No woman is more famous than Hsi Shih (pronounced Shee She) in Chinese history, and no woman is more beautiful. This innocent girl captured the imagination of several powerful men the Chinese state of Yue?men whose decisions would change the course of her life forever. As a result of the war between the fifth century states of Yue and Wu, Hsi Shih found herself at the court of King Fu Chai of Wu, charged with the awesome responsibility of spying for Yue. The story of her extraordinary life is retold with remarkable insight and thoughtful examination in this intriguing novel.

During her lifetime, Hsi Shih was surrounded by some of the most intriguing personalities of the age. She became the most celebrated woman in popular Chinese legend. Her epic story has been told thousands of times through the centuries, and her name is synonymous with ?beauty? in the Chinese language.