The Green Peony
The First Complete English Translation
Swords flash in the rivers and lakes. A corrupt court trembles. A young heroine rides to glory.
In one of China's most beloved tales of chivalry, honor is won not by birth but by the blade - and by the heart.
About the Book
In the troubled reign of Empress Wu, when sycophants seize the instruments of state and worthy men are driven into exile, the empire's true heroes gather where no throne can command them - among the rivers and lakes of the martial world.
When Patrol Commander Luo takes up his post in Dingxing County, his arrival sets in motion the fates of a generation of young heroes: the gallant Luo Hongxun, the loyal sworn brothers of the greenwood, and above all Hua Bilian - the dauntless "Green Peony," a martial heroine whose courage, skill, and devotion outshine the men who would court her.
Across its many chapters, the novel sweeps from martial examinations and tournament arenas to ambushes, abductions, sworn brotherhoods, and the slow, patient unmasking of the treacherous ministers who poison the court. It is a tale of chivalry and romance, of loyalty tested and villainy repaid - a vivid portrait of a world where the just have abandoned the palace for the open road.
It stands among the great chivalric novels of the Qing dynasty: an adventure of heroes and heroines bound by honor, rendered with all its humor, swordplay, and warmth.
At a glance
About the series
Rediscover the great epics, mysteries and chronicles of dynastic China: gods and generals, swindlers and scholars, courtesans, ghosts and emperors, in complete English translations.
