It is the beginning of one of the world's great civilizations. For generations, tribes of nomads across an ancient land have been at war. But suddenly, after decisive victories by the powerful Yellow Emperor and his army, the tribes are united and the land is at peace.
Cangjie, the Master of Communications for the Yellow Emperor, has returned to his village as a war hero, to lead a quiet and still life with his wife and son. Cangjie is happier than he has ever been.
Yet the Yellow Emperor believes that a time of peace is not a time for standing still.
One morning, as the light breaks the horizon at the messenger's most dangerous arrives, Cangjie sees movement on the edge of the forest by his home. It is a messenger sent from the Yellow Emperor, burdened with delivering an impossible task to Cangjie.
As Shen the messenger tells him, "The Emperor summons you to...to... Oh, Master Cangjie, the Emperor desires for you to take these words that we speak and, I do not understand, but...
capture
them."
So begins the story of Cangjie, the man who invented writing.
In this retelling of a legend from a time before writing, in the renaissance that gave rise to modern Chinese culture, award-winning author Baker Lawley spins a tale about the origin of the written word, and the burden and magic and miracle of the act of writing.