Read the Notes from the Hermit's Studio--The Four Great Classical Chinese Mythological Novels

Author: (Qing) Ji Yun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Supernatural fiction, also known as mythological fiction, is a full embodiment of the ancient cultural tradition of "folk tales" in the realm of Ming and Qing Dynasty novels. Lu Xun's Outline of the History of Chinese Fiction regards it as one of the two major trends in fiction after the mid-Ming Dynasty. At its core, supernatural fiction is a product of entertainment culture, yet the Chinese culture it belongs to carries the characteristics of rational culture. The harmony between the two lies in their mutual tolerance and love. By adding a dimension of supernatural space to the human world, skillfully blending the divine of the supernatural with the socialized human nature, and allowing boundless imagination to ideals and wishes while expressing emotions of love, hatred, joy, and sorrow: these are the unique strengths of supernatural fiction and the primary reasons for its immense popularity among readers in both urban and rural areas.
Representative works of long supernatural fiction during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, apart from Journey to the West (which, together with Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Dream of the Red Chamber, is known as one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China), are primarily Investiture of the Gods and Flowers in the Mirror. Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio and Notes from theGrass-Top Study are outstanding examples of short supernatural fiction.
Notes from theGrass-Top Study is a collection of anecdotal tales written by the renowned Qing Dynasty scholar Ji Yun in his later years. The book primarily recounts stories of fox spirits, ghosts, and monsters, aiming to admonish virtue and punish evil. While it is not without moral lessons on cause and effect, it reflects the corruption and darkness of the late feudal society through its vivid descriptions. Ji Yun deliberately imitated the simple and elegant style of the Song Dynasty's anecdotal tales, described as "graceful and refined, brimming with natural charm," and "witty and profound, often providing insightful commentary" (as noted in Lu Xun's Outline of the History of Chinese Fiction). As a result, each new work he completed was eagerly copied and disseminated among his friends and relatives, eventually being published and enjoying the same esteemed reputation as Dream of the Red Chamber and Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.