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The Deer and the Cauldron #1
The Deer and the Cauldron: The First Book
On the Dragon Throne of China sits the young Manchu Emperor Kang Xi. Back in 1644, his great-uncle Dorgon broke through the Great Wall from Manchuria in the north-east and took the Imperial capital, Peking. Now twenty years later, the Manchus are quelling the last sparks of Chinese resistance, hounding down members of the underground movement known as the Triad Secret Society. But deep in the innermost recesses of the Forbidden City, with its maze of countless eunuchs, and the redoubtable troops of the Imperial Guard, a sinister conspiracy is brewing.
Into this historical setting bursts a young teenage scamp by the name of Trinket. Born in a whorehouse in the southern Chinese city of Yangzhou, Trinket is an unlikely (and reluctant) kungfu practitioner, whose underhand tricks earn him many a harsh word from his masters. Foul-mouthed, lazy, opportunistic, but ultimately likeable and unforgettable, it is Trinket who holds together the picaresque episodes of this last (and many say best) Martial Arts novel by Hong Kong's master storyteller, Louis Cha.
As the poet and critic Stephen Soong has said, this is 'a roller-coaster of a novel, packed with thrills, with fun, rage, humour, and abuse, written in a style that flows and flashes like quicksilver.'
Into this historical setting bursts a young teenage scamp by the name of Trinket. Born in a whorehouse in the southern Chinese city of Yangzhou, Trinket is an unlikely (and reluctant) kungfu practitioner, whose underhand tricks earn him many a harsh word from his masters. Foul-mouthed, lazy, opportunistic, but ultimately likeable and unforgettable, it is Trinket who holds together the picaresque episodes of this last (and many say best) Martial Arts novel by Hong Kong's master storyteller, Louis Cha.
As the poet and critic Stephen Soong has said, this is 'a roller-coaster of a novel, packed with thrills, with fun, rage, humour, and abuse, written in a style that flows and flashes like quicksilver.'
475 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1997
67 people are currently reading
1097 people want to read
About the author
Jin Yong
849 books773 followersLouis Cha, GBM, OBE (born 6 February 1924), better known by his pen name Jin Yong (金庸, sometimes read and/or written as "Chin Yung"), is a modern Chinese-language novelist. Having co-founded the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao in 1959, he was the paper's first editor-in-chief.
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, comics and video games.
金庸，大紫荊勳賢，OBE（英語：Louis Cha Leung-yung，1924年3月10日－2018年10月30日），本名查良鏞，浙江海寧人，祖籍江西婺源，1948年移居香港。自1950年代起，以筆名「金庸」創作多部膾炙人口的武俠小說，包括《射鵰英雄傳》、《神鵰俠侶》、《鹿鼎記》等，歷年來金庸筆下的著作屢次改編為電視劇、電影等，對華人影視文化可謂貢獻重大，亦奠定其成為華人知名作家的基礎。金庸早年於香港創辦《明報》系列報刊，他亦被稱為「香港四大才子」之一。
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%87...
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, comics and video games.
金庸，大紫荊勳賢，OBE（英語：Louis Cha Leung-yung，1924年3月10日－2018年10月30日），本名查良鏞，浙江海寧人，祖籍江西婺源，1948年移居香港。自1950年代起，以筆名「金庸」創作多部膾炙人口的武俠小說，包括《射鵰英雄傳》、《神鵰俠侶》、《鹿鼎記》等，歷年來金庸筆下的著作屢次改編為電視劇、電影等，對華人影視文化可謂貢獻重大，亦奠定其成為華人知名作家的基礎。金庸早年於香港創辦《明報》系列報刊，他亦被稱為「香港四大才子」之一。
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%87...
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 4, 2010
Note: this review is for the entire three-volume novel.
What I learned from this book (in no particular order):
1.“They are the cauldron and we are the deer”. For the common people, the subjects of Empire, their role is to be the deer. If the Emperor doesn’t like somebody, he is going to be put in the cauldron and boiled, just like a deer that is caught in a hunt. This is the meaning of the book’s title.
2. “Extreme confinement since infancy for Emperors surely led to many of the hideous excesses perpetrated by tyrants down the ages.” As imperial subjects, you are extremely lucky to get a monarch who is not merely sane but is also intelligent and capable.
3. Death by a Thousand Cut, or Lingering Death, is the worst way to die in Qing Dynasty China. You are not immune from it, even if you are a Jesuit priest. Better whip up that canon-making skills, Father.
4. ‘Losha’, otherwise known as Russia, is a huge empire to the north of China with a pesky habit of creating trouble at the border. It is a primitive country, inhabited by wild Cossacks and boorish foreign devils, but it needs to be placated, as it possesses muskets and cannons.
5. Russian Orthodox priests are equally adept at writing erotic love letters and Letters of State. When the Russian sovereign is also your lover, both types of communication can be conveniently merged in a single letter.
6. Russian women are beautiful, except for their noses, which stand up far too prominently from their faces. The blonde ones also have bodies that are disgustingly covered with yellow down.
7. Indecent assault is a legitimate Kungfu move, especially if you are too lazy to learn proper martial art.
8. “All emperors had sisters who were a bit crazy”. For ‘crazy’ read ‘nymphomaniac’. The great empires of Russia and China both have at least one of them.
9. All languages except Chinese is gobbledygook and every alien script is nothing but squiggly lines. Of course it doesn’t help if your good self is illiterate in any language.
10. “The tendency to insult the virtue of an adversary’s mother is more or less universal”. ‘Tamardy’ is an abuse, and NEVER call a Chinese person ‘turtle’ --- it is a grave insult.
11. Outlandish praises and idiotic slogans (such as ‘Long Live to Our Leader’ and ‘Victory to Our Great Leader’, etc.) are music to tyrants and cult leaders. Run-of-the-mill flattery will do for lesser personages.
12. Simultaneously impersonating a palace eunuch AND a Shaolin monk is surely no fun for a red-blooded teenage male, but it doesn’t matter if you can slip into a whorehouse for some serious romp. Get rid of that monkish habit first, though.
BUT SERIOUSLY,
In his last novel Jin Yong (Louis Cha), the undisputed master of wuxia (Chinese martial art fiction) brilliantly subverts the conventions of the genre that he had done so much to popularize with his previous 14 novels. For a start, the protagonist of the story, Wei Xiaobao (‘Trinket’ in this English translation --- huh?!), is nothing like the typical wuxia hero. He is no patriotic Guo Jing who defends Song China from the Mongol hordes, or Yang Guo, the great xia (knight-errant) from The Return of the Condor Heroes (Shen Diao Xia Lu). Nor is he Zhang Wuji, the hero of Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, who led a successful rebellion against the Yuan Dynasty. Trinket is a bastard born and bred in a Yangzhou brothel. He is illiterate, foul-mouthed --- and too lazy to learn any kungfu, despite having the opportunity of learning from the best masters. He is also an inveterate gambler, a habitual liar, and a lecher who managed to marry seven (!) beautiful women. In another word, he is a lovable rascal.
Accidentally brought to the Forbidden City at the age of thirteen, Trinket impersonates a palace eunuch and strikes an unlikely friendship with the boy-emperor Kang xi. Aided by his natural cunning, he rapidly rises through the ranks to become Kang xi’s right-hand man, traveling all over China, Manchuria and Russia as His Majesty’s secret agent. In the process he gets himself tangled up with the Triads (in its incarnation as an anti-Qing resistance movement), the Mystic Dragon Cult, Mongolian lamas, Jesuit priests and Russian spies. At one point, he is simultaneously a top Qing mandarin, the master of a Triad lodge, the marshall of the Mystic Dragons and a Shaolin monk. Trinket has to use every guile and dirty trick in the book to manage his increasingly complex allegiances. For a while he manages to play his various patrons against each other to his personal advantage, and we are alternately appalled by his misdeeds, laugh out loud at his antics and marvel at his astonishing ability to bullshit his way of (almost) any situation. However, his high-wire act eventually fails and Trinket, a man with multiple, often conflicting identities, is forced to choose sides. Through the choices that he makes, Jin Yong questions the values of patriotism, primordial allegiances and conventional morality.
This novel was written during the height of the Cultural Revolution, and it is not difficult to detect allusions to the political situation in Mainland China at that time. The persecution of the dissident scholars involved in the writing of Ming history at the beginning of the book has an all too familiar ring. The leader of the Mystic Dragon Cult, with his outsized personality cult and fanatical, brainwashed young followers, bears a certain resemblance to Mao and his Red Guards. The story itself can be enjoyed on several different levels: as a rousing martial art romp, hilarious farce, historical fantasy, or cynical satire. Or you can just read it for pure narrative enjoyment. Hundreds of millions of Chinese readers can’t be all wrong. You will not be disappointed.
What I learned from this book (in no particular order):
1.“They are the cauldron and we are the deer”. For the common people, the subjects of Empire, their role is to be the deer. If the Emperor doesn’t like somebody, he is going to be put in the cauldron and boiled, just like a deer that is caught in a hunt. This is the meaning of the book’s title.
2. “Extreme confinement since infancy for Emperors surely led to many of the hideous excesses perpetrated by tyrants down the ages.” As imperial subjects, you are extremely lucky to get a monarch who is not merely sane but is also intelligent and capable.
3. Death by a Thousand Cut, or Lingering Death, is the worst way to die in Qing Dynasty China. You are not immune from it, even if you are a Jesuit priest. Better whip up that canon-making skills, Father.
4. ‘Losha’, otherwise known as Russia, is a huge empire to the north of China with a pesky habit of creating trouble at the border. It is a primitive country, inhabited by wild Cossacks and boorish foreign devils, but it needs to be placated, as it possesses muskets and cannons.
5. Russian Orthodox priests are equally adept at writing erotic love letters and Letters of State. When the Russian sovereign is also your lover, both types of communication can be conveniently merged in a single letter.
6. Russian women are beautiful, except for their noses, which stand up far too prominently from their faces. The blonde ones also have bodies that are disgustingly covered with yellow down.
7. Indecent assault is a legitimate Kungfu move, especially if you are too lazy to learn proper martial art.
8. “All emperors had sisters who were a bit crazy”. For ‘crazy’ read ‘nymphomaniac’. The great empires of Russia and China both have at least one of them.
9. All languages except Chinese is gobbledygook and every alien script is nothing but squiggly lines. Of course it doesn’t help if your good self is illiterate in any language.
10. “The tendency to insult the virtue of an adversary’s mother is more or less universal”. ‘Tamardy’ is an abuse, and NEVER call a Chinese person ‘turtle’ --- it is a grave insult.
11. Outlandish praises and idiotic slogans (such as ‘Long Live to Our Leader’ and ‘Victory to Our Great Leader’, etc.) are music to tyrants and cult leaders. Run-of-the-mill flattery will do for lesser personages.
12. Simultaneously impersonating a palace eunuch AND a Shaolin monk is surely no fun for a red-blooded teenage male, but it doesn’t matter if you can slip into a whorehouse for some serious romp. Get rid of that monkish habit first, though.
BUT SERIOUSLY,
In his last novel Jin Yong (Louis Cha), the undisputed master of wuxia (Chinese martial art fiction) brilliantly subverts the conventions of the genre that he had done so much to popularize with his previous 14 novels. For a start, the protagonist of the story, Wei Xiaobao (‘Trinket’ in this English translation --- huh?!), is nothing like the typical wuxia hero. He is no patriotic Guo Jing who defends Song China from the Mongol hordes, or Yang Guo, the great xia (knight-errant) from The Return of the Condor Heroes (Shen Diao Xia Lu). Nor is he Zhang Wuji, the hero of Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, who led a successful rebellion against the Yuan Dynasty. Trinket is a bastard born and bred in a Yangzhou brothel. He is illiterate, foul-mouthed --- and too lazy to learn any kungfu, despite having the opportunity of learning from the best masters. He is also an inveterate gambler, a habitual liar, and a lecher who managed to marry seven (!) beautiful women. In another word, he is a lovable rascal.
Accidentally brought to the Forbidden City at the age of thirteen, Trinket impersonates a palace eunuch and strikes an unlikely friendship with the boy-emperor Kang xi. Aided by his natural cunning, he rapidly rises through the ranks to become Kang xi’s right-hand man, traveling all over China, Manchuria and Russia as His Majesty’s secret agent. In the process he gets himself tangled up with the Triads (in its incarnation as an anti-Qing resistance movement), the Mystic Dragon Cult, Mongolian lamas, Jesuit priests and Russian spies. At one point, he is simultaneously a top Qing mandarin, the master of a Triad lodge, the marshall of the Mystic Dragons and a Shaolin monk. Trinket has to use every guile and dirty trick in the book to manage his increasingly complex allegiances. For a while he manages to play his various patrons against each other to his personal advantage, and we are alternately appalled by his misdeeds, laugh out loud at his antics and marvel at his astonishing ability to bullshit his way of (almost) any situation. However, his high-wire act eventually fails and Trinket, a man with multiple, often conflicting identities, is forced to choose sides. Through the choices that he makes, Jin Yong questions the values of patriotism, primordial allegiances and conventional morality.
This novel was written during the height of the Cultural Revolution, and it is not difficult to detect allusions to the political situation in Mainland China at that time. The persecution of the dissident scholars involved in the writing of Ming history at the beginning of the book has an all too familiar ring. The leader of the Mystic Dragon Cult, with his outsized personality cult and fanatical, brainwashed young followers, bears a certain resemblance to Mao and his Red Guards. The story itself can be enjoyed on several different levels: as a rousing martial art romp, hilarious farce, historical fantasy, or cynical satire. Or you can just read it for pure narrative enjoyment. Hundreds of millions of Chinese readers can’t be all wrong. You will not be disappointed.
January 11, 2026
The first volume of The Deer & The Cauldron, translated from the Chinese by John Minford, starts off with a bit of a Russian-doll situation; nested prologues that give a brief history of the Ming and Qing dynasties before diving into the high-stakes drama of a forbidden manuscript. Basically, if you wrote, sold, or even glanced at the Epitome of Ming History, you were marked for a bad time. It’s a scholarly bloodbath that sets the stage for a secret "No Manchus Allowed" club, where the Beggars Guild and the Triads spend their days plotting to bring the Ming dynasty back from the dead.
Enter our "hero," Trinket Wei; a thirteen-year-old, illiterate opportunist born in a Yangzhou whore-house; hardly your typical wuxia legend! Through a chaotic whirlwind of luck, he finds himself swept into the Forbidden City. Since he lacks any actual martial arts skills, he weaponizes the only things he does have: a silver tongue and an uncanny knack for falling face-first into good fortune. Posing as a eunuch, he strikes up an unwitting friendship with the young Emperor Kang Xi, pivoting from a total fraud to the most important guy in the room.
Trinket’s life is a masterclass in "fake it 'til you make it." He’s juggling a double life, serving the Emperor by day while being initiated into the Triad Society (a secret society sworn to take the Emperor down). The first book ends with a delightful cliffhanger.
Jin Yong writes in a plainspoken, conversational tone, frequently using colloquial expressions, street slang, and bawdy humor. The prose feels fast, agile, and accessible rather than ornate. Yong weaves real history (like the fall of the regent Oboi) into a narrative that is equal parts satire and comedy. He dumps the lofty, "virtuous hero" trope in the trash, choosing instead to mock everything from rigid Confucian morals to the very genre he helped define. The palace scenes are farcical, highlighting a world where power is won through manipulation rather than "goodness."
However, beneath the laughs is a sharp commentary on loyalty, nationalism, and the ugly compromises people make to survive under an authoritarian thumb. Jin Yong can pivot from a punchline to a political execution without missing a beat, reminding us that comedy and cruelty usually share the same zip code.
The book’s core philosophy is laid out immediately on page two:
It’s a grimly elegant way of saying the state has all the power and the people are just there to be consumed. The cauldron is the institution; the deer is the vulnerable soul. It strips away any pretense of "justice" and looks at political reality for what it is: a slaughterhouse.
Enter our "hero," Trinket Wei; a thirteen-year-old, illiterate opportunist born in a Yangzhou whore-house; hardly your typical wuxia legend! Through a chaotic whirlwind of luck, he finds himself swept into the Forbidden City. Since he lacks any actual martial arts skills, he weaponizes the only things he does have: a silver tongue and an uncanny knack for falling face-first into good fortune. Posing as a eunuch, he strikes up an unwitting friendship with the young Emperor Kang Xi, pivoting from a total fraud to the most important guy in the room.
Trinket’s life is a masterclass in "fake it 'til you make it." He’s juggling a double life, serving the Emperor by day while being initiated into the Triad Society (a secret society sworn to take the Emperor down). The first book ends with a delightful cliffhanger.
Jin Yong writes in a plainspoken, conversational tone, frequently using colloquial expressions, street slang, and bawdy humor. The prose feels fast, agile, and accessible rather than ornate. Yong weaves real history (like the fall of the regent Oboi) into a narrative that is equal parts satire and comedy. He dumps the lofty, "virtuous hero" trope in the trash, choosing instead to mock everything from rigid Confucian morals to the very genre he helped define. The palace scenes are farcical, highlighting a world where power is won through manipulation rather than "goodness."
However, beneath the laughs is a sharp commentary on loyalty, nationalism, and the ugly compromises people make to survive under an authoritarian thumb. Jin Yong can pivot from a punchline to a political execution without missing a beat, reminding us that comedy and cruelty usually share the same zip code.
The book’s core philosophy is laid out immediately on page two:
“So you understand that what the Government soldiers do is wrong,” said the man. “Good for you, my son!” He sighed. “They are the cleaver and we are the meat. They are the cauldron and we are the deer.” -page 2
It’s a grimly elegant way of saying the state has all the power and the people are just there to be consumed. The cauldron is the institution; the deer is the vulnerable soul. It strips away any pretense of "justice" and looks at political reality for what it is: a slaughterhouse.
February 25, 2013
Tamardy! Damn! Hot-piece momma! More head-knocking!
So richtig liebenswert ist der Held dieses Wuxia-Romans, Wei Xiaobao, oder "Trinket", wie ihn der Übersetzer passend nannte, nicht. Ein frecher, vorlauter und egoistischer kleiner Tunichtgut von der Straße, der statt seines Trainings lieber beim Würfelspiel betrügt. Und doch wird er auf unerwarteten Wegen in ein großes Spiel hineingezogen, in dem er eine gewichtige Rolle spielen muss - am Hof des mandschurischen Kaisers Kangxi als Eunuch getarnt, unterwegs in der Welt der Flüsse und Seen und schließlich sogar in einer völlig unerwarteten Position in einer Loge der Triaden, die die Mandschuren aus China vertreiben wollen. Das ganze erledigt er mit seinem Schandmaul und unglaublicher Chuzpe, die seinem Alter so gar nicht entspricht.
Das Genre der Wuxia-Romane lebt von einem sehr hohen Tempo, vielen Dialogen, detaillierten Kampfszenen und vor allem viel Abenteuer. Gewiss ist das keine hohe Literatur - doch besser unterhalten werden kann man kaum, was ja auch eine Kunst für sich ist. Dieser Roman macht da keine Ausnahme; die 500 Seiten lesen sich weg wie nichts, Langeweile kommt garantiert nie auf.
Die Tendenz des Übersetzers John Minford zum Latinisieren konnte man schon in seiner Übersetzung der beiden letzten Bände des "Hongloumeng" sehen. Mir persönlich gefallen Chinesen, die "Father Obscurus" oder "Tertius" heißen, nicht, da hätte man doch etwas chinesischeres, oder wenigstens englischeres finden können. Ansonsten ist die Übersetzung erfrischend frech und flüssig - der erste Band ist wohl auch praktisch ungekürzt (was für die Folgebände nicht gilt).
Die Ausgabe der Oxford University Press Hong Kong kann mit gutem Papier, Bindung und Einband punkten. Zu Beginn jedes Kapitels ist eine Zeichnung beigestellt, die irgendwie aber wenig mit dem Text zu tun hat. Ein langer Personenindex, eine schön gestaltete Karte auf der Einbandinnenseite und viele Glossar-Anmerkungen ergänzen die gelungene Aufmachung.
Dieser Band ist in sich nicht geschlossen, er hört einfach an einer Stelle mitten im Roman auf. Man sollte sich also auch die Folgebände holen. Ob die einem die aktuellen Mondpreise wert sind (OUP, eine Neuauflage als Taschenbuch wäre wirklich schön!), muss jeder selbst entscheiden - ich habe mir sie aus einer Bibliothek ausgeliehen. Auf jeden Fall aber freue ich mich auf sie außerordentlich.
So richtig liebenswert ist der Held dieses Wuxia-Romans, Wei Xiaobao, oder "Trinket", wie ihn der Übersetzer passend nannte, nicht. Ein frecher, vorlauter und egoistischer kleiner Tunichtgut von der Straße, der statt seines Trainings lieber beim Würfelspiel betrügt. Und doch wird er auf unerwarteten Wegen in ein großes Spiel hineingezogen, in dem er eine gewichtige Rolle spielen muss - am Hof des mandschurischen Kaisers Kangxi als Eunuch getarnt, unterwegs in der Welt der Flüsse und Seen und schließlich sogar in einer völlig unerwarteten Position in einer Loge der Triaden, die die Mandschuren aus China vertreiben wollen. Das ganze erledigt er mit seinem Schandmaul und unglaublicher Chuzpe, die seinem Alter so gar nicht entspricht.
Das Genre der Wuxia-Romane lebt von einem sehr hohen Tempo, vielen Dialogen, detaillierten Kampfszenen und vor allem viel Abenteuer. Gewiss ist das keine hohe Literatur - doch besser unterhalten werden kann man kaum, was ja auch eine Kunst für sich ist. Dieser Roman macht da keine Ausnahme; die 500 Seiten lesen sich weg wie nichts, Langeweile kommt garantiert nie auf.
Die Tendenz des Übersetzers John Minford zum Latinisieren konnte man schon in seiner Übersetzung der beiden letzten Bände des "Hongloumeng" sehen. Mir persönlich gefallen Chinesen, die "Father Obscurus" oder "Tertius" heißen, nicht, da hätte man doch etwas chinesischeres, oder wenigstens englischeres finden können. Ansonsten ist die Übersetzung erfrischend frech und flüssig - der erste Band ist wohl auch praktisch ungekürzt (was für die Folgebände nicht gilt).
Die Ausgabe der Oxford University Press Hong Kong kann mit gutem Papier, Bindung und Einband punkten. Zu Beginn jedes Kapitels ist eine Zeichnung beigestellt, die irgendwie aber wenig mit dem Text zu tun hat. Ein langer Personenindex, eine schön gestaltete Karte auf der Einbandinnenseite und viele Glossar-Anmerkungen ergänzen die gelungene Aufmachung.
Dieser Band ist in sich nicht geschlossen, er hört einfach an einer Stelle mitten im Roman auf. Man sollte sich also auch die Folgebände holen. Ob die einem die aktuellen Mondpreise wert sind (OUP, eine Neuauflage als Taschenbuch wäre wirklich schön!), muss jeder selbst entscheiden - ich habe mir sie aus einer Bibliothek ausgeliehen. Auf jeden Fall aber freue ich mich auf sie außerordentlich.
October 19, 2016
"The Deer and the Cauldron" Part 1 is a fun enough book, full of action, silly moments, and quite interesting characters that, nonetheless, fails in some aspects that stop it from being a really good book.
The story is pretty simple. Trinket, a street boy whose mother works in a brothel gets entangled with a guy called Whiskers after this one gets into a fight with some people in the brothel. From now on, our "hero" goes from one place to the other meeting all kind of important people and making a mess of himself and others. The story is thin, but the action is fast paced and breathless, and constantly new things are happening and new characters appearing, so it is difficult to get bored. Overcome, tired, probably, but bored, no.
The style is good, and the depiction of characters acceptable. It is a shame that almost all characters seem to have been cut from the same pattern: overacting, mean, easy to anger. But of course, all of these is just an excuse for the constant combats and action. But sometimes is a little bit too much, as it goes from action-comedy to cheap pantomime. The action is good, and the description of the movements and the names translate into vivid images for the reader.
The translation is quite good (some shortcomings in the use of words, but otherwise no criticism) and it brings the story to live in English without many misinterpretations from the original.
All in all, Trinket's adventures are quite a lot of fun and he doesn't overcome his stay (even if sometimes becomes a little bit annoying).
7/10
The story is pretty simple. Trinket, a street boy whose mother works in a brothel gets entangled with a guy called Whiskers after this one gets into a fight with some people in the brothel. From now on, our "hero" goes from one place to the other meeting all kind of important people and making a mess of himself and others. The story is thin, but the action is fast paced and breathless, and constantly new things are happening and new characters appearing, so it is difficult to get bored. Overcome, tired, probably, but bored, no.
The style is good, and the depiction of characters acceptable. It is a shame that almost all characters seem to have been cut from the same pattern: overacting, mean, easy to anger. But of course, all of these is just an excuse for the constant combats and action. But sometimes is a little bit too much, as it goes from action-comedy to cheap pantomime. The action is good, and the description of the movements and the names translate into vivid images for the reader.
The translation is quite good (some shortcomings in the use of words, but otherwise no criticism) and it brings the story to live in English without many misinterpretations from the original.
All in all, Trinket's adventures are quite a lot of fun and he doesn't overcome his stay (even if sometimes becomes a little bit annoying).
7/10
April 25, 2014
A good friend of our family borrowed books from us as a young man. When he was grown and had been abroad for a few years he asked me if I enjoyed Martial Arts books or movies. When I said I sometimes did. He then sent me this book to read and when I liked it, he sent me the rest of the set. My eyes were definitely opened as to the genre. I enjoyed all of the books and will likely not review the others as it would just be repetition. I do recommend it if you enjoy adventures and I believe it is likely to surprise you if you have preconceptions of the Martial Arts style. So... this young illegitimate child of a 'lady of the night' is the 'hero' and a very unlikely sort as well. Follow him as he traipses all around the countryside avoiding problems and creating even more of them. You will laugh, you will stop stone cold and go back to see what you missed... and the ending... of the last book of course... will definitely be a shock to your system. Enjoy!
And thanks to Jim for sending them to me. The lending library of our house paid off handsomely with the reading of these books.
And thanks to Jim for sending them to me. The lending library of our house paid off handsomely with the reading of these books.
August 26, 2014
I have watch the drama series that was based on this book when I was just a child. I remember I love it very much. Oh the lovable "Whiskers" and also the Xiao Bao(Trinkets).
It has been an unbelievable experience to read this book. Thank you very much to the person who took the time to translate it into English.
What I like about this book ....well... everything. Love the Kungfu and the politics. There are certain parts that is better expressed in the drama . However, certain parts also better in the book form. Leave it to readers' imagination.
What I dislike? Not to say dislike but rather there is something lost when it's translated in English. At times, I find it hard to grasp what is it about. For someone like me who have a bit of knowledge on how the story goes, it was okay. But I suspect for those who have nil knowledge on Kungfu flicks and stuff like that will have a hard time understanding.
Overall, am giving it 4 stars out of 5. Am now looking forward to reading Vol 2 of the said story.
It has been an unbelievable experience to read this book. Thank you very much to the person who took the time to translate it into English.
What I like about this book ....well... everything. Love the Kungfu and the politics. There are certain parts that is better expressed in the drama . However, certain parts also better in the book form. Leave it to readers' imagination.
What I dislike? Not to say dislike but rather there is something lost when it's translated in English. At times, I find it hard to grasp what is it about. For someone like me who have a bit of knowledge on how the story goes, it was okay. But I suspect for those who have nil knowledge on Kungfu flicks and stuff like that will have a hard time understanding.
Overall, am giving it 4 stars out of 5. Am now looking forward to reading Vol 2 of the said story.
March 4, 2008
From the grandmaster of wu xia, Louis Cha.
You know all those crazy kung-fu flicks that you like watching?
This is it, but bigger, richer and SO much more adventurous.
Lavish scenery. Exotic places. Insane duel and battles. Characters that are humorous, cunning, creative, exciting, deceitful, dangerous and heroic. That's just Trinket. Wait till you meet the others. Like the Emperor, his sister and his mother. Or the ever chivalrous and heroic Helmsman. Literally, dozen upon dozen character to love and hate.
An epic story.
This is definately the best trilogy I've ever read. EVER!
You know all those crazy kung-fu flicks that you like watching?
This is it, but bigger, richer and SO much more adventurous.
Lavish scenery. Exotic places. Insane duel and battles. Characters that are humorous, cunning, creative, exciting, deceitful, dangerous and heroic. That's just Trinket. Wait till you meet the others. Like the Emperor, his sister and his mother. Or the ever chivalrous and heroic Helmsman. Literally, dozen upon dozen character to love and hate.
An epic story.
This is definately the best trilogy I've ever read. EVER!
July 20, 2023
Fucking epic
March 24, 2022
Simply delightful.
The opening introduction is a little heavy but isn't setting the tone for Trinket and Co.
More fun yet equally exciting as the Condor series.
Truely LOL at times with amazing characters Esp Trinket who is a little turd and a source of amusement.
Enthralling palace intrigue, martial arts a plenty I can't wait to try Book 2.
The opening introduction is a little heavy but isn't setting the tone for Trinket and Co.
More fun yet equally exciting as the Condor series.
Truely LOL at times with amazing characters Esp Trinket who is a little turd and a source of amusement.
Enthralling palace intrigue, martial arts a plenty I can't wait to try Book 2.
August 7, 2025
I’m not at “whoa, I know kung fu…” yet. But we are acquainted and flirt now! Trinket Wei is the blue print for Son Goku (I guess along with the Monkey King), but that sort of gives me a bump of nostalgia for these naughty boys who sort of fail upward by learning honor and found family. Can’t wait to read more of his adventures!
December 16, 2025
理性的來說，這部小說是金庸的巔峰之作，但實在不合我的胃口。主要是男主沒有一般武俠小說那種武功不斷提升的歷程。近幾年看網路小說，也越來越確定自己最想看的，就是主角那種不斷提升的過程。自我分析，可能是先天智力不足，以致對周遭人事物認知淺薄，而小時又成績不錯，導致對自我形成一種錯誤的期許，即所謂的志大才疏。而現實不斷的挫敗，積累成一種追求「提升」的欲求不滿，從而在小說的閱讀偏好上顯露出來。嗯，大約如此！
August 5, 2025
Trinket is not an anti-hero; he is unlikeable. I am hoping that his character improves in the second book.
December 30, 2020
A fun read. I am borrowing this line from someone I know: This is like Forest Gump & Kungfu. An epic historical fiction, it is set in the period from 1668 to 1688, as the transition between two major dynasties led by different ethnic groups took place.
This book series follows a 12ish-year-old boy Trinket (aka Xiaobao) who is ready to leave his hometown circle for an adventure, saying goodbye to his mom and his "sisters" at the brothel that he grew up in. A thieving and mischievous bastard, Trinket is yet gregarious and widely liked. He is not your traditional Wuxia hero and is actually pretty bad at martial arts. At tough crossroads of life and death, he chooses between money, love, friends and freedom.
John Minford the translator did a fabulous job, making it a smooth and accessible read with helpful footnotes. I wish a Kindle version would be available some day...
This book series follows a 12ish-year-old boy Trinket (aka Xiaobao) who is ready to leave his hometown circle for an adventure, saying goodbye to his mom and his "sisters" at the brothel that he grew up in. A thieving and mischievous bastard, Trinket is yet gregarious and widely liked. He is not your traditional Wuxia hero and is actually pretty bad at martial arts. At tough crossroads of life and death, he chooses between money, love, friends and freedom.
John Minford the translator did a fabulous job, making it a smooth and accessible read with helpful footnotes. I wish a Kindle version would be available some day...
November 2, 2015
Louis Cha's wuxia pretty much cemented the genre, for Western readers at least. Doesn't hurt that he is/was such a powerful figure in Hong Kong publishing, owning a big newspaper. These are wordy but marvelously fun novels. The original editions are quite valuable now, particularly the second book. I remember reading the whole group of three in tea houses in Hong Kong in the 1990s. What a treat that was!
May 26, 2018
Apparently few "martial arts novels" have been translated from Chinese to English, but it's easy to see why the genre is popular among Chinese readers. This first book in a series follows the unlikely adventures of a boy, raised in a provincial brothel, who ends up in Beijing and at the heart of the resistance against the Manchu dynasty. There's chivalry, adventure, palace intrigue, secret societies, and lotsa kungfu.
February 1, 2010
The legendary story of Trinket, son of a brothel mistress, who goes on an adventure in which he becomes best friend of the Emperor and weaves in and out of political intrigue, cults, flirtatious affairs, and ultimately, changes the history of China.
John Minford does the best translation of this classic story, brought to life in English with the colloquial expressions mainly intact.
John Minford does the best translation of this classic story, brought to life in English with the colloquial expressions mainly intact.
February 15, 2019
Got 2/3 through, did not finish. "What if Tom Sawyer was written in China for Chinese audiences," describes this book almost exactly. Right down to it being written as a series of connected stories by a newspaperman, and translated by someone who I am sure held Mark Twain's prose in his head constantly. If that's what you're looking for, this is great. But it's not what I was looking for.
December 28, 2019
This is book 1 (of 3) and I really enjoyed the story so far. The main character Trinket is hilarious and the story is also based in factual Chinese history in the 17th century, which makes it interesting. I think one reviewer compared the book to Monty Python meets martial arts and that is quite correct. I plan to continue reading this series!
September 14, 2007
Louis Cha writes such good stories! I absolutely love the 1980's TVB mini-series so searched for the rare english translations. It had great characters and a satisfyingly complicated plot, and it's very funny! Can't wait to read the next chapters
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July 17, 2013Well, I am glad that Duke of Mount Deer got a translation, but I don't like this novel, I don't even finish reading it.
Part of the reasons I don't like it is because it's an anti-historical romance...some people like it for the same reason, some don't, and I'm the latter.
Part of the reasons I don't like it is because it's an anti-historical romance...some people like it for the same reason, some don't, and I'm the latter.
November 4, 2015
Wonderfully goofy martial arts novel from Louis Cha (aka Jin Yong). It's like those funny 90s Hong Kong movies (in fact, it was adapted into two funny Hong Kong movies in the 90s by Stephen Chow of Kung Fu Hustle fame).
Now onto Volume 2.
Now onto Volume 2.
December 17, 2017
What a fun story! Trinket is an awful, amoral, thieving, dishonorable, mischievous little bastard, and it's great watching him ruin every fair fight he gets involved in. Very outrageous and entertaining.
April 7, 2019
This famously popular Chinese martial arts novel, written by Louis Cha and translated by John Minford, was gifted to me by my Hong Kong daughter-in-law, and I enjoyed it tremendously. Eager to dive into the next two books of THE DEER AND THE CAULDRON series!
December 13, 2013
One of the best series I've read. the characters are memorable and the story line is funny and entertaining. The translation is smooth and contextual.
June 10, 2015
The relationship between Trinket and Kang Xi ("Misty") is very interesting. A lot more detailed than Trinket's relationship with his wives.
April 2, 2017
Fun book about early china, the boy emperor, and a rascal.
November 14, 2020
Another great story by this great author! Not as good as the condor trilogy, but still very good and captivating. All 3 books will go in just a few days!
November 3, 2021
Really spectacular !! Reading the next book immediately!!
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