Judge Dee (born A.D. 630, died A.D. 700) After an old Chinese woodcut. The top inscription, in archaic script, reads: "Portrait of Dee, Duke of Liang."

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

It should be noted that in China the surname — here printed in capitals — precedes the personal name.

Main characters:

DEE Jen-djieh, magistrate of Han-yuan, the mountain district where the Monastery of the Morning Clouds is located.

TAO Gan, one of Judge Dee's Lieutenants.

Persons connected with "The Case of the Embalmed Abbot":

True Wisdom, abbot of the Monastery of the Morning Clouds.

Jade Mirror, former abbot of the same monastery.

SUN Ming, a Taoist sage, former Imperial Tutor, who lives retired in the monastery.

Persons connected with "The Case of the Pious Maid":

Mrs. Pao, a widow, from the capital.

White Rose, her daughter. Tsung Lee, a poet.

Persons connected with "The Case of the Morose Monk":

KUAN Lai, director of a theatrical troupe.

Miss Ting, an actress.

Miss Ou-Yang, an actress.

MO Mo-te, an actor.

A Map of the Monastery

The two men sitting close together in the secluded room, up in the tower of the old monastery, listened for a while silently to the roar of the storm that was raging among the dark mountains outside. Violent gusts of wind were tearing at the tower; the cold draught penetrated even the solid wooden shutters.