Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (Complete Works in Vernacular)

"Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (Complete Collection in Vernacular Chinese)" is adapted from Pu Songling's original work in the Qing Dynasty. It is a complete translation of one of China's most important collections of short stories about strangers into modern popular language. The original work was written during the Kangxi period, with a total of twelve volumes and nearly 500 stories. It uses fantasy images such as fox monsters, ghosts, flower spirits, and mountain spirits as carriers. It uses supernatural narratives to reveal social reality and reflect on the imperial examination system, ethical oppression, official corruption, and human relationships. Pu Songling used delicate brushwork to depict the emotional entanglements between humans, monsters and ghosts, which are both strange and surprising, but also full of affection and compassion, making "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" the pinnacle of classical Chinese short stories in the Qing Dynasty. On the premise of faithfully retaining the story structure and ideological connotation of the original work, the complete collection of vernacular stories is comprehensively retold in modern language, making the allusions, ancient sayings and historical background in the original text easier to understand. The innocence and cuteness of the fox fairy Ying Ning, the affectionate sadness of Nie Xiaoqian, the terrifying meaning of "Painted Skin", the ironic edge of "Rakshasa Sea City", the painful accusation of "Promoting Weaving" - these classic works radiate moving power in the vernacular, allowing readers to enter the vast wonderland constructed by Pu Songling without any knowledge of classical Chinese. The content of the book is rich and colorful: there are the lingering beauty of love between humans and monsters, the cold sadness of ghosts complaining about their grievances, the sharp portrayal of satirical fables, and the magnificent imagination of fantasy stories. The vernacular version not only maintains the strange atmosphere and human depth of the original work, but also makes reading easy and smooth. It is an ideal version for entering the world of "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" and understanding the culture of the Qing Dynasty and the Chinese tradition of strange stories.