Strange Tales from Liaozhai - Vol. 2The 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 second of 6 volumes. |
From inside the book
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... asked the woman whether she was the shrine's caretaker (zhaokan ren), and she explained that she simply visited every two or three weeks to tidy the grounds and leave offerings, since there wasn't anyone specifically charged with the ...
... asked what had happened. The girl replied, “I could sense your feelings towards me, and I couldn't help but forget the usual concerns about reputation and run here to meet you.” Zhang was overjoyed, and together they were rapturously in ...
... asked who it was, and his servant described the situation. But before he'd finished explaining, the Daoist had actually entered, so Han invited him to have a seat. The Daoist just raised his hands to the host and guests casually, then ...
... asked what he needed, he wouldn't answer. All day long, he was never seen eating a meal. Someone asked him, “Since you're not eating meat or drinking alcohol, and you'd be better off collecting donations in the mountain areas or in ...
... asked for a leave of absence to return home, hoping to escape the fox. Wherever the academician went, the fox followed him. Terrified, he could do nothing to get rid of it. One day, he stopped in Zhuo county, Hebei province. Outside a ...