JUDGE DEE was a historical person. His full name was Dee Jen-djieh and he lived from A.D. 630 to 700. In the latter half of his career he became a Minister of State, and through his wise counsels exercised a beneficial influence on the internal and ex¬ternal affairs of the T'ang empire.

However, it is chiefly because of his reputation as a detector of crimes, acquired while serving as district magistrate, that his name lives on among the Chinese people. Today the Chinese still con¬sider him their master-detective, and his name is as popular with them as that of Sherlock Holmes with us.