About the Author

Robert H. van Gulik (1910-1967) was educated in Leiden and Utrecht, and served in the Dutch diplomatic service in China, Korea, Japan and the USA, among other postings. Fluent in Chinese and Japanese and a skilled calligrapher, he was the author of acclaimed studies on Asian interests, and also the popular series of detective novels, based in ancient China and featuring the semi-historical Judge Dee Gong-An. It will soon become evident to fans of Judge Dee that van Gulik drew much inspiration for his novels from the T'ang-Yin-Pi-Shih.