The Great Wisdom of Dongfang Shuo

Emperor Wu of Han was a ruler of exceptional vision who ushered in a golden age, and his court was filled with remarkable talents. Among them, Dongfang Shuo stood out for his astonishing wisdom and irreverent wit. Told in a classic chapter-by-chapter format, this novel recounts the legendary life of this “sage of wisdom.”

Born into humble circumstances, he made his name with an ingenious strategy and stunned the capital when he arrived in Chang’an. Within the towering Weiyang Palace, he argued with eloquence, solved riddles with ease, repeatedly resolved the emperor’s dilemmas, and offered policies to strengthen the state and enrich its people. Serving the emperor was like accompanying a tiger: he used humor as a shield and wit as a sword, protecting himself amid scheming ministers and ruthless officials while delivering admonitions to the emperor in the midst of laughter. He read people’s hearts, judged unusual cases with insight, outwitted the conspiracy of the Prince of Huainan, and thwarted Jiang Chong’s frame-up, displaying wisdom and courage amid the shifting currents of court politics. He was also shrouded in mystery, versed in esoteric arts, vanishing into the wider world and befriending extraordinary people, moving with ease between the highest halls of government and the farthest reaches of the land.

The Great Wisdom of Dongfang Shuo is more than one man’s legend: it is a sweeping portrait of life in the flourishing age of Emperor Wu of Han. Here you’ll find the grandeur of armies clashing, the dark intricacies of palace intrigue, the vivid bustle of everyday life, and the light of Dongfang Shuo’s wisdom shining through the mists of history, along with his timeless, irrepressible charm. See how a remarkable talent laughs and jokes amid the whirlpool of power, makes his way through life with strategy, and writes an immortal legend with his wit.