Van Gulik, Robert

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An) (Detective Stories)

Average customer rating:

Interesting , Vivid ,Cannot stop reading once u have started
Different detective
Dee Goong An
Interesting change of pace
Different type of mystery novel

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An) (Detective Stories)

Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories (Judge Dee Mysteries)
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ASIN: 0486233375

Book Description

Authentic 18th-century Chinese detective novels. Dee and associates solve 3 interlocked cases: The Case of the Double Murder at Dawn, The Case of the Strange Corpse, and The Case of the Poisoned Bride. 9 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting , Vivid ,Cannot stop reading once u have started .......2007-05-28

I am a Chinese and found the author has translated this book in a very professional way even i myself was amazed by the whole bench of Chiese Classical Books being used as references . This book precisely described the background , culture and state of mind of the people living in the Tang Dynasty .It is a good Chinese detective book , i just cannot stop reading .Hope u will enjoy this book too .

Different detective.......2007-02-24

For the reader that enjoys detective books this is a must- especially if he/she prefers an historical context. Robert van Gulik, a diplomat familiar with oriental culture writes with talent and methodically- for a good detective story to be developed it is required. The only critisism that one might say is that there are some anchronisms as faras the chinese culture but they do not affect the stories. The Judge is a very intersting person that the reader sympathises with. Enjoy it.

Dee Goong An.......2005-12-17

This book and the fiction that Mr. Van Gulik wrote after 1945 are definitly not your run of the mill detective stories. The author, trained and serving as a diplomat in the orient, has a profound knowledge of Tang Dynasty China, its cutoms and traditions. My wife and I began reading them almost thirty years ago, a still "binge" every five years or so on the series.

Van Gulik used Dee Goong An as, I supect, a vehicle for his diplomatic traing and deeper understanding of the Chinese. The man writes in a scholarly, traditional, and slightly pedantic style that in no way obscures the charm of his subject. As a contempory review observed all of the "frail beauty and cruelty of the Tang's" are preserved. You must understand this, because Van Gulik attempts to recreate the genre accuratly. This is notable due to the idosyncrasies of our western detective mystery style, and the vast differences with their asian peers.

Fair to note that Mr. Van Gulik was a noted sinophile, and lived and died there. The preface and appendices are worth re-reading and the stage is then set for the rst of the series. Try to read this one (Dee Goong An) first! These are as follows:

1950 Chinese Bell Murders 668 AD
1952 Chinese Maze Murders 670 AD
1959 Chinese Gold Murders 663 AD
1960 Chinese Lake Murders 666 AD
1961 Chinese Nail Murders 676 AD
1962 Lacquer Screen 663 AD
1963 The Emperor's Perl 668 AD
1964 The Red Pavilion 668 AD
1965 The Monkey and the Tiger 666 AD
1965 The Willow Pattern 677 AD
1966 Phantom of the Temple 670 AD
1966 Murder in Canton 681 AD
1967 Judge Dee at Work 663 - 670
1967 Necklas and Calabash 668 AD
1968 Poets and Murder 668 AD

As with any serial literary undertaking not all of these books are of the same quality as Dee Goong An. Yet they are all worth reading again and again.

Interesting change of pace.......2004-12-23

An actual translation of a Chinese detective novel, this is good fun for mystery buffs, and especially for anyone familiar with van Gulik's Judge Dee series.

The Judge, with his familiar retinue, faces three puzzling mysteries. Some elements of this are reworked in later Dee novels: the poisoned-bride story inspired part of THE CHINESE GOLD MURDERS and the killer widow story was lifted and slightly altered for THE CHINESE NAIL MURDERS.

Nevertheless, this is a breath of fresh air for those who want something different. Readers curious about Chinese culture will appreciate the text and the notes, and will enjoy a good, readable translation.

To start on the fictional Judge Dee novels, start with THE CHINESE GOLD MURDERS.

Different type of mystery novel.......2003-05-13

This is a reprint of a detective novel written in the 18th century that is set in 7th century China. Written by someone well versed in Chinese law, it outs three of Judge Dee's most famous cases together into one novel. Judge Dee was a district Magistrate, a combination prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner (if necessary). Magistrates had pretty wide authority to interrogate anyone, and use any method to get a confession, including beatings and torture. But, if a Magistrate executed someone who was later found to be innocent (for instance), the Magistrate was executed.

In the first case, a pair of silk merchants spend the night at a hostel in a certain town. The next morning, just outside of town, one of them is found dead. The local Warden (the town policeman) immediately accuses the hostel owner of killing, then robbing, the merchant, something the hostel owner vigorously denies. The second case involves a young bride who is poisoned on her wedding night. In the third case, a young widow and her mother live alone. The widow's husband died a year previously under less than clear circumstances. Not only does the young widow lock herself in her room for half a day every day, she also gets very angry and belligerent toward her mother whenever any men come around; not just potential suitors, but any men. As Judge Dee investigates, and interroagtes both women, the circumstances of the husband's death get more and more mysterious.

Chinese detective novels are very different than their western counterparts. The culprit is introduced in the beginning of the story, and the interest is in seeing how the crime is solved. They tend to get very detailed, especially concerning the method of torture and execution, so a length of several hundred pages is common. This novel is one of the shorter ones that are available.

Book Description

Imperial China, T'ang dynasty, seventh century A.D.--home of imperial magistrate and detective Judge Dee. A near mythic figure in the 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. Van Gulik's popular Judge Dee stories, often based on actual cases, offer a vivid insight into life in traditional China.

The time is 699 A.D. The place is Poo-yang, a large flourishing district in Kaingsu Province, where Judge Dee must investigate two deaths--the heart failure of a rower in the annual boat race and a murder committed in a deserted and possibly haunted country estate. Folklore surrounding the River Goddess, the lost Emperor's pearl, and the cultivation of herbs plays a role in the mystery, as does the beautiful, mute, mad wife of a wealthy merchant.

"Here is a classic detective story, as crisply paced as if it were set in present-day New York, and far more exciting than many that are."--R. Schwartz, St. Louis Post

". . . attractive editions that include the author's extremely amusing pen-and-ink chinoiseries."--April Bernard, Newsday

"If you have not yet discovered Judge Dee and his faithful Sgt. Hoong, I envy you that initial pleasure which comes from the discovery of a great detective story. For the magistrate of Poo-yang belongs in that select group of fictional detectives headed by the renowned Sherlock Holmes."--Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

"The title of this book and the book itself have much in common. Each is a jewel, a rare and precious find."--Atlanta Times

Robert Van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeenth century.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2006-09-10

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.......2005-09-29

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.

Judge Dee at his best.......2004-04-05

More than half a century ago, Robert Van Gulik translated an ancient Chinese detective novel about a real-life Chinese magistrate named Dee Jen-Djieh who lived around 700 A.D.; evidently he had so much fun that he decided to write a few more Judge Dee mysteries of his own. "The Emperor's Pearl" is among his better ones. On the night of the dragon boat races in Poo-Yang district, the drummer of the boat favored to win the race collapses; turns out he's been poisoned. Judge Dee is called in to investigate, and finds out he has not one murder on his hands, but a whole string of deaths involving a missing domino, a malevolent river goddess, and the theft of the Emperor's Pearl, still unsolved after a hundred years. With the help of his trusty seargeant Hoong Liang and a lady wrestler named Violet Liang (no relation), Judge Dee unravels the tangled mess and puts everything to rights.

Unlike the classic Chinese detective novel which reveals in the beginning whodunit and focuses instead on how the crime was solved, "The Emperor's Pearl" is more like a contemporary novel in which we have to wait for the end for the resolution. There are some interesting plot twists and turns and enough surprises to satisfy the most diehard mystery fan. It's too bad Van Gulik didn't bring back the formidable Violet Liang in a subsequent novel; she's a delightful invention who's worth a book all by herself.

Enjoyable, classical mystery in Tang dynasty China.......2003-06-15

The annual boat race is a popular tradition in many Chinese cities near rivers and lakes. The festival provides an opporunity for feasting and betting, but in some cases it's an outgrowth of an older tradition. The capricious river goddess will not give good harvests unless celebrated once per year. When a drummer on one of the boats collapses and dies, the old folks are happy--they say that the Goddess claimed her sacrifice.

Suspecting human guilt, Judge Dee investigates--and finds complex stories of greed and passion, plus the legendary theft of an Imperial treasure a century ago.

This is an enjoyable mystery in the classical style--investigation of a puzzle. The story combines eternal human passions--greed, fear, lust--with he exotic culture of China 14 centuries ago. The characters are colorful, the investigation solid, and humor understated--what else would a mystery fan want?

--inotherworlds.com

Satisfying mystery in exotic setting.......2003-06-15

Judge Dee, a magistate in 7th century China, is forced by the weather to stop at a remote mountain monastery. There, while the storm rages, Dee observes suspicious behavior and hears stories of ghosts and vague accusations of murder.

The investigation shows the judge many secrets, some personal and some criminal, places him in danger of his life, and exposes to the reader the religions and manners of ancient China; surprisingly modern in some respects and almost unimaginable in others.

In the end, Dee's perception of human motivations as well as his logical mind allow him to redress injustice, improve the lives of several young people, and give the reader a solid solution to intellectual puzzles.

A mystery in the classical sense, this concentrates more on the plot than on characters, and gives a well-integrated lecture in history.
--[...]

Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories (Judge Dee Mysteries)
Average customer rating:

Judge Dee Short Stories

Wonderful Chinese detective stories - 7th Century style!

Sketches of the Judicial Life: China,Seventh Century

Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories (Judge Dee Mysteries)
Robert van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0226848663

Book Description

The eight short stories in Judge Dee at Work include characters from van Gulik's other mysteries. A "Judge Dee Chronology" at the back of the book shows how the stories fit together with the other fifteen novels on Judge Dee's life.

"Delightful novels, so scrupulously in the classic Chinese manner yet so nicely equipped with everything to satisfy the modern reader."--New York Times

"Entertaining, instructive and oddly impressive. Judge Dee, the officers of his tribunal and the people with whom he and they are concerned are interesting folk, and the world of crime, mystery, violence, lust, corruption and ceremony in which they move is formidably picturesque."--Times Literary Supplement

Robert van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeenth century.

Customer Reviews:

Judge Dee Short Stories.......2005-01-21

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!.......2000-07-19

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 more Judge Dee novels and stories. This collection of eight short stories is particularly interesting as it covers about 20 years in Judge Dee's career through several of his postings. The stories are extremely interesting, both for the wealth of historical detail as well as the actual mystery content. Judge Dee as a District Magistrate is the leading civilian authority but I found stories such as "The Red Tape Murder" particularly interesting when he clashes with military authorities. This gives Dr. Van Gulik the opportunity to introduce snippets about ancient Chinese history, particularly about the clashes with Korea and the Tartar offenses on China's Western borders. This is a period of Chinese history where very little is known - almost a sort of Chinese Dark Ages - so it is wonderful to learn more about that time, also about the social customs of the era, which I found surprisingly modern, with the exception of the accepted practice of polygamy! If you are interested in historical mystery fiction, I would highly recommend the series. Also try the Sister Fidelma series about a mystery solving nun in Dark Ages Ireland - it is equally atmospheric!

Sketches of the Judicial Life: China,Seventh Century.......2000-06-13

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 organised empire, with its representative in the various cities which serve as venues for the stories, the Magistrate, in the person of Judge Dee.

Robert Van Gulick's picture of Chinese life, crafted from his own extensive study of China, both underpins and overlays these elegant detective stories. Those inhabiting these stories are truly the inhabitants of the places: walking through 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 various colourful assistants and lieutenants, who do most (but not all) of the Tribunal's leg work. Criminals, victims, witnesses, and others along the way complete the fascinating tableaux.

There are references to the various Judge Dee novels at the beginning of each story providing a context within the magistrate's career. Numerous line drawings by the author gently illuminate the stories.

The Chinese Gold Murders: A Judge Dee Detective Story (Judge Dee Mysteries)
Average customer rating:

Like no other Book

superb Asian-flavored mystery

DEE-LIGHTFUL!

Great opening entry to a fascinating series!

A must for historical mystery fans

The Chinese Gold Murders: A Judge Dee Detective Story (Judge Dee Mysteries)
Robert Van Gulik
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060728671
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Book Description

In this, the second book in Robert van Gulik's classic mystery series of ancient China, Judge Dee must look into the murder of his predecessor. His job is complicated by the simultaneous disappearance of his chief clerk and the new bride of a wealthy local shipowner.</p>

Meanwhile, a tiger is terrorizing the district, the ghost of the murdered magistrate stalks the tribunal, a prostitute has a secret message for Dee, and the body of a murdered monk is discovered to be in the wrong grave. In the end, the judge, with his deft powers of deduction, uncovers the one cause for all of these seemingly unrelated events.</p>

Customer Reviews:

Like no other Book.......2005-10-16

If you are looking for something completely different in mysteries, I recommend the Judge Dee books. Set in China in the 600's. Judge Dee is compared to Sherlock Holmes. Very well written with a lot of cultural information. Never dull.
The Chinese Gold Murders introduces Dee and his cohorts. Solving murders in oriental fashion. Not sparing detail on the punishment of the guilty.

superb Asian-flavored mystery.......2005-03-11

Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE CHINESE GOLD MURDERS in which Judge Dee Dee investigates the murder of his predecessor -- a Magistrate who now stalks the neighborhood as a ghost.

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!

DEE-LIGHTFUL!.......2004-08-30

Imagine a Sherlock Holmes from the 6th century China, complete with flowy beards and costumes to match. Folklores. Long horse rides. Noodles and ricewine in roadside restaurants. Mysterious drunks and poets in clandestine wenches. Warriors turned highway men. Weretigers (I had to look it up), the feline equivalents of werewolves.

And cast amidst this historically vivid milieu, a gory murder of a district magistrate, whose ghost has scared many since his sudden demise.

For its twisted and edge-of-the-seat plot alone, this hidden little gem bags my higest recommendation. Most mystery thrillers have the reader thinking of prospective culprits as they read along, but I had a tough time establishing some sort of motive or identifying targets until nearly the end of the Gold Murders.

And that's only half the fun. Gulik's measured prose has a cultured elegance that brings China's simple yet layered world of nearly two centuries ago springing back to life. It's witty. It's ribald, with a tight economy of description, which makes it twice as juicy. And it's chockfull of deceit and honour in the noblest of ways.

An engaging but human good old fashioned tale of intrigue. Easily one of the best detective novels I've ever had the luxury of devouring.

Great opening entry to a fascinating series!.......2001-05-11

This is the first of a series of Judge Dee novels set in seventh-century China. Judge Dee is an Imperial Magistrate who in the course of his job, is posted all over the Imperial Chinese Empire. He has a keen interest in solving crimes and is interested in interacting actively with the people around him. The novel opens with Dee leaving the imperial capital for the district of Peng-lai, near the Korean border. This is his first posting as District Magistrate. He leaves accompanied by his adviser Sergeant Hoong and on the way, meets two highwaymen, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai. Impressed by his forceful personality, the two men decide to give up their life of crime and become officers of the tribunal under Judge Dee. Upon arrival in Peng-lai, Judge Dee has to deal with multiple crimes; his predecessor was murdered, the wife of a prominent businessman has disappeared, a tiger is terrorizing the locals, the judge's chief clerk has gone missing and there are suspicions that Peng-lai is a center for gold smuggling into Korea! Into this hotbed of crime, comes Judge Dee who is able to pull all the threads together and solve the crimes. I loved the wealth of historical detail in the book as well as the actual mysteries, and Judge Dee himself is refreshingly human and is amused by the antics of his underlings! Would highly recommend the book to all those interested in historical mysteries - it's great fun!

A must for historical mystery fans.......2000-05-17

Long before Brother Cadfael, there was Judge Dee. The series started in the 1950s but they are modelled after Judge Dee mysteries written in early China. In this adventure, Judge Dee arrives at a new post and must solve the murder of his predecessor. As with all of his adventures, there are several side mysteries to unravel. Well written and skillfully plotted, the Judge Dee mysteries are must reads.

Average customer rating:

Judge Dee & Old Chinese Justice
Great!

The Willow Pattern: A Judge Dee Mystery
Robert van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0226848752

Book Description

As Judge Dee copes with the administration of the plague-ridden Imperial Capital, he must also bring his skills to bear on the mystery of two seemingly unconnected murders that could mean the extinction of the city's oldest, most aristocratic families.

"All the charm, cruelty and fragile magic of China in the Tang Dynasty."--Chicago Sun-Times

"A tense and exotic mystery."--Publishers Weekly

Robert van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from popular detective novels that appeared in the seventeenth century.

Customer Reviews:

Judge Dee & Old Chinese Justice.......2004-09-20

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 weapons on 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!.......2000-10-14

This book is great! I have read it 4 times!

Poets and Murder: A Judge Dee Mystery (Gulik, Robert Hans Van, Judge Dee Mystery.)

Average customer rating:

Good for Background Material
The strength of this book lies not in the story...

Poets and Murder: A Judge Dee Mystery (Gulik, Robert Hans Van, Judge Dee Mystery.)
Robert van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0226848760

Book 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.

Customer Reviews:

Good for Background Material.......2000-09-30

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..........1999-05-08

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 of classical Chinese society and Confucian social structure. That being kept in mind, this book is a worthy read.

The Phantom of the Temple: A Judge Dee Mystery

Average customer rating:

This is not that Taoist temple
Multiple Murders - And A Bear

The Phantom of the Temple: A Judge Dee Mystery
Robert van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226848779

Book Description

Imperial China, T'ang dynasty, seventh century A.D.--home of imperial magistrate and detective Judge Dee. A near mythic figure, Judge Dee distinguished himself as tribunal magistrate, inquisitor, and public avenger. Long after his death, accounts of his exploits were celebrated in Chinese folklore.

In The Phantom of the Temple, three separate puzzles--the disappearance of a wealthy merchant's daughter, twenty missing bars of gold, and a decapitated corpse--are pieced together by the clever judge to solve three murders and one complex, gruesome plot.

"This is one of the best, a spooky, even grisly, tale of a double murder and decapitation, a missing girl named Jade, and stolen gold hidden in a deserted temple supposedly haunted by a phantom woman."--Publishers Weekly

"If you have not yet discovered Judge Dee and his faithful Sgt. Hoong, I envy you that initial pleasure which comes from the discovery of a great detective story. For the magistrate of Poo-yang belongs in that select group of fictional detectives headed by the renowned Sherlock Holmes."--Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

Robert Van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeenth century.

Customer Reviews:

This is not that Taoist temple.......2005-09-19

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.......2000-06-06

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 murdered abbot, and numerous suspicious living men and women. All his questions are answered, but administering justice strains his moral code.

The Chinese Maze Murders: A Judge Dee Mystery (Gulik, Robert Hans, Judge Dee Mystery.)

Average customer rating:

A favorite Judge Dee mystery
chinese culture fan
Learning about China through detective stories
great story from a dark age
Compelling stories of deduction

The Chinese Maze Murders: A Judge Dee Mystery (Gulik, Robert Hans, Judge Dee Mystery.)
Robert van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Police Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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The Haunted Monastery: A Judge Dee Mystery (Judge Dee Mystery/Robert Van Gulik)

ASIN: 0226848787

Book Description

Judge Dee is lured into the heart of the Governor's garden maze to solve three interwoven mysteries: "The Case of the Murder in the Sealed Room," "The Case of the Hidden Testament," and "The Case of the Girl with the Severed Head."

Robert van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from popular detective novels that appeared in the seventeenth century.

Customer Reviews:

A favorite Judge Dee mystery.......2007-04-18

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.......2005-09-25

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

Learning about China through detective stories.......2005-07-19

I like detective stories and detectives, from Sherlock Holmes to Wallander. However, I have grown tired of the usual Western settings, and fed up with squalor for squalor's sake, or even for the sake of proving one's literary talents.When I came across in an Italian translation the French novels by the Tran Nhut sisters, I realized that detective novels can be an effective means for learning about new cultures, countries, ages, civilizations. I quickly came to suspect that the Tran Nhut's main investigator, mandarin Tan, was a variant of an original sleuth, but who was he? Well, I soon found out by reading an interview with the Tran Nhut sisters, who candidly refer to Rober van Gulik's Judge Dee. Van Gulik's style is quaint and amazingly precise in the description of buildings, furniture, and vegetation. One does have the feeling of having left the slums of any Western city for good, no longer is the depressed reader led to identify with an even more depressed character like Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander. Judge Dee is consciencious, high minded, and rather inscrutable. He is often busy with many other administrative and political problems, crime being only one sector of his multifarious duties. The whole of Imperial China opens up for us in this novel, including a contrast between Taoism and Confucianism.

great story from a dark age.......2005-01-23

Of the fairly extensive Judge Dee-series, 'The Chinese Maze Murders' comes out as one of the best. Written in 1956 by Robert Van Gulik, Dutch diplomat and scientist on ancient China. His Judge Dee is a 20th-century copy of a Chinese magistrate who lived from 630-700. Old Judge Dee had a reputation for solving complicated crimes, and thus lived on in Chinese folk tales for many ages afterwards. Van Gulik's Judge Dee-plots partly come from these tales.

'The Chinese Maze Murders' takes us back to the provincial town of Lan-Fang. Situated far away, at the huge Chinese Empire's north western border. Judge Dee, newly arriving there, has been appointed its magistrate. He gets into trouble rightaway, and has to deal with three complicated crimes on top of that. All set in Chinese society around the year 680.

As usual, Van Gulik extensively explains the ways Judge Dee solves his crimes. He takes them on bit by bit, so by ending this book their logic complexities will be fully clear to you. After a delightful read. You'll be impressed by the ingenious way Van Gulik has set up his plot.

Compelling stories of deduction.......2001-06-08

Van Gulik's Judge Dee series are fairly unique for the unfamiliar settings and historical Chinese literature his plots are based on. Like the previous books, the good judge is again called to investigate several mysterious cases (all at once), the most interesting being the murder of a retired general in a room locked from the inside.

While the cleverly-woven plots and investigations are the high point of all the books in the series, the wonderful little details of people and life in ancient China are a learning experience as well. The accuracy of these details comes as no surprise as the author was once the Dutch ambassador to China. Highly recommended for fans of classic stories of deduction.

The Monkey and the Tiger: Two Chinese Detective Stories
Average customer rating:

Excellent murder mysteries set in Ancient China

The Monkey and the Tiger: Two Chinese Detective Stories
Robert Hans Van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0226848698

Book Description

The Monkey and The Tiger includes two detective stories, "The Morning of the Monkey" and "The Night of the Tiger." In the first, a gibbon drops an emerald in the open gallery of Dee's official residence, leading the judge to discover a strangely mutilated body in the woods--and how it got there. In the second, Dee is traveling to the imperial capital to assume a new position when he is separated from his escort by a flood. Marooned in a large country house surrounded by fierce bandits, Dee confronts an apparition that helps him solve a mystery.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent murder mysteries set in Ancient China.......2000-11-02

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.

The Lacquer Screen: A Chinese Detective Story (A Judge Dee Mystery)

Average customer rating:

utter refinement
The Lacquer Screen : A Chinese Detective Story (A Judge Dee

The Lacquer Screen: A Chinese Detective Story (A Judge Dee Mystery)
Robert van Gulik
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Police Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0226848671

Book Description

Early in his career, Judge Dee visits a senior magistrate who shows him a beautiful lacquer screen on which a scene of lovers has been mysteriously altered to show the man stabbing his lover. The magistrate fears he is losing his mind and will murder his own wife. Meanwhile, a banker has inexplicably killed himself, and a lovely lady has allowed Dee's lieutenant, Chiao Tai, to believe she is a courtesan. Dee and Chiao Tai go incognito among a gang of robbers to solve this mystery, and find the leader of the robbers is more honorable than the magistrate.

"One of the most satisfyingly devious of the Judge Dee novels, with unusual historical richness in its portrayal of the China of the T'ang dynasty."-—New York Times Book Review

"Even Judge Dee is baffled by Robert van Gulik's new mysteries in The Lacquer Screen. Disguised as a petty crook, he spends a couple of precarious days in the headquarters of the underworld, hobnobbing with the robber king. Dee's lively thieving friends furnish some vital clues to this strange and fascinating jigsaw."-—The Spectator

"So scrupulously in the classic Chinese manner yet so nicely equipped with everything to satisfy the modern reader."-—New York Times

Robert Van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeenth century.

Customer Reviews:

utter refinement.......2005-10-02

Some 1,350 years ago Judge Dee was a real existing magistrate in ancient China. Gaining himself a reputation for solving crimes, he lived on in Chinese folk tales for many decades afterwards. In the mid-20th century Dutch diplomat and China-scientist Robert van Gulik used these tales to write his Judge Dee-novels.

'The lacquer screen' is one of these. At first sight it contains all usual qualities of a Judge Dee-novel. Such as a few complicated & intelligent plots, logically explained to the reader in the course of the story. Such as a chosen setting, its atmosphere penetrating the novel from start to finish. Such as a close cooperation between Judge Dee and his assistents, this time only one of them. Such as a lively picture of ancient Chinese society, from the upper layers down to the poorest.

In this novel the plot shows a refined literary touch, that fully develops at the end. Its story is set in a neighboring district where Judge Dee lacks authority. In compensation his one assistent is both intelligent and physically strong -- in this way influencing the plot's development. And we see Judge Dee intensively communicate with his colleague-magistrate, as well as with the local beggar's community.

What makes 'The lacquer screen' special in the Judge Dee-series, is its refined literary double-bottom emerging at the end. Even surprising an experienced Judge Dee-reader, this development makes another stunning example of Van Gulik's ingenuity. For this reason his Judge Dee should live on in the same way Sherlock Holmes does.

The Lacquer Screen : A Chinese Detective Story (A Judge Dee.......2000-04-27

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 traditional Chinese detective story style. The lacquer screen is presented as a supernatural object but Dee manages to return it to everyday world. A book recommended for the Van Gulik followers.

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