The story of Shi Pei Pu is one of the more unique tales of espionage in the world, so much so that it inspired the well-known place M. Butterfly. Shi was a Chinese opera singer from Beijing who managed to convince his target that he was a woman, even to the point of sexual relations. His target was an accountant who worked for the French Embassy by the name of Bernard Boursicot. This farce lasted for more than 30 years, with Boursicot – if he is to be believed – being none the wiser. It even came to the point where Shi brought a son with him to see his French lover, insisting it was the result of their time together.
