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Judge Dee (Chronological order) #15
Το αίνιγμα του κινέζικου καρφιού
"Το αίνιγμα του κινέζικου καρφιού" διαδραματίζεται στο Πέι-τσόου, πρωτεύουσα μιας απομεμακρυσμένης επαρχίας στον Βορρά της αχανούς Κινέζικης Αυτοκρατορίας. Με τους αχώριστους βοηθούς του στο πλευρό του, ο Δικαστής Τι επιλύει τρία αποτρόπαια εγκλήματα και παραδίδει στη δικαιοσύνη έναν ψυχοπαθή εγκληματία και μια αδίστακτη γυναίκα με πανίσχυρη θέληση. Κατά τη διάρκεια της δύσκολης και πολύπλοκης έρευνάς του, που φτάνει να τον φέρει σε αντιπαράθεση με ολόκληρο τον πληθυσμό του Πέι-τσόου, ο δικαστής βρίσκεται συχνά μόνος· παρά τη γνώση της ανθρώπινης ψυχής που διαθέτει και την παροιμιώδη του σύνεση, δεν είναι εντελώς αμέτοχος των ανθρώπινων παθών. Κατορθώνει όμως να παραμείνει πιστός στο καθήκον του ώς το τέλος.
289 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
15 people are currently reading
616 people want to read
About the author
Robert van Gulik
172 books301 followersRobert 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
July 16, 2023
The 4th in the series of the magnificent Judge Dee detective novels the wise magistrate and his four trusted , able assistants have arrived in the northern frontier town of Pei-chow where a war with the Tartars, who live just across the border may begin any moment, and a Chinese army of 100,000 soldiers nearby nervous but ready for action . Nevertheless everything seems calm on the surface in the small town, just one important case of note for Dee to investigate, the disappearance of Liao Lien-fang the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Many people believe she ran away with a secret lover, the stunned fiance Yu Lang doesn't of course and fears foul play. Soon something happens and Judge Dee almost forgets about that , when a woman's headless, bloody body is found in bed and the husband Pan Feng, is suspected of this heinous crime, he denies killing his wife, like all murderers do... Her two brothers want sweet revenge, Yeh Pin, Yeh Tai ( in China surnames come first). Since ancient Chinese mysteries had three murderous cases each, Robert van Gulik the Dutch scholar , diplomat and writer of these stories follows this custom. A renowned Chinese boxer Lan Tao-kuei is poisoned in a bathhouse by an unknown villain dressed in Tartar clothes, this man who had brought glory to the north and was one of the best athletes in the nation shocks the already anxious town. Unrest is brewing and not just the tea, the army offers to send troops but the wise, we hope magistrate, refuses, this was caused when Judge Dee accuses the beautiful widow Mrs. Loo of killing her husband who died five months ago, unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, before the magistrate came to town. It doesn't help that the insolent widow mostly naked, was viciously whipped in public on orders from Dee in court. The whole city is furious, an innocent lady they think, tortured by the cruel judge. A riot almost breaks out in the tribunal but another will if the desperate Dee can't solve this baffling mystery...even a death close to home causes pain and the great man sinks in despair...He the tranquil, always with a placid face to the people, the symbol of the 7th century Tang dynasty , the mighty Empire, is rocked...The judge will have to use all his wisdom to recover. A book that is a remarkably entertaining, not just another detective book it has heart, and surprisingly pathos...as the all powerful official learns , not everything needed can be found in the law books...
August 4, 2017
Οι υποθέσεις του Δικαστή Τι στο βιβλίο αυτό, μου άρεσαν λίγο λιγότερο απο τις υπόλοιπες ιστορίες που έχω διαβάσει, στο Το αίνιγμα του κινέζικου καρφιού είναι πολύπλοκες, παράξενες και ολίγον τι υπερβολικές. Στο σύνολο του όμως μου άρεσε πολύ σαν βιβλίο διότι είδα περισσότερο την ανθρώπινη πλευρά του δικαστή. Τον βλέπουμε να σπάει, να τα χάνει και απο την απελπισία του κυριολεκτικά να ασπρίζουν τα μαλλιά του.
Ενδιαφέρουσα πλευρά απο έναν χαρακτήρα αλύγιστο, λογικό και μετρημένο που ποτέ μα ποτέ δεν δείχνει συναισθηματισμούς.
Ενδιαφέρουσα πλευρά απο έναν χαρακτήρα αλύγιστο, λογικό και μετρημένο που ποτέ μα ποτέ δεν δείχνει συναισθηματισμούς.
October 10, 2018
Šī bija trešā izvēle detektīvu tēmai Grāmatu klubā. Par to, ka grāmata ir vēsturisks detektīvs es uzzināju nejauši (pateicoties leonietēm), jo vāks nudien nekādus mājienus par to man nedeva. Droši vien es esmu mazākumā, jo detektīvi ir populārs žanrs, bet parasta detektīva vāciņš manī neizrausa nekādu interesi pat izlasīt anotāciju. Taču saturs gan izrādījās ļoti interesants, tajā vides attaisnojums ir tikpat lielā mērā svarīgs kā sižets, lai man patiktu. Ļoti cietos un nelasīju grāmatas beigas pirms tās pienāk un izrādījās, ka vienu noziegumu atrisināju daļēji, otru pilnībā. Jāatzīst, ka ļoti noderēja grāmatas sākumā esošais darbojošos personu saraksts, jo tos ķīniešu vārdus iegaumēt nebija iespējams. Lai nu kā, ļoti ticams, ka lasīšu arī citas grāmatas par tiesnesi Di.
July 4, 2024
没有任何争议的五颗大🌟
和书友们buddy read的开心是可以随时因为猜测英文翻译的小词汇是中文什么意思的小快乐，欢乐的看群里书友们的吐槽。不过～这本书的五星就是五星，不会是像之前有的书因为有了志同的友人一起读而私心加上半颗星星～
说到这本小说本身，生动的人物刻画，带着女性觉醒的意味（我总是爱优秀小说里分明的女性角色），确实有些许刻板，但是考虑到创作的时代，已经是十分不错的了。男性角色们，也是各有特色，寥寥几笔，就可以写出拳师、乞儿的特点，和书友们讨论每个人称谓的英文翻译也是特别好玩～完美的情节设定，最重要的是，环环相扣，圆的回来（再次骂一下the teacher），最后律法严正不徇私，但也劝慰人留一丝生机，也符合狄公的设定。
这本书似乎是系列靠很后面的一本了，一位重要角色离去了，狄公获封大理寺正卿，最后一点章节写着各人不得像先前般肆意快活，也让我有一点点怅然的感觉～
PS：想读更多中国古代的犯罪小说了！！！
和书友们buddy read的开心是可以随时因为猜测英文翻译的小词汇是中文什么意思的小快乐，欢乐的看群里书友们的吐槽。不过～这本书的五星就是五星，不会是像之前有的书因为有了志同的友人一起读而私心加上半颗星星～
说到这本小说本身，生动的人物刻画，带着女性觉醒的意味（我总是爱优秀小说里分明的女性角色），确实有些许刻板，但是考虑到创作的时代，已经是十分不错的了。男性角色们，也是各有特色，寥寥几笔，就可以写出拳师、乞儿的特点，和书友们讨论每个人称谓的英文翻译也是特别好玩～完美的情节设定，最重要的是，环环相扣，圆的回来（再次骂一下the teacher），最后律法严正不徇私，但也劝慰人留一丝生机，也符合狄公的设定。
这本书似乎是系列靠很后面的一本了，一位重要角色离去了，狄公获封大理寺正卿，最后一点章节写着各人不得像先前般肆意快活，也让我有一点点怅然的感觉～
PS：想读更多中国古代的犯罪小说了！！！
July 24, 2018
From Wikipedia: Judge Dee (also, Judge Di) is a semi-fictional character based on the historical figure Di Renjie, county magistrate and statesman of the Tang court. The character appeared in the 18th-century Chinese detective and gong'an crime novel "Di Gong An". After Robert van Gulik came across it in an antiquarian book store in Tokyo, he translated the novel into English and then used the style and characters to write his own original Judge Dee historical mystery stories.
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This is No. 15 out of 17 in Robert van Gulik's "Judge Dee" series. In the olden days of China, a judge or magistrate had investigative powers and often doubled as a sort of detective in getting to the bottom of a case before passing his verdict (sort of like the French system now). I have not read any other book in this series before and chose this because I read an article saying this was one of the better ones.
There are actually three murder / missing person cases going on simultaneously in this book, which, at the outset, we are unsure as to whether they are related. The web of characters, clues and developments is very wide and at times it was a challenge keeping up with the entire thing. Fans of puzzle mysteries will probably find this complexity fun. The novel really focuses more on the process of evidence discovery, as such, character development is not a primary factor, although it does get a bit more "feely" towards the second half. Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this since it was based in an ancient setting. [Final rating: 3.75*]
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This is No. 15 out of 17 in Robert van Gulik's "Judge Dee" series. In the olden days of China, a judge or magistrate had investigative powers and often doubled as a sort of detective in getting to the bottom of a case before passing his verdict (sort of like the French system now). I have not read any other book in this series before and chose this because I read an article saying this was one of the better ones.
There are actually three murder / missing person cases going on simultaneously in this book, which, at the outset, we are unsure as to whether they are related. The web of characters, clues and developments is very wide and at times it was a challenge keeping up with the entire thing. Fans of puzzle mysteries will probably find this complexity fun. The novel really focuses more on the process of evidence discovery, as such, character development is not a primary factor, although it does get a bit more "feely" towards the second half. Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this since it was based in an ancient setting. [Final rating: 3.75*]
May 22, 2013
Robert van Gulik's Judge novels so reward the reader that it's nearly impossible to pick a favorite; however, I think that The Chinese Nail Murders may be my favorite so far.
In The Chinese Nail Murders, Judge Dee presides at the last magisterial post of his career before being promoted to the capital. That post, Pei-chow, is a bitterly frigid bastion on the untamed northern frontier of the Chinese Empire. In the novel’s first chapter, Judge Dee hears the complaint from two brothers that their sister has been beheaded and murdered by her husband, a curios merchant. Not to spoil the plot, let’s just say the case isn’t nearly as simple as that. All Judge Dee mysteries are supposed to consist of three cases, but this one actually includes four: two more unrelated murders — that of a cotton merchant and a boxer — and the case of a missing fiancée with some blackmail thrown in for good measure, although the crimes are intertwined. Near the end of the novel, Judge Dee’s own life becomes endangered and yet another, previously unknown crime comes to light. With so many subplots crissing and crossing, The Chinese Nail Murders gets quite suspenseful — especially the last 50 pages!
The ancient Chinese game of Seven Board plays a recurring role in the novel. In one of the cases, it even provides the solution to one of the murders.
In a rare move by author Robert van Gulik, he casts The Chinese Nail Murders, the sixth book in the Judge Dee mystery series, as a story told about Judge Dee’s exploits during the 7th century T’ang Dynasty to one brother by another, the latter the magistrate of the same district as Dee, centuries later during the Ming Dynasty. That element, with some supernatural overtones, doesn’t add anything to the main storyline.
The Chinese Nail Murders proves to be yet another delightful Judge Dee mystery. For those saddened at the thought that this novel marks the van Gulik’s final Judge Dee novel, fear not! Judge Dee novels aren’t in chronological order, so you needn’t despair that his novel — despite being set at the end of Judge Dee’s career — will be the last. Fear not! There are plenty more novels that follow!
In The Chinese Nail Murders, Judge Dee presides at the last magisterial post of his career before being promoted to the capital. That post, Pei-chow, is a bitterly frigid bastion on the untamed northern frontier of the Chinese Empire. In the novel’s first chapter, Judge Dee hears the complaint from two brothers that their sister has been beheaded and murdered by her husband, a curios merchant. Not to spoil the plot, let’s just say the case isn’t nearly as simple as that. All Judge Dee mysteries are supposed to consist of three cases, but this one actually includes four: two more unrelated murders — that of a cotton merchant and a boxer — and the case of a missing fiancée with some blackmail thrown in for good measure, although the crimes are intertwined. Near the end of the novel, Judge Dee’s own life becomes endangered and yet another, previously unknown crime comes to light. With so many subplots crissing and crossing, The Chinese Nail Murders gets quite suspenseful — especially the last 50 pages!
The ancient Chinese game of Seven Board plays a recurring role in the novel. In one of the cases, it even provides the solution to one of the murders.
In a rare move by author Robert van Gulik, he casts The Chinese Nail Murders, the sixth book in the Judge Dee mystery series, as a story told about Judge Dee’s exploits during the 7th century T’ang Dynasty to one brother by another, the latter the magistrate of the same district as Dee, centuries later during the Ming Dynasty. That element, with some supernatural overtones, doesn’t add anything to the main storyline.
The Chinese Nail Murders proves to be yet another delightful Judge Dee mystery. For those saddened at the thought that this novel marks the van Gulik’s final Judge Dee novel, fear not! Judge Dee novels aren’t in chronological order, so you needn’t despair that his novel — despite being set at the end of Judge Dee’s career — will be the last. Fear not! There are plenty more novels that follow!
May 27, 2018
Το σημείωμα του συγγραφέα είναι εξαιρετικό όπως και Όλα τα βιβλία του με τον αγαπημένο πλέον ηρωα δικαστή Τι
September 6, 2018
Brīnišķīga grāmata, kārtīgs ķīniešu detektīvs uz senās Ķīnas fona. Žēl, ka tik maz grāmatu tulkots no šīs sērijas:( Iesaku.
Read
January 1, 2012A Serendipitous Discovery
June 29, 2011: I move to New York City.
Early July: I hear about a new Tsui Hark film, "Detective Dee," and try to attend a screening, only to find out that it's part of a film festival that has long since sold out. Still, my curiosity is piqued about a martial artist investigator.
Days later: I peruse a table of second-hand books near my apartment and pick out a book called "The Chinese Gold Murders." The description on the back intrigues me, and I think, "Hell, one dollar? Why not?"
One day later: my friend D_Davis and I find out, through Goodreads, that we both picked this up around the same time. We talk it over, and I find out that the Hark film is based on this character.
Late August: one of my colleagues at my school has a set of "The Chinese Gold Murders" at his desk. Turns out he intended to assign it as summer reading at the end of the previous year, and that he is a big fan of the series.
Thanksgiving week: I am in Michigan over break, where I discover a used bookstore called "Classic Books." It fucking rules. There are loads of tough-to-find books just spilling from the shelves--and, what's this: over half of the Judge Dee books, right there in all of their paperback glory. I swoon.
Now that You're in My Life...
It took me a few months to get to Judge Dee, and once I did, I was a very happy reader.
These are such singular books--at least, they are in my reading experience. Van Gulik combines his encyclopedic knowledge of Chinese life in the later quarter of the first millennium with a excellent sense of strong mystery plotting. Bodies pile up on Judge Dee's docket with a speed that strains against the slim size of this volume, and each new mystery introduces a bevy of characters, each of whom brings an individual vitality to the story through brief, well-written exposition.
Put simply: this is great story-telling in a unique setting.
Last Word
This volume is set late in Judge Dee's career. As a magistrate, the Judge has a wide range of powers and privileges, and van Gulik examines how the Judge handles these responsibilities, and how they have affected his character. Diminutive as this book may be, it contains surprising depths.
June 29, 2011: I move to New York City.
Early July: I hear about a new Tsui Hark film, "Detective Dee," and try to attend a screening, only to find out that it's part of a film festival that has long since sold out. Still, my curiosity is piqued about a martial artist investigator.
Days later: I peruse a table of second-hand books near my apartment and pick out a book called "The Chinese Gold Murders." The description on the back intrigues me, and I think, "Hell, one dollar? Why not?"
One day later: my friend D_Davis and I find out, through Goodreads, that we both picked this up around the same time. We talk it over, and I find out that the Hark film is based on this character.
Late August: one of my colleagues at my school has a set of "The Chinese Gold Murders" at his desk. Turns out he intended to assign it as summer reading at the end of the previous year, and that he is a big fan of the series.
Thanksgiving week: I am in Michigan over break, where I discover a used bookstore called "Classic Books." It fucking rules. There are loads of tough-to-find books just spilling from the shelves--and, what's this: over half of the Judge Dee books, right there in all of their paperback glory. I swoon.
Now that You're in My Life...
It took me a few months to get to Judge Dee, and once I did, I was a very happy reader.
These are such singular books--at least, they are in my reading experience. Van Gulik combines his encyclopedic knowledge of Chinese life in the later quarter of the first millennium with a excellent sense of strong mystery plotting. Bodies pile up on Judge Dee's docket with a speed that strains against the slim size of this volume, and each new mystery introduces a bevy of characters, each of whom brings an individual vitality to the story through brief, well-written exposition.
Put simply: this is great story-telling in a unique setting.
Last Word
This volume is set late in Judge Dee's career. As a magistrate, the Judge has a wide range of powers and privileges, and van Gulik examines how the Judge handles these responsibilities, and how they have affected his character. Diminutive as this book may be, it contains surprising depths.
February 10, 2014
of all the Judge Dee books that I have read so far, this has been a most heart wrenching story.
I felt so much hopelessness when I read this book.
the case of the missing girl and death of Mrs Pan were okay.
However when it comes to the case of Sargent Hoong, it felt like a stab in my heart. it was just so not worth it.
I am disappointed at the Case of Mrs Loo as the plot was very similar to the plot of a previous book that I read. was it "the poisoned bride and others mysteries"?
it was sad about Mrs Kou too.
despite the good news in the ending , I still feel uneasy. it was like this book show the more "human" side of Judge Dee.
I would have given this book 5 stars if it has not been because of Mrs Loo's case which reason of my disappointment ststed above.
I felt so much hopelessness when I read this book.
the case of the missing girl and death of Mrs Pan were okay.
However when it comes to the case of Sargent Hoong, it felt like a stab in my heart. it was just so not worth it.
I am disappointed at the Case of Mrs Loo as the plot was very similar to the plot of a previous book that I read. was it "the poisoned bride and others mysteries"?
it was sad about Mrs Kou too.
despite the good news in the ending , I still feel uneasy. it was like this book show the more "human" side of Judge Dee.
I would have given this book 5 stars if it has not been because of Mrs Loo's case which reason of my disappointment ststed above.
April 4, 2014
Εξαιρετικό. Αρχαία Κίνα, λεπτεπίλεπτη νοητική κατασκευή, καταιγιστική δράση, ψυχολογική ανάλυση επαγγελματία.
January 13, 2026
Cuarto libro en orden de publicación original de los misterios resuelto por el inteligente juez Di.
En este libro, el autor decide comenzar con una especie de preámbulo sobrenatural que, si bien no presenta unión directa con los casos que el juez Di investigará ni aporta nada a la trama, tampoco desentona.
En cuanto a los casos que el juez habrá de solventar serán, como siempre, tres. A día de hoy es fácil ver por dónde van a ir algunos de ellos, pero intuir la resolución no le resta interés al libro.
Lectura recomendada para quienes gustan de las novelas de detectives y misterios.
Una revisión a la edición no estaría mal.
En este libro, el autor decide comenzar con una especie de preámbulo sobrenatural que, si bien no presenta unión directa con los casos que el juez Di investigará ni aporta nada a la trama, tampoco desentona.
En cuanto a los casos que el juez habrá de solventar serán, como siempre, tres. A día de hoy es fácil ver por dónde van a ir algunos de ellos, pero intuir la resolución no le resta interés al libro.
Lectura recomendada para quienes gustan de las novelas de detectives y misterios.
Una revisión a la edición no estaría mal.
July 19, 2021
When Netherlands-born author, Robert van Gulik, discovered Chinese culture and literature, it became a life-long pursuit. As a prolific translator, he discovered the fascinating tales of a wise Mandarin judge who developed such a reputation in provincial duties that he was recruited to the capitol at a young age theretofore unheard of. Gulik reduced the Chinese name to a more pronounceable Western Judge Dee and chose three 12th century manusccripts to develop into novels. Originally intended to be three novels, van Gulik followed the demand and published several more. The Chinese Nail Murders is one of the earlier ones.
There are multiple cases involved in this mystery. Some are recent and some are old. Some involve what appear to be the perfect crime and some are obvious. The story begins with Judge Dee pondering the lack of evidence in a missing persons case of political import while a fresh and gruesome murder is brought to his attention. By the time the investigation(s) reach their conclusions, it looks as if even Judge Dee will face the death penalty for his efforts. Along the way, the avid reader is schooled in ancient Chinese culture, entertained by the interplay of hypocrisy and a stern concept of morality, offended by the plight of females as victims (both living and dead), amazed at the treatment of a mentally-ill character toward the end, and shocked at the disrespect demonstrated toward the venerable judge by more than one person of interest in the case(s).
Sadly, perhaps, it is not Judge Dee’s brilliant powers of deduction which solve the case. Rather, he is driven toward the solution by a bold confession regarding another matter. Sans-confession, the magistrate would have faced a death of his own making. The novel definitely has an effective use of foreshadowing regarding most of the events in the volume, but it really holds out the most vital clue until that confessional deus ex machina (only in this case, the “machine” is a very delightful character who pays a tremendous price for assisting Judge Dee).
Obviously, building upon cases recorded in an earlier century and demonstrating van Gulik’s love all things Chinese, The Chinese Nail Murders should be considered historical fiction as much as a mystery. However, the book fails at neither genre. And, unlikely many novels where Asian history plays a role or culture forms a backdrop that were written and published contemporaneously with van Gulik’s work, The Chinese Nail Murders reads as authentically Chinese with no apologies. It’s very good!
There are multiple cases involved in this mystery. Some are recent and some are old. Some involve what appear to be the perfect crime and some are obvious. The story begins with Judge Dee pondering the lack of evidence in a missing persons case of political import while a fresh and gruesome murder is brought to his attention. By the time the investigation(s) reach their conclusions, it looks as if even Judge Dee will face the death penalty for his efforts. Along the way, the avid reader is schooled in ancient Chinese culture, entertained by the interplay of hypocrisy and a stern concept of morality, offended by the plight of females as victims (both living and dead), amazed at the treatment of a mentally-ill character toward the end, and shocked at the disrespect demonstrated toward the venerable judge by more than one person of interest in the case(s).
Sadly, perhaps, it is not Judge Dee’s brilliant powers of deduction which solve the case. Rather, he is driven toward the solution by a bold confession regarding another matter. Sans-confession, the magistrate would have faced a death of his own making. The novel definitely has an effective use of foreshadowing regarding most of the events in the volume, but it really holds out the most vital clue until that confessional deus ex machina (only in this case, the “machine” is a very delightful character who pays a tremendous price for assisting Judge Dee).
Obviously, building upon cases recorded in an earlier century and demonstrating van Gulik’s love all things Chinese, The Chinese Nail Murders should be considered historical fiction as much as a mystery. However, the book fails at neither genre. And, unlikely many novels where Asian history plays a role or culture forms a backdrop that were written and published contemporaneously with van Gulik’s work, The Chinese Nail Murders reads as authentically Chinese with no apologies. It’s very good!
April 26, 2022
More than ever, Judge Dee begins to doubt himself and question his capabilities to solve crimes correctly and timely. (In his postscript, van Gulik argues that this was his intent, especially in Nail Murders.) Not only that but the price he pays for being slow on the uptake is the loss of one of his long-time lieutenants. It's one of the more shocking scenes in any Judge Dee mystery, when this dependable ally is murdered towards the end of the book. So, full of regrets, second guesses, and missed chances, the Dee of Nail Murders has a modern air about him, a detective vulnerable to misdirection and even intimidation. (Also modern is the style of writing. In the past, I've noted how especially in the later novels van Gulik seems to employ a hardboiled way of expressing himself. Again, in the postscript, he comments on turning the old Chinese detective stories into pieces of action, with "concise" depictions of the settings and movements.)
Nail Murders apparently is also the final book in the five series of fictional Dee novels van Gulik first penned. It has a sense of conclusion about it, in fact. As with the others in the "first five" Nail Murders is longer and more complicated. This also is something van Gulik addresses in one of the postscripts, noting how he reduced from 20 or 24 the number of characters to merely a dozen in the next series of Dee novels he was preparing at the time this story went off to the publishers. For these reasons, I must admit that it is the earlier Dee stories I most enjoy. The problem was that van Gulik felt he was overwhelming the majority of his readers with novels too involved with difficult to remember characters and situations. Was he wrong? Probably not. The market for paperback mysteries preferred shorter and shorter efforts as the 60s and 70s came upon the scene. Van Gulik would not have been the only author to take this path, either.
Nail Murders apparently is also the final book in the five series of fictional Dee novels van Gulik first penned. It has a sense of conclusion about it, in fact. As with the others in the "first five" Nail Murders is longer and more complicated. This also is something van Gulik addresses in one of the postscripts, noting how he reduced from 20 or 24 the number of characters to merely a dozen in the next series of Dee novels he was preparing at the time this story went off to the publishers. For these reasons, I must admit that it is the earlier Dee stories I most enjoy. The problem was that van Gulik felt he was overwhelming the majority of his readers with novels too involved with difficult to remember characters and situations. Was he wrong? Probably not. The market for paperback mysteries preferred shorter and shorter efforts as the 60s and 70s came upon the scene. Van Gulik would not have been the only author to take this path, either.
April 24, 2012
This may be my new favourite Judge Dee book. Unlike the others he actually seemed to get involved in the case, staking his reputation on what he thought had happened. He appeared much more human and much more sympathetic. There was also an unexpected death which surprised me a great deal. The mystery was more normal, not too shocking, though I will never look at snowmen the same again. I do love the Judge Dee novels, while ahistorical in that they are supposedly set in the Tang dynasty but are written as if it were the Ming I still really enjoy the culture and the setting. I'm definitely going to read them all.
August 6, 2009
I want to give this book 3+ stars if only because we finally get a glimpse at the personal cost of Dee's devotion to Confucianism when he discovers that a woman who he's falling in love with murdered her first husband (in her defense: he was abusive) but the Law and propriety demand that she pay the price.
April 13, 2019
До какво води един нещастен брак и една всепоглъщаща любов? Могат ли греховете от миналото да се изкупят? Ди Жендзие трябва да отговори на този и още куп въпроси в Китай от династията Тан, сблъсквайки се с поредните три заплетени случая. И ще трябва да отговори и на някои неудобни въпроси пред самия себе си.
Един от най-запомнящите се романи от поредицата.
Един от най-запомнящите се романи от поредицата.
July 4, 2013
Another great entry in the Judge Dee series. Here Dee solves the mysteries of a headless corpse, a murdered martial-arts expert, and gets into a tough spot with a cold case that puts him on the chopping block.
July 31, 2023
Εξαιρετικο!!!!
April 13, 2020
Nu ļoti raits detektīvstāsts (izlasās vienā dienā), kas norisinās senās Ķīnas impērijā, kas ir arī romāna rozīnīte; 5⭐ ienācās pēc pēcvārda.
November 23, 2020
Keďže sa mi termin operácie* posunul a mala som trochu času na čítanie, siahla som po tejto detektívke. Nenáročné čítanie, kde sa veľmi podareným spôsobom opisujú prípady Sudcu Ti, no zároveň nás vtiahne do dobovej Činy. Robí to tak prirodzeným spôsobom, že som následné hodiny nemyslela na nič, len na to ako dokáže rozlúsknuť prípad bezhlavého tela. (*ideálne)
V knihe boli krásne ilustrácie, ktoré mojej predstavivosti dosť pomohli dotvoriť si mesto a okolie, ktoré sa v knihe spomína, takže palec hore.
V knihe boli krásne ilustrácie, ktoré mojej predstavivosti dosť pomohli dotvoriť si mesto a okolie, ktoré sa v knihe spomína, takže palec hore.
July 11, 2024
种草中文版哈哈哈
July 16, 2024
本来想给四星，因为没啥推理，不太讲证据，识破诡计后凶手立马心理崩溃。不过还是给五星，因为群里大家讨论出了一个很棒的点，就是这部书的女性角色很出彩！👏👏👏
April 15, 2017
Judge Dee Jen-djieh is the hero of The Chinese Nail Murders. He’s a magistrate in the fictitious town of Pei-chow in the far north of China. Judge Dee must solve two gruesome murders and a sinister disappearance or risk his own head.
A MANDARIN POIROT
For a detective story first published in 1950, The Chinese Nail Murders is a suprisingly fast-paced read. The plot lines entangle nicely as well with plenty of misdirection to send the reader down the wrong rabbit hole.
Judge Dee is also quite a character. He has four wives, nothing odd for the time. What’s strange about Judge Dee is that he loves his wives. But he can be pompous, too. Judge Dee reminds me of Hercule Poirot, that pigeon-toed, Belgian detective with the waxed moustache created by Agatha Christie. Like Poirot, Judge Dee is miraculously adept at solving all his cases single-handedly. And to insist on explaining it all in a long set-piece of grandstanding.
DUTCH ROOTS
The real Judge Dee (Ti Jen-chieh) lived from AD 630-700. He was a Tang Dynasty magistrate-detective. His life story became fodder for storytellers in the Song Dynasty. These performers would wander from village to marketplace where eager audiences awaited them. That oral tradition eventually lay the foundations for the Chinese detective novel and its hero, the local magistrate.
Robert van Gulik was not a professional writer. His day job was as a diplomat for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Van Gulik was fluent in Chinese, Japanese and various ancient Asian languages. He accordingly spent most of his working life in the Far East. His first posting was to Tokyo until the war necessitated his evacuation in 1942. From Japan, Van Gulik went to Chongqing, then the wartime capital of China, where he remained until 1945.
The Judge Dee novels were extremely popular in Van Gulik’s native country. My husband devoured all 17 novels as a boy growing up in Eindhoven. Van Gulik published his novels from 1947 to 1967, offering to many readers their first glimpse into a country hermetically sealed by the Communists.
CONFUCIUS
In the introduction to my stained 1977 copy, Donald Lach describes the Confucian world of a Tang dynasty judge:
"an unshakeable faith in the superiority of everything Chinese and a disdain for all foreigners, a steadfast belief in all aspects of filial piety, a matter-of-fact attitude toward torture, and an unrelenting hostility to Buddhism and Taoism."
Judge Dee is very much a product of this world view. For example, he has a particularly low opinion of Tartars (a/k/a Mongols). Here, Judge Dee interrogates a witness as to the character of the suspect Mrs. Loo.
"Her father was a decent merchant, but her mother was of Tartar descent and dabbled in black magic. Her daughter had the same weird interests, she was always preparing strange potions in the kitchen, and sometimes would fall into a trance, and then say gruesome things."
The presence of Tartars in this Chinese town is no coincidence. Barbarians are forever threatening the borders of China, though where those borders lie may be a matter of contention. Here, Judge Dee’s faithful servants complain about how difficult it is to heat these northern houses.
"‘Don’t forget, Sergeant,’ [the judge] said, ‘that till three years ago this tribunal was the headquarters of the Generalissimo of our Northern Army. The military always seem to need much elbow space!’
‘The Generalissimo will have plenty of that where he is now!’ Tao Gan observed. ‘Two hundred miles farther up north, right in the frozen desert!’"
DWELLING IN THE PAST
Donald Lach is lavish in his praise of the scholarship that underlies Van Gulik’s fiction. At the same time, he notes the irony of a wartime diplomat choosing to write about imperial China.
"Although [Van Gulik] was a close student of the Ming and [Qing] dynasties, the Dutch scholar’s experiences with life in China were limited to a few brief visits and to several years’ stay during the Second World War. He idealizes the China which existed before the empire had been shaken by the disruptive influences of the West and Japan. He sees imperial China most often from the viewpoint of the Confucian gentry for whose way of life he had respect and affection."
Van Gulik lived through the 2nd Sino-Japanese War in both of the combatant countries. It’s odd then that he should choose to erase that experience from his fiction. Perhaps, as a diplomat, Van Gulik was restrained from publicizing his personal views. Or maybe Van Gulik needed to cast his gaze into the distant past when reason and order still prevailed.
A MANDARIN POIROT
For a detective story first published in 1950, The Chinese Nail Murders is a suprisingly fast-paced read. The plot lines entangle nicely as well with plenty of misdirection to send the reader down the wrong rabbit hole.
Judge Dee is also quite a character. He has four wives, nothing odd for the time. What’s strange about Judge Dee is that he loves his wives. But he can be pompous, too. Judge Dee reminds me of Hercule Poirot, that pigeon-toed, Belgian detective with the waxed moustache created by Agatha Christie. Like Poirot, Judge Dee is miraculously adept at solving all his cases single-handedly. And to insist on explaining it all in a long set-piece of grandstanding.
DUTCH ROOTS
The real Judge Dee (Ti Jen-chieh) lived from AD 630-700. He was a Tang Dynasty magistrate-detective. His life story became fodder for storytellers in the Song Dynasty. These performers would wander from village to marketplace where eager audiences awaited them. That oral tradition eventually lay the foundations for the Chinese detective novel and its hero, the local magistrate.
Robert van Gulik was not a professional writer. His day job was as a diplomat for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Van Gulik was fluent in Chinese, Japanese and various ancient Asian languages. He accordingly spent most of his working life in the Far East. His first posting was to Tokyo until the war necessitated his evacuation in 1942. From Japan, Van Gulik went to Chongqing, then the wartime capital of China, where he remained until 1945.
The Judge Dee novels were extremely popular in Van Gulik’s native country. My husband devoured all 17 novels as a boy growing up in Eindhoven. Van Gulik published his novels from 1947 to 1967, offering to many readers their first glimpse into a country hermetically sealed by the Communists.
CONFUCIUS
In the introduction to my stained 1977 copy, Donald Lach describes the Confucian world of a Tang dynasty judge:
"an unshakeable faith in the superiority of everything Chinese and a disdain for all foreigners, a steadfast belief in all aspects of filial piety, a matter-of-fact attitude toward torture, and an unrelenting hostility to Buddhism and Taoism."
Judge Dee is very much a product of this world view. For example, he has a particularly low opinion of Tartars (a/k/a Mongols). Here, Judge Dee interrogates a witness as to the character of the suspect Mrs. Loo.
"Her father was a decent merchant, but her mother was of Tartar descent and dabbled in black magic. Her daughter had the same weird interests, she was always preparing strange potions in the kitchen, and sometimes would fall into a trance, and then say gruesome things."
The presence of Tartars in this Chinese town is no coincidence. Barbarians are forever threatening the borders of China, though where those borders lie may be a matter of contention. Here, Judge Dee’s faithful servants complain about how difficult it is to heat these northern houses.
"‘Don’t forget, Sergeant,’ [the judge] said, ‘that till three years ago this tribunal was the headquarters of the Generalissimo of our Northern Army. The military always seem to need much elbow space!’
‘The Generalissimo will have plenty of that where he is now!’ Tao Gan observed. ‘Two hundred miles farther up north, right in the frozen desert!’"
DWELLING IN THE PAST
Donald Lach is lavish in his praise of the scholarship that underlies Van Gulik’s fiction. At the same time, he notes the irony of a wartime diplomat choosing to write about imperial China.
"Although [Van Gulik] was a close student of the Ming and [Qing] dynasties, the Dutch scholar’s experiences with life in China were limited to a few brief visits and to several years’ stay during the Second World War. He idealizes the China which existed before the empire had been shaken by the disruptive influences of the West and Japan. He sees imperial China most often from the viewpoint of the Confucian gentry for whose way of life he had respect and affection."
Van Gulik lived through the 2nd Sino-Japanese War in both of the combatant countries. It’s odd then that he should choose to erase that experience from his fiction. Perhaps, as a diplomat, Van Gulik was restrained from publicizing his personal views. Or maybe Van Gulik needed to cast his gaze into the distant past when reason and order still prevailed.
June 29, 2017
In the late 6th century CE, Chinese magistrate Dee Jen-Djieh, ‘Judge Dee’, is posted to the northern frontier town of Pei-Chow, and finds himself faced with a series of crimes, all seemingly unconnected. A young woman, betrothed to the secretary of a notable personage, vanishes inexplicably. The headless body of a woman is found by her brothers, who immediately accuse her husband—who appears to be absconding—of having murdered her.
Judge Dee, helped by the wise Sergeant Hoong and his three loyal lieutenants, has barely begun investigating these two murders when two more corpses crop up: a boxing master who is found poisoned in a bath house, and a man who was pronounced dead of heart attack and buried, but whom the judge suspects of having been murdered.
Like all of Robert van Gulik’s Judge Dee books, The Chinese Nail Murders is brilliantly fast-paced, complex, and offers a fine glimpse of life in the period of the Tang dynasty. Even though van Gulik follows the Chinese crime novel style of more action and less description, he manages to work in details that bring to life the era: the trade, the social norms and customs, the clothing, the attitudes towards the imperial administration, everything. This novel, I will admit, was the one which first introduced me to Seven Board, and the way van Gulik uses it to good effect as a clue is delightful. I like especially also the fact that this novel has a certain amount of the ‘human element’ in it: Judge Dee is a very alive character, not just a judge, but a man, with his own failings, his own doubts and weaknesses.
Excellent, and I would strongly suggest reading the two postscripts as well, since van Gulik uses them to explain his own sources for his stories (nearly all of which are based on old Chinese detective novels), the changes he’s made to suit the books for modern audiences (such as doing away with the idea of letting ghosts, goblins, animals, and kitchen utensils offer evidence in court!), and further insights into the life of the real-life historical figure that was Judge Dee.
Judge Dee, helped by the wise Sergeant Hoong and his three loyal lieutenants, has barely begun investigating these two murders when two more corpses crop up: a boxing master who is found poisoned in a bath house, and a man who was pronounced dead of heart attack and buried, but whom the judge suspects of having been murdered.
Like all of Robert van Gulik’s Judge Dee books, The Chinese Nail Murders is brilliantly fast-paced, complex, and offers a fine glimpse of life in the period of the Tang dynasty. Even though van Gulik follows the Chinese crime novel style of more action and less description, he manages to work in details that bring to life the era: the trade, the social norms and customs, the clothing, the attitudes towards the imperial administration, everything. This novel, I will admit, was the one which first introduced me to Seven Board, and the way van Gulik uses it to good effect as a clue is delightful. I like especially also the fact that this novel has a certain amount of the ‘human element’ in it: Judge Dee is a very alive character, not just a judge, but a man, with his own failings, his own doubts and weaknesses.
Excellent, and I would strongly suggest reading the two postscripts as well, since van Gulik uses them to explain his own sources for his stories (nearly all of which are based on old Chinese detective novels), the changes he’s made to suit the books for modern audiences (such as doing away with the idea of letting ghosts, goblins, animals, and kitchen utensils offer evidence in court!), and further insights into the life of the real-life historical figure that was Judge Dee.
September 15, 2023
Really enjoyable short read. RHvG's linguist grasp and interest in Ming dynasty imperial China shines through. He manages to give the reader a good insight into life in 700s AD China where Tartars were almost all branded barbarians and Buddhists and Taoists were stereotypically miscreants. Unsurprisingly women have dismal access to even basic rights, something that is ingrained in society and not debated. Interestingly the Judge is also the Investigator and all investigation follows the letter of the law, with even simple interrogations held in a public forum. My one complaint with Judge Dee's supposedly rigid Confucian morals was towards the end where he sees it as his duty to bring charges against his saviour while in the next breath offhandedly telling is lieutenant to 'forget' about the crime of desecration that he himself committed. As the reader I was not convinced by how he was so torn in the first instance while easily accepting his own digressions.
Riveting read on the whole.
Riveting read on the whole.
November 24, 2008
The novels are illustrated with plates drawn by the author in the Chinese style. Van Gulik has found a reason to include at least one top-heavy, nude woman in each mystery. Which he illustrates. In the Chinese style. The Chinese Nail Murders were alluded to in "The Night of the Tiger" in Monkey and the Tiger. Alluded to as having been the case which knocked Dee for a loop. Took the wind out of his sails. It was his Waterloo. His personal Waterloo. Every detective gets run through the emotional wringer, disillusioned by one case. This is Dee's. For Dee, this is the case that knocks him flat. Leaves him looped. Illustrated by Van Gulik. In a style not unlike the Chinese. This is Se7en circa the 17th century.
*
Judge Dee answers most things "curtly". That rocks. Take no shit from those groveling peasants, Dee! And by groveling peasants, I mean that comedic crew you call your trusted lieutenants.
*
Judge Dee answers most things "curtly". That rocks. Take no shit from those groveling peasants, Dee! And by groveling peasants, I mean that comedic crew you call your trusted lieutenants.
May 23, 2022
I thought this book was better than Dee Goong An (The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee), which was a more direct translation of a Chinese novel. In this book, van Gulik takes aspects of Chinese culture and incorporates themes and story elements from other Chinese writers, but ultimately makes up the story himself. And, he does a good job. There are several story elements that are re-used from Dee Goong An. So, I imagine that in reading all of van Gulik's stories about Judge Dee there may be some repetitiveness.
August 6, 2019
Bản dịch vẫn quá lạm dụng từ Hán Việt nên chưa đọc xong vẫn có thể xuống tay cho 2 sao thôi.
Sau khi đọc xong thấy hay, xứng đáng 4.5 sao, nhưng bản dịch lởm nên kéo xuống còn 3 sao, như vậy nhờ nội dung nên kéo lên được 1 sao so với nhận định ban đầu.
Sau khi đọc xong thấy hay, xứng đáng 4.5 sao, nhưng bản dịch lởm nên kéo xuống còn 3 sao, như vậy nhờ nội dung nên kéo lên được 1 sao so với nhận định ban đầu.
November 1, 2023
Σταθερή, αγαπημένη αξία. Worth reading 📖🖤
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