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Hua Hu Jing
is an
ancient Taoist
scripture that
was written in
China in the
fourth century.
The book stated
that Lao Tzu,
after having
finished the
Tao Te Ching
and discovering
Tao (the
way with
nature),
left China for
India, where he
taught a
disciple named
Sakyamuni. This
disciple founded
a religion
called Buddhism,
which preached
kindness to all.
Its story was
challenged by
Buddhists and
deemed as
slander. For
centuries,
debates between
the two
religions were
held without
result until Kubilai’s reign
when the Taoists
were finally
defeated and the
Mongol emperor
decreed that all
copies of Hua
Hu Jing were
to be banned and
burnt.
Hanson
Chan, author of
the novels
Hua Hu I—The
Forbidden
Scripture & Hua
Hu II—Thunder
Spell, used
this historical
incident as
background and
wrote the story
of a Taoist girl
who at the last
request of her
Sifu, must save
the sole
surviving copy.
Hua Hu,
Book 1: The
Forbidden
Scripture
describes the
twists and turns
of her flight
from Yenching
(today’s
Beijing) with
the book, while
being pursued by
Buddhist’s and
the Mongol
military, to Dun
Huang.
Hua Hu, Book 2:
The Thunder
Spell
uncovers secrets
hidden within
the Taoist
scripture and
describes how
the Taoist girl
reveals them.
It was
believed that
the instruction
for Thunder
Spell was kept
within Hua Hu
Jing. Thunder
Spell, according
to legend, was
the highest
technique for
Taoists to
summon deities
of natural
forces to
perform magic in
their ceremonial
services. It
represented
power and
success if one
possessed the
skill.
In the
process of
unveiling the
hidden secrets,
the Taoist girl
is trapped and
forced into a
series of bloody
fights against
trickery and
betrayal,
selfishness and
vanity, as well
as dreams and
failures during
her struggles
and involvement
with different
sects or
characters in
Taoism.
As the story inches to
its conclusion,
experiences and
results from her
mission have a
surprise impact
on her future
goals and
convictions,
turning the
theme to that of
inspiration.
In writing these two novels,
Hanson Chan not
only examined
volumes of books
related to the
historical
incidents, but
also made
several trips to
China to visit
various cites of
interest for
factual details.
He will share
his research
with the
audience on the
history and
facts as well as
the structure of
different plots
and themes he
believes provide
valuable
information for
these two books.
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