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. Ye Fashan sent word to him, ‘There are colleagues from the court here presently; we have no time to converse. Read More “The Tasty Visitor”
Illustration for 《辛十四娘》in《聊齋誌異》
The story tells of Xin Shisiniang(辛十四娘), a beautiful woman in red who is a kind-hearted fox spirit, aspires to help others and become an immortal.
Although she is a fox spirit, she has a kind heart. She lives with her fox father and 18 sisters in a dilapidated temple. She is named Shishier because she is the 14th of 19 sisters.
Illustration for《荷花三娘子》in《聊齋誌異》
The story tells of the encounter between the scholar Zong Xiangruo and the fox spirit. Living with a fox will shorten his lifespan, so she told Zong how to meet the lotus fairy and marry her.
The Little Admirer
In the Tang Dynasty, Cui Chang studied in Dongjing Zhuang. There was a child with a remarkably unusual appearance who walked over and stopped in the courtyard. Over time, the child slowly climbed the steps, sat at the head of Cui Chang’s bed, and Cui Chang ignored him, continuing to read his book. The child then used his hand to flip through the pages of Cui Chang’s book. Cui Chang asked slowly, “Who are you, and what do you want here?” Read More “The Little Admirer”
The Ghostly Encounter
In the Langya region, there was a man named Qin Juebu who was already sixty years old. One day, he was walking home at night after drinking. He passed by the Fengshan Temple when he saw his two grandsons coming to meet him. They supported him for over a hundred paces, suddenly grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground.
“You old slave, you beat me once, and now I’m going to kill you!”
Qin Juebu remembered that he had indeed beaten this grandson once. Read More “The Ghostly Encounter”
The Scholar in A Goose Cage
In the mystical Eastern Jin Dynasty, a chance encounter with a footsore scholar leads Xu Yan into a bizarre realm of wonders. As gratitude, the scholar hosts a feast like no other, spewing forth a bronze tray filled with tantalizing delicacies. Yet, the strangeness doesn’t end there—geese, mysterious guests, and a peculiar screen unfold in this extraordinary tale of a feast that defies reality and leaves Xu Yan questioning the limits of the ordinary.
In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in the east of Yangxian County, there was a man named Xu Yan walking in the Sui’an Mountains. Read More “The Scholar in A Goose Cage”
The Crown Prince of Crows
Wu, whose livelihood was on the fields along the Dan River(丹徒江), arrived at the river island in the winter of the eighteenth year of the Qianlong era(乾隆十八年).
Upon reaching the island, he began collecting rent and laid out the harvested rice in the open. A flock of crows gathered to feast on the rice, and Wu, grabbing a clump of soil, chased them away. He struck one crow mid-flight, and it fell to the ground mute for a moment before recovering and flying off. Read More “The Crown Prince of Crows”
An Alcohol Friend
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. One day, a guest arrived at his tavern – a man dressed in black from head to toe, standing only three feet tall but with an unusually thick waist. Read More “An Alcohol Friend”