{"product_id":"golden-lotus-9780804856720","title":"Golden Lotus","description":"\u003cb\u003e**Named \u003ci\u003eOne of the Best Chinese Romance Novels \u003c\/i\u003e by \u003ci\u003eLifestyle Asia**\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The greatest novel of physical love which China has produced.\" —\u003ci\u003ePearl S. Buck\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA saga of ruthless ambition, murder, and lust, \u003ci\u003eThe Golden Lotus (Jin Ping Mei)\u003c\/i\u003e has been called the fifth Great Classical Novel in Chinese literature, joining the Four Great Classics: \u003ci\u003eJourney to the West, The Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eDream of the Red Chamber\u003c\/i\u003e (also known as \u003ci\u003eThe Story of the Stone\u003c\/i\u003e), and is recognized as one of the Four Masterworks of the Ming novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e Golden Lotus\u003c\/i\u003e tells the story of Ximen Qing, a wealthy, unscrupulous merchant who takes the beautiful and ambitious widow Pan Jinlian as his fifth wife. Jinlian is not content to accept her position and schemes to dominate her husband and improve her standing in society by using sex as her weapon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the story unfolds, Ximen Qing embarks on a series 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIconic in China, \u003ci\u003eGolden Lotus\u003c\/i\u003e has been alternately banned and lauded for centuries, all the while still avidly read as a popular page-turner. This new Tuttle edition, now available in a single unabridged volume, includes a superb introduction by Robert Hegel of Washington University, who explains the book's importance as the first novel in the Chinese tradition attributable to a single author.","brand":"Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48268737544443,"sku":"9780804856720","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/3917\/9771\/files\/CoreSourceHub_13848e9f-15af-4e1f-8387-d00da83a3b66.jpg?v=1778758710","url":"https:\/\/indiepubs.com\/products\/golden-lotus-9780804856720","provider":"IndiePubs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}