Zibuyu, ?at the Master Would Not Discuss? According to Yuan Mei (1716 - 1798) ― A Collection of Supernatural Stories

Collected in two volumes are short tales and vignettes written in the 18th century China, a miscellany of sorts, leaning strongly to supernatural tales and often blackly humorous. The introduction describes this work as something that only aims to dispel boredom, yet the stories go far deeper than simple entertainment. Critiques of contemporary Chinese society and aristocracy are often present; ironical stabs at cultural mores of Imperial China give many of the tales a rather subversive feel. Using dreams, madness, delusions, ghosts and spirits, it presents us with many facets of everyday life in 18th-century China and collective imagery commonly used at the time. A wealth of information on social life of the times is given, as well as the history of ideas, religious practices and ethical systems. The set represents an important source for reconstructing contemporary rational and intuitive perceptions of the mystery of life. Many taboo topics are broached within the tales as well. Tales can be read as entertainment, or social commentary, or as a source of information about the times. The material would also be useful (and fun) for a student of Chinese language--Chinese text follows each English translation. Illustrations are included. A textual analysis follows the texts proper, and an extensive bibliography is provided. Annotation c2014 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Paolo Santangelo, is Professor of the History of East Asia at Sapienza University, Roma, and has published on social, intellectual and anthropological history of Late Imperial China. Yan Beiwen, born in 1971, holds an M.A. Degree in Comparative Literature from Peking University (2004). She is an editor of the Foreign Literature Review, which is part of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.