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Confucius Jade

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Forgive the pun, but in my opinion, Confucius Jade by Frederick Fisher is a magnificent literary Gem! It is also a suspenseful drama! Fisher writes with extensive knowledge and experience of both the Orient and gemstones and has successfully integrated both into a memorable, meaningful novel! Easily a 10 in a 1-5 ranking in my opinion!

Centering on the Family Kong, Kong Wan Yi is the narrator for the majority of the book. Indeed the story begins right before her birth as part of the family find it necessary to leave their home. First, let me clarify that the above has been anglicized--the family's well-known ancestor is K'ung Fu-tze who lived twenty-five hundred years ago.

We all still know and quote him as...Confucius:

The Master said, To fail to speak to a man who is capable of benefiting, is to let a man go to waste. To speak to a man who is incapable of benefiting is to let one's words go to waste. A wise man lets neither man nor words go to waste. (p. 48)

Kong Wan Yi was born in 1936 in Burma, where Fan Shi and Chen Wu Xia adopted her, when her parents died on the trip. Cousin Deng Huai completed the small family who soon began to prosper in this new land. Fan Shi was a scholar who automatically began teaching wherever he was and the family soon was well respected.

Perhaps it was fate that Wan Yi and Deng Huai fell in love and were allowed to marry, after reviewing the family connections. Whether Mei Hua was born as she was due to that marriage, it was irrelevant. She was a much-loved beautiful flower that would never mature past the age of 7, yet it was Mei Hua who, perhaps, played the most important role--she found the pretty rock that was too heavy for her small arms to carry back home for her collection.

But it was to both Wan Yi and Mei Hua that He came--Shou Xing Lao, the Immortal God of Longevity came to show them how the pretty rock was to be used. Destiny was now in control of the Kong Family's future...

Finally, it was to Fan Shi that the final vision appeared--a university bearing the name of K'ung Fu-tze was to be built at Qufu, birthplace of Confucius.

The adventure begins as three men--a Japanese pearl magnate, an Arabian oil sheik and an American media mogul--are selected to bid to purchase the Jade twins of Shou Xing Lao. Ah, yes, there is so much in this book that only highlights can be included! And, indeed the beautiful cover of the book reveals the creations that came from those pretty rocks. And the asking price was a minimum of $1Billion. But, here, too, destiny was in charge--Shou Xing Lao would decide where and with whom they would ultimately live. Each of the men were quite willing to pay for longevity; their families were not!

Rich in cultural and historical background, plan to keep this one for your personal library. Perhaps, long life may come to us who read this wonderful book, Confucius Jade by Frederick Fisher... If not, we have definitely succeeded in being visited by Fu Xing, God of Happiness!

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G. A. Bixler

I love a novel with an historical context. F. Fisher knows his subject. He's obviously travelled widely in Asia.....has a wonderful historical sense and a great imagination. My favorite chapters were with a Chinese family on a journey of escape into Burma at the end of WWII and the creation of a Jade statue around which the adventure revolves. There's magic and mystery. The story criss-crosses the Pacific between China and America as fast as a Jetplane. Suspenseful, and ends with wonderful prospects for a more peace-filled world.

Kong Wan Yi was born in 1936 in Burma, where Fan Shi and Chen Wu Xia adopted her, when her parents died on the trip. Cousin Deng Huai completed the small family who soon began to prosper in this new land. Fan Shi was a scholar who began teaching wherever he was and the family soon was well respected.

Here's magic and mystery. The story crosses the Pacific between China and America and is suspenseful, and ends with wonderful prospects for a more peace-filled world.

Book Provided Free for review By author Marketing Experts, Inc.

I loved this book! The historical context, the characters, the use of words wonderfully describing a scene, and the incentive to keep turning the pages to learn what happens next.

I'd love to see more books from this author. It was great.

"The phenomena affected each of us differently. For myself, I saw the center of the reflected half turning liquid, a green so vivid and intense that it burned into my memory. It appeared to boil, as if the lovely green syrup would spill from its bowl."

CONFUCIUS JADE by Frederick Fisher is rich in beauty and excitement. I traveled around snowy mountain ledges which seemed to reach the bottomless pit of the earth with a fine Chinese family who traveled from Burma to China. While reading the book I delighted in learning about people different from myself.. In a way I felt as though someone had a Divine Hand in my reading this book. On a second reading, I began to remember my childhood. When I was a little girl, I had an uncle and aunt who were missionaries in Borneo. Through letters mimeographed for each household we strived to picture this unknown and dangerous land so far away from our home in Philadelphia.

In due time I would see my uncle's photographs in a Life magazine. Sadly, after many deaths, many moves the magazine disappeared. Almost daily I yearn to have that magazine back in my hands for my children and grandchildren. Since my uncle did not make his letters creative only practical, I missed the wonderful way he could have painted China with words. Of course, my uncle and aunt did not have time. They were teaching the basics of life to groups of people. They were sent to Borneo by their Baptist church. Perhap, this is Frederick Fisher's legacy to paint this beautiful unknown world for us. This book, CONFUCIUS JADE is beyond whatever thoughts or mind paintings I might have experienced about China by reading books, looking at documentaries and movies. This book is as rich as a holiday fruitcake.

The Kong family are destined to carve jade. I would say it is in their genes. When Mei Hui brings home two heavy pieces of wood or driftwood there is a question of what is lying hidden in these pieces. The answer is Shou-Xing Lao, the Chinese God of Longevity. The way Frederick Johnson describes the intricate work of two people back to back on handcrafted benches with mirrors on all sides begin and do succeed at carving an image of The Chinese God of Longevity. One figure is the reflection of the other figure.

I found myself falling in love with the symbolism carried by or following Shou-Xing Lao. There is a spotted deer, a large juicy peach and a staff in the Chinese God's hand. Carefully, gently, these two carved figures will make it all the way to San Francisco. The two family members carry the figures in red, white and blue bags with a lot of packing around the figures to keep the fragile cargo safe.

In San Francisco, the family decides with care how and to whom to sell these figures. What will they do with the money? A Sheikh is chosen, an Emperor of the Pearls is chosen and a newspaper baron who has as his goal to own all the newspapers put out by small presses around the world. These men are not millionaires. These men are billionaires. The money from the figures will create a sure and lasting plan involving Confucius, the author of the Five Virtues.

This book made me think of my childhood. I remembered my wonderful uncle and aunt who would, before returning to the states, adopt two Chinese children, a girl and a boy. I also thought about living a life of worth. Good thoughts tend to grow and grip tightly on to our hearts expanding from one person to three people to half a dozen. A good heart never remains frozen. Confucius' Five Tenets expand and push forth like the seed of a peach tree or a Redwood tree. I can't say enough about this book. Frederick Fisher has to be a great man with a good heart and now he has published a book filled with beauty and love and adventure.Frederick Fisher, Confucius jade

An avid reader of 50+ years, I have seldom found a novel I've enjoyed as much as "Confucius Jade." Not only is it an excellent story but it is masterfully revealed. Although a novel, in incorporates the author's extensive personal knowledge of the subject area's geography, culture and gemology. It is artfully infused with positive philosophical nuggets. Highly recommended for all who enjoy an insightful and satisfying read.

Note to author from a reader: As I read your Confucius Jade, the family Kong characters come alive,reminding me of the young Chinese friends I had at the University of Arizona. (Might some of them well have been descendants of Confucius?) Your noted travel of China and the Orient gives the novel a knowledgeable base. The presentation of the story from a woman's point of view is well done. In my estimation this vovel would make a classic movie. s/s Billie Douglass Gaskill, M.Ed.