Lady of Ch'iao Kuo: Warrior of the South

This is the longest Royal Diary, but it is very interesting! (Of course, it is the Special edition.) In the sixth century AD, and particularly in the South, China was very different than the China we know now-or even the China of recent history, like in the early 18th century. Sixteen year old Redbird, a tribal princess in Southern China, describes her longing for peace in her tribe's fight against another tribe, the murderous Dog heads, and her mistrust of the uneasy alliance between her people, the Hsien, and the Chinese. In my other reviews I talked a lot about history, but for this one I really can't, because before I read "Lady of Chiao Kuo", I knew nothing about Chinese history during AD 500s. But, as always, I read the Epilogue and Historical note in the end, and I thought the history of Southern China, particularly the Hsien Tribe, and even more particularly the Lady of Chiao Kuo, was very interesting.

Princess Redbird is a 15 year old princess of the Hsien tribe. The Hsiens are thought as 'savages' among all the other tribes in China. They are constantly at war and Redbird misses her father who so often cancels special occasions for his wars throughout China with his opponent 'The Dog Heads' an evil militia. The time is A.D. 531 and Redbird wants to become part of her father's royal council as her brother has. Instead, her parents set her up at the chinese colony, away from her precious home at Kingfisher Hill. Princess Redbird writes about her times at Kingfisher Hill, celebrations she's celebrated and how one day she hopes to inherit the Hsien throne. A gift that has never been casted down on a woman. Redbird lives a sleepy and lazt life until she learns that her school has set aflame with all the people inside it! Redbird must rise to the challenge and prove herself the true warrior of the south.

When I first got this book I expected bamboo, chopsticks, honorable monks and all that other stereotype Chinese stuff. But I saw that life in sixth century China was not that way. The Chinese were beyond bamboo but the Hsien people to the south weren't. The Hsien who lived in Southern China at the time lived a peaceful life in the forests until the jealous Dog Heads (who I think were from India or Vietnam) came and the Chinese help them. The Hsien send their Princess Red Bird to become a liasion and makes a clever plan to defeat the Dog Head Elephants. This Clever Book-loving Princess records in Five Scrolls her life living with her Father the king and then later her brother King Little Tiger who was a royal pain like this other Chinese rich colonist girl who ends up living with Red Bird. But I think lot's of kids who love books can relate to Princess Red Bird. I hope you like it as much as I have.

This book is about a Hsien Princess who goes through troubled times. She is sent to a Chinese settlement to learn how to speak, read, and write Chinese from her teacher, Master Chen. At the town she is named Princess Redbird, but is regarded to as a savage. Soon a hostile tribe called the Dog Heads start attacking the Hsien and the Chinese colonists. Princess Redbird is called upon to be an interpreter.They form an alliance but soon find there is a traitor in thier midst; For Princess Redbird's father's group is ambushed and killed. Her brother, Little Tiger, is named king. Soon the Chinese settlement was overrun by the Dog Heads. She sneaks there to find her Chinese family had been enslaved or killed, including her beloved teacher, Master Chen. Princess Redbird has to collect the broken pieces, defeat the Dog Heads, and uncover the traitor. During all this she finds time to read. She reads about Master Meng and how he describes peace, though it doesn't seem real to her. In her reading she was able to come up with an idea to defeat the Dog Heads. All she needed was careful planning and a little bit of magic. You must read this book to see how the brave princess defeated the Dog Heads and bring peace to her people and the Chinese. I never knew there had been a South China monarchy. I also didn't know there had been feuding tribs in South China. This book is a great learning source and I would recommend it to any reader.

The year is 531 A.D., southern China. A sixteen year old Princess Red Bird (later Lady of Ch'iao Kuo) of the Hsien people is living through a time when China is slowly gaining back power and where land is always fought over. Red Bird is an educated princess as she is sent often to learn chinese and academics from a chinese colonist family lead by Master Chen. As she is the only one in her family who can speak and understand chinese, she is imperative for diaplomatic missions as an interpreter. As the Dog Heads, an enemy people of the Hsien and Chinese, start attacking, Princess Red Bird must help her people survive. She wants to join two cultures in an alliance, the Hsien and the Chinese. With her effort and wise, natural leadership skills she will shape her people.I might be biased when I say I love this book as I am from Southern Asian descent. However, Laurence Yep gives his smooth historical fiction effort as usual and if you have a penchant for his books, it's a definite read. For everyone and the Royal Diaries fan, this shouldn't be a miss. It is far more longer than most of the other Diaries and has more plot incidents than many of the others. A very educational read for anyone interested in asian history. It's a definite recommended read. Go for it!

Red Bird, 16, daughter of the king of Hsien in Southern China has many responsibilites as the princess of her people. However she is keen and takes the responsibilty very well. Over the years her parents have sent her to Northern China to learn the language and thus she becomes an interpreter for her people and China who are in turmoil. At first life seems good until war breaks out. Can Princess Red Bird convince her people and Northern China to work together, even though they are in turmoil themselves, to fight thier common enemy? This was a great book and Laurence Yep did a great job depicting the culture and customs of the Chinese during that time. I highly recommend this book to all people who enjoy reading the Royal Diaries.