The First Edition of Surprising Cases of the World (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Ling Mengchu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Ancient Chinese vernacular short stories, originally intended as scripts for storytelling by performers, which had been widely circulated among the common folk for a long time. By the late Ming Dynasty, some scholars edited, refined, and imitated these scripts for novel writing, and through the extensive printing and distribution by book merchants, vernacular novels exerted a significant influence across all social strata, especially among the lower classes. Among these, the most notable achievements were the collections "San Yan" (Three Words) and "Er Pai" (Two Shoots). The Case of the Opened Case (Pai An Jing Qi) was compiled by Ling Mengchu during the Ming Dynasty. It was initially published in 40 volumes and later expanded to another 40 volumes. Another work, The Ancient and Modern Stories, is also recorded and is known as "Er Pai." Ling Mengchu (1580-1644), styled Xuanfang, styled initially Chucheng, styled additionally Jikuoguanzhuren, was from Wucheng. At the age of 18, he became a stipendiary scholar and later faced repeated failures in imperial examinations. At 55, he was appointed as the assistant magistrate of Shanghai County and later promoted to the position of assistant magistrate of Xuzhou, overseeing Fangcun. In the 17th year of the Chongzhen era (1644), when Li Zicheng's forces approached Xuzhou, he died of sorrow and frustration. He wrote extensively throughout his life, but his most famous works are known as "Er Pai." Er Pai (Two Shoots) "selects and elaborates on miscellaneous stories from ancient and modern times that are novel and entertaining, serving as material for lively conversation." Its content is largely drawn from works such as Taiping Guangji (Taiping Broad Records), Yijian Zhi (Records of the Strange and Mysterious), Jian Deng Xin Hua (New Tales of the Scissors Lamp), and Jian Deng Yu Hua (Remnants of the Scissors Lamp). The stories in The First Collection include nine from the Tang Dynasty, seven from the Song Dynasty, six from the Yuan Dynasty, thirteen from the Ming Dynasty, and five of unknown era; in The Second Collection, there is one from the Spring and Autumn period, fourteen from the Song Dynasty, three from the Yuan Dynasty, nineteen from the Ming Dynasty, and two of unknown era, along with one miscellaneous piece, Song Gongming's Celebration of the Lantern Festival. Some works in Er Pai reflect the life and ideology of the urban populace. For example, The Transported Merchant Encounters the Red Lotus of Dongting depicts the maritime trade of merchants, revealing the strong desire of Ming-era merchants to pursue wealth. Works such as General Wu's Promise of a Single Meal and The Traveler's Fortune in Layers emphasize commercial themes, which were rare in short stories of that time. Some works advocate for gender equality in love and marriage. For instance, The General Li's Mistaken Recognition of a Mouse portrays the loyal love between Liu Cuicui and Jin Dingzhi. Er Pai excels in plot organization, making most chapters engaging with vivid language. However, in terms of overall artistic charm, Er Pai often promotes feudal morals, features repetitive plots, and lacks both ideological depth and artistic quality compared to "San Yan." Er Pai has been published in various editions, such as the Ming-era Shangyou Tang and Qing-era Jingye Tang. The current edition of this book has been meticulously compiled based on numerous versions, selecting the best and striving for excellence to serve as the present standard. The illustrations used in this book are carefully chosen from the finest examples of historical embroidery illustrations and have been redrawn by contemporary renowned painters in the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties.