preface:
In the first year of the Zhen-guan reign period (627
A.D.), the Son of Heaven ordered the Shaolin monk,
Tanzong, and this loyal servant to the Lingnan region
in the far south of the empire. Our mission was to investigate
the rumors of rebellion by the Lee aborigine
tribes.
Our investigations took us first to an island at
the southern edge of our empire, the Isle of Pearls,
then to the distant western mountains of Sichuan, and
onto the vast mountain plateau of the Aza Kingdom.
I have recorded these adventures in three scrolls: The
Adventures of the Shaolin Blade Tanzong. This first scroll
is Listening to Rain. It is my intention to preserve the
memory of strange events that surrounded Tanzong’s
heroic actions in stabilizing our dynasty at a time
when its survival was in question.
For those unacquainted with this adventure,
the monk Tanzong has been lost since the unusual
and disconcerting resolution of this investigation. I
am publishing this account in the hopes that someone,
somewhere, might have seen or heard of him and
would inform the world of his hoped for survival. And
that a grateful empire might justly reward him.
In good faith,
Imperial Commissioner, Li Wei
Zhen-guan, 5th year (631 A.D.)
