Strange Tales from Liaozhai - Vol. 3The 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 third of 6 volumes. |
From inside the book
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... didn't request anonymity. In “Yama, the Hell King” (yanluo), a fellow Shandong resident, Xu Gongxing, informs Pu that “there were nights when he became Yama, the Hell King.” Xu additionally reports a brief exchange of conversation with ...
... didn't dare ask him any questions. However, he began to reckon to himself: Since it was a bagong scholar quarreling with someone, perhaps my crime won't be considered very serious. Suddenly in the hall a clerk delivered the announcement ...
... didn't return. I've brought you that paper, and I've paid him a thousand strings of cash and let him go on his way. The rest of the money has to be paid within ten days. When you get home, you must quickly arrange that night, in a large ...
... didn't burst or turn putrescent. In ten days, he was gradually able to walk with the aid of a cane. His family members pleaded with him to repay his debts to the underworld. Miao calculated the fees and found that they would cost him ...
... didn't have to treat it seriously. He took the document and handed it back to the magistrate, who angrily demanded, “You said you could do it, so why are you trying to go back on your word?” Li was very embarrassed, so he asked for an ...