The Chinese Lake Murders
Encyclopedia
The Chinese Lake Murders is a detective novel written by Robert van Gulik
and set in Imperial China
(roughly speaking the Tang Dynasty
). It is a fiction based on the real character of Judge Dee
(Ti Jen-chieh or Di Renjie), a magistrate
and statesman
of the Tang
court, who lived roughly 630
–700
.
This book was originally written by Robert van Gulik sometime between 1953 and 1956. Like its predecessor, The Chinese Maze Murders
it was intended for a Japanese or Chinese audience but he later choose to publish it in English. The Chinese Lake Murder was written at roughly the same time as The Chinese Bell Murders
but remained unpublished for some years.
Han-yuan was also the setting for another story The Morning of the Monkey, a short novel in The Monkey and the Tiger
.
Robert van Gulik
Robert Hans van Gulik was a highly educated orientalist, diplomat, musician , and writer, best known for the Judge Dee mysteries, the protagonist of which he borrowed from the 18th-century Chinese detective novel Dee Goong An.-Life:Robert van Gulik was the son of a medical officer in the Dutch...
and set in Imperial China
Mid-Imperial China
Mid-Imperial China begins with the reunification of China by the short-lived Sui dynasty in 589. The Sui replaced the nine-rank system with the imperial examination and embarked on major public works such as connecting the various canals to form the Grand Canal...
(roughly speaking the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
). It is a fiction based on the real character of Judge Dee
Judge Dee
Judge Dee is a semi-fictional character based on the historical figure Di Renjie , magistrate and statesman of the Tang court. The character first appeared in the 18th century Chinese detective novel Di Gong An...
(Ti Jen-chieh or Di Renjie), a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
of the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
court, who lived roughly 630
630
Year 630 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 630 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Croats and Serbs settle in the...
–700
700
Year 700 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 700 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- North America :* The Mount Edziza volcanic complex...
.
This book was originally written by Robert van Gulik sometime between 1953 and 1956. Like its predecessor, The Chinese Maze Murders
The Chinese Maze Murders
The Chinese Maze Murders is a detective novel written by Robert van Gulik and set in Imperial China. It is a fiction based on the real character of Judge Dee , a magistrate and statesman of the Tang court, who lived roughly 630–700.However, van Gulik's novel is set not in the Tang, but in the...
it was intended for a Japanese or Chinese audience but he later choose to publish it in English. The Chinese Lake Murder was written at roughly the same time as The Chinese Bell Murders
The Chinese Bell Murders
The Chinese Bell Murders is a detective novel written by Robert van Gulik and set in Imperial China . It is a fiction based on the real character of Judge Dee , a magistrate and statesman of the Tang court, who lived roughly 630–700.This book was originally written by Robert van Gulik...
but remained unpublished for some years.
Plot introduction
In the year 666, Judge Dee, the newly appointed magistrate of the fictional town of Han-yuan, must solve three murders. Han-yuan is an isolated town famous for its floating brothels or "flower boats". The murders seem to be related but just how they are connected is a mystery. The whole investigation turns into a maze of political intrigue, sordid greed, and dark passions.Han-yuan was also the setting for another story The Morning of the Monkey, a short novel in The Monkey and the Tiger
The Monkey and the Tiger
The Monkey and the Tiger book pairs two unrelated short detective novels written by Robert van Gulik and set in Imperial China...
.