The Red Pavilion by Robert van Gulik

VAN GULIK, Robert. The Red Pavilion: A Chinese Detective Story. Kuala Lumpur, Art Printing Works, 1962.

Second edition of this Judge Dee mystery, exquisitely illustrated by the author himself.

‘He took the judge back to the antechamber and unlocked the solid door on the left, using a key of intricate pattern. “Why such an elaborate lock”, Judge Dee asked. “One rarely finds locks on inside doors…”’.

The Red Pavilion comprises three mysteries featuring the semi-fictional character Judge Dee, loosely inspired by the Tang magistrate and statesman Di Renjie (630-700). Van Gulik, encountering reluctance from his London publisher Michael Joseph to release more than one title a year, opted to privately publish The Red Pavilion, as well as The Haunted Monastery and The Lacquer Screen, through the Art Printing Works in Kuala Lumpur.

Robert van Gulik was a Dutch orientalist and diplomat.

Octavo, pp. 200, with 6 plates drawn by the author in Chinese style; very good; original card wrappers, front wrapper and spine black lettered in red and white, front wrapper illustrated by the author, rear wrapper white lettered in black, illustrated pastedowns and flyleaves (wrappers slightly rubbed and soiled, some creasing).