Judge Dee

Judge Dee (or Judge Di) is the hero of Robert van Gulik's "Judge Dee" series. These fictional novels deal with cases in ancient China, all solved by the upright Judge Dee (note: in ancient Chinese crime stories, judges are often in the role of the detective.)

The Judge Dee character is based on the historical figure Ti Jen-chieh (c. 630–c. 700), magistrate and statesman of the Tang court. During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) in China, a "folk novel" was written set in former times, but filled with anachronisms. Van Gulik found in Dee goong an an original tale dealing with two cases simultaneously, and, which was unusual among Chinese mystery tales, a plot that for the most part lacked an overbearing supernatural element which could alienate Western readers. He translated it into English.

This gave him the idea of writing his own novels, set with the similar Ming anachronisms, but using the historical character, as though they were true Chinese sequels. Van Gulik was careful in writing the main novels to deal with cases where Dee was newly appointed to a city, thereby isolating him from the existing lifestyle and enabling him to maintain an objective role in the books.

Initially Dee is assisted only by his faithful clerk, Sergeant Hoong, an old family retainer. However, in one of the earliest tales he encounters two highwaymen, euphemistically called "men of the greenwood," Ma Joong and Chiao Tai, who attempt to rob him but are so impressed with his character that they give up their criminal careers and join his retinue on the spot. A little later a third criminal, Tao Gan, a confidence-man, similarly joins. Judge Dee ends his career being promoted to the position of senior Metropolitan Judge in the capital, and his assistants obtain official ranks in the Army and civil service.

Van Gulik also wrote series of newspaper comics about Judge Dee in 1964-1967, adding up to a total of 19 adventures. The first 4 were regular balloon strips, but the later 15 had the more typically Dutch textblock under the pictures.

A French writer, Frédéric Lenormand, has written a series of new mysteries about Judge Dee ("Ti" in French), not yet translated into English: For instance Madame Ti mène l'enquête (2004) and Mort d'un cuisinier chinois (2005).

Zhu Xiao Di has recently extended the series with his Tales of Judge Dee (2006).

Bibliography of "Judge Dee" novels

(All publication dates of the Judge Dee novels are based on the UK publication.)

The Judge Dee Mysteries in the order in which they were published

• Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (1949, translated from Chinese original Dee goong an)
• The Chinese Bell Murders (1958)
• The Chinese Gold Murders (1959)
• The Chinese Lake Murders (1960)
• The Chinese Maze Murders (1962)
• The Chinese Nail Murders (1961)
• The Haunted Monastery (1963)
• The Emperor's Pearl (1963)
• The Lacquer Screen (1964)
• The Red Pavilion (1964)
• The Monkey and the Tiger, two novellas (1965)
• The Willow Pattern (1965)
• Murder in Canton (1966)
• The Phantom of the Temple (1966)
• Judge Dee at Work, short stories (1967)
• Necklace and Calabash (1967)
• Poets and Murder (1968)
• Tales of Judge Dee (2006)

The Judge Dee Stories in the order in which they were set

Judge Dee at Work contains a "Judge Dee Chronology" telling of Dee's various posts, stories -- either books or short stories -- set during that posting, and giving information about the stories. The chronology lists the works in this order:

• The Chinese Gold Murders
• Five Auspicious Clouds, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• The Red Tape Murders, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• He Came with the Rain, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• The Lacquer Screen
• The Chinese Lake Murders
• The Morning of the Monkey, a short story in the Monkey and the Tiger
• The Haunted Monastery
• The Murder on the Lotus Pond, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• The Chinese Bell Murders
• The Two Beggars, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• The Wrong Sword, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• The Red Pavilion
• The Emperor's Pearl
• The Chinese Maze Murders
• Phantom of the Temple
• The Coffins of the Emperor, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• Murder on New Year's Eve, a short story in Judge Dee at Work
• The Chinese Nail Murders
• The Night of the Tiger, a short story in The Monkey and the Tiger
• The Willow Pattern
• Murder in Canton

Poets and Murder and Necklace and Calabash, which are not listed in the chronology were both set when Dee was magistrate of the district of Poo-yang where The Chinese Bell Murders was set.

• Tales of Judge Dee was set when he was magistrate of Poo-yang, too.