The original book "The Far Pavilions" was first published in July 1978. The author, Ms. M. M. Kaye, is a British person. She was born in Shimla, India, in 1908. She traveled and lived with her father who worked in India until she was 10 years old. She speaks fluent Hindi and has deep feelings for India. This novel took her 15 years to complete at the age of 70. The novel caused a sensation as soon as it was published. It has topped the best-seller list in the United Kingdom and the United States many times. It has been reprinted more than 20 times and has sold more than 30 million copies in total. The love story between the protagonist of the novel - Ashton of British origin and Indian princess Julie is romantic, beautiful and full of exotic sentiments. The plot of the story is closely linked and makes people unable to put it down. The whole novel is full of grand narratives, and the social turmoil in India at the end of the East India Company's control in the mid-19th century adds more legendary color to the story.
In 2012, when I was studying at Tsinghua University, I found this book at an old bookstall on campus. For more than ten years, I have been wanting to translate it for the benefit of readers. The story is over a thousand pages long. It is a vast task with no visible results. Just look at my patience and time!
Purpose: True love transcends everything