The Tale of the Western Chamber: A Stirring of Bells

Qintong, a servant, and Hongniang, a maid, have shared a bond of life and death. Bullied from childhood, they wait for their chance amid the longing between their master Zhang Sheng and Yingying. Meanwhile, Zhang Sheng, a son of the aristocracy; his sworn elder brother, Du Que, the White Horse General who rules a regional military command; Madam Cui, wife of the chief minister and head of the Cui clan; Cui Yingying; Emperor Dezong Li Shi; Zheng Heng, the chief minister’s nephew; the imperial examination officials; and the eunuch commanders of the Shence Army all harbor their own agendas in the struggle between aristocratic clans and the Li Tang imperial house, which monopolize power and exploit the people. For a time, the Western Chamber is a place of treacherous intrigue and shifting fortunes. No one can say how it will end. Only one thing is certain: in Qintong’s heart, after he takes the Chixiao Sword back from Li Shi and makes a pact spanning eight reigns, the bells of Pujue Temple toll the death knell of the Tang golden age and its aristocratic clans.