THIS STORY RECEIVED YANGTZE RIVER NETWORK LITERATURE COMPETITION AWARD FOR 2020.
Set 1,000 years ago (AD 1021-1026) during China's Song Dynasty, it centres on the life and times of Fan Zhongyan, a real historical figure in ancient China. "Fan" is his last name, and "Gong" is the most respectful honorific title in Chinese.
This novel focuses on his challenges and accomplishments as a young junior official in the coastal city of Yancheng,...