Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Volume 1, 2, 3)

Author: Pu Songling (1640-1715) of the Qing Dynasty
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: A collection of classical Chinese fiction in twelve volumes, though some say sixteen. The author, Pu Songling, styled Liu Xian, also known as Jian Chen, and styled Liu Quan Ju, was a native of Zichuan (now Zibo City, Shandong Province). At the age of nineteen, he successively passed the county, prefecture, and provincial exams but failed the imperial examinations on multiple occasions. He served as a clerk for a year and, for the next several decades, lived in the countryside as a private tutor. Over these decades, he extensively collected folk tales and strange anecdotes, "writing down what he heard and thus compiling the work." Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Liaozhai Zhiyi) includes nearly five hundred works, mostly depicting flower spirits, fox fairies, ghosts, and immortals, creating a unique artistic realm with a strong romanticism. The stories are ingeniously crafted, rich in imagination, vivid in language, and full of varied plots that are captivating, reaching the pinnacle of classical Chinese fiction. Using the ghost and fox world to satirize the real society, Pu Songling offered sharp critiques of the corrupt governance and flaws of the imperial examination system. His tales of young men and women falling in love sincerely are touching and poignant, while stories about social customs reflect his views on morality. A few chapters are purely descriptive of strange objects and events. The book exists in numerous versions. The earliest extant manuscript is the Licheng Zhang Xijie "Zhushu Zhai" manuscript, and the earliest printed edition is the Qianlong 31st year (1766) "Qingke Ting" printing. The two versions differ in their division of volumes and have slightly different titles. The present edition has been compiled based on various versions, carefully selecting the best and learning from the virtuous, to serve as the current standard. The illustrations used in the book are mostly selected from fine examples of embroidered versions from past dynasties, with contemporary renowned painters commissioned to imitate the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties.