Page "Fu Manchu" Paragraph 4

According to Cay Van Ash, Rohmer's biographer and former assistant who became the first author to continue the series after Rohmer's death, " Fu Manchu " was a title of honour, which meant " the Warlike Manchu.

" Van Ash speculates that Fu Manchu had been a member of the Imperial family who backed the losing side in the Boxer Rebellion.

In the earliest books, Fu Manchu is an agent of the secret society, the Si-Fan and acts as the mastermind behind a wave of assassinations targeting Western imperialists.

In later books, he vies for control of the Si-Fan which is more concerned with routing Fascist dictators and halting the spread of Communism.

The Si-Fan is largely funded through criminal activities, particularly the drug trade and white slavery.

Dr. Fu Manchu has extended his already considerable lifespan by use of the elixir vitae, a formula he spent decades trying to perfect.