Blue Dragon Part 86

Xuan Wu (Putonghua) p.r.o.nounced, roughly, 'Shwan Wu': means 'Dark Martial Arts'; the Black Turtle of the North, Mr Chen.

Yamen: Administration, as in Yamen Building.

Yang: One of the two prime forces of the Universe in Taoist philosophy. Yang is the Light: masculine, bright, hot and hard.

Yang and yin: The two prime forces of the universe, when joined together form the One, the essence of everything. The symbol of yang and yin shows each essence containing a small part of the other.

Yellow Emperor: An ancient mythological figure, the Yellow Emperor is credited with founding civilisation and inventing clothing and agriculture.

Yin: One of the two prime forces of the universe in Taoist philosophy. Yin is Darkness: feminine, dark, cold and soft.

Yuexia Loaren (Putonghua): 'Old Man Under the Moon'; a Taoist deity responsible for matchmaking.

Yum cha (Cantonese): Literally 'drink tea'. Most restaurants hold yum cha between breakfast and midafternoon. Tea is served, and waitresses wheel around trolleys containing varieties of dim sum.

Yuzhengong (Putonghua): 'Find the True Spirit'; the name of the palace complex on Wudang Mountain.

Zhu Que (Putonghua) p.r.o.nounced, roughly, Joo Chway: the Red Phoenix of the South.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

The journey is far from complete, but the publication of the final book in the Dark Heavens trilogy is something of a milestone, and I'd like to thank those who helped along the way.

Alana and Fiona, who have been reading this story from the first day I started writing it, and have provided help, encouragement, advice, and viral marketing.

My family in Canberra who have told everybody they know all about my books with unrestrained pride.

Anni Haig-Smith my agent, who is accountant, advisor, and sometimes babysitter.

Stephanie Smith who took a gamble on an unpublished author which I hope has paid off as much as she wished it to. All the staff at HarperCollins, who work so very hard to make these books as successful as they could possibly be, and a particular thank you to Darren Holt for making the covers of my books so eye-catching.

My kids, Will and Maddy, who have given up trying to talk to me when I'm tapping away at my computer and just walk away with bemused resignation.

My wonderful husband Jason who is my one-man cheer squad.

Hikari Remora. You guys rock and yes, you do provide me with inspiration, and yes watch for yourselves in future volumes.

All my fans. I'm still a bit bewildered at the concept that I have fans. I've received so many wonderful emails and letters and I appreciate every single one of them. Don't despair, everybody, this is just the beginning of the story and there is very much more to come.

Kylie Chan June 2007

About the Author.

Twenty years ago Kylie Chan married a Hong Kong national in a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony in Eastern China. She and her husband lived in Australia for eight years, then in Hong Kong for ten years. She has seen a great deal of Chinese culture and come to appreciate the customs and way of life.

Two years ago she closed down her successful IT consultancy company in Hong Kong and moved back to Australia. She decided to use her knowledge of Chinese mythology, culture, and martial arts to weave a story that would appeal to a wide audience.

Since returning to Australia, Kylie has studied kung fu (Wing Chun and Southern Chow Clan styles) as well as tai chi and is now a senior belt in both forms. She has also made an intensive study of Buddhist and Taoist philosophy and has brought all of these together into her storytelling.

Kylie is a mother of two who lives in Brisbane.

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Books by Kylie Chan

Dark Heavens

White Tiger (1)

Red Phoenix (2)

Blue Dragon (3)