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
Results 1-5 of 82
... heard, and this collection is the result.”1 Pu Songling's grandson, Pu Lide (1683-1751), however, began to stress the point that the crafting of the collection was “an act of serious self-expression” (Zeitlin 27), while later authors ...
... heard the sound of coughing come from her throat. Then he suddenly saw her mouth open and out came lumps of phlegm that were as cold as ice. He removed her to a bed and gradually she resumed breathing and could utter a few words. Master ...
... heard a pounding at the door for some time, then 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 ...
... heard this and grew angry; the host also became infuriated, and their disagreement escalated with increasing hostility. The visitor stood up and seized the host. The host then ordered his servants to take sticks and chase him away, so ...
... heard. A moment later, he was asked the question again. The monk immediately opened his eyes wide and in a stern voice cried, “I want to collect in this way!” He continued chanting without a pause. After a long while, he just walked ...