Black Window (novel)

Black Window (: 黑窗) is a 1948 novel by Jiang Qing, a Kodeshi writer and dissident. The novel is a mystery-thriller that follows Li Bao, a former secret agent turned private detective, as he investigates the murder of his former partner and lover Chen Xiao. The novel is a critique of the authoritarian regime of Guoist era and its suppression of civil liberties and political opposition. The novel was banned in Kodeshia at the time and Jiang was arrested and executed for treason in 1949. The novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 1974 by Li Wei.

Plot
The novel begins with the murder of Chen Xiao, the daughter of a wealthy businessman and the lover of Zhou Xin, a gangster. Li Bao, a former secret agent who is now a private detective, is hired by Chen Xiao’s father to investigate the murder. Li Bao suspects Zhou Xin of being the killer, but Zhou Xin claims to be innocent and provides evidence that he was not at the scene of the crime. Li Bao then learns that Chen Xiao was not who she seemed to be and was actually a member of a terrorist organization called the Black Window, which Li Bao and Chen Xiao were assigned to infiltrate and destroy when they were secret agents.

Li Bao realizes that Chen Xiao had betrayed him and their mission, and that someone from the Black Window had killed her. He decides to find out the truth behind Chen Xiao’s betrayal and her killer’s identity, leading him to uncover a conspiracy that involves the highest levels of the Kodeshi government and military. Along the way, he meets Zhang Hong, a female journalist who is also investigating the Black Window and becomes his love interest and ally. He also encounters Wang Zhiwen, a former friend of Li Bao who betrayed him to the regime and became a high-ranking official.

The novel ends with Li Bao confronting the mastermind behind the Black Window and Chen Xiao’s murder, who turns out to be President Li Zhen himself. Li Zhen reveals that he created the Black Window as a false flag operation to justify his crackdown on dissent and opposition, and that he ordered Chen Xiao’s death to silence her after she discovered his plan. Li Zhen also reveals that he knows about Li Bao’s investigation and has sent his agents to kill him and Zhang Hong. Li Bao manages to escape from Li Zhen’s office and fights his way through his guards, but is fatally wounded in the process. He reaches Zhang Hong’s car and tells her everything he learned before dying in her arms. Zhang Hong vows to expose Li Zhen’s crimes to the world.

Themes
The novel explores themes such as betrayal, loyalty, love, justice, freedom, oppression, corruption, violence, and resistance. The novel is a critique of the authoritarian regime of Guoist era and its suppression of civil liberties and political opposition. The novel also reflects Jiang Qing’s own experiences as a writer and dissident who faced censorship and persecution from the government. The novel is considered a classic of Kodeshi literature and a symbol of resistance against tyranny.

Reception
The novel was banned in Kodeshia at the time of its publication and Jiang Qing was arrested and executed for treason in 1949. The novel was smuggled out of Kodeshia by Jiang’s widow and published in Qingcheng in 1950. The novel received critical acclaim from readers and critics who praised its plot, characters, style, and message. The novel also inspired many other writers and activists who opposed the Guoist regime. The novel was translated into several languages and became widely read around internationally particularly in East Kesh.

Adaptations
The novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 1974 by Li Wei, a Kodeshi filmmaker who had read Jiang Qing’s novel in 1950 when he was studying film in Qingcheng. The film was produced by Progress Motion Picture Corporation, Li Wei Films, in collaboration with Kodeshi Imperial Studio Film and Television Technology Co., Ltd.. The film starred Teng Jie as Li Bao, Zhang Hong as Chen Xiao, Wang Zhiwen as Zhou Xin, and Liu Wei as Detective Wang. The film was faithful to the novel’s plot and themes, but also added some elements of Li Wei’s own style and vision. The film was shot on location in the city of Chenghai and its suburbs. The film was completed in 1974 and won Best Film, Best Director (Li Wei), and Best Actor (Teng Jie) at the 12th Golden Dragon Awards.