Tales of Monsters and the Supernatural

This work selects stories from "Zi Buyu" and "Yuewei Cottage Notes" and reinterprets them in vernacular. It not only retains the mysterious charm of classical strange novels, but also adds a smooth sense of modern reading. At the beginning of the chapter, the author draws on Confucius' attitude of "respecting ghosts and gods and keeping them at a distance" to point out that we should have awe of the unknown world instead of blindly denying or being obsessed with it. Although the stories in the book involve ghosts and supernatural beings, they are not simply about curiosity, but reveal profound themes such as the good and evil of human nature and karma through bizarre plots. Like "Liao Zhai", it uses demons, foxes and ghosts to satirize reality, but it is more restrained and rational than "Liao Zhai". The author's adaptation of the original work is quite original, deleting obscure classical expressions and expanding details to make the story more vivid and full. What is particularly worth mentioning is that the book weakens the clichés of "boudoir feud" and "student romance" in traditional ghost novels, and focuses more on moral education and philosophical thinking, such as using ghosts and gods to distinguish right from wrong, punish evil and promote good. It is both interesting and warning to read. Overall, this is a work that can be enjoyed by both refined and popular people. It can not only satisfy readers' curiosity about supernatural stories, but also trigger thinking about human nature and morality. It can be said to be a collection of wisdom on life under the shell of "weird power and chaotic gods".

Different from the romantic writing style of "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio", Yuan Mei and Ji Xiaolan's notebook novels are more calm and restrained. The editor of this book keenly captures this characteristic. In the adaptation, he not only retains the concise style of the original work, but also enhances the story by expanding the vernacular details. For example, the original story of karma and retribution in "Zi Buyu" has been given a richer character motivation and social background, making it easier for modern readers to empathize. This treatment not only avoids the reading threshold of classical Chinese, but also does not become a superficial "ghost story" routine. It can be called an example of modern transformation of classical texts. Many of the stories in the book are about ghosts, foxes, and spirits on the surface, but they actually reflect various situations in the human world. One story about an official who was wrongfully murdered for corruption may seem absurd, but it implicitly criticizes official corruption; the other is about a scholar's encounter with a ghost official at night, which reveals the distortion of human nature caused by the imperial examination system. This method of "telling human affairs through ghosts and gods" is the essence of traditional Chinese ghost literature. What is particularly noteworthy is that this book weakens the female enchantment narrative that is common in "Liao Zhai" and instead emphasizes the universality of moral education, making the story break out of the stereotype of talented men and beautiful women and have more social depth.

I really like this collection of short stories. You can read them whenever you want and throw them away whenever you want. You don't have to worry about them! The stories written are all very interesting and can make people feel entertained and enlightened. Five-star praise is given! Recommended to watch with friends!

This novel is a compelling work that deftly blends reality and fantasy to immerse the reader in a rich plot. The author has excellent performance in character creation and emotional description, allowing readers to deeply feel the protagonist's inner world. In addition, the novel has a compact structure and smooth writing, making it easy to read in one sitting and leave you with endless aftertaste.

I think this book is even better than Liaozhai! It is especially suitable for people with children, so that they can tell stories to their babies; it is also suitable for people who like to tell jokes, so that they can have more things to talk about at the banquet! For the rest of the crowd, this is also the best book to read as a pastime after dinner! Because it is a collection of short stories one by one, there is no need to wait for the author to update! You can watch it at any time, and you can stop it at any time! Everything is up to you! Each wonderful little story is worth recalling!

If you can draw the tiger into a cat and work hard to code, if you can get the recognition of your friends, you will have a sense of accomplishment!

Nice! Although it is talking about strange powers and chaos, it is also mocking some people and things in today's society!

It looks good, give me a good review first, and then read it slowly. I hope the author will write more similar [eating melons]

The story is bizarre but fascinating 🤭, highly recommended

The plot has ups and downs and the characters are vividly drawn. Great book!