Tun Huang

Typical to Inoue's style in historical fiction, he starts with a well-known historical mystery--namely, how a large set of valuable Buddhist scrolls came to be hidden in temple caves of Dunhuang some time in 11th century China under unknown circumstances--and fills in the gaps from his imagination. The story takes place mostly in Kansu, Western China, where a new rising power, the Tanguts, have recently founded a state of their own called the Xia. The main character, a Sung scholar, fails an imperial examination by falling asleep while waiting for his name to be called. Afterwards, a chance encounter with a Tangut woman being sold in the city's marketplace leads him to a journey to the western borderlands of China where his adventures, both physical and spiritual, takes place.

This is a great book and shows the depth of Inoue's imagination. It is based upon the Buddhist Scriptures found in Tun Huang, a part of the silk road path. Inoue tells the story of how these scriptures were placed there in the first place. The story has very little to do with Buddhism or religion. It is more of an adventure novel with a scholar as its hero. Well written and evenly paced, it takes the reader back to a time when there were magnificent battles in Asia. After you read this book, rent the video. Unfortunately, the American version of the video is chopped up so that the story is not really comprehensible. However, if you've read the book, you may be able to appreciate the movie a little better.