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Originally Posted by pdurrant
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And I must say how much I'm enjoying it. This isn't a book you can skim-read. There are often subtle meanings that will pass you by if you read too quickly. For example, here's the end of one story I've just finished, which, of course, requires a little explanation & contains spoilers, so is wrapped in tags.
Spoiler:
Our hero, Chang Tao is required to determine whether the beautiful Melodious Vision is really human, or a dragon who has been enchanted to bear an exact resemblance. He succeeds, and (for reasons I won't go into) thereby gains the favour of the dragon Pe-lung, who can also appear in human form. So Chang Tao marries the human Melodious Vision, which might be a good "happily ever after" stopping point. But there is an afterword:
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...in a later time Chang Tao encountered in the throng one whom he recognized. Encouraged by the presence of so many of his kind, he approached the other and saluted him.
“Greeting, O Pe-lung,” he said, with outward confidence. “What bends your footsteps to this busy place of men?”
“I come to buy an imitation pig-tail to pass for one,” replied Pe-lung, with quiet composure. “Greeting, valorous champion! How fares Melodious Vision?”
“Agreeably so,” admitted Chang Tao, and then, fearing that so far his reply had been inadequate, he added: “Yet, despite the facts, there are moments when this person almost doubts if he did not make a wrong decision in the matter after all.”
“That is a very common complaint,” said Pe-lung, becoming most offensively amused.
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And then there are the aphorisms, e.g:
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It is one thing to ignore the Rites: it is quite another to expect the gods to ignore the Penalties.
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