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
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... You're a rich man worth thousands, so why're you dressed in rags? Do you think I'm blind to the truth?” Xing scoffed at the absurdity of the comment. Gu examined him carefully, and declared, “It's true. Even if you were originally in ...
... you're still alive!” “I'm no longer part of the living world,” replied his father, “I'm the underworld official in charge of Taihang. I've come here on your behalf, son.” Xijiu wept even more piteously. His father spoke reassuringly to ...
... you're going now, I'll tell you: walk about a hundred paces from the overgrown graveyard, where you'll find two white elm trees, one small and one large, and that's the place.” Then he pulled Xijiu along with such urgency that the son ...
... you're bored sometime, at daybreak you can burn some incense for me at the city's eastern border, call 'Qu'e' three times, and I'll come to you.” Then he left through the gate. Tao bought some wine and prepared some food, then took it ...
... You're pretty pleased with yourself right now, so we'll let you indulge in imagining yourself unrivaled for the moment; but a few days from now, don't start crying about it, since you're such a hero.” At dawn, Fang wanted to take his ...