Sun Yunteng, deputy commissioner of customs in the late Qing, is an expert in Western affairs and a man of uncompromising integrity. While inspecting a cargo ship at Tianjin Harbor, he unexpectedly impounds a collection of mysterious artifacts from ancient civilizations: an Egyptian scarab, a Mayan crystal skull, and an Indian statue of Shiva. In the shadows, the objects resonate with one another, quietly converging on a point deep within the Forbidden City. When British archaeologist Abbott demands the artifacts in the name of scholarship and reveals a sinister plan for the night of the lunar eclipse, Sun Yunteng realizes that an ancient ritual capable of toppling the dynasty is taking shape beneath the Forbidden City. Before the total lunar eclipse, he must venture alone into forbidden territory and uncover the mysteries of antiquity, defending the last line between civilization and savagery.
