Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio

Liaozhai zhiyi (聊齋誌異), a collection of Classical Chinese stories by Qing dynasty writer Pu Songling, comprising close to 500 stories or alternatively “marvel tales”, “tales of the miraculous”, “tales of the strange”, or “records of anomalies.” This type of Chinese literature appeared in the Han dynasty and developed after the fall of the dynasty in 220 CE and in the Tang dynasty in 618 CE. They were among the first examples of Chinese fiction and deal with the existence of the supernatural, rebirth and reincarnation, gods, ghosts, and spirits; Yaoguai.

Pu Songling assembled this collection of short and lengthy tales between the 1670s and the early 1700s, a period of forty years. As was the convention of his time, Pu titled his work using the term Liaozhai (聊齋), which when translated into English can describe a “Studio of Conversation” or “Studio of Leisure.” The final manuscript was preserved by the Pu family after his death, while many different individuals, including the local magistrate, requesting to make copies. The earliest surviving print version of Liaozhai was published in 1766 in Hangzhou by publisher Zhao Qigao (趙起杲), who claimed that Pu originally intended for this anthology to be titled Tales of Ghosts and Foxes (鬼狐傳).

The 1880 English translation by Herbert Giles is often described as “prudish.” This is because he chose not to translate anything connected with sex, procreation or blood, Literary historians point to the “extraordinary lengths to cover up his traces” They would go on to write that “Giles was a creature of his time” since he was required to follow Victorian Era morality. For example fox spirits , in the Giles translation, wish to chat and share tea with people rather than trying to seduce them.

Below you’ve find a much more innocuous tale. Though a close reading may reveal certain cultural blind spots the original tales possessed.

The Monk and the Priests

Upon visiting a home in the the county of Qingzhou (青州) The Buddhist monk Teke’ang (特克’昂) was introduced to other house guests, two foreign priests of very extraordinary appearance. They wore rings in their ears, were dressed in yellow cloth, and had curly hair and beards. They said they had come from the countries of the west; and hearing that the Governor of the district was a devoted follower of Buddha, they went to visit him. The Governor then had his most pious clerk escort them to the local monastery where the abbot, Líng pèi (靈佩), did not receive them cordially. Seeing that they were not ordinary individuals the clerk invited them to his home instead, where they could meet Teke’ang. 

That night as they all dined some-one asked if there were many strange men in the west, and what magical arts were practised by their priest. One of them laughed, and putting forth his hand from his sleeve, showed a small pagoda, fully a foot in height, and beautifully carved, standing upon the palm. Now very high up in the wall there was a niche; and the priest threw the pagoda up to it, where it landed standing there firm and straight. The other priest then bared his arms, and stretched out his left until it was five or six feet in length, at the same time shortening his right arm until it dwindled to nothing. He then stretched out the latter until it was as long as his left arm, before retracting them to their normal lengths.

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