Strange Tales from Liaozhai - Vol. 5The weird and whimsical short stories in Strange Tales from Liaozhai show their author, Pu Songling (1640-1715), to be both an explorer of the macabre, like Edgar Allan Poe, and a moralist, like Aesop. In this first complete translation of the collection's 494 stories into English, readers will encounter supernatural creatures, natural disasters, magical aspects of Buddhist and Daoist spirituality, and a wide range of Chinese folklore. Annotations are provided to clarify unfamiliar references or cultural allusions, and introductory essays have been included to explain facets of Pu Songling's work and to provide context for some of the unique qualities of his uncanny tales. This is the fifth of 6 volumes. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 79
... felt her body become as light as a leaf, fluttering upward into the clouds. Before long, she came to a place where there were no more clouds before her, and she realized she'd reached the end of her experience. Night had fallen, the ...
... felt his body enter the estate and pass successively through three gateways, the place devoid of any signs of people. There was a government office facing north and south, its floors covered with red carpeting. As he peered inside, he ...
... felt worried that the prince might hear, so he excused himself on the pretext of needing to go to the toilet, and went outside. He looked up, noticing the sun, and as he saw servants standing before his bed, he began to realize that he ...
... felt the soft curtain surrounding his bed and so fell into a feverish sleep. He hadn't been resting long when he suddenly heard the banging sounds of gong and drums, startling him awake. He began to think that the palace entertainments ...
... felt someone pull the diapers from his mouth, and after a bit he became more aware of his surroundings and Mu: An area equal to 1/6 acre. realized that his father was there. Sobbing loudly, he declared, Strange Tales from Liaozhai 1637.