Saga of ruthless ambition, murder, and lust, The Golden Lotus has been called the fifth Great Classical Novel in Chinese Literature and one of the Four Masterworks of the Ming novel. Admired in its age, it has also been denigrated as a dirty book for its sexual frankness. This book lays bare the rivalries within the wealthy Ximen family while chronicling its rise and fall. It fields a host of vivid characters, each seeking advantage in a corrupt world. The first volume charts the rise of Pan Jinlian and the rising fortunes of Ximen Qing as he secures the power of his household.
