| Author | Zhang Muye (天下霸唱) |
|---|---|
| Original title | 鬼吹灯 (Guǐ Chuīdēng) |
| Language | Chinese |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
Publication date | 1st book: March 2006 (online) and October 2006 (print) |
| Publication place | China |
| Media type | Online, Print |
Gui Chui Deng (Ghost Blows Out the Light) (Chinese: 鬼吹灯; pinyin: Guǐ Chuīdēng), also referred to as Candle in the Tomb, is a fantasy novel series written by Zhang Muye (天下霸唱) about a team of grave robbers seeking hidden treasure, with the first book published online in March 2006.[1] It quickly became the bestselling online novel in China with an estimated readership of six million,[2] and when published in print form in October the same year,[3][4] went on to sell over 500,000 copies,[1] although the book had to be rewritten to remove references to the supernatural before it could be released.[5]
Set in the 1980s, the series follows former soldier Hu Bayi and his partner as they raid tombs in search of valuables.[3] The two team up with an American archaeologist after they fall victim to a curse, and to release themselves from it they must seek clues found among ancient mythical sites across China.[3]
The title is derived from an old Chinese saying, credited by the author to genuine grave robbers: "A human lights the candle and the ghosts blow it out."[3][4] According to Muye, grave robbers would place a candle in the south-east corner of a tomb after entering, in an attempt to make contact with the dead. If the candle was extinguished it was a sign that the spirits within opposed the intrusion, and the robbers would be obliged to depart, leaving everything intact and undisturbed.[3][4]