Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants

Murder, Mystery, and Courtroom Dramaa"e;Chinese Style! Sanxia wuyiaa ac?later revised and called Qixia wuyia a ac? is a semi-historical narrative of adventure, crime-detection, and courtroom drama. It revolves around the famed Song dynasty magistrate, Bao ZhengaA ...ae999-1072), who is more commonly known as Magistrate Bao (Bao GongaA ...a... and is the quintessential incorruptible government official. This novel, derived from the oral narrative attributed to the Qing storyteller Shi YukuncYcZa''(fl. 1870s), was first published in 1879, after undergoing a complex and fascinating textual evolution. The non-historical component of narrative, which represents the creative genius of the storyteller and his tradition, revolves around a group of compelling heroes and gallantsa"e;foremost among them are Zhan ZhaoaaeE -, Hero Par Excellence, Jiang Pinge"e;GBPa', Diplomat Supreme and Unparalleled Underwater Genius, Ai Hue?e(TM)Z, Youngest of the Tried and True, and the beloved Bai Yutangc(TM)1/2cZa Gallant of Incomparable Elegance and Passion.Susan Blader is Professor in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Literatures at Dartmouth College.