by Jeannie Lin
He stroked this thumb over the loop of red silk around her wrist, taking the time to adjust it so the eternity knot was centered.
* * *
THE END
Acknowledgments
For the first time, I would like to thank my readers for this book.
It’s been over five years since the release of The Jade Temptress, during which a series of disappointments put me in a tailspin. I’d always intended there to be third story with Wei-wei as the third “sister” to complete the trio that started with The Lotus Palace. Between life and contract issues, the possibility of a third book drifted further and further away.
An author’s biggest fear is that if we don’t publish, we’ll simply disappear and readers will forget. But every so often, I would receive another letter asking me if I would one day write Wei-wei’s story. I realized that even though I was holed away in my hermit cave, the Lotus Palace stories were still out there and new readers were coming to them. No matter what the publisher might do with them, these stories and what was created within belonged to me.
And to my readers.
Thank you for sticking with me. Each wonderful comment and lovely note you sent kept this story alive.
Author's Note
The Hidden Moon continues about a week after the events of “The Liar’s Dice” novella, though the two can certainly be read separately.
Even though I can say I’ve been researching the Tang Dynasty for over a decade now, each new book sends me off on a new research adventure and there’s always more to discover.
First of all, the title comes from a quote that is often attributed to Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha. Just as often, it’s cited as a misquote so I simply attributed it to antiquity. There’s also a Chinese idiom that refers to someone being so beautiful that they “hide the moon, and put the flowers to the shame”. Given that “The Shameful Flower” doesn’t fit Wei-wei at all, The Hidden Moon won out as title.
Wei-wei is perhaps my favorite character I’ve ever created. She depicts the stereotype of the bookish, overachieving, picture-perfect daughter. I admit that I was one of those — yet have many memories of crawling under the garage door to get back into the house after the front door was locked and bolted at night. Someone who is dedicated to studying everything so diligently would reasonably be so good at misbehaving, don’t you think?
To this end, I was inspired by the tragic story of Yu Xuanji, one of the most famous poets of the Tang Dynasty. She composed a poem about going to view the list of names of candidates who has passed the examinations, and lamenting: “How I resent this silk robe which hides the lines of my poetry.”
For me, this poem embodies Wei-wei’s frustration of having a lifetime of learning, but never being able to shine on her own merits.
For any who would claim that Wei-wei’s attitudes are too contemporary, Yu Xuanji (840 A.D. - 868 A.D.) lived at the same time period as The Hidden Moon and her sentiments resonated enough to survive to this day. Author Justin Hill penned a gorgeous fictional account of Yu Xuanji’s life in Passing Under Heaven which, much like the tale of Madame Bovary, reads like a cautionary tale of a woman who dared too much. I wanted to write the story of woman who dared and wasn’t punished for it.
I’ve always been fascinated by the role of Taoist monasteries and the surge of high-born women, even princesses, who became ordained as Taoist priestesses in the Tang Dynasty. Westerners might think of monasteries as places that are restrictive and pinned down, but monasteries in Tang society were outside of societal and government control. They present an interesting counterpoint to the pleasure houses in being places where women could achieve some measure of autonomy and empowerment. Interestingly enough, Yu Xuanji was both a courtesan and took vows as a Taoist nun.
The central crime in the book was modeled after the true events surrounding the assassination of Chancellor Wu Yuanheng in 815 A.D. He was attacked in Chang’an early in the morning by assassins hired by a rival in the imperial court. His entourage was fired upon and his head cut off. Quite a public execution, yet no one was immediately arrested. The killers publicly threatened all who would investigate and proceeded to attack another official as well. I changed the perpetrator and the motive in the book, but the elements of the original assassination and the investigation into it make for a fascinating read.
Historical record of secret censors is non-existent. Though I can imagine they would be hard to find—much like historical record of secret societies.
The original working title of the book was Ten Days in Chang’an styled after the mini-series Longest Day in Chang’an. If you want a visual feast, check this series out. It’s an immersive and historically detailed depiction of Tang Dynasty clothing and architecture. I was only able to get one episode in before running off to pen this story.
Other Books by Jeannie Lin
The Lotus Palace Mystery series
The Lotus Palace - Book 1
The Jade Temptress - Book 2
The Liar’s Dice - novella
The Hidden Moon - Book 3
The Gunpowder Chronicles Series
Gunpowder Alchemy - Book 1
Clockwork Samurai - Book 2
The Rebellion Engines - Book 3
Tales from the Gunpowder Chronicles - anthology
Steampunk short stories:
The Warlord and the Nightingale
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