The Emperor's Pearl

POSTSCRIPT

Judge Dee was a historical person, a famous statesman of the Tang dynasty, who lived from 630 to 700 a.d. During the first half of his career, when he was serving as magistrate in various districts, he solved a great many mysterious crimes. Even today, therefore, Judge Dee is remembered by the Chinese people as their master-detective, his name being as familiar to them as Sherlock Holmes is to us. The adven­tures related here, however, are entirely fictitious.

Note that in Judge Dee's time the Chinese did not wear pigtails; that custom was imposed on them after 1644 A.D., when the Manchus had conquered China. The men did their hair up in a top-knot, and wore caps both inside and outside the house. They did not smoke; tobacco and opium were introduced into China only many centuries later.

Robert van Gulik