▁House ▁is ▁a ▁novel ▁by ▁James ▁C lav ell , ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁set ▁in ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁is ▁over ▁a ▁thousand ▁pages ▁long , ▁and ▁contains ▁do z ens ▁of ▁characters ▁and ▁numerous ▁inter ming ling ▁plot ▁lines . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁adapted ▁as ▁a ▁television ▁min is eries ▁for ▁N BC , ▁st arring ▁Pier ce ▁B ros nan . ▁The ▁min is eries ▁updates ▁the ▁story line ▁of ▁the ▁novel ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁The ▁No ble ▁House ▁also ▁is ▁a ▁nick name ▁of ▁Str uan ' s , ▁the ▁trad ing ▁company ▁featured ▁prom in ently ▁in ▁most ▁of ▁C lav ell ' s ▁nov els . ▁ ▁Plot ▁summary ▁No ble ▁House ▁is ▁set ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁The ▁t ai - pan , ▁Ian ▁Dun ross , ▁strugg les ▁to ▁rescue ▁Str uan ' s ▁from ▁the ▁prec ari ous ▁financial ▁position ▁left ▁by ▁his ▁prede cess or . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁he ▁see ks ▁partners hip ▁with ▁an ▁American ▁million aire , ▁while ▁trying ▁to ▁w ard ▁off ▁his ▁arch - rival ▁Qu ill an ▁Gor nt , ▁who ▁see ks ▁to ▁destroy ▁Str uan ' s ▁once ▁and ▁for ▁all . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Chinese ▁commun ists , ▁Taiwan ese ▁national ists , ▁and ▁Soviet ▁sp ies ▁il leg ally ▁vie ▁for ▁influence ▁in ▁Hong ▁Kong