Chinese Weird Tales

A collection of Chinese weird tales and mythology stories, recorded in ancient classics. Collected and translated by myself.

Quirky Chronicles of Qu River

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Inquisitive Emperor Jin Wu engaged Shu Shu Lang, a learned official named Zhi Yu Zhong Qia, in a discussion about the peculiar tradition of gathering at Qu River on the third day of the third month. Zhi Yu Zhong Qia shared a curious anecdote from the Han Dynasty, where a villager named Xu Zhao, facing a tragic loss of three newborn daughters, initiated a communal practice. The villagers, seeking to ward off misfortune, gathered at the river, cleansed themselves, and sent wine cups downstream—an origin story that left the Emperor less than thrilled. 

Celestial Departure of Guìyáng’s Sage

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In the ancient city of Guìyáng, there lived a sage named Wǔdīng who was deeply immersed in the path of immortality. He frequently traversed between the mortal realm and the ethereal realms. One day, he suddenly addressed his younger brother, saying, “On the seventh day of the seventh month, the Weaving Maiden will cross the river, and all celestial beings will return to their palaces. I have been summoned and cannot delay; it is time for us to part.” 

The Secret Rainbow Lover

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𝑇ℎ𝑒-𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡-𝑅𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑏𝑜𝑤-𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟

The villagers were amazed to discover that whenever the couple went, a rainbow would always appear.

Chen Ji, a native of Bachiu, Luling, was a state official. When his wife Qin was at home, a tall man, decent-looking, wearing a big red and green robe of dazzling colors, came to court her.

Afterward, they would steal away to the secluded banks of the stream, their silhouettes fading into the twilight.

Years passed by swiftly. 

The Monster in the Study Room

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He turned around and saw a monster, about five feet tall, with tiger teeth and wolf eyes, fur like a monkey, and claws like an eagle or hawk, wearing leopard-skin pants.

During the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, Xu Jing and Zhang Xian studied together in the Yanyue Mountains. The study room had two rooms, one for each person, with a distance of one zhang between them. Xu Jing was in the west, Zhang Xian was in the east, and each had their own doors and windows. 

The Porcelain Doll Bride

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There was blood in its heart, as big as an egg.

Lu Zanshan had a porcelain doll bride at home. After a few years, his wife joked with him, “Let it be your concubine.” From then on, Lu Zanshan was always in a daze, and he often saw a woman lying in his tent. After a long time, he thought that it was the porcelain doll that was causing trouble, so he sent it to the temple. 

The Tiger’s Wife

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She saw they were all tigers, but she did not dare to say anything.

During the reign of Emperor Kaiyuan of the Tang Dynasty, a tiger took the daughter of a family as his wife and built a house in the mountains. The woman did not realize that her husband was a tiger even after two years.

One day, two guests came with wine and drank with her husband in the house. 

What Does Your Soul Look Like?

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He suddenly saw a crowd of ghosts standing in front of him.

In the first year of Yongming of the Southern Qi dynasty, Ma Daoyou, the historian of the Secretariat of the State, was sitting in the palace when he suddenly saw a crowd of ghosts standing in front of him. The people around him could not see them.

After a while, two ghosts entered his ears and pushed out his soul, which fell on his shoes. 

Taoist Priest & Tiger

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Tigers are nothing to be afraid of, as long as you close your breath and store your thoughts.

Ming Siyuan, a Taoist priest from Huashan, studied Taoist talismans diligently for more than thirty years. He often taught people the “Jinshui Shape Method(金水分形之法)” and told them to hold their breath and rely on their thoughts, and many people came to him to learn from him.

During the Yongtai period, Huazhou(華州, a place) was infested with tigers. 

A Chinese Metamorphosis

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The family spied a big soft-shelled turtle in the water of the bath tub through a hole in the wall.

The mother of Song Shizong, a native of Qinghe in the State of Wei, was bathing in her bathroom in the summer. She told her children in the family to close the door. The family spied a big soft-shelled turtle in the water of the bath tub through a hole in the wall. 

A Man With His Past Life as A Horse

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Liu Sanfu was appreciated by Li Deyu because of his good writing. When Li Deyu was in Zhejiang, he recommended Liu Sanfu to go to the capital for the imperial examination. After passing the exam, Liu Sanfu served in the imperial court.

Liu Sanfu could remember things from three generations. He said that he had once been a horse, and the horse was often thirsty. He would neigh when he saw an inn from afar, and he would be in great pain if he hurt his hoof. 

An Alcohol Friend

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Jiang finally found a friend with whom he could compete in drinking, but the secret that this friend kept shocked him.

Jiang Xiu was a tavern owner in Bingzhou. He loved his drink so much that he was seldom sober. He usually enjoyed drinking with others. However, the people of Bingzhou were wary of his excessive drinking.

When he invited them to drink with him, most would avoid him, leaving Jiang Xiu with few friends. 

The Coin Yokai

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The Huang family’s wealth is lost in an amusing way and never comes back.

During the Wucheng period of the Northern Qi dynasty, there was a family named Huang living in the south of the ancient city of Anyang County. His ancestors were all very wealthy.

A fortune-teller told him that his family’s wealth was about to leave, and warned him to guard it carefully. If the wealth left, his family would become very poor.