The Bardo Judgment: A Ledger of Sin is a realist jianghu novel blending suspense, revenge, personal growth, and religious themes.
The story begins with the death of its protagonist, Shan Baolin. Through the perspective of his bardo spirit, it follows him as he looks back on and faces judgment for the sins of his life during the forty-nine days of the bardo. It depicts both the conflicts and struggles of human nature in the underworld during the twenty years of reform and opening up [1984–2004], and explores the meaning of life, karmic retribution, and the possibility of redemption.
In the bitter winter of 1984, twenty-two-year-old unemployed youth Shan Baolin scraped by on odd jobs and reselling ration coupons near the train station. After trespassing on a gang's turf and getting beaten, he resolved to become a disciple of Master Jiu and hone his skills at deception. At the time, the ice of the planned economy had only just begun to crack. The dual-track system became a turning point in countless lives. It was a frenzy of both “galloping horses” and “rampant demons.” The law could not keep pace with capital, and conscience could not keep up with greed. Shan Baolin forged official documents, smuggled goods, and engaged in illegal fundraising. He entered one field after another and stopped at nothing, carving out a place for himself in the underworld with his cunning and ruthlessness. In the end, he set a trap to rob another criminal, only to be killed in turn. In the bardo, he confronts his ledger of sins and witnesses the suffering of those he harmed. After reflecting on his crimes, he lets go of his obsessions, atones as a spirit, and ultimately finds redemption and enters a new cycle of reincarnation.
