The Ghost Wearing Clothes Falls into a Trap

In Shucheng County(舒城縣), Luzhou Prefecture(廬州府), there was a villager named Chen(陳姓者). His wife was suddenly haunted by a female ghost who sometimes strangled her throat with hands and other times tied her neck with straw ropes. No one around her could see the haunting ghost. Tormented and in agony, she frequently clawed at her clothes, pulling out many straw ropes.

Chen gave his wife a bundle of peach tree branches, saying, ‘If the female ghost returns, use these to strike her!’ 

The Fox Student Advises on Cultivation

General Zhao Liangdong(趙良棟)’s son, posthumously named Xiangmin(襄敏公), held the position of Governor of Baoding(保定).

One night, Xiangmin was studying in the west tower with all doors and windows closed. Suddenly, a flat-shaped entity squeezed through the window crack and entered the room. It rubbed itself from head to toe, gradually transforming into a complete form. Wearing a square scarf and red boots, dressed like a scholar, it bowed deeply to Xiangmin, clasping its hands, and said, ‘I am a fox immortal scholar living in this tower for a hundred years, fortunate to have received the permission of the esteemed lords, leading a peaceful existence. 

The Ghosts Borrow Strength to Subdue the Wicked

According to folklore, when a wicked person is dying, the King of Hell will send evil ghosts to seize them because only these evil spirits have the power to subdue such wicked individuals.

In Yangzhou(揚州), Tang(唐氏)’s wife was both fierce and jealous, responsible for the deaths of numerous concubines and maids. Shortly after, this fierce woman fell critically ill. Even in her sickness, she continued incessantly cursing and raging just as she did in her normal days. 

The Painter of Zombies

《鸜鵒梅雀圖》王淵 元

Liu Yixian(劉以賢) from Hangzhou(杭州) was skilled at painting portraits. He lived next door to a father and son. When the father passed away, the son went to buy a coffin. Before leaving, he asked the neighbor to request Liu Yixian to paint a portrait of his deceased father. When Liu Yixian arrived at their home, he found it empty. Assuming the deceased must be upstairs, he quietly ascended the stairs, approached the bed of the deceased, sat down, took out his brush, and prepared to paint the portrait. 

Debt Repaid

In Luoyang’s Shuilu Temple, there was a monk named Da Le, who was quite wealthy. His neighbor, surnamed Zhou, worked in the government office and was very poor. The supervisor of his post often extorted money when collecting taxes, taking advantage whenever possible. Whenever it was time to turn in the collected sum, Zhou would frequently borrow money from Monk Da Le to make up the shortfall. Over a span of a few years, he ended up owing the monk a total of seven taels of silver. 

Kunlun Nu

It is a very famous Chuanqi in the Tang Dynasty. Below is a full English translation of the story.

During the reign of Emperor Dezong in the Tang Dynasty, there was a man named Cui Sheng(崔生). His father was a prominent official who had a close relationship with high-ranking ministers of the time. Cui Sheng himself served as a guard in the palace. One of these high-ranking ministers fell ill, and Cui Sheng’s father instructed him to visit. 

The Old Man Who Makes Barrels

During the Tang Dynasty, Wei Xinggui(韋行規) recounted an incident from his youth. Once, while traveling in the western capital, he arrived at a shop when it was getting dark. Despite that, he intended to continue his journey forward.

There was an old man working in the shop who advised him. “It’s late. It’s not safe to travel at night; there are many bandits around here.”

“I have prepared my bow and arrows. 

The Tasty Visitor

Master Ye Fashan(葉法善) was skilled in talismanic magic. The Emperor honored him several times as a Hongluqing(鴻臚卿), bestowing upon him lavish rewards and special treatment.

Ye Fashan resided in the Xuanzhen Temple(玄真觀), often hosting a dozen or more courtiers who would come to the temple, loosen their belts, and stay without intending to leave. The seats would be occupied, and they’d desire wine to drink.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, claiming to be Qu Xiucai. 

The Dragon’s Pearl

In Jingxiang, there is a temple nestled close to mountains and water, where a dragon resides. This dragon often stirs up storms, damaging trees. Within the temple, there is an old man named Zhang who strikes the bell; he is a sorcerer, unknown to the monks. Zhang detests the havoc caused by this dragon and desires to capture and kill it, secretly performing magic.

The dragon, aware of this, transforms into a human and secretly informs one of the monks, saying, ‘I am a dragon, living in these waters for many years. 

Love Story of the Flying Head Demon Clan

Love Story of the Flying Head Demon Clan, a story recorded in

What is a Flying Head Demon?

The Flying Head Demon, known as 飛頭蠻/飛頭䝤 in Chinese and Hitouban in Japanese, originates from Gan Bao(干宝)’s records in the Jin Dynasty’s ‘In Search of the Supernatural(《搜神记》).

This mythical creature, also called ‘辘轳首’ (rokurokubi), appears normal during the day but transforms at night. Its neck extends longer than a giraffe’s, and the head detaches, flying out the window while the body remains seemingly asleep. 

Illustration for “《The Scribe(司札吏)》” in 《聊齋誌異》

An illustration for the ghost story “The Scribe(司札吏)” in “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio”, in Qing Dynasty.

“The Scribe” is a short story from the collection of classical Chinese short stories “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio” by the Qing dynasty writer Pu Songling. The story tells the tale of a tyrannical and superstitious magistrate who had many taboos. One day, the magistrate’s scribe accidentally violated one of his taboos, and the magistrate had him killed.