of costumes and customs are representative of the Ming era.

Judge Dee actually lived from A.D. 630 to 700, but the stories in this series of books are fiction.

The writing in The Haunted Monastery is easy to read, but the mystery is complicated. Clues to who the murderers might be are given in several of the pictures. And it is fun to try to guess who did what and why.

The author is an expert on Chinese culture and history. He was a Dutch Diplomat who lived in China.

From the stories and the plates, one learns about Confucian and Tao ethics and philosophy. I am finding the entire Judge Dee series delightful reading. I am enjoying them even more now than I did in the past!

Looking forward to it
I just ordered this because I loved the TV movie "Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders" from 1974. I understand it was based on this book. If that's the case I'm sure this will be a great read. If you haven't seen the movie you should as it has a great cast with Khigh Diegh, Mako, Irene Tsu, James Hong, Soon-Tek Oh, Keye Luke, and many others. The movie is very well done. Unfortunately it is not available on VHS or DVD. You will have to catch it on TV when it is telecast. I haven't seen it in years myself, so I keep hoping to find it on DVD. Let me know if you see it somewhere.

This is a slow slow descriptive descriptive shallow shallow
If I were just learning how to write this would be a prefect example.Forty five percent of the book is description.Who cares if Judge Dee has three or four hairs growing out of the mole on his face?And evidently, he prefers girls with bushy eyebrows.

Other than that, it could be a decent mystery if it did not drag on and on.This may be due to the story being a little too short to publish; it took up three cassettes.The mystery its self is O.K. there is no last minute butlers to show up and confess.Evidently this is part of some Judge Dee series.Therefore, someone must like his style.

The story takes place in a monastery where Judge Dee just happens to be passing during a storm and need a place to stay with his three wives.He whiteness some impossible things and meets some mysterious people.

One of Judge Dee's Best
Let's face it; Robert Van Gulik may be an expert on 7th century China, but he isn't exactly a Pultizer-Prize winning author.His writing style is somewhat plain and simple and you'll never be knocked out by his glowing literary descriptions.What he does manage to do, though, is bring this long-lost era to life with his interesting characters and his cultural and historical know-how while telling an enjoyable tale along the way.While some of his longer books are bogged down by too many characters and too much detail, The Haunted Monastery is virtually perfect.Judge Dee and one of his assistants are stuck in a gloomy monastery on a stormy night.The place is rumored to be haunted, and while the threat of harmful spirits lingers in the background, the judge must solve three seemingly unrelated mysteries which all tie together in the end.Dripping with atmosphere and good, interesting characters, this is a fast and enjoyable read which is perfect for a rainy night or a cold winter's day.

A Night Of Terror And Mystery
An unexpected storm forces Judge Dee and his three, (yes three!) wives to seek shelter at a Taoist monastery. The wives go straight to bed but the Judge must pay his respects to the abbot before joining them. Thus begins a frantic night of murder and mayhem during which Judge Dee, suffering from a bad head cold, must solve a series of murders, rescue a maiden in distress and arrange for the villain to meet his just deserts, bringing together two sets of star-crossed lovers along the way. "I should give up being a magistrate and become a match-maker!" he grumbles. One of the best of the series. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Clever mystery in ancient China
This novel, written by the author both in English and in Dutch ("Het Chinese Lakscherm") is part of the second series of mystery books featuring Judge Dee as the sleuth. These novels are a bit shorter and a bit "lighter" than the first series of five books (which starts with "The Chinese Maze Murders", or "Labyrinth in Lan-Fang"). Once again Judge Dee solves three unrelated mysteries, using his skills of observation and logical thinking, employing casual conversations with various protagonists as his main approach. In this episode, a nice twist is provided by the fact that Judge Dee is visiting a neighbouring district where his counterpart, Judge Teng, ask him for help: he has become both the victim and the main suspect of a crime! How this can be, and how the plot is developed towards an elegant surprise finish, reveals Van Gulik's skills as a writer. This novel makes great bedtime or vacation reading!

The Lacquer Screen : A Chinese Detective Story (A Judge Dee
This is one of the first chronological detective adventures of Judge Dee. The judge is visiting one place and gets involved in several murder cases.It follows the classical structure: independent plots in the traditionalChinese detective story style. The lacquer screen is presented as asupernatural object but Dee manages to return it to everyday world. A bookrecommended for the Van Gulik followers. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful! Suspenseful & Colorful.
I usually read mysteries set in the 20s-40s with a female heroine. I picked this up randomly and LOVED it! My copy is not the one shown here, but it is the 1960 version. My copy has illustrations of the town and the boat which were very helpful. This story taught me a lot about ancient China - fascinating - without being didactic at all! There were several mysteries wound into this one little book so there was plenty to keep you entertained. It was very suspenseful. I also learned some life lessons from Judge Dee. :)

Wonderful Entry in Judge Dee Series
The third novel in Robert Van Gulik's historical mystery series about a crime-solving Imperial District Magistrate in seventh-century China, sees Judge Dee transferred to the small town of Han-Yuan, along with his family and assistants - Sergeant Hoong, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai. Han-Yuan is only sixty miles from the imperial capital; however it is a small town cut off from most of the world as it surrounded by mountains.The town lies on the shore of a mountain lake which town locals whisper, holds mysterious, even supernatural forces.The novel opens with Judge Dee attending a banquet in his honor on a flower-boat - a floating house of prostitution.At the end of the evening, the judge discovers a famous local courtesan lying dead in the lake water!The suspects are many, since all of Han-Yuan's prominent citizens were attending the party and most of them had a plausible reason for wishing this courtesan dead.Judge Dee has to sort through confusing clues and his task is made more complicated by the sudden disappearance of a new bride and her husband, the violent death of a local carpenter and the suspicions that Han-Yuan may be a center for political unrest!The judge is able to sort through all the confusion and the realization that these multiple crimes are all inter-connected, with his usual blend of wisdom and sagacity.Judge Dee is a very interesting character and the novel itself paints a wonderfully evocative picture of ancient China with its complicated rituals of love and marriage and precise social order that governed everyone's life.The mystery itself is interesting, though perhaps a little too twisty; however, the ending is genuinely powerful and completely plausible.A must-read for fans of the series!

A brilliant way to learn about ancient China.
This is only my second Judge Dee mystery, and although I can't compare it to others by the same author, I am definitely hooked on the series. Robert van Gulik offers a unique avenue into thinking about Tang dynasty China(7th century A.D.) and serves up wonderful escapist fiction at the sametime. Judge Dee is a conscientious and clever magistrate faced with thebrutal murder of a beautiful courtesan who has complicated political andeconomic connections. As Judge Dee goes about solving the crime, we learnabout pleasure boats, prostitution, what people wore (and didn't wear),insurgencies against the empire, and the necessity of a pot of hot teawhenever the going gets rough. The author was a Dutch diplomat and scholarof Chinese jurisprudence whose mysteries are tailor-made for thehistorically and culturally curious.

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What happened to the illustrations!!!?
One of Van Gulik's better efforts in the "Judge Dee" series, but seriously flawed by the almost entire omission of Van Gulik's original illustrations.Since I have seen previous and subsequent volumes publishedby the University of Chicago which do contain the drawings, I have no ideawhy this curious dearth exists.Judge Dee fans, be warned; there are twoother volumes in the series which likewise are lacking this importantstory-telling device. ... Read more

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Murder During a Time of Plague
A mysterious plague is ravaging the Imperial City.Newly appointed Governor Judge Dee, must maintain civil order as the social bonds start to slowly unravel.If this were not enough, a leading merchant is found dead at the foot of a staircase.Was it a tragic accident or was he murdered?Judge Dee begins a new investigation.

In my mind, the mystery and how it is resolved is always of secondary importance in a Judge Dee story.I read the series for Robert Van Gulik's richly imagined recreation of Seventh Century, Tang China. Once again, "The Willow Pattern" does not dissapoint.Van Gulik feels as comfortable walking the streets of a crowded urban slum as he does in the rarified homes of wealthy merchants.

"The Willow Pattern" was first published in 1965 and is still in print.The reason for the series longevity is the heady mix of a solid mystery combined with the detailed recreation of a fascinating era. Judge Dee stories are well crafted and are a pleasant read.

I love a mystery told well and this is one of those.
I've gotten hooked on the Judge Dee Mysteries.I was always a fan of the Charlie Chan movies and to find a series of books that are more authentic and set in ancient China is a real treat! Written so well and captivatingly.

Judge Dee & Old Chinese Justice
Published in 1965, the historical mystery, The Willow Pattern, A Judge Dee Mystery by Robert van Gulik, portrays 7th century AD China and Judge Dee, the Lord Chief Justice in China's Imperial Capital. The author, a Dutch scholar writes in the manner of a traditional 18th century Chinese writer of 7th century Chinese mystery stories. Although historically Judge Dee was a magistrate in the Tang Dynasty, the stories are set in the Ming Dynasty. The antecedents of this popular mystery series is only the first complications the reader meet. Judge Dee (probably based on a real character) is an intelligent and canny Confucian Magistrate who always delivers impartial and fair justice to all. Populist hero Judge Dee and his justice are not always in line with the Imperial Rule justice. But Judge Dee's justice always solved the crimes and sends the evildoers to their doom.

But, justice did depend on Judge Dee and how he alone decided to investigate, interpret the facts, interpret the law, pass judgment and decide the sentence (if any) based on his judgment and knowledge of the case. There was no appeal after Judge Dee declared the verdict. Fair, impartial justice under the old Confucian system in China was solely dependent on the judgment of the magistrate. The mystery story, The Willow Pattern illustrates how arbitrary Chinese justice can be under the old Confucian system. Ordinary citizens of China were regulated differently from the nobility. Women were, of course even lower in status than ordinary citizens. The ability to defend their life with deadly force, a natural law that we take for granted in America, is illustrated in The Willow Pattern, "Women of the underworld sometimes carry an iron ball of about the size of a large egg in the tip of each sleeve. Since the law forbids ordinary citizens to carry daggers or other cutting weaponson their person, on the penalty of a flogging, those women have developed a special art of fighting with loaded sleeves."The "loaded sleeves" were considered deadly weapons. The people accepted their place in life since it was the will of heaven that the rulers had a mandate to rule. When they had a bad master they understood that they were expected to accommodate the situation as their fate. Speaking of a bad man (Yee) who was their master, Cassia explains, "He was a bad man, but he was our master. Heaven willed it so."Justice was also the will of heaven so when it was not arbitrary that was a blessing but not to be counted on.

The story here occurs during a time of plague and Judge Dee rules alone in the Imperial City and wears many different hats. He must administer and safeguard the city's food stores, manage the military (normally separate from civilian control) and deal with the disposal of the plague victims. Judge Dee also investigates charges of wrongdoing, conducts inquests concerning suspicious deaths and arbitrates civil affairs. He also prosecutes, defends, adjudicate and oversee sentencing of criminal cases. Judge Dee is also concerned with finding the causes of the plague, the plague sanitation problems and trying to ameliorate the conditions in the Imperial City. Justice in China during a state of martial law is also harsh with no mercy under Judge Dee. Under Judge Dee's rule when the hungry, poor men and women attempt to raid the granary for food, they are slaughtered by the military. Military iron-shafted arrows launched by the soldiers' crossbows are no match for the unarmed civilians. Judge Dee rationalizes that 30 dead men and women saved thousands of people from starving. Judge Dee does not investigate if there was a better way to deal with the hungry crowd.Floggings and beheadings are also considered rational steps for controlling the unruly crowds.

The fact that justice for all was not an ideal realized in old China escaped Judge Dee's discernment. The safeguards built into the Chinese justice system (ring a gong if something's wrong)do not always lend themselves to practical living. The pressures of Chinese life in old china for the poor to conform to the governments mandate to fulfill the will of heaven take their toll. His Confucian training and way of life does not leave room for the possibility of justice not being blind in a society mandated by heaven. "High up here in your palace, my lord, you know very little indeed about the kind of justice meted out by the minions of the law to us, the poor."In the end Judge Dee does mete out fair, impartial and creative justice and just desserts for the evil doers. But, even with Judge Dee heroics, justice in old China is not always assured or just for everyone.

A fun read on any level that you care to take it!

Great!
This book is great! I have read it 4 times! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

Fascinating read!
All the Judge Dee misteries are great reading. Not only do they give an insight into early China but they are great at following logical paths in thinking.

Judge Dee never disapoints
I am never disapointed in Gulik's judge Dee.I like all his books about this eccentric wise man.

very fun, very unrealistic
I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them.However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing.The truth is almost the exact opposite.

If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had noconsistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior.The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.

Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace.The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed.For serious offenses against the state, thousands of families could all be executed.

Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court.In reality, this was never done (as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court).Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.

Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc).They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times.It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal.They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.

The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normallyeuphemism - binding their feet).From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also.10% of girls probably died from this treatment.

Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.'A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.

We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times.In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art.But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.

So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic.

A favorite Judge Dee mystery

Judge Dee is a very busy magistrate in "The Chinese Maze Murders." At one point in his whirlwind of activity he wearily tells his trusty lieutenants he can't believe "that it is only one week since we arrived here in Lan-fang!" Indeed, even before Judge Dee and his three wives, children, household and judicial assistants, and four carts can arrive in the border city that is his new assignment, they are accosted by ruffians. Then, in Lan-fang, they discover a strongman and his brigade in control of the city, and the judge must use his wits and his four loyal men to depose the outlaws. As Judge Dee maneuvers to exert his rightful authority, he reckons with the inheritance issues of a recently deceased governor whose property includes a hundred-mile maze; investigates a locked-room murder of a renown general; and searches for a missing, possibly kidnapped young girl. Not to mention attending to his normal tribunal duties on the bench and defending against imminent attack by foreign soldiers whose leaders sense an opportunity to seize Lan-fang. When does Judge Dee get to sleep? As the author himself notes, "The magistrate is a permanently overworked official."

Robert Van Gulik wrote a series of Judge Dee mysteries in the mid 1900s. "The Chinese Maze Murders" was first published in 1957, and, true to the author's intent, it "gives a general idea of Chines court procedure" in the 7th century. In fact, a real crime-detecting "Judge Dee" existed: Ti Jen-chieh (630-700 AD). Before Van Gulick authored these and other fictional exploits of "Judge Dee," he translated an 18th-century Chinese novel entitled, "Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee." The three main crime plots in "The Chinese Maze Murders" are borrowed from 16th-century collections according to Van Gulik.

"The Chinese Maze Murders" is an intricate weave of suspense, excitement, shrewd puzzle detection, political intrigue, and human psychology. Certain sexual themes and the judicial tortures and executions described in the book designate this a mystery for mature readers.

It's good to see a new edition being released. The attractive, colorful art work on the cover is an eye-catcher, while the black and white illustrations throughout the text remain those the author himself drew to punctuate the story. A nice copy to own, read and re-read.

chinese culture fan
This book, offers a glimpse into chinese culture, which is the reason I enjoyed it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another gem
All of the Judge Dee books are wonderful mysteries."In the Phantom of the Temple, Judge Dee, the magistrate of Poo-yan, encounters one of the most frightening cases of his career in this eerie tale involving crimes in a Buddhist temple.
The China of old, oriental mystery as pleasingas cup of jasmine tea. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

excellent and historically accurate
Judge Dee is now among my favorite characters.The historical depiction is clear and accurate and the mistery plots are fascinating.

In His First Posting, Dee Foils a Nefarious Plot!
Seldom can anything achieve perfection in this mundane world, but this delicious mystery comes very close. In this enjoyable story, Dee sets out on his first posting as a district magistrate but before he arrives, he is ambushed by a pair of highwaymen!His courage and authority so impress them that they abandon their life of crime to become his loyal henchmen.

He is going to need their brawn because his very first task is to solve the murder of his predecessor! Who poisoned Magistrate Wang while he sat in his study alone, drinking tea?Other perplexing cases abound in this remote region of ancient China.A young wife disappears on the road from her father's house in the country. A strange beast, half man, half tiger, is terrorizing the peasants. And what nefarious plot is going on in the Korean quarter?

99% of the Judge Dee mysteries are solved with logic, observation and Judge Dee's careful reasoning.Just a delicious touch of the unexplained remains, to shiver the reader's spine. This book is an excellent place for mystery lovers to start enjoying the amazing career of Judge Dee, ancient China's answer to Sherlock Holmes!

The Chinese Gold Murders
Yet another gripping Judge Dee mystery!Judge Dee is better than Sherlock Holmes by far - more complicated and intricate mysteries, plus a fascinating look at daily life in China centuries ago. Also, as a protagoist Judge Dee is a much more "relatable" character.I have owned this for years, and have read and reread it a number of times - and each time I find further nuances I didn't notice before - and my enjoyment of it only increases!

Worthy of the University of Chicago Press, for students of Chinese histroy and culture and mystery fans everywhere.
Not your average mystery.
Includes great introduction.From the back cover:
"Imperial China, T'ang dynasty, seventh century A.D.--home of Judge Dee, Imperial magistrate and detective.A near mythic figure in the pre-Communist Chinese consciousness, Judge Dee distinguished himself as tribunal magistrate, inquisitor, and public avenger.Long after his death, accounts of his exploits were celebrated in Chinese folklore.

The Chinese Gold Murders is one of a series of Judge Dee detective novels written in the 1950s and early 1960s by van Gulik (1910-67), a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture.Van Gulik drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeeth century.His Judge Dee stories convey a more vivid insight into traditional China than can be gained from textbooks, momgraphs and documents.They provide an atmospheric introduction to life in imperial China at the local level before it was disrupted by external modern forces.This edition includes van Gulik's maps, his illustrations and an introduction by Donald F. Lach of the Department of History at the University of Chicago".

excellent mystery, very misleading about chinese justice system
I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them.However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing.The truth is almost the exact opposite.

If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had noconsistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior.The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.

Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace.The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed.For serious offenses, thousands of families would all be executed.

Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court.In reality, this was never done- as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court.Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.

Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc).They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times.It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal.They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.

The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normally (euphemism - binding their feet).From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also.10% of girls probably died from this treatment.

Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.'A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.

We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times.In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art.But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.

So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Judge at Work
This lovely mystery shows Judge Dee, the Chinese Sherlock Holmes, hard at work as district magistrate in Van Gulik's ancient China.As is usual in this series, Judge Dee has more than one case to solve.

A butcher's daughter has been murdered.Her lover, a slight young man from the literary classes, is accused and would have been condemned by Dee's predecessor except there wasn't enough time to finish the paperwork before Judge Dee arrived to administer the district.But Dee notices an anomaly...and sets out to find the real murderer!

One of Dee's assistants notices something fishy about the wealthy Buddhist temple in town.Dee tells his subordinate that the Buddhists are too powerful in the Imperial Court for an investigation to be pursued.Even more shocking, he appears to accept a bribe from the monks...but it turns out Dee has a clever plan to get at the truth!

An old lady comes into court with a complex legal case and a complaint of murder against a wealthy Cantonese merchant.None of Dee's assistants can get a clue against this devious man.Only when Dee goes incognito into danger can justice be done!

In the end, gristly punishment falls on the offenders and virtue is rewarded!Mystery fans will find triple satisfaction in this one.

very fun read, very unrealistic
I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them.However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing.The truth is almost the exact opposite.

If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had noconsistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior.The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.

Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace.The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed.For serious offenses against the state, thousands of families could all be executed.

Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court.In reality, this was never done (as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court).Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.

Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc).They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times.It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal.They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.

The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normallyeuphemism - binding their feet).From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also.10% of girls probably died from this treatment.

Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.'A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.

We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times.In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art.But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.

So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic.

A Wonderful Read
The Judge Dee Mystery Series by Robert Van Gulik are paperbacks that I keep after I read them. In fact I have purchased every one that Amazon offers.These are superb Asian-flavored legal mysteries, impressive because of the historical accuracy and insights about the Chinese character given by Van Gulik. In this book one of the cases the Judge solves (there are 3 different cases) is the mystery surrounding the death of a young girl on her wedding night. Needless to say Judge Dee gets to the bottom of the murder and solves all 3 mysteries. It's important to note that Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh (630-700 A.D.) was a real Magistrate known for his wisdom in China, and his stories became a part of the folklore of China. Robert Van Gulik was fascinated by the tales of this judge and wrote a fictionalized series featuring the Judge in the early 1950s. If you enjoy well crafted myteries that are full of wit, clever plot devices, action and adventure as well as great descriptions of food and culture, you'll love all the Judge Dee Books just as I do.

superb Asian-flavored legal mysteries
Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE CHINESE BELL MURDERS in which Judge Dee solves the mystery surrounding the death of a young girl, where all the evidence points to the guilt of the deceased lover. on her wedding night.

Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh (630-700 A.D.) was a Magistrate known for his wisdom & wit in China, & his stories were a part of the local folklore. Robert Van Gulik, who had a historian's interest in China in the early 1950s, was fascinated by the tales of this judge, & finally collected & fictionalized them into four volumes.

The wit, ingenuity, & genius of Judge Dee is well reflected. Remember the old tales of King Solomon the Just -- well, give them an Asian flavor, a touch of Old China -- & you get Judge Dee.

All of Judge Dee's books are most pleasurable - - worthy of 10 stars!

The best of the Judge Dee Mysteries
The Chinese Bell Murders is another of the classic Judge Dee mysteries authored by Robert Van Gulik.This book, along with the Chinees Maze Murders, is probably the best of the Judge Dee books.

The plot of this story involves three disparate events, a rape/murder, shenanigans in a Buddhist temple where women with fertility problems are apparently giving birth due to divine interventions, and a corrupt businessman who is involved in a bloody family feud.Along the way, Judge Dee and his assistants have an encounter with the bell that is the title of the story.Van Gulik ties up everything in a tidy package that is engrossing and gives the reader an insight into ancient China.

What is impressive about this book is the historical accuracy and insights about the Chinese character given by Van Gulik, no doubt due to his service in the Dutch foreign service and his credentials as a Sinologist.The Buddhist influence in T'ang Dynasty China and the corruption of monks was a constant problem and Van Gulik is not complimentary in his portrayal, which is similar to the unfavorable portrayals of Buddhism by Chinese writers throughout history.Also, the corruption of businessmen in China and the conflict between northern and southern China is well portrayed.Only a Chinese or somebody who is familiar with China can understand the nuances and conflict.

As one of the original five Judge Dee books (this one is the second book in the sequence), the detail and the plot are very much in line with the famous Chinese stories of the day, albeit in a more compact form.This lends authenticity and makes these stories better than the later Judge Dee stories, which are still good. ... Read more

Product Description
From the series of five detective stories set in 7th century China, this book stars Judge Dee, who is suspicious of the evidence of three brutal murders and manages to track down the real assailants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bittersweet Justice
Although this is possibly the best of the Judge Dee series and it will stand on its own, one will appreciate how different it is and how much it stands out by reading the other "magistrate at work" books such as THE CHINESE GOLD MURDERS (recommended to read first as it covers Dee's first posting) and THE CHINESE LAKE MURDERS or THE CHINESE BELL MURDERS.

The other books will show Judge Dee as the rational crime solver, administering his district sternly but always for the good of his people. In this book, Dee risks his career to pursue an evil woman.He feels sure she has murdered her husband and also her lover, but she has covered her tracks with great cunning.

This story shows Dee's human side.He is greatly attracted to a woman who is not his wife.Mrs. Kuo is the beautiful wife of the local pharmacist, a hunchback.Dee is struck by how devoted the couple is to one another and how kind they are.The man serves as coroner to the local tribunal but it is the wife who gives the judge the greatest assistance in this, the most baffling of Judge Dee's cases.

A sweet but sharp melancholy pervades the atmosphere of this riveting mystery.As always, a "cast list" is provided to help a reader with the Chinese names and the author's illustrations and historical notes can convince readers that they are enjoying an authentic Chinese mystery tale! (In other words, you can pretend you are studying...)

A unique work and superbly readable
Written close to 40 years ago (first published in 1961), this book is part of Van Gulik's Judge Dee series which chronicles the cases investigated by the famous magistrate of classical Chinese detective stories.

A stapleof the Judge Dee stories are the multi-layered plot and accurate historicaldetails of ancient Chinese culture and practices and this book does notdisappoint in both areas. Unique and superbly readable, this seriesdeserves a place on the shelf of every mystery fan. One small note: Thisnew version seems to have omitted the chinese-style illustrations found inthe original printing - probably due to the (very low-key) nudity that thepublisher found offensive.

My favorite book in the series
I have read all of Van Gulik's murder mysteries and this is has to be my favorite. The characters are intriguing and some sinister. The end is satisfying and bittersweet, challenging integrity vs justice. I would,however, recommend you read the others first (chronological is good,Chinese Gold Murders is first) to get to know the main characters althoughthis book can stand on on its own. ... Read more

Product Description

In the fourth installment of Robert Van Gulik's ancient Chinese mystery series based on historical court records, detective Judge Dee is appointed to the magistrate of Pei-chow -- a distant frontier district in the barren north of the ancient Chinese Empire. It is here that he is faced with three strange and disturbing crimes: the theft of precious jewels, the disappearance of a girl in love, and the fiendish murder involving the nude, headless body of a woman. And even more curious, the crimes seem to be linked together by clues from a popular game of the period, the Seven Board.

Customer Reviews (3)

Judge Dee is the Best!
Before Amazon.com or Borders, we used to have only the public library to get books to read. So over
40 years ago, I read 5-6 of this series and never knew there were 18 books to complete the set. So,
when a friend gave me the first book last month, I went on Amazon.com and was so happy to see they were are re-released - I got all 17 books.I am happily into the 5th one now.If you are a lover of mysteries - there are 3 cases to be solved in each book; if you are a lover of Chinese culture - you will love the subtle descriptions and seemingly minor hints. I've learned things I never knew before.
You will enjoy Judge Dee.

Fun mystery book with ancient Chinese culture
Loved this fun mystery.Judge Dee is a judge who encounters and solve three mysteries set in ancient China.In ancient China, the judge acts in a judicial capacity but also acts as the detective.The cast of characters that the author developed is also interesting.The writing is clear and without repetitive prose.The book is written so that the reader can try to solve the mystery as s/he reads along, and there's a lot of interesting tidbits about the ancient Chinese judicial/legal system.If you're looking for a fun and not too serious book with delightful mysteries, try this out.You don't have to read the Judge Dee books in order.I liked this one more than the Chinese Lake Murders.By the way, in this book (and in other Judge Dee books), there are multiple mysteries presented and the judge solves them all at the same time.

Nailing the murderer
This Chinese mystery story is one of Judge Dee's best, although I like all of his books so far. The book was fun to read. I always try to figure out who is the murderer and how it was done before finishing the book; the author is very clever, and sometimes there is a surprise ending. I am delighted these books were reprinted. I read them 50 years ago; and now that they are again available, am rereading them. I like them even better now! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Who Done It!
Judge Dee really showed on this one that it's not just "Elementary My Dear Watson." Very well written and with alot of mystery and action. A must read.

Judge Dee The Monkey and the Tiger
This is one of the later Judge Dee books and shows it. I think van Gulik was running out of ideas at this stage. I didn't find it nearly as entertaining as the earlier books in the series. I'm glad to have it as I now have the entire series but I confess I was a bit disappointed. Still a fascinating series however and anyone interested in Judge Dee or Chinese literature in general should read it.

Excellent murder mysteries set in Ancient China
Judge Dee is an imperial magistrate who travels the country solving mysteries and murders. Not content merely to judge cases as they come to court, Judge Dee investigates crimes himself.

This book comprises of two short stories. In the first one, Judge Dee is upset to discover murder in his own home.It starts when he is watching a troop of monkeys playing in his garden and one of them drops an expensive emerald ring.Examining it, Dee realises the ring is encrusted with blood.When Judge Dee stumbles over a mutilated body hidden in his garden he decides to find out who is responsible. With the help of his assistant Tao Gan, Dee set out to investigate a nest of pawnbrokers, thieves and vagabonds.

In the second story, Judge Dee is travelling to the capital in order to receive a promotion thanks to his solving of the Chinese Nail Murders.Unfortunately the weather is fierce: Dee is separated from his staff and takes refuge in a large isolated country house.Here he finds that the family a mourning a young dead girl, seemingly a victim of a heart attack.The theft of 40 shining bars of gold, however, leads Dee to think there is more to the story.Beset by bandits, ghosts and superstitious hosts who believe that their troubles are foretold by the almanac and therefore immutable, Dee sets out to solve the mystery.

Judge Dee was practising in the 7th century but the writer, Robert Van Gulik, was a Dutch diplomat living in China in the early 20th Century.Interested in Chinese history, he decided to write a series of detective novel based old Chinese stories. Beautifully written, each Judge Dee story is a pearl of literature.The English is beautiful yet modern, easy to read yet evocative of the China that existed over 13 centuries ago. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Who Killed The Courtesan?
When Judge Dee meets Autumn Moon she is wearing a translucent robe. She strolls onto the veranda of the secluded suite of rooms where Dee is staying for night and flirts atrociously with him.Dee remains polite.He has been forced to break his journey at the resort of Paradise Island but he has every intention of going on in the morning.

Then he learns that the suite of rooms, the Red Pavilion, has been the scene of murder in the past.And lately, Lee Lien, a distinguished scholar of a distinguished family, apparently committed suicide there.When Judge Dee returns from a dinner with the local notables, he discovers the body of Autumn Moon on the floor of the locked bedchamber!

Judge Dee was a real magistrate and official of the Tang dynasty. In his fictional series about this great man, Robert Van Gulik searches out notable exploits and tales of the Chinese Imperial system and presents them to modern readers in a form that entertains as well as enlightens.Most of Gulik's Judge Dee stories take place with the magistrate in his district.This one shows Judge Dee on the road, acting as an assessor for a fellow magistrate.The setting is unique in all the Judge Dee books: a pleasure resort where the usual mores and laws are somewhat suspended.The denouement of this fascinating novel brings to mind the adage: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

The Red Pavilion
The Judge Dee books are my favorites. I loved the Red Pavilion .Judge Dee is the Chinese Perry Mason-always delivering in amazing fashion.

Omcpleting my collection of a classic Mystery series
The Judge Dee mysteries were a collection of 15 classic mysteries set in China based on a real magistrate and written by a Dutch scholar of Chines cuture. They are classic mysteries as well as excellent intros to Chinese culture. I am glad it was so easy to replace the books in the series that I had lost, taken from me by a friend. Easy and painless with excellent serice and easier thatn using a bookshop.

Judge Dee will keep you guessing
One of the most interesting things about Van Gulik's Judge Dee books is that the Judge is usually juggling three or four mysteries at once. Your brain definitely stays awake as he shifts his attention from one to the other. "The Red Pavilion" takes place on "Paradise Island", a town in which the main industry is the selling of pleasure--sort of a Las Vegas of ancient China. Between current murders and murders of the past, the Judge has his hands full, and with only one of his usual four assistants he is a busy guy.

I enjoyed the interesting characters of the various courtesans, bouncers, businessmen, and mysterious beggars no end. His Excellency is not beyond making a guess at a solution and then proving himself wrong, which is quite refreshing in detective novels. If you like detective novels combined with ancient culture, you may well enjoy these books.

Oriental sleuth cracks tough case
Oriental sleuth Judge Dee, based on a historical character, is brought to life in 'The Red Pavilion'. While Judge Dee shares many traits with traditional quirky Western detectives, this novel has a definite Chinesefeel. The cultural interplay is very interesting, and allows for differentscenarios than the typical mystery. A nice change of pace. ... Read more

Product Description
New Judge Dee Mysteries ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Other Judge Dee Stories Are Better Than This? Hurrah!
By chance I read this, the thirteenth Judge Dee book, before reading any of the previous stories. Judging from some of the other comments, I am in for a real treat because while I greatly enjoyed this installment in this unique detective series, the others are reputedly much better. Hurrah for that.

The Judge Dee books were written by China scholar, linguist, and diplomat Robert Van Gulik (1910-1967) mostly between 1950 and his premature death. Judge Dee is a 7th century Confucian magistrate and detective. Van Gulik got onto writing his own detective stories after translating a book of 18th century Chinese detective stories set in the 7th century and featuring "Judge Dee" (or Ti Jen-chieh).

'Murder in Canton' takes Judge Dee to that southern city to covertly investigate the disappearance of a high central government official (Imperial censor). Dee is accompanied by his two aides Chiao Tai and Tao Gan as they unravel the apparently traditional "three puzzles". They find themselves caught in a web of intrigue that includes a possibly rebellious Arab, a sensuous Arab dancer, wealthy Cantonese merchants and financiers, part-Persian slave girls and dead bodies left and right. Van Gulik uses his knowledge of China to weave fascinating details of 7th century Canton into his tale, including his own illustrations (some quite pleasantly, umm, revealing).

Interesting, educational, and an awful lot of fun to read. I look forward to the rest of series with most un-Confucian desire.

Disappointing End to an Enjoyable Series
Everyone who has read the entire Judge Dee series knows that while the writing is only fair, the settings and characters make all of these books a pleasant read.Unfortunately Murder in Canton, the last book in the Judge Dee series, is a poor way to end the adventures of this Chinese version of Sherlock Holmes.

The mystery itself is somewhat muddled and so uninteresting that I found myself nodding off during parts of the book.I ended up skimming through several parts of the novel and by the end I couldn't even remember who some of the suspects were!I have to say that even though the author basically uses the same plots over and over during this series, this particular book just didn't hold my interest.

Another disappointment was the fact that Ma Joong, one of Judge Dee's assistants, was completely absent from this book.He was always the funniest character in the series and he was sorely missed in this novel.

If you're like me and you enjoy reading a series in its entirety (I've actually read all of the Judge Dee books twice), then you should give Murder in Canton a try; just don't expect to be overwhelemed, because this is by far one of the weakest books in an otherwise good series.

good concept, but not very well written
I was intrigued by the concept of a detective mystery set in Tang Dynasty China.Unfortunately the author hasn't mastered the essentials of writing a really good novel.The characters didn't feel believable, the dialogue is stiff and unnatural, and the plot is slow-moving and contrived.

A great read!
Judge Dee is an imperial magistrate who travels the country solving mysteries and murders. Not content merely to judge cases as they come to court, Judge Dee investigates crimes himself.

Now Chief Lord Justice, Judge Dee is sent undercover to the city of Canton.His job: to find out what happened to the Court Censor.Was he murdered or has he disappeared for other reasons?Dealing with practised and conniving Imperial Court intriguers, Dee finds the case complicated as a host of foreigners are involved including a mysterious Arab with a curved sword and an exotic belly dancer.Undaunted, and with the help of his officers, the loyal Tao Gan and Chiao Tai, Dee sets out to unravel the case.

Judge Dee was practising in the 7th century but the writer, Robert Van Gulik, was a Dutch diplomat living in China in the early 20th Century.Interested in Chinese history, he decided to write a series of detective novel based old Chinese stories. Beautifully written, each Judge Dee story is a pearl of literature.The English is beautiful yet modern, easy to read yet evocative of the China that existed over 13 centuries ago.

Another chapter in a unique series
This book is part of Van Gulik's unique series of Judge Dee novels which chronicle the cases investigated by the famous magistrate of classical Chinese detective stories. A staple of the Judge Dee stories are the multi-layered plot and accurate historical details of ancient Chinese culture and practices and this book does not disappoint in both areas.

In this chapter of the series, Judge Dee is assigned to the city of Canton to investigate the disappearance and subsequent murder of a Chinese noble. Numerous side plots are thrown into the mix, involving a blind cricket-catcher and mysterious Arabian assassins. All of which the Judge slowly unravels using ingenuity and plain, old-fashioned deductive prowess which is the highlight of all the books in the series. ... Read more

Product Description
Born in Holland in 1910 but raised in Java, Robert Hans van Gulik explored esoteric Buddhism and translated ancient texts, including an authentic Chinese 16th century detective novel, around which he created a fictional series. Based on extensive research, renowned author Janwillem van de Wetering, whose life and career parallels that of his subject, examines van Gulik's life and work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a thorough joy
Van Gulik was a unique personality -- a linguist, diplomat, scholar, historian,novelist and sensualist.He clearly was a hero and model and "ghost" for Van Wetering, an accomplished novelist in his own right.This book is an unusual biography of a singular man, as well as a conversation between Van Wetering and Van Gulik.There's nothing like it.If you read Van Gulik's Judge Dee novels, this is a wonderful appreciation of them.If you like Van Wetering's work, this is a fine insight into one of his most important inspirations. A thorough joy that can be visited again and again.

One interesting character writing about another one
Van de Wetering (a Dutch)is a very interesting author of quite unique"mysteries", set in a very everyday Amsterdam and also writesinterestingly about his experiences with Zen Bhuddism. Van Gulik was aDutch diplomat (before, during and after WW II), and a scientist working onChinese history and culture who could play old Chinese instruments andmastered calligraphy - and who wrote mysteries in an old Imperial Chinesesetting. Gulik is clearly one of Van de Wetering' s "heroes" andhe is very aptly portraited as an interesting person living in interestingtimes and doing interesting things.

Unieque life of an extraordinary thriller-writer by another!
Robert Hans van Gulik was a Dutch diplomat, a Sinologist -look it up! - a poet, musician, zoologist: and above all the author of the famous Judge Dee sequence of thrillers, set in T'ang China. Janwillem van de Wetering is a writer and ex-monk with a passionate interest in the East, and the ideal person to write Gulik's life - he died in 1967. Yet this book is out of print! PLEASE SOMEONE REPRINT IT SOONEST!! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

A Wonderous Mystery Read and an Ancient Chinese History Lesson.
Judge Dee is a detective (a magistrate) in seventh century China.The Judge Dee books are excellent mystery novels and fascinating history books.If you like mystery novels mixed with some wonderful history, these books are for you.

phantom of the temple
A great book by a very good sinologist.Best thing the communists did to him was to put him under house arrest when he was there as a dutch diplomat.If you love historical detective fiction, you will love this

Window Into Seventh Century China
The Phantom of the Temple begins with the strange discovery of a severed head and an accompanying body in an abandoned Buddhist Temple.Oddly, the severed head does not belong to the decapitated body.The respected Judge Dee is brought in to resolve this mystery.A simple murder soon turns into a complicated tale of theft, kidnapping and heresy.

One of the pleasures of reading mystery novels is that they are a window into another time and place.There is no better tour guide into this foreign realm than a detective.The detective can go anywhere and ask any question.In "The Phantom of the Temple" our guide to Seventh Century China is chief magistrate, Judge Dee.

The venerable Judge Dee is the creation of the noted Sinologist, Robert Van Gulik and he is the lead character in seventeen mystery novels."The Phantom of the Temple" was first published in 1966 and is still in print.In the turbulent world of mystery fiction, it is a rarity to see a mystery novel still published after forty two years.The series survives because Judge Dee is a great creation and more importantly because Seventh Century China is such a different world.This is my first foray into the Judge Dee series and I look forward to reading as many of them as I can find.Highly recommended.

This is not that Taoist temple
But an abandoned temple with gold hidden in it. Murders happened around the gold, and there was a phantom dressed in white wandering in the temple...

Multiple Murders - And A Bear
A storm forces Judge Dee to stay overnight in a Taoist temple.There he finds he must investigate the poisoning of one religious young woman, the disappearance of two other women, a possible ghost, a possibly murderedabbot, and numerous suspicious living men and women.All his questions areanswered, but administering justice strains his moral code. ... Read more

Product Description
Master detective Judge Dee sets out to solve a puzzling double murder and discovers that complicated passions lurk beneath the seemingly tranquil landscape of academic life. A student has been murdered; a beautiful poetess is accused of whipping her maidservant to death; and further mysteries lie in the shadows of the Shrine of the Black Fox.

"The China of old, in Mr. van Gulik's skilled hands, comes vividly alive again." --Allen J. Hubin, New York Times Book Review

"If you have not yet discovered Judge Dee, I envy you that initial pleasure . . . the discovery of a great detective story. For the magistrate of Poo-yan belongs in that select group headed by Sherlock Holmes." --Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

"Pleasing as a cup of jasmine tea." --Parade of Books

Robert van Gulik (1910-67), a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture, drew his plots from the popular detective novels that appeared in seventeenth-century China. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Death at a Literary Tea Party
Judge Dee is the guest of his fellow magistrate Lo Kwan-choong who is also a dabbler in the art of poetry.A rich man, Lo's official residence is in the palace of the former Ninth Prince who was executed years ago for plotting against the Emperor. The banquet Lo is giving has a small but select guest list.Five illustrious poets, four men and a woman, all literary stars of the day feast on fine food, recite snatches of poetry and toast their host.

But during the fireworks display the dancer hired to perform for the company is murdered.Judge Dee knows that one of the guests must be guilty, but which one?He discovers that the crime actually has roots in the old plot against the Emperor...

This lovely atmospheric mystery has a simple but well-executed plot.I find myself returning to this slender volume time after time, not so much for the story as for the sheer aesthetic pleasure in contemplating the passion, poetry and literary atmosphere of ancient China.

Good for Background Material
This isn't the kind of book to pick up if you're looking for an intricate mystery full of twists and reversals, or for a thriller that will keep you eagerly turning the pages in a rush of excitement and dread. Good ol' Judge Dee doesn't really have to knock himself out too much to solve this problem; the clues and confessions practically come crawling and whimpering to him.

But if you're interested in a different setting than usual, this might be your...um...cup of tea. It's set in a China of hundreds of years ago, with a society that's different from the West in many of its attitudes but all too similar in basic human fears and needs.

The characterization is not too deep, but you can find a good amount of material here about customs and clothing and buildings and food. The period details, in other words, are really more important than the plot.

This is a good tool for a fantasy role-player doing some research for her next character. Or, if you only have a couple of hours and you need something to read, this slim little volume is not a bad choice. Just don't expect to be blown away in wonder.

The strength of this book lies not in the story...
As far as plot goes, this book isn't all that great. Van Gulik wrote his Judge Dee stories in his spare time and apparantly didn't have a lot of it.What makes this book worth reading, though, is the impecable recreation ofclassical Chinese society and Confucian social structure.That being keptin mind, this book is a worthy read. ... Read more