Product Description
RED SPIRIT is the haunting story of what lies beneath China's modern face. As the eyes of the world was on China in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics, so they were also watching in 1989 when troops massacred students around Tiananmen Square.
But little known to anyone, an extradordinary was battle was going on around the city of Xian, home to the famous Terracotta Warriors that protect the tomb of China's first emporer Qin Shi Huang.
Dr Sally Parsons, a brilliant, but stubborn archeologist, has a dream to excavate the tomb. It's thought that no one has ever seen the lavish decodrills through the mound, she sees something that puts her life in extreme danger -- and is about to create a nightmare for millions.
In early 1989, Soviet communism is about to collapse. In China civil war is brewing, and a secret is about to be uncovered that could change the course of history.
***
Extract from the Records of the Grand Historian (Shi Ji) by Sima Qian 104 – 92 B.C
AS SOON as the First Emperor became king of Chin, excavations and building had been started at Mount Li, while after he won the empire more than seven hundred thousand conscripts from all parts of the country worked there. They dug through three subterranean streams and poured molten copper for the outer coffin, and the tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions and offices, as well as fine vessels, precious stones and rarities. Artisans were ordered to fix up crossbows so that any thief breaking in would be shot. All the country’s streams, the Yellow River and the Yangtse were reproduced in quicksilver and by some mechanical means made to flow in an miniature ocean. The heavenly constellations were shown above and the regions on the earth below. The candles were made of whale oil to ensure their burning for the longest possible time.
The Second Emperor decreed: “It is not right to send away those of my father’s ladies who had no sons.” Accordingly, all these were ordered to follow the First Emperor to the grave. After the internment, someone pointed out that the artisans who had made the mechanical contrivances might disclose all the treasure that was in the tomb; therefore after the burial and sealing up of the treasures, the middle gate was shut and the outer gate closed to imprison all the artisans and labourers, so that no one came out. Trees and grass were planted over the mausoleum to make it seem like a hill.
***
Exhibit 17 – Audio Tape Evidence
Federal Court, Pearl Street
Manhattan
December 16th 1989
“She’s put the camera into the mound.”
“And?”
“She hasn’t seen it. Not even close. She’ll want to go to New York before doing any more.”
“Let her go, then.”
But little known to anyone, an extradordinary was battle was going on around the city of Xian, home to the famous Terracotta Warriors that protect the tomb of China's first emporer Qin Shi Huang.
Dr Sally Parsons, a brilliant, but stubborn archeologist, has a dream to excavate the tomb. It's thought that no one has ever seen the lavish decodrills through the mound, she sees something that puts her life in extreme danger -- and is about to create a nightmare for millions.
In early 1989, Soviet communism is about to collapse. In China civil war is brewing, and a secret is about to be uncovered that could change the course of history.
***
Extract from the Records of the Grand Historian (Shi Ji) by Sima Qian 104 – 92 B.C
AS SOON as the First Emperor became king of Chin, excavations and building had been started at Mount Li, while after he won the empire more than seven hundred thousand conscripts from all parts of the country worked there. They dug through three subterranean streams and poured molten copper for the outer coffin, and the tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions and offices, as well as fine vessels, precious stones and rarities. Artisans were ordered to fix up crossbows so that any thief breaking in would be shot. All the country’s streams, the Yellow River and the Yangtse were reproduced in quicksilver and by some mechanical means made to flow in an miniature ocean. The heavenly constellations were shown above and the regions on the earth below. The candles were made of whale oil to ensure their burning for the longest possible time.
The Second Emperor decreed: “It is not right to send away those of my father’s ladies who had no sons.” Accordingly, all these were ordered to follow the First Emperor to the grave. After the internment, someone pointed out that the artisans who had made the mechanical contrivances might disclose all the treasure that was in the tomb; therefore after the burial and sealing up of the treasures, the middle gate was shut and the outer gate closed to imprison all the artisans and labourers, so that no one came out. Trees and grass were planted over the mausoleum to make it seem like a hill.
***
Exhibit 17 – Audio Tape Evidence
Federal Court, Pearl Street
Manhattan
December 16th 1989
“She’s put the camera into the mound.”
“And?”
“She hasn’t seen it. Not even close. She’ll want to go to New York before doing any more.”
“Let her go, then.”
From the Author
Red Spirit is a fictional story set against a late 20th Century backdrop. Few figures of modern history are as fascinating as Mao Zedong. Therefore, I have used situations which did happen with some real-life characters, such as Deng Xiao-ping and Zhao Ziyang as part of the novel. At the time of writing, the legendary tomb of Qin Shi Huang near Xian had never been excavated despite many attempts by archeaologists to get permission. A wax replica was made of Mao Zedong’s body after his death in 1976 because of fears that preservation with formaldehyde would not work. The CIA is widely believed to have assisted in the growing and transporting of opium in Indochina during the Vietnam war. Soviet President Mikhael Gorbachev did visit China in May 1989 and Chinese troops did kill demonstrators to end the Tiananmen Square protests in June 1989, while in Xian and other cities protests were ended without bloodshed.
Some of the institutions such as the National Cultural Relics Bureau in Beijing does exist. But Sally’s Archaeological Institute of America and Richard’s Federal Containment Agency are fictitious, although most governments do have secret units responsible for deniable operations.
I drew on much published material, but three books, in particular, should be mentioned. The Private Life of Chairman Mao by Zhisui Li, which described scenes surrounding Mao Zedong’s death and the embalming of his body; The Tiananmen Papers compiled by Zhang Liang which recounted conversations within the Chinese government before the 1989 Tiananman Square killings; and The Dragon Syndicates by Martin Booth which portrayed the global threat of the Chinese Triad organisations.
My thanks to William Fu, Farooq El Baz, Liz Jensen, Nancy Langston, Cait Murphy, James Miles and Justin Morris for their invaluable help along their way. A special thanks to Mary Sandys for her work on the text and to Jonathon Mirsky, for the loan of books, documents and glimpses of character.
Some of the institutions such as the National Cultural Relics Bureau in Beijing does exist. But Sally’s Archaeological Institute of America and Richard’s Federal Containment Agency are fictitious, although most governments do have secret units responsible for deniable operations.
I drew on much published material, but three books, in particular, should be mentioned. The Private Life of Chairman Mao by Zhisui Li, which described scenes surrounding Mao Zedong’s death and the embalming of his body; The Tiananmen Papers compiled by Zhang Liang which recounted conversations within the Chinese government before the 1989 Tiananman Square killings; and The Dragon Syndicates by Martin Booth which portrayed the global threat of the Chinese Triad organisations.
My thanks to William Fu, Farooq El Baz, Liz Jensen, Nancy Langston, Cait Murphy, James Miles and Justin Morris for their invaluable help along their way. A special thanks to Mary Sandys for her work on the text and to Jonathon Mirsky, for the loan of books, documents and glimpses of character.
