This is an epic with no heroes. At its heart is not a single protagonist, but a vast portrait of society, woven from old-regime holdovers, opportunistic merchants, corrupt officials, hypocritical literati, social butterflies, concubines, hangers-on, and all manner of rogues. Swept into this dazzling, bizarre city by the tides of their era, they dance wildly in a vortex of money and desire. Deceit and betrayal form the backdrop of everyday life, while love and loyalty become commodities for trade. The so-called gentry-merchants stir up trouble on the stock exchange; the so-called celebrities scheme against one another over card games and banquets; the so-called families are rife with divided loyalties and calculations among their own kin. This book is more than a portrait of life in a bygone era: it is a dark mirror reflecting humanity's greed and delusions.
