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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... told him, “This is it, we have to part now; don't forget what I told you.” Zhang promised. She walked over to the carriage, where the old woman put out her hand to help her up, then the carriage wheels began to turn as the vehicles and ...
... told to rise and was given a place to sit, where he was provided tea to drink that smelled as fragrant as orchids. Then a boy was directed to lead him to a pond where he could bathe. The pond water was so perfectly clear that one could ...
... told that Zhang had failed to keep his appointment, she cried and refused to eat. Her mother said, “The gentleman hasn't come, so he must have passed away; and even if that's not the case, he's guilty of breaking his promise and hence ...
... told him straight out, “To be honest, that's not the problem—my only fear is that he's not of the same species that we are.” The visitor heard this and grew angry; the host also became infuriated, and their disagreement escalated with ...
... told her about the algae. Her mother couldn't make sense of it. Several months later, she gave birth to a son. Su wished she could just abandon him, but she couldn't bear the thought of it, so she hid him in a small chest and raised him ...