The Story of the Stone is a novel by Barry Hughart

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...

, first published in 1988. It is part of a series set in a version of ancient China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 that began with Bridge of Birds

Bridge of Birds

Bridge of Birds is a fantasy novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1984. It is the first of three novels in the The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox series...

 and continues with 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:...

. The story begins on the twelfth day of the seventh moon in the Year of the Serpent

Snake (zodiac)

The Snake is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Snake is associated with the earthly branch symbol 巳.-Years and the Five Elements:...

 3,339 (AD 650).

Plot summary

The abbot of a humble monastery in the Valley of Sorrows calls upon Master Li

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...

 and Number Ten Ox

Number Ten Ox

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....

 to investigate the killing of a monk and the theft of a seemingly inconsequential manuscript from its library. Suspicion soon lands on the infamous Laughing Prince Liu Sheng

Liu Sheng

Liu Sheng , Prince Jing of Zhongshan , was a Chinese prince of the Western Han dynasty. His father was Emperor Jing, and he was the elder brother of Emperor Wu of Han...

--who has been dead for about 750 years. To solve this mystery and others, the incongruous duo will have to travel across China, outwit a half-barbarian king, and saunter into (and out of) Hell itself.

Main characters

• 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...
  
  
• Number Ten Ox
  Number Ten Ox
  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....
  
  

• Grief of Dawn, girl with a mysterious past and a connection to
• Moon Boy, an appallingly perverse hooligan

• Liu Sheng

Reviews

Library Journal

Library Journal

Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...

 stated that "This sequel to Bridge of Birds

Bridge of Birds

Bridge of Birds is a fantasy novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1984. It is the first of three novels in the The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox series...

 (Del Rey

Del Rey Books

Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...

, 1985) reaffirms Hughart's gift for comic fantasy as well as his talent for ingenious storytelling."

The Washington Post

The Washington Post

The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...

 stated that "the sly humorous tone and affectionate homage to our western ideas of early China are what really make Hughart special." Hughart "also incorporates a good deal of actual Chinese lore; the very title of his book, and various incidental details, pay homage to the most famous Chinese novel, more familiarly known as The Dream of the Red Chamber.

The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...

described the book as "Intricately nested plot boxes [which] reveal and conceal mysterious Oriental characters - people and calligraphy alike."