Number Ten Ox
Encyclopedia
Number Ten Ox is a fictional character from Barry Hughart
's series Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, set in a version of ancient China that never was.
Lu Yu lives in the village of Ku-fu with his aunt and uncle, his parents having died when he was ten. Though he shares a name with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea
, the two should not be confused. As he was "the tenth of [his] father's sons, and rather strong" he is known as Number Ten Ox.
He has fallen in love at least three times, with a girl of his village who died, named Scented Hairpin, with Lotus Cloud (who turns out to be the fictional equivalent of Weaver Girl, Jade Pearl, princess of birds), and with Grief of Dawn. In Eight Skilled Gentlemen
he falls for Yu Lan, a shamanka.
As a child he joined the local boys society, the Seven Bloody Bandits of the Dragon Bones
Cave.
To save the children of the village of Ku-fu, he was sent by his aunt with five thousand copper cash
to hire a Sage in hopes of curing a mysterious malady affecting the children of his village. When arriving in Peking he realized that a peasant's 5000 copper was a tiny sum but managed to find the drunken sage, Li Kao
who agrees to help if Number Ten Ox uses all five thousand copper to go out and buy all the wine he can find. Number Ten Ox later becomes Li's assistant.
In The Story of the Stone, it is revealed that this is his first human incarnation in the cycle of rebirth
.
Number Ten Ox is not as devious or as well educated as Li Kao
, but he does occasionally have flashes of insight which help further their quest. He is very strong and can run for a very long time. He wishes to be reborn as a cloud.
Barry Hughart
Barry Hughart in Peoria, Illinois, is an American author of fantasy novels.- Background :Hughart was born in Peoria, Illinois on March 13, 1934. His father, John Harding Page, served as a naval officer. His mother, Veronica Hughart, was an architect.Hughart was educated at Phillips Academy...
's series Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, set in a version of ancient China that never was.
Lu Yu lives in the village of Ku-fu with his aunt and uncle, his parents having died when he was ten. Though he shares a name with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea
The Classic of Tea
The Classic of Tea or Tea Classic is the very first monograph on tea in the world, written by Chinese writer Lu Yu between 760 CE and 780 CE during the Tang Dynasty....
, the two should not be confused. As he was "the tenth of [his] father's sons, and rather strong" he is known as Number Ten Ox.
He has fallen in love at least three times, with a girl of his village who died, named Scented Hairpin, with Lotus Cloud (who turns out to be the fictional equivalent of Weaver Girl, Jade Pearl, princess of birds), and with Grief of Dawn. In Eight Skilled Gentlemen
Eight Skilled Gentlemen
Eight Skilled Gentlemen is a novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1990.It is the third, and final, part of a series set in a version of ancient China that began with Bridge of Birds and The Story of the Stone.-Plot summary:...
he falls for Yu Lan, a shamanka.
As a child he joined the local boys society, the Seven Bloody Bandits of the Dragon Bones
Oracle bone
Oracle bones are pieces of bone normally from ox scapula or turtle plastron which were used for divination chiefly during the late Shang Dynasty. The bones were first inscribed with divination in oracle bone script by using a bronze pin, and then heated until crack lines appeared in which the...
Cave.
To save the children of the village of Ku-fu, he was sent by his aunt with five thousand copper cash
Cash (Chinese coin)
A cash was a type of coin of China and East Asia from the 2nd century BC until the AD 20th century. The photograph to the right shows replicas of various ancient to 19th century cast coins in various metals found in China and Japan.-Terminology:...
to hire a Sage in hopes of curing a mysterious malady affecting the children of his village. When arriving in Peking he realized that a peasant's 5000 copper was a tiny sum but managed to find the drunken sage, Li Kao
Li Kao
Li Kao is a fictional character in Barry Hughart's novels Bridge of Birds, The Story of the Stone, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen. He is a brilliant scholar, con artist, and detective who lives in China during the seventh century C.E. At the time the novels take place, his age is unknown, but he...
who agrees to help if Number Ten Ox uses all five thousand copper to go out and buy all the wine he can find. Number Ten Ox later becomes Li's assistant.
In The Story of the Stone, it is revealed that this is his first human incarnation in the cycle of rebirth
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
.
Number Ten Ox is not as devious or as well educated as Li Kao
Li Kao
Li Kao is a fictional character in Barry Hughart's novels Bridge of Birds, The Story of the Stone, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen. He is a brilliant scholar, con artist, and detective who lives in China during the seventh century C.E. At the time the novels take place, his age is unknown, but he...
, but he does occasionally have flashes of insight which help further their quest. He is very strong and can run for a very long time. He wishes to be reborn as a cloud.