The Garden of Evening Mists

How does the novel’s non-linear narrative structure, framed by Yun Ling’s encroaching aphasia, challenge or reinforce her professional identity as a judge dedicated to objective fact and linear logic?

How does the novel extend the Japanese gardening principle of shakkei (borrowed scenery) beyond horticulture to frame the construction of memory, identity, and narrative?

The relationship between Yun Ling and Aritomo is built on shared artistic discipline rather than explicit emotional disclosure. Examine how their bond, which moves from apprenticeship to intimacy, forces a re-evaluation of the clear dichotomies between victim and perpetrator, or healing and complicity.