The Gate of the Wind God (2 Volumes)
Tags
Summary
In the autumn of the fifth year of Keichō (1600), the Battle of Sekigahara broke out, and the tide of the realm moved toward its conclusion. One day, Sarutobi Sasuke, carrying his lord Yukimura's dream of restoring the Toyotomi house, sought out the Iga genius ninja Kirigakure Saizō and gave him two choices: join the Sanada, or die.
In the summer of the twentieth year of Keichō (1615), Osaka Castle was tightly besieged by the Tokugawa army, its fall imminent. On the eve of the final battle, Sasuke took leave of Saizō and declared his resolve to live and die with his lord. This plunged Saizō, who could otherwise have slipped away, into a dilemma...
Past glory will fade at last; the setting sun over Osaka Castle reflects the final stance of the Sanada Ten Braves!
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in the history of Japan's Warring States period, especially the Battle of Sekigahara and the Osaka campaigns
- Fans of works that use individual fates to reflect great eras and combine literary quality with historical depth
- Readers curious about ninja culture, the samurai spirit, and their true form in history
- Readers of historical fiction who enjoy tight pacing, vivid ensemble characterization, and grand narrative sweep
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting pure wuxia or fantasy-style ninja stories
- Readers completely unfamiliar with the historical background of Japan's Warring States period who are unwilling to consult additional materials while reading
Reading tips
- Read alongside Shiba's The People of Toyotomi and Sekigahara to build a more complete picture of the late Warring States period.
- Pay attention to the book's depiction of the contest between 'intelligence' (ninjutsu) and 'frontal warfare' (bushidō); this is a hidden thread for understanding the shifts of power at the time.
- The book involves many historical figures and clan relationships; occasionally consulting a simple genealogy chart of Warring States daimyō will help clarify the threads and make immersion in the story smoother.
About the publisher
Chongqing Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles in the humanities, social sciences, literature and arts, with about 940 books in its catalogue. Its publishing areas cover world history, science fiction, foreign literature, architecture and philosophy. Representative titles include Xiang Da's A History of Communications Between China and the West, Liang Sicheng's Rules of Qing-Style Construction, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest and III: Death's End, Ann Rand's The Fountainhead (25th Anniversary Edition), and Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. Its authors include Xiang Da, Liu Cixin, Liang Sicheng and Ann Rand. The press has developed distinctive strengths in historical source editing, the introduction and creation of science fiction, the translation of foreign literature, and architecture and philosophy titles, balancing scholarly value with general readership. As public information is limited, this profile outlines its publishing directions based only on the books in the catalogue.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 风神之门［上］
- 八濑之里
- 香肌玉肤
- 京之雨
- 猫的脚步声
- 香艳之夜
- 猿飞
- 黑屋敷
- 青姬寻踪
- 真田屋敷
- 暗杀之行
- 海道之月
- 风神之门［下］
- 蛐蛐儿斩
- 骏府城
- 东军西上
- 鹰之峰
- 影法师
- 霞之阵
- 淀之河风
- 冬之阵
- 白山茶
- 夏之阵
- 译后记
FAQ
How does this book differ from works such as The Sanada Taiheiki?
Can I understand it without a foundation in Japanese Warring States history?
Is this book mainly about ninja?
Related on WeRead
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Ryōtarō Shiba (1923–1996), whose real name was Teiichi Fukuda, was a native of Osaka, Japan, and a renowned postwar historical novelist and a master of popular literature. He worked as a journalist early in his career, won the Naoki Prize in 1960 for Castle of Owls, and received the Order of Culture in 1993, occupying an important place in postwar Japanese popular historical writing. His works often draw on Japanese history from the Sengoku period through the late shogunate to modern times, and he was skilled at portraying characters' psychology and the turning points of an era within a framework of historical fact, with a brisk style rich in reflection. Six of his works are included in the collection, among them Kōmyō ga Tsuji, The Toyotomi Family, The Last Ninja, Two Strategists, The Boy on Horseback, and Gate of the Wind God, covering themes such as samurai, ninja, and strategists, and combining historical narrative with a legendary flavor. His other representative works include Ryōma ga Yuku, Saka no Ue no Kumo, Kunitori Monogatari, and Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, and have had a profound influence.
Zhou Xiaoqing is an author about whom little public information is currently available; the database contains only one work under her name, the two-volume The Gate of the Wind God. Judging from its common classification as foreign literature, the book appears to be a work of translated or foreign-set narrative literature rather than a story grounded in domestic realistic themes. At present, her nationality, dates of birth and death, education, and writing career cannot be confirmed, and there are no reliable records of other books or awards. Understanding of this author therefore has to center on The Gate of the Wind God: its two-volume length suggests a story with considerable scope and room for development, suited to a long narrative with layered characters and plot. Readers who wish to learn more about Zhou Xiaoqing's style and thematic interests currently have only this work as a primary basis.
