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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... he'd glimpsed in the valley, remembering her with admiration and fondness. Later he heard that the girl had died of a sudden illness, and in his mournful sighing for her, he wanted to die. Because he was far away from his family, Lu put ...
... he'd get up, come to her coffin, and expressively recite the scriptures while fingering his prayer beads. When it came time for a festival, Zhang wanted to take her home with him. The girl worried that with her tiny, weak feet, she ...
Pu Songling. he'd carry her with him, though he had to travel at night to do so. As Zhang was just about to leave to take the provincial examination, the girl told him, “You have no luck, so it will be a futile effort for you to go there ...
... 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 sat down at once. Han briefly asked him about himself, and hence found ...
... he'd order the girls to fill them again. He turned around and asked the beauties, “It's been a long time since you danced, so can you still do it?” Then the servants rolled out a carpet beneath the hall's roof and the two girls danced ...