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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... turned to his uncle and tearfully cried, “Uncle, save me!” Jia looked at the black-capped man and said, “Your Honor, the messenger of the Hell King, is no stranger to me, so please step into my humble house.” The messenger and Miao then ...
... turned to look, and there was scholar Wen, from the neighboring village, with whom he'd shared a literary friendship ten years earlier. Wen hurried out to shake his hand, as glad to see him as he'd always been. Right away, they went ...
... turned out not to be very deep; but there were sharpened blades standing upright in it, like stalks of hemp, that stabbed through his sides and legs, making it difficult for him to move at all, while he was torn by pain throughout his ...
... turned to tumefactions, yet fortunately they 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 ...
... turning toward night, Wang didn't say anything about leaving. Zhao again teased him by offering to serve as a go-between. Wang said, “I'm grateful for your intentions on my behalf, but there's no point, since I have little in my purse ...