# Shan Tien — Kai Lung’s Golden Hours character guide

> Shan Tien in Kai Lung’s Golden Hours by Ernest Bramah.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Mandarin Shan Tien, Tien, Mandarin Shan Tien, the benign Shan Tien, Mandarin, the Mandarin, Shan Tien of late

**First appearance:** 0003-ii-the-inexorable-justice-of-the-mandarin-shan-tien

## Snapshot

The Mandarin Shan Tien, called benign, presides over music and judgement alike, his face revealing a complete absence of every variety of emotion.

## Who they are

Shan Tien is the magistrate whose hall becomes a stage, where prisoners are brought to divert his guests and where Kai Lung must perform for his life. His outward calm conceals a court thick with malice, wine, and the offensive whisperings of the base Ming-shu at his right hand. He matters because his willingness to be entertained, and his unwilling permission for the vaunt to be justified, sets the central test of the book's opening movement.

## Relationships

### [Kai Lung](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/characters/kai_lung)

_friendship_

Kai Lung and Shan Tien are companions, sharing a love of storytelling and adventure.

### [Kai Lung](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/characters/kai_lung)

_friendship_

Kai Lung and Shan Tien are companions, sharing a love of storytelling and adventure.

### [Kai Lung](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/characters/kai_lung)

_friendship_

Kai Lung and Shan Tien are companions, sharing a love of storytelling and adventure.

## In the story

### [Kai Lung's Golden Hours](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/kai-lung-s-golden-hours)

The Mandarin who consults Kai Lung and later reconciles with Ming-shu.

### [The Encountering of Six Within a Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/i-the-encountering-of-six-within-a-wood)

The Mandarin whose procession passes through the wood, heading to Yu-ping to suppress discontent.

### [II: The Inexorable Justice of the Mandarin Shan Tien](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/ii-the-inexorable-justice-of-the-mandarin-shan-tien)

The Mandarin presiding over the trial, initially dismissive but becomes interested in Kai Lung's story of Wong Ts'in.

### [The Degraded Persistence of the Effete Ming-Shu](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/iii-the-degraded-persistence-of-the-effete-ming-shu)

The Mandarin who presides over the trial; troubled by a recurring dream, which Kai Lung exploits.

### [The Timely Intervention of the Mandarin Shan Tien's Lucky Day](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/v-the-timely-intervention-of-the-mandarin-shan-tien-s-lucky-day)

The Mandarin who presides over the trial and, on his lucky day, allows Kai Lung to tell the story of Lao Ting.

### [The High-Minded Strategy of the Amiable Hwa-Mei](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/vi-the-high-minded-strategy-of-the-amiable-hwa-mei)

Presides over the trial of the accused hag; is portrayed as superficial and swayed by appearances.

### [The Story of Weng Cho; or, the One Devoid of Name](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/the-story-of-weng-cho-or-the-one-devoid-of-name)

Not directly present; no relevant appearance in this chapter.

### [Not Concerned with Any Particular Attribute of Those Who Are Involved](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/vii-not-concerned-with-any-particular-attribute-of-those-who-are-involved)

Summons Kai Lung to advise on the virtue of a burial robe; he is superstitious and has accepted the Luminous Insect as an omen.

### [The Timely Disputation Among Those of an Inner Chamber of Yu-Ping](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/viii-the-timely-disputation-among-those-of-an-inner-chamber-of-yu-ping)

Shan Tien is the Mandarin who praises Kai Lung's storytelling, leading to the wager in his inner chambers.

### [The Propitious Dissension Between Two Whose General Attributes Have Already Been Sufficiently Described](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/ix-the-propitious-dissension-between-two-whose-general-attributes-have-already-been-sufficiently-described)

Praises Kai Lung's story, invites him privately, and defends his storytelling against Ming-shu's accusations; sets the test for Kai Lung to tell the Yuen Yan story.

### [X: The Incredible Obtuseness of Those Who Had Opposed the Virtuous Kai Lung](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/x-the-incredible-obtuseness-of-those-who-had-opposed-the-virtuous-kai-lung)

Reconciles with Ming-shu and plans the feast; expresses doubt about Kai Lung's stories.

### [XI: Of Which It Is Written: “In Shallow Water Dragons Become the Laughingstock of Shrimps”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/xi-of-which-it-is-written-in-shallow-water-dragons-become-the-laughingstock-of-shrimps)

The Mandarin presiding over the trial; he is pressured by Kai Lung's confession and ultimately agrees to the storyteller's terms.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/characters/shan_tien
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/characters