Bí Mật Quả Chuông

Judge Dee (Chronological order) #8

by Robert van Gulik, Nguyễn Văn Dân (Translator)

Bí Mật Quả Chuông là tác phẩm thứ năm trong bộ tiểu thuyết trinh thám quan án viết về Địch Nhân Kiệt - vị thần thám danh tiếng lẫy lừng triều Đường, dưới thời Võ Tắc Thiên trị vì.

Năm 668, Địch Công được điều chuyển làm Huyện lệnh của Phổ Dương, một trấn huyện yên bình. Trên mảnh đất trù phú này, những tội ác hiếm hoi đều được xét xử công minh, trừ một vụ án dở dang mà vị Huyện lệnh tiền nhiệm để lại: Nhi nữ một tiểu thương nghèo ở phố Bán Nguyệt bị cưỡng gian rồi sát hại. Chân tướng hung thủ đã rõ, nhưng y hết mực kêu oan. Nhờ đôi trâm vàng bị mất cắp, liệu Địch Công có thể lật án giải oan?

Trong trấn có một Phật tự nức tiếng gần xa vì bức tượng Phật Bà Quan m vô cùng linh nghiệm, nữ nhân muốn đến cầu tự tất sẽ toại nguyện. Là Phật Bà ban lòng từ bi hay ngôi chùa đang che giấu bí mật động trời?

Lương gia và Lâm gia, ban đầu là thông gia thân thiết, sau vì lòng ghen ghét đố kị mà họ Lâm trở mặt hãm hại cả nhà họ Lương. Đỉnh điểm của mối cừu thù đẫm máu này được giấu kín trong một quả chuông đồng. Liệu rằng nỗi oán thù chất chồng suốt hai chục năm có thể được hóa giải một cách thỏa đáng?

“Vượt ra ngoài vòng cương tỏa của việc phá án và nghiêm trị tội nhân, Địch Công còn có cái nhìn thấu đáo về bản chất con người và tội ác.”

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, China, Crime, Historical Mystery, Asia

404 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Robert Hans van Gulik was a Dutch diplomat best known for his Judge Dee stories. His first published book, The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, was a translation of an eighteenth-century Chinese murder mystery by an unknown author; he went on to write new mysteries for Judge Dee, a character based on a historical figure from the seventh century. He also wrote academic books, mostly on Chinese history.

Reviews

[Henry Avila · Rating 4 out of 5]

All looks calm in the apparently little, peaceful, beautiful walled northern town of Poo-yang, by the Great Canal as the new magistrate Judge Dee his three wives, numerous children, four cunning lieutenants Hoong Liang, Ma Joong, Chiago Tai , Tao Gan and loyal servants arrive there. After the usual formal celebrations , meetings, a grand banquet held, seeing the leading citizens and taking over from his able predecessor Judge Feng, only one murder case active . Still that has been solved already, just the just decision, a death penalty punishment to be carried out ( cutting off his head). The Tang dynasty of China in the seventh century, demands lots of paperwork, ( the Chinese invented this useful material, in this ancient land hundreds of years before) everything in its proper procedural way, the Empire and Emperor demands it, Dee has many documents to read and write. The new magistrate spends the first night studying them, two big candles illuminating the crowded desk, in his private tribunal office, drinking many cups of hot tea, eating cake, hour after hour alone until past midnight. Nevertheless the careful judge feels somewhat uncomfortable, Wang Hsien-djoong an unwise student the imprisoned, suspected killer of his lover Pure Jade, the daughter of a poor butcher, on shabby Half Moon Street claims he's innocent, but they all say that ... A curious, vastly wealthy Buddhist Temple of Boundless Mercy has attractive many rumors, something doesn't seem proper, they the monks say that a statue of a goddess on the premise, will bring children to infertile married women visitors, the grateful couple sends an appropriate gift of value when a miracle occurs. The abbot Spiritual Virtue, tries to bribe the honest judge with six heavy bars of gold and silver when Dee begins investigating the nervous monks, his lieutenants feel uneasy. Another temple, this time a deserted Taoist religious structure with a demonic reputation, needs to be looked at thoroughly, Transcendental Wisdom. Some weird sounds at night are heard often, chilling screams, unnatural, inhuman voices, apparitions seen, ghostly, moving lights appearing ....the towns citizens are quite reasonably scared to enter the haunted building, even criminals. A rich merchant from Canton, Lin Fan, with a dubious background has been living in this provincial city for five years, why? An old woman gives the tired Judge Dee, aged manuscripts, written by her Mrs. Liang, of the brutal crimes committed by Lin but are they genuine... a blood feud between the Liang and Lin families, has continued for decades. The bright judge with the help of his friends, have much work to do cleaning up this "quiet city"... The never dull but always very interesting Judge Dee detective books, by Robert van Gulik a Dutch diplomat and scholar, has written a superb story, it is no surprise...

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent period mystery that draws on the Chinese detective story legacy and diplomat van Gulik's extensive scholarship. Reading this book was like stepping into a time machine and travelling back in time to imperial China, so well realised is van Gulik's portrayal of the era. Judge Dee, a magistrate, is given a new posting and proceeds to clean up the town. Cerebral and often downright inscrutable, he is aided by a cohort of close associates who range from a stalwart sergeant to a former con man and is not above a bit of roughhouse himself in a pinch. Imagine a less vain Hercule Poirot with Holmes' brawling skills and you have a good idea of the character of Dee. Each mystery is brought to a satisfactory conclusion and much time is spent exploring the seedier sides of like in 7th century China. I loved this book and look forward to reading more, although it's going to be a long quest as this whole series is out of print.

[Ming Wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sort of far east version of UK Sherlock Holmes, as allot to offer the reader, a well detailed detective theme novel, that takes place within a very interesting period in time, I was surprised how quickly I began to enjoy this book, I could tell after the 1st 20 pages that I had made the right choice to read it, really well written, detective Dee (China), Sherlock Holmes (UK), Inspector K (Korea) all roles into one, the outcome of the story is not disclosed until the end (usually half way through a book, the reader knows the direction in which a story will finish, but not this story). No editorial issues, excellent book cover, very good book. really liked it.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I missed these completely. All of these Judge Dee books written 70 years ago or more. But I won't refrain from reading any I can presently find.

This is Northern China in the 6th and 7th centuries and the Magistrate of the District is Judge Dee. The characterizations are spectacular and the nuance for the period and the context of the Chinese under the Confucian structures just phenomenal. THE DETAIL! And yet every personality differs and has dozens of surfaces to moment and placement.

Fairness! Justice! Fighting the foul, evil deeded and more than both of those- the corrupt payments toward fraud and slimy allegiance. Judge Dee with his trusted mentor/assistant and his three main "lieutenants". Very good and highly entertaining reads. Translated from the Dutch, and if you find them? Do enjoy!

Be warned. The punishments are quite apace to those of Renaissance Europe. Both creative and horrifically torturous.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Chinese Bell Murders became the second of the Judge Dee series of novels that Van Gulik published, although in terms of the chronology of the series, it stands in eighth place. And it shows, for Bell Murders is quite different from the later Judge Dee books. It most resembles the original work, Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, which Van Gulik translated from the Chinese original. Like that novel, Bell Murders is a longer, more complex work. So too is its syntax, word usage, and level of overall language. To create a sense of historical distance, for example, Van Gulik eschews contractions for the most part. He also forgoes modern and contemporary idioms. The later Judge Dee books went away from this writing strategy. They were much shorter novels, with an almost hard-boiled air about them, with the language often lapsing into slang. To be frank, I enjoyed this older format more than the later ones. It created a better sense of time and place.

The story itself contains both enough mischief in it to surprise as well as shock when it leads into more gruesome aspects of criminality. Again, the pleasure in the novel is watching Dee operate and see the story, much of which the reader will anticipate before Dee does, play out so that it surprises him--even to the point of only having Dee put all the pieces together after he has executed the criminals. As such, there is always tension between the law and justice in Dee's world, which his emperor will even commend him for, because Dee figures out a way to come to terms with that tension.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved van Gulik's elegant prose & the simple illustrations that were with this book. I found the construction of the book's plot a bit hard (there are actually 3 different crimes) but will be prepared for that if I read another book in this series.

One criticism is that it would be very hard for the reader to solve the crime.

[Paul Galván · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro une de forma plausible dos de mis grandes pasiones: la ley y el lejano Oriente, por eso, anticipo que mi buena calificación está un poco sesgada por criterios subjetivos. Este era el tipo de lectura que estaba buscando, intima, divertida, ligera y con una dosis reflexiva. Ahora, que nadie se confunda creyendo que son historias tranquilas, por el contrario, el Juez Di, resuelve casos brutales, sangrientos y depravados; pero lo hace con abundante sabiduría, deducción y genialidad. Seguro terminaré por leerme todo lo que encuentre de este autor relacionado con el Juez Di. Por último, recomiendo esta lectura a los que gusten del misterio, la detectivesca y lo que mencioné atrás.

[Yibbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did no research before I got this book, absolutely none. I picked it off the shelf and thought it sounded so interesting that I was willing to risk wasting my money on a terrible book for the chance to read it. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by a book of traditional Chinese detective stories?
Then I read the introduction by Donald F. Lach. Mostly that introduction was about the author, Robert van Gulik. I wish I hadn’t learned so much about his other literary efforts. He chose to republish, for a select audience, ancient smut. And then my book flopped open to a very immodest picture. So I was starting to regret my hasty decision but warily forged ahead.
The stories, as it’s really three mysteries all tangled together, were really very well done. They all handled to some degree tales of rape, murder, pillage, fraud or treachery, but it was all handled so delicately that I really began to enjoy them as cozy mysteries. The setting was so very unlike anything I had read before that I didn’t mind the rather stock characters. It was a fun glimpse into ancient Chinese customs.
So after fixing the pictures and realizing that the stories would be relatively clean, I really enjoyed reading it.
I really appreciated the author’s postscript. He shares with us the traditional Chinese sources and practices that he used to build the characters and stories. That was most informative and explained some points of procedure that confused me throughout the story.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

И тук ван Хюлик държи читателя на тръни до последния момент, и го развежда из Китай от епохата на Тан.

За религията научаваме доста от подозрителен будистки храм. Най-тъмните кътчета на човешката душа са осветени от двайсетгодишна вражда на две влиятелни семейства и едно старо убийство.

Съдията Ди и енергичните му и колоритни помощници не оставят нито една загадка неразкрита и не приемат нищо за чиста монета.

[Mila · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75 stars

I quite enjoyed reading about these various mysteries but I think the one about a feud between two families took too much space and got repetitive.

[KIRIAKI(Dominica Amat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.dominicamat.gr/2021/10/bl...

Αγαπημένο μου,διαχρονικά,λογοτεχνικό είδος η αστυνομική λογοτεχνία. Θεωρώ -μπορεί να είμαι σωστή,μπορεί καί λάθος- πως μέσα από τα συγκεκριμένα βιβλία παίρνουμε μία γερή γεύση γύρω από το γίγνεσθαι μέσα στις κοινωνίες. Πολλές φορές σκέφτομαι πως είναι ένας τρόπος για να αντιληφθούμε το πως συμπεριφέρονται οι άνθρωποι,το πως αυτό επηρεάζει τις διαπροσωπικές τους σχέσεις καί τον αντίκτυπο που έχει εντέλει στο σύνολο. Έχοντας διαβάσει 4 έργα του συγγραφέα Ρόμπερ βαν Γκούλικ,με βασικό πρωταγωνιστή τον Δικαστή Τι,καί μείνει καθ'όλα ικανοποιημένη από αυτά,αντιλαμβάνεστε με πόση χαρά καί αδημονία περίμενα την έκδοση καί του επόμενου βιβλίου που θα βασιζόταν στις περιπέτειες του αγαπημένου μου ήρωα. Σειρά,λοιπόν,σήμερα είχε το νέο μυθιστόρημα με τίτλο ''Το αίνιγμα της κινέζικης καμπάνας" που δεν έχει πολύ καιρό που κυκλοφόρησε από τις εκδόσεις Μίνωας.

Το βιβλίο ''Το αίνιγμα της κινέζικης καμπάνας" πρωτοδημοσιεύτηκε το 1958 καί παρά το γεγονός πως μας χωρίζουν αρκετά χρόνια από τότε,καταφέρνει καί παραμένει ευκολοδιάβαστο,ενδιαφέρον καί σύγχρονο. Ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει σε αυτό το βιβλίο να μιλήσει πρώτη φορά για το ιστορικό πρόσωπο,Δικαστή Τι καί τις υποθέσεις που του είχαν ανατεθεί προς διαλεύκανση. Συγκεντρώνει,λοιπόν,τις ξεχωριστές ιστορίες καί τις ενώνει με φυσικό καί ομαλό τρόπο κάτω από ένα κοινό πλαίσιο με συνδετικούς κρίκους τον Δικαστή Τι,μα καί τα ήθη,έθιμα καί πεποιθήσεις που επικρατούσαν εκείνη την εποχή συνάμα με τον ρόλο που δινόταν καί έπρεπε να επιτελούν οι αρμόδιοι για να υπάρχει μία ισορροπία στις πολείς της κινεζικής αυτοκρατορίας.

"Που-Γιανγκ, 668 μ.Χ. Όταν ο Δικαστής Τι φτάνει στο Που-Γιανγκ, μια ακμάζουσα πόλη στην καρδιά της κινεζικής Αυτοκρατορίας της Δυναστείας των Τανγκ, για να αναλάβει τα καθήκοντα του περιφερειακού επιτρόπου, οι πολίτες περιμένουν γεμάτοι αγωνία να τον δουν να κλείνει την υπόθεση βιασμού και δολοφονίας της κόρης του κρεοπώλη με το όνομα Ατόφιος Νεφρίτης. Εντωμεταξύ, στην πόλη κυκλοφορούν παράξενες φήμες ότι ο πλούτος των βουδιστών μοναχών του ναού του Απέραντου Ελέους είναι αποτέλεσμα κάποιας σκοτεινής μηχανορραφίας. Επίσης, ο δικαστής καλείται να επιλύσει μια παλιά οικογενειακή έριδα που στιγματίζεται από αδίστακτα εγκλήματα. Τα τρία μυστήρια περιπλέκονται τόσο, που δείχνουν ανεπίλυτα. Με τη βοή­θεια όμως των πιστών βοηθών του, και χάρη στον δαιμόνιο νου και τις απίστευτες ικανότητές του, ο ντετέκτιβ θα βρει την άκρη του νήματος." (Περίληψη οπισθοφύλλου)

Τί είναι αυτό που με κάνει να προτιμώ τα βιβλία του εν λόγω συγγραφέα; Αρχικά,σημαντικό ρόλο παίζει ο τρόπος γραφής του. Άλλοτε πιο γλαφυρός κι άλλοτε πιο δωρικός καταφέρνει καί ιντριγκάρει τη σκέψη μου. Με ευφυείς ελιγμούς μας ανατρέπει τα όσα θεωρούμε ως δεδομένα προσκομίζοντας νέα στοιχεία καί δίνοντας μία διαφορετική εκδοχή των γεγονότων με αποτέλεσμα το μυστήριο να κρατεί καλά καί να μην ξέρουμε το τι μας επιφυλάσσει η επόμενη σελίδα. Έπειτα,τα βρίσκω ως μία καλή πηγή από την οποία ξεχύνονται σημαντικές γνώσεις καί πληροφορίες για το τι συνέβαινε εκείνα τα χρόνια στις πόλεις της αρχαίας Κίνας καί το πως λειτουργούσε το δικαστικό σύστημα. Παράλληλα,δίνεται μία καλή αφορμή για να γνωρίσουμε την κινέζικη αστυνομική λογοτεχνία. Τέλος,πάντα απολαμβάνω τις εικόνες που εσωκλείονται στις σελίδες του βιβλίου,οι οποίες βασίζονται στην κινεζική τεχνοτροπία καί σχεδιάζονται εξ ολοκλήρου από τον ίδιο τον συγγραφέα προσφέροντας ζωντάνια καί παραστατικότητα στο κείμενο.

Κλείνοντας το βιβλίο καί την αναφορά μου σε αυτό,έχω να πω πως για ακόμη μία φορά το απήλαυσα από την αρχή έως καί το τέλος. Ναι,είναι ένας ιδιαίτερος αναγνωστικός εθισμός -για μένα τουλάχιστον- τα βιβλία με τις υποθέσεις του Δικαστή Τι. Ένα επιπλέον υπέρ των βιβλίων είναι πως διαβάζονται με όποια σειρά επιθυμείτε καί αυτόνομα το καθένα. Γιατί,λοιπόν,να μην τα αναζητήσετε κι εσείς;

Καλά σας αναγνώσματα!

[Ver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this part of judge Di's adventures slightly less due to the way it was written. The cases themselves were interesting, however, at the beginning of the book the judge concluded that he resolved everything and I thought I must have missed something on the way. It turned out he explained that later. The cases were quite complex and there were three of them so I don't know how he could solve them at the beginning. However, later we learn the details during the further examination of the cases and that made more sense.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admirers of Robert van Gulik's always delightful Judge Dee mysteries have another treat in store with The Chinese Bell Murders. In this novel, Judge Dee is newly arrived in the city of Poo-Yang, and he begins by re-investigating a case that his predecessor, Judge Feng, could not complete since Feng had had to leave when he was reassigned to a new posting. In that case, an impoverished literary candidate named Wang was on the verge of being executed for the rape and murder of a butcher's daughter; however, Judge Dee cleverly and immediately realizes that the real culprit was someone else!

As in all Judge Dee novels, there are two more mysteries for Judge Dee to solve before the reader happily comes to the end: the case of a decades-long feud between two families who hail from Canton and some nefarious goings-on at a Buddhist temple. At the Temple of Boundless Mercy, barren women who spend the night, as often as not, later conceive. While the temple's abbot, who goes by the name of Spiritual Virtue, gives credit to the goddess Kwan Yin, Judge Dee suspects otherwise. Although in most Judge Dee novels the three mysteries are intertwined, in The Chinese Bell Murders, the mysteries stand alone and are solved consecutively.

In solving all three crimes, Judge Dee is ably assisted by his loyal and enterprising staff: a longtime family servant turned sergeant, Hoong; two former highwaymen, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai (whom Judge Dee first met in The Chinese Gold Murders) and the former conman, Tao Gan (who joined Judge Dee in The Chinese Lake Murders). What a pleasure to meet up with Judge Dee and his lieutenants again! While The Chinese Bell Murders was the third book that van Gulik wrote, the novel ranks eighth chronologically. None of that matters, however, as -- unlike with some mystery series, which must be read in order so as to make sense -- readers will enjoy Judge Dee novels in whatever order they read them.

Unlike most Judge Dee mysteries, The Chinese Bell Murders begins with an odd supernatural set-up. Readers new to Judge Dee should not let that put them off. The mysteries aren't the least bit twee, and all of the novels provide an illuminating glimpse into the 7th century China.

Judge Dee is based on a real-life Chinese magistrate during the T'ang Dynasty named Ti Jen-chieh, a name van Gulik simplified to Judge Dee Jen-djieh. Van Gulik first introduced Judge Dee to the West in Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, first published in 1949 (although not translated into English until 1976). As in the other novels, for the three cases in The Chinese Bell Murders, van Gulik took his inspiration from original ancient Chinese cases and 18th century Chinese detective stories, although van Gulik changes the case enough, removing much of the coincidence and supernatural elements so that he makes the stories his own.

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding and erudite entertainment, as expected from the Judge Dee series.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in a series featuring the Tang Magistrate Judge Dee, based on a real magistrate during that dynasty. Dee has a series of retainers who assist him in his work. It is the case throughout the series that when Dee comes to a new town, mysteries present themselves for him and his friends to solve. Generally there are several mysteries that seem to be linked together somehow, and I take the utmost in pleasure to watch the crimes unravel.

In his first case, Judge Dee finds himself in the Poo-yang district. Thinking himself lucky because there seems to be very little crime in this area, he is somewhat taken aback when he and his retainers have to deal with a rape/murder as well as several crimes all linked back to a feud between two of the district''s merchant families. But wait! There's more: it seems that there is some concern about certain Buddhist monks who are trying to swindle women who cannot get pregnant. If they give money to the temple, the women will supposedly conceive.

No strand of the story is left undone; Dee's detection skills, along with the help of his group of friends, ensures that there will be no crime left unsolved whenever the magistrate comes into a new area.

Highly recommended; do start with book 1 (the Haunted Maze) before you read the rest of the series.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

And I have now finished my once every decade re-read of the Judge Dee mysteries. Oh I know that individually none of them are exactly 5 star worthy but still I love them as much always. This one was the very first one that I read. It was recommended to me by the best college teacher I ever had (who wasn't teaching me something related to my music major, that is). She could see that I was enthusiastic about what I was learning in her class, Chinese History, and thought I might enjoy it. I devoured it in a day and was off tracking down all the other books in the series. I think I bragged to her before the end of the semester that I had read them all. The only mystery series that I had read before this was John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee novels. But van Gulik's entertaining yet still scholarly portrait of 7th century China was more interesting to me than the beaches of 60s Florida, geek that I am. And though I later for a decade or so became a true mystery genre fan, reading vast numbers of books by Elmore Leonard, Jim Thompson, Donald Westlake, Carl Hiaasen, and many more creators of cool cat crime solvers, I still think that Judge Dee and his faithful assistants are the way coolest of them all.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this book was great fun. I am unfamiliar with the history of Chinese detective novels (Actually, I was completely unaware China had a history of detective stories at all - Though come to think of it, why not? Every society has crime, and sometimes there are mysteries that need solving.)

I liked that there were 3 crimes solved in the book and that the timelines kind of overlapped. It felt much more realistic. In the real world, crimes don't happen one at a time, waiting for a magistrate to solve one before the next one occurs. I also really enjoyed Judge Dee's entourage - a little unsavory, but their motives are good.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes police procedurals, but is feeling a little bored with novels about contemporary police detectives. It's a nice change of pace.

[Donna LaValley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of at least 4 books about Judge Dee, a magistrate in ancient China who moonlights as a detective when cases brought to him in the tribunal, or court, puzzle him and he can’t rule in good conscience. The great distance in time and place make for interesting reading in this century.

There was a real Judge Dee, Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh, who lived from 630 – 700 AD. He was a Confucian scholar whose wisdom was widely known. His cleverly solved cases and appropriate judgments became stories that entered Chinese folklore. A Dutch diplomat to the Orient, Robert Van Gulick, was so taken with the Judge Dee folklore that he researched the actual cases of the Judge. His 1950’s books are the result of his translations and although they are labeled “fiction,” they are based on Van Gulick's research.

In this volume, Judge Dee looks into 3 cases. As the overall theme is social justice in Imperial China, the victims or criminals are from the poor classes as well as the wealthy. Using investigative techniques of the time, he employs help from members of the Beggar’s Guild, some dancing girls, and upstanding citizens. He trusts his mostly reformed “lieutenants” Ma Joong and Tao Gan. Dee applies Confucian wisdom when working out a problem. Dee, who had no patience with Buddhism or Taoism, exposed mysterious clerics who were schemers, and libidinous monks who guaranteed a pregnancy to wives who stayed overnight at their temple.

Judge Dee is a great hero for his time. He lived in Poo Yang with 3 wives and was a faithful husband. In solving his legal mysteries, he is clever, brave, and circumspect. Although he believed that justice outweighs human life, he was compassionate. The reader will admire him, and the author, and the amazing culture of ancient China, which was “civilized” so long before Europe.

I recommend it! I've read it twice.

[Lauri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vaatamata mõrvadele ja muudele vägivallategudele, mida kohtunik Dee kogu aeg lahendama peab, on tema vana-Hiina tegelikult üsna õdus paik. Selline, kus vitsutatakse täidetud krabisid, rüübatakse veini ja teed ja minnakse koju oma kolme naise juurde harmoonilist pere-elu elama. Seetõttu olid selle osa metsikused, karm vägivald ja elust suurem kättemaks rohkem nagu kodumaise Hargla Melchiori-sarja mõnest osast maha viksitud (muidugi on Melchior detektiivina palju hilisem tegelane ja autor Hargla polnud sel ajal kui van Gulik selle seikluse paberile pani veel sündinudki). Lõpuosa pikad üksikasjalikud kurjategijate hukkamisprotsessi kirjeldused annavad niigi süngele atmosfäärile veel mõjuva punkti.
Muidu on nagu ikka, kolm mõistatust, mis selles osas olidki kolm eraldi mõistatust, saladused ei põimunudki omavahel. Mahajäetud kloostrid, salakaubavedu, avalikud ja salajased vägistamised ja muidugi see elust suurem tagakiusamine ja hilisem kättemaks. Seda et kella alt luukere leiti on muidugi juba pealkaanelt näha, mu meelest oleks võinud mõne teise illustratsiooni pealkaaneks valida, see luukere leidmine oli siiski väikese eelpuändina ja ootamatusena mõeldud.
Üks kohtunik Dee sarja parimaid aga ka süngemaid osi.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une belle réussite d'analyse littéraire, tout autant pour son intrigue que pour son ésprit de l'époque. Van Gulik s'est inspiré des 3 romans, ou, plutôt nouvelles classiques sur le crime et le chatiment, expédié par des magistrats célèbres, autres que Ti Jieng-tie, et datant des périodes différentes, qui exposent néanmoins de manière fidèle la façon de procéder dans les enquêtes criminelles dans la Chine Classique.

-1 étoile à cause de l'usage du musclesman ex machina trop fréquent sur une certaine partie de l'intrigue.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back in the 1980s, my mother read all Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee books and loved them. I knew that, sooner or later, I would have to read at least one of them myself. Much, much later, I have finally done so, and I can see why Mom enjoyed them so much.

Three of Judge Dee's cases are covered in The Chinese Bell Murders: "Rape Murder in Half Moon Street," "The Secret Door of the Buddhist Temple," and "The Case of the Skeleton Under the Bell."

Judge Dee is often called the Sherlock Holmes of ancient China, and it's easy to see why. These cases are all about their ingenious mysteries, all about solving the puzzles. Judge Dee thinks nothing of donning disguises to get at the truth, and he is scrupulous at upholding the law, although not all of his able assistants are. I also appreciated the glimpse into the life and culture of 7th-century China.

This is a series that I feel I can come back to once in a while when I'm in the mood for a "Just the facts, ma'am" mystery. Even though I am a bone-deep character-driven reader, there is something to be said for occasionally solving a concise puzzle or two.

[Jack Orr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magistrate Judge Dee was playing chess in this one. Punishment in these times were absolutely nuts. Shoutout to Nanette for this rec

[Danny Gdr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bien qu’intéressant, l’intrigue est assez plate et les personnages principaux assez détestables.

[Doan Tien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đọc mấy vụ án trong cuốn này bức xúc ghê, đọc mà muốn chửi thề. Nhưng vụ nào vụ nấy cũng được Địch công xử lí và trừng trị thích đáng nên đọc xong thấy thỏa mãn thật. Còn cái twist thì không biết dùng từ gì để nói về nó ngoại trừ hai chữ mà Địch công dùng:"quái đản".

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, the first Judge Dee mystery I have read. The setting of Tang era China and the range of characters are all beautifully drawn and show the extent of van Gulik's scholarship and depth of his knowledge. There is none of the artificially historical in the place of the characters, the mystery is paramount and the setting, both time and place, just add to the enjoyment. Each of these interlinked mysteries is well plotted and enjoyable, everything is not what it seems at first and Judge Dee's intelligence and skill as he solves them makes them fun to read. He is a great character, thoughtful and intelligent, and his companions and family are also beautiful drawn.

[Jimmy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1974, I saw a movie on TV about an 18th century Chinese detective. What with the exciting mix of costumes, mystery, and history, the plot didn't stick with me, but the concept did. So I was thrilled to discover, in my stack of pending mysteries, that I had a book starring 18th century Chinese Judge (and as a result, detective) Dee.

Van Gulik, according to the preface in my book, began writing the Judge Dee stories, based on Tang dynasty historical figure/magistrate and statesman Di Renjie, to present Chinese-style detective novels that show the Chinese as they describe themselves in their own crime literature. This is in contrast (as he himself noted) to the stereotypical opium-addicted Mandarins with pigtails that appear in nineteenth-century literature.

With the Chinese Bell Murders, we have not just the titular murder - one that has to do with a generations-long family feud encompassing multiple victims. There is also the rape and murder of a young unmarried girl that greets Judge Dee upon his arrival in Poo-yang; a murder seemingly solved to the satisfaction of all but the Judge, who must delay until he can find a perpetrator more to his liking. And there is an interesting local Buddhist Temple that is guaranteeing the birth of a child to any wife who spends the night on their grounds... which seems suspicious, to say the least.

I could figure out the temple story, but the judge's solutions to these challenges were ingenious. Most enjoyable.

[Quỳnh · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bí mật quả chuông" là cuốn bi thảm nhất trong các tập Địch Công kỳ án mà mình đã đọc. Rất nhiều người chết, cả kẻ có tội lẫn người vô tội, đếm sơ sơ cũng được 30 mạng. Có cái chết khiến ta hả hê, có cái chết khiến ta day dứt khôn nguôi. Cả ba vụ án đều xuất phát từ lòng tham và dục vọng như vô vàn các vụ án Địch Công từng xét xử. Nhưng ở tội ác khủng khiếp nhất, lòng tham được hun đúc trở thành sự đố kỵ và lòng căm thù man rợ.

Một kẻ vì đố kỵ mà trở nên tàn độc không từ thủ đoạn, sẵn sàng ra tay hãm hại không chừa một ai. Ngay cả Địch Công cũng phải thốt lên: “Đây là câu chuyện dài thuật lại những vụ sát nhân tàn ác. Chắc các ngươi sẽ phải tự hỏi tại sao Ngọc Hoàng lại có thể cho phép những chuyện độc ác, bất công và tàn bạo như vậy xảy ra. Bản thân ta cũng ít khi thấy một vụ án nào đau lòng như thế.” Thế mà trong tim kẻ ác độc cũng có tình yêu, nhưng chỉ tình yêu thôi là không đủ để cứu rỗi

Một người thì nuôi căm hận trong lòng, lấy đó làm mục đích sống qua ngày và để ngọn lửa của nó thiêu rụi cả nhân tính. Đến cuối cùng, khi nợ máu đã trả bằng máu, người đó thấy lòng trống rỗng, ngơ ngác nhận mình không còn một lẽ sống nào.

Tài tình thay, dịch giả đã khéo thu vén cả bầu không khí ưu tư cuối truyện trong hai câu thơ dịch: “Con người chỉ là vật mọn / Công lý mới là trên hết.” “Nghĩa trọng vu sinh”, đời người chỉ như một kiếp phù du.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best in the series. Judge Dee and his four assistants, Sergeant Hoong, Chiao Tao, Ma Joong, and Tao Gan, investigate three cases: a 20-year-old feud between two Cantonese families, a suspiciously wealthy Buddhist temple, and the murder of a young girl. Science fiction writers could learn a thing or two from how van Gulik subtly conveys to the reader how the world of ancient China works.

[Fabish Caruri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn này đọc hấp dẫn hơn Hoàng kim án hay Tứ bình phong. Chi tiết thú vị nhất là Địch công đã khôn khéo lùa 20 tên sư hổ mang ra cho nhân dân xử "hội đồng" khi biết mình sẽ không xử được chúng tội chết. Vụ Lâm Phiên cũng có kết cục khá bất ngờ.

Tuy nhiên mô típ vẫn như các cuốn khác trong series này, một số chi tiết để phá án bị ẩn giấu. Từ vựng Hán Việt ít lạm dụng hơn Hoàng kim án nhưng vẫn còn.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the reasoning he uses to solve the crimes and the peek into life in 7th century China. Good character building.