The Haunted Monastery
Encyclopedia
The Haunted Monastery 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
.
The book contains eight illustrations by the author as well as a diagram of the Monastery where the action takes place.
in 1961. The Red Pavilion
was also similarly printed that year, The Lacquer Screen
followed in 1962). All three were produced in paperback form with a print run of 2,000 copies. The Haunted Monastery was finally published in the UK by Heinemann in 1963.
and James Hong
). Writing was credited to Nicholas Meyer
and Robert van Gulik. It was nominated for and Edgar Award
, for Best Television Feature or Miniseries in 1975.
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 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...
.
The book contains eight illustrations by the author as well as a diagram of the Monastery where the action takes place.
Plot introduction
Judge Dee and his three wives are on their way back from a visit to family in the capital accompanied by the Judge's aid Tao Gan when a terrible storm forces the party to take shelter for the night in an isolated Taoist monastery of sinister repute. The wives go directly to bed but the Judge is required to pay a courtesy visit to the Abbot. Thus begins an endless night of murder, mayhem and madness as the Judge, suffering from the beginnings of a head cold, solves the mysterious deaths, punishes the guilty and brings two star-crossed young couples together. 'I ought to give up being a magistrate and set up for a matchmaker!' he says in disgust.Literary significance and criticism
"Some interesting sidelights on Confucian and Taoist beliefs emerge from this tale of corruption and murder in a monastery, where Judge Dee runs into considerable danger but ends up administering justice in a primitive way. Perhaps because it is short and somewhat huddled, this work does not remain in the memory as one of his best."Publication
Van Gulik found his London publisher Michael Joseph unwilling to publish more than one title a year so he decided to publish The Haunted Mystery privately by the Art Printing Works in Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
in 1961. The Red Pavilion
The Red Pavilion
The Red Pavilion 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.The book features six illustrations by the author and a map of...
was also similarly printed that year, The Lacquer Screen
The Lacquer Screen
The Lacquer Screen 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.The book features fourteen illustrations by the author.-Plot...
followed in 1962). All three were produced in paperback form with a print run of 2,000 copies. The Haunted Monastery was finally published in the UK by Heinemann in 1963.
On Screen
In 1974 the novel The Haunted Monastery was produced as a TV movie by Gerald Isenberg with the title Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071703/. It was filmed with an all Asian cast (including MakoMako (actor)
, born , was an Oscar- and Tony-nominated Japanese actor. Many of his acting roles credited him simply as Mako, omitting his surname. -Early life:...
and James Hong
James Hong
James Hong is an American actor and former president of the Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists . A prolific acting veteran, Hong's career spans over 50 years and includes more than 350 roles in film, television, and video games.-Early life:Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His...
). Writing was credited to Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer is an American screenwriter, producer, director and novelist, known best for his best-selling novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and for directing the films Time After Time, two of the Star Trek feature film series, and the 1983 television movie The Day After.Meyer graduated from...
and Robert van Gulik. It was nominated for and Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
, for Best Television Feature or Miniseries in 1975.