Golden Lotus

"The greatest novel of physical love which China has produced." --Pearl S. Buck Golden Lotus tells the story of Ximen Qing, a wealthy, unscrupulous merchant who takes a beautiful and ambitious widow, Pan Jinlian, as his fifth wife. Pan Jinlian is not content to accept her position and schemes to dominate her husband and improve her standing by using sex as her weapon. As the story unfolds, Ximen Qing leaves behind a trail of sexual conquests and Pan Jinlian exploits her husband's lust, ultimately causing the downfall of the entire family. The story's dramatic climax vividly portrays the lengths to which ambitious people will go to gain influence. It also lays bare the rivalries within wealthy families of privilege while chronicling their rise and fall. Iconic in China, Golden Lotus has been alternately banned and lauded for centuries, but has always been avidly read as a popular page-turner. This new Tuttle edition, now available in a single unabridged volume, has a superb introduction by Robert Hegel.