Early Edition of Surprising Stories from a Ming Table (Volumes 1 and 2) (Complete Embroidered Illustrations Edition)

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 considerable influence across all social strata, especially among the lower classes. Among these, the most notable are the "Three Words" and "Two Shoots" collections of stories. 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. There is also The Ancient and Modern Stories, which is known as "Two Shoots." Ling Mengchu (1580–1644), styled Xuanfang, styled Chucheng, alias Jike Guanzhu, was from Wucheng. At the age of 18, he became a stipendiary scholar, but his academic career was consistently unsuccessful. At 55, he was appointed as the assistant magistrate of Shanghai County and later promoted to the position of assistant magistrate of Xuzhou, with jurisdiction over 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 in his lifetime, but his most famous works are the "Two Shoots." The "Two Shoots" were compiled by selecting "various stories from ancient and modern times that could amuse and entertain, and elaborating on them." The content is largely drawn from works such as The Peaceful Reign of Great Peace, The Strange Stories of Yijian, The New Tales of the Scissors Lamp, and The Remains of the Scissors Lamp. The stories in the First Shoot 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; the Second Shoot includes 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 titled Song Gongming's Celebration of the Lantern Festival. Some works in the "Two Shoots" reflect the life and consciousness of the urban populace. For example, The Transported Merchant's Fortuitous Encounter with the Red Lotus of Dongting depicts the life of merchants engaged in maritime trade, revealing the strong desire of merchants at the end of the Ming Dynasty to pursue wealth. Works such as General Wu's Promise of a Meal and The Rare Residence Where the Traveler Receives Assistance emphasize commercial themes, which were uncommon in short stories of the past. Some works advocate for gender equality in love and marriage. For instance, The General's Mistaken Recognition of a Mouse portrays the loyal love between Liu Cuicui and Jin Dingzhi. The "Two Shoots" excel in plot organization, making most chapters engaging and their language vivid. However, in terms of overall artistic charm, the "Two Shoots" often promote feudal morality, feature repetitive plots, and lack both ideological depth and artistic quality compared to the "Three Words." The "Two Shoots" have been published in various editions, such as the Ming Dynasty's Shangyou Tang and the Qing Dynasty's Jingye Tang. The compilation of this book is based on numerous versions, carefully selecting the best and striving for excellence to create the edition used today. The illustrations in the book are mostly selected from fine examples of (embroidered illustrations) from past eras, and contemporary renowned painters have been commissioned to recreate styles reminiscent of the Ming and Qing dynasties.