The Annotated Strange Tales From A Chinese Studio Vol. 1 - 6: With Illustrations

by Pu Songling, Jongho Park (translator)

"聊齋志異 Liaozhai Zhiyi," also known as "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," is a mesmerizing collection of supernatural stories by Pu Songling, written in the late 17th to early 18th centuries. With 497 tales filled with ghosts, demons, and otherworldly encounters, Pu Songling transports readers to a world where reality blends seamlessly with fantasy. From Taoist monks to vengeful spirits, each story is delicately woven with elements of folklore and human emotion, offering readers an unforgettable journey into the mysterious and enchanting realm of Chinese folklore. Through elegant prose and subtle wit, Pu Songling's "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" continues to captivate audiences, showcasing the timeless allure of Chinese literature and the boundless imagination of its storytellers.
In total, there are 497 stories included in this series.

1449 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2024

About the author

Pu Songling (simplified Chinese: 蒲松龄; traditional Chinese: 蒲松齡; pinyin: Pú Sōnglíng; Wade–Giles: P'u Sung-ling, June 5, 1640—February 25, 1715) was a Qing Dynasty Chinese writer, best known as the author of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.

Pu was born into a poor landlord-merchant family from Zichuan (淄川, now Zibo, Shandong). At the age of nineteen, he received the gongsheng degree in the civil service examination, but it was not until he was seventy-one that he received the xiucai degree.

He spent most of his life working as a private tutor, and collecting the stories that were later published in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. Some critics attribute the Vernacular Chinese novel Xingshi Yinyuan Zhuan to him.