Novels like Legends of the Nine Rivers
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Legends of the Nine Rivers, best match first.
- 1 My Name Is Liu Qingda 我叫刘庆达 The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the year Guangxu 34. Little New Year. Liu Qingda’s father, Old Liu Suan, picked up a few old newspapers at the market to use as wall covering. That very night, Qing soldiers dragged him away. Three days later, he was beheaded in public. Liu Qingda stormed into the county office to demand an explanation, but they took him for an accomplice and threw him into the death row cells. There was an old Daoist who had pretended to be insane for sixty ye —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 My Late Grandmother Came Back to Life Before Her Burial 去世的奶奶下葬前活过来了 Grandma came back to life before her burial. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 A “Friend” Takes Me on a Tour of the Underworld “朋友”带我逛阴间 A “friend” takes me on a tour of the underworld. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 Meeting the Late Grandma Wang by the Riverbank 河滩遇见去世的王奶奶 I met the late Granny Wang by the riverbank. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 Stories About Dog Spirits 那些与狗精有关的故事 Stories about dog spirits. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 I Witnessed a “Ghost Possession” at a Funeral 葬礼上，亲历“鬼上身” I witnessed “spirit possession” at a funeral. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 Tales of the Strange in Jinmen: The Five Great Families 津门怪谈之五大家 The Five Great Families, the Fox, Yellow, White, Willow, and Gray, live alongside humans and possess an air of the immortal. If you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone. But if you provoke them, you’d better be ready to accept your bad luck. And just like that, strange things start happening. 302Reads9.0Score105Shelves
- 8 I Used AI to “Resurrect” My Late Father 我用AI“复活”去世的父亲 I used AI to “bring back” my late father. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 Tales of Old Sichuan University 川大旧事 In 1999, I was lucky enough to get into Sichuan University as the last-ranked student. Over the next few years, I went through the strangest period of my life. Even now, thinking back on it still sends a shiver down my spine... 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 10 Tales of the Supernatural 人间灵异杂谈 Everyone has a colorful past, and what I’m about to tell you happened right here around me. It was strange and mysterious, so listen as I recount it all. 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 Geological Survey File No. 0: The Dragon-Seeking Map 地勘0号密档：探龙图 A dragon-seeking map sketches out wealth, but it also lays out life and death. As the saying goes, fortune is found in danger, and whether you live or die is up to fate. 1.6kReads8.9Score112Shelves
- 12 Folklore Horror Stories: Don't Open This at Midnight 民间恐怖故事，深夜千万别点开 Tales of strange happenings in the countryside, folk legends, mountain spirits and monsters, and eerie experiences. I’ve been through a lot and heard a lot of stories. Today, I’ve decided to record them all. I dare to write them. Do you dare to read them? Please believe in science. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental. These are standalone stories, one per chapter. I’m the only one who knows that almost all of them are true. The result is that the more I write, the more scared 3.1kReads—Score127Shelves
- 13 The Vengeful Spirit Seal Chronicles_1 怨灵封印传_1 The Vengeful Spirit Sealing Chronicles_1 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 14 The Unhappy Xiao Baisuo 不开心的肖白索 Cursed by a fox spirit, she is forced onto a strange and winding journey through life. After seeking help from a cunning charlatan, she thinks she'll escape her predicament and find happiness at last. Instead, through a series of misunderstandings, she becomes the "eyes" of his mysterious power and is tricked into taking a temporary job at his shop. Bizarre and eerie experiences, desperate petitioners in dire straits, and a public-interest investigation group fighting for justice... The search f —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 15 Master Ma Jiu Hunts Demons 马九爷捉妖 Tianjin, where the Jiuriver meets the sea, has been home to strange tales since ancient times. If you don’t believe me, then listen as I tell you a ghost story from Tianjin: how Ninth Master Ma hunted demons. Speaking of Ninth Master Ma, he was truly a remarkable man. And before long, strange things began to happen... 1.1kReads9.1Score117Shelves
- 16 Two Couples’ Great Adventure in a Remote Mountain Village 两对情侣深山荒村大探险 (The moon shines blood-red over a haunted village. Strange things lurk in the deep mountain forests, and a terrifying mystery waits to be uncovered.) Two couples plan an expedition to a remote mountain village. After braving all kinds of hardships, they finally reach Zhengyang Village, a place steeped in eerie legends. By day, they explore the surroundings; at night, they tell all sorts of bizarre stories and flirt with each other. They enjoy a fun-filled stretch of time together. On the night b 53Reads—Score—Shelves
- 17 Strange Tales from the Tea Pavilion 茶榭诡谈 Chilling events that may have happened right beside you and me. Perhaps you and I could become the protagonists, too. These are accounts of things that happened to people around us, as told by those who experienced them. True and false, false and true, right and wrong, wrong and right. Think it over, then think it over carefully!! —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 18 Wandering in the Mountains 山间游荡 This is a novel in the vein of an “infinite flow” story. The heroine travels through countless folktale horror stories and experiences supernatural events. “What’s wrong with Ma Er? What are you doing?” The steward came to the carriage at the front. He saw Ma Er standing there, pale-faced and motionless, trembling all over. “N-no, we can’t go any farther. That’s Gudang Mountain up ahead, the Mountain of the Dead. No one ever comes out alive. If we go in, we’re dead! Th —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 19 Reborn from the Start in a Funeral Hall, I Became a Pallbearer 开局重生在灵堂，我成了送丧人 When I was reborn as a rogue Taoist priest performing a ritual in a funeral hall, the family’s wails nearly burst my eardrums. A bright red coffin stood in the center of the room. Thick blood seeped from beneath its lid, though no one else noticed. I was the only one who caught the stinging, rusty smell. The rogue priest’s memories flooded my mind: this wasn't a peaceful death in old age. This was the vengeful spirit of a pregnant woman who had died a violent death. “Reverend, it’s time. Nail th 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 20 Strange Little Tales from the Folk 灵异民间小故事 These are folk tales of the strange and supernatural, some true, some not. Some are quite old and have grown more and more fantastical with each retelling, so don't overanalyze them or take them too seriously. Some may resemble stories you already know, but that's purely coincidental. 194Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 21 I'm a Little Spirit Medium 我是小神婆 [Mysticism + supernatural + crime-solving + powerful protagonist + resolving mysteries + hidden origins + folk customs] I'm an abandoned baby, picked up from a trash can by my shaman grandmother. Growing up under her influence, I always wanted to become an even more powerful shaman than she was. Because of my unusual fate, strange and bizarre things, sometimes terrifyingly uncanny, are always happening around me... What happened to the female ghost who fell in love with someone else's body? Did 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 22 The Yellow Stone Method 黄石土法 Huang Shigong, a recluse of the Qin dynasty, was the equal of Guiguzi. He passed the Plain Book to rulers, earning them the world; He passed the Three Strategies of Huang Shigong to advisers, earning them renown; He passed the Taigong Art of War to generals, bringing them victory; He passed the Carved Heavenly Book to craftsmen, giving them a livelihood; He passed Huang Shigong’s Folk Methods to the common people, winning their gratitude. Xu Zhen had worked like an ox and a horse, started a comp —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 23 The Cycle of the Ghost Soldiers' Crossing 阴兵借道之轮回 Deep within the Sacred Ruins Temple, the ancient Sacred Ruins Dragon slowly opened its star-bright eyes. Its gaze held a profound wisdom, as if it could see through every mystery in the world. Luo Aiai stood before the Sacred Ruins Dragon, her face showing a hint of nervousness and anticipation. Who am I? Her hands were clasped tightly together, as though seeking comfort. But when she felt the Sacred Dragon’s gentle yet powerful aura, the tension in her heart gradually faded. “You are... Your bo 1Reads7.8Score—Shelves
- 24 My 1990s Field Notes on Folk Ghost Stories 我的90年代民间志怪见闻录 Jia Nanxing, a young man from a mountain village, chance upon a stone statue and has an extraordinary encounter. Facing all kinds of strange events in the world, “zombies, evil spirits, witchcraft”, he braves countless dangers and later meets Jiang Wangyou, a mysterious female classmate. As they cultivate, the two travel around the world dealing with supernatural incidents. The story features transmigration, antique appraisal, and adventure. Supernatural fantasy all in one, along with all kinds 12Reads—Score—Shelves
- 25 Legends of Lin'an 临安英雄录 They were tragic figures from the final days of the Southern Song, whose lives became a stirring tale of heroism. After the Southern Song allied with the Mongols to destroy the Jin, Emperor Lizong's failed attempt to retake Luoyang shattered the alliance in the open. The Mongols then invaded south. Fancheng fell, Xiangyang was breached, and the Southern Song was declared at an end. As the Southern Song and the Mongols faced off, the country was battered by storms, its land on the verge of collap —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 26 Tales of Folk Ghosts 民间鬼故事说 Each story stands on its own. Leave a comment about what you'd like to read, then pick whichever ones you like. There's no need to read them in order. Some parts are bound to be less well-written, but others may catch your interest, so browse around. 69Reads—Score—Shelves
- 27 Record of Folk Traditions 民俗传承录 My knowledge is limited! I’ve organized the memories of my working life into a memoir and written down some of them. If you’re interested in feng shui, geomancy, or the arts of fate and divination, take a look. It’s all practical information. If you’d rather hear stories, you can read the memoir. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 28 What Will the Next Story Be? 下一个故事会是什么？ A collection of episodic stories based on personal experiences. First person, rural life, the supernatural, mildly frightening, and terrifying when you think it over... episodic stories. The damp villages of the south conceal supernatural tales colder than snakes. Open this book, and you’ll enter a graveyard of memories: a forgotten puppy leaves muddy paw prints on a rainy night; the withered vines of gossip tighten around a young girl’s neck; a blond doll by the roadside carries a curse that cl 13Reads—Score—Shelves
- 29 True Stories from a Folk Fortune-Telling Shop 民间算命馆实记 This isn’t some rumor or something I made up. It’s all true, things I saw with my own eyes and experienced myself. Even after all these years, just thinking about it still makes my back grow cold and my hair stand on end. The midnight knocking, the old woman sitting motionless on a roof beam, the white snake unearthed in a graveyard, strange glowing characters appearing on an old wall, the little boy at the five-way intersection, the stone tablet in a dream, the white rooster at the crossroads, 10Reads—Score—Shelves
- 30 Tales of the Strange 怪谈 [A Born Ghost-Busting Saint vs. A Bewitching Beauty Bound by a Sinister Fate] [Case-by-Case Stories + Criminal Investigation + Folk Legends + Ghost Hunting + An Overarching Plot + Horror + Two Powerful Leads + Fighting Side by Side] "Corpses become curses, souls become gu; strange cases arise, and every road is hard to tread." Zhang Miao was short of water in his five elements, and before he was even born, he was given a "water ghost" as his godmother. As a result, he awakened a special constit 2.1kReads8.5Score130Shelves
- 31 The Immortal Hall Beyond the Pass: A Yin-Yang Master Guards Changbai Mountain 关外仙堂：阴阳先生守长白 Have you ever witnessed a weasel asking to be granted a title? What causes people to get trapped in a ghostly maze while walking mountain trails, or suffer from strange ailments that leave them feeling awful but can’t be diagnosed at a hospital? Trained in ancient shamanic arts, versed in the theories of yin-yang masters, and accompanied by an immortal serpent cultivating beneath the streams of Changbai Mountain, become a spirit medium who roams the White Mountains. The rules of Northeast China’ 14Reads—Score—Shelves
- 32 Chenyu Midnight Teahouse: A Collection of Strange Tales 宸宇午夜茶馆：短篇志怪故事集 Midnight. The tea boils. The lamps dim. When the city falls silent, stories from another world are just beginning. The Midnight Teahouse of Chenyu gathers dozens of Chinese-style tales of the strange and supernatural, told with the easygoing voice of a storyteller in an old teahouse. They unfold strange local happenings, the secrets of old houses, and eerie tales from the streets and alleys. Written in modern vernacular while carrying on the spirit of classical anecdotal tales, these stories wea 8.1kReads—Score419Shelves
- 33 The Escort of the Mountains and Seas: The Langyin Garment Tomb 山海押镖人之琅音衣冢 (Fantasy adventure!! If you love adventure, come along.) Escort work isn't like hosting a banquet, writing an essay, or drawing and embroidering flowers. There's nothing refined or genteel about it, and certainly no room for being mild-mannered, respectful, frugal, and yielding. Escorting cargo is a skill for surviving in the martial world, a matter of life and death, and a contest of intrigue and deception. Bandits, robbers, crooked inns, charlatans, and all sorts of factions will stop at nothi 37Reads7.2Score—Shelves
- 34 Hauntings in Xiang Village 湘村诡事 The living leave shoes to see someone off; the dead leave shoes to send someone to their grave. After I picked up a pair of a beggar’s straw sandals, my grandfather hanged himself in the bamboo grove in the middle of the night... 141Reads7.0Score107Shelves
- 35 The Eerie Portrait at the Wake 守灵夜的诡异遗像 The Eerie Portrait at the Wake 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 36 The Years I Spent as a Spirit Medium 我当出马仙的那些年 Eighteen years ago, a weasel brought me two eggs. Eighteen years later, after my grandmother passed away, I officially became a spirit-medium disciple, venturing into the mortal world with an entire retinue of spirits. 427Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 37 The Yin-Yang Master Keeps Coming and Going 阴阳先生她走来走去 There are 360 trades, and not one of them puts enough food on the table. What to do? Do them all! The protagonist is an orphan adopted by a feng shui master. But before he even turns sixteen, his master dies, leaving him alone with eight younger orphan disciples. To keep the family fed, the protagonist has no choice but to dabble in everything. (It's set in a partly fictional world. The overall timeline still follows modern history, but the author has a bad memory, and sometimes can't be bothere —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 Tales of the Strange from Yutai 渔台志异 Some things are better believed than dismissed. Some people are better left unoffended. Some roads are better avoided, even if it means taking the long way around. That's what the old folks tell you. And that's what this book wants to tell you, too. 22Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 From the Start: My Extreme Yin Sacred Body Awakens, Shocking Everyone 开局：极阴圣体启动，震惊所有人 [Plot twists + one heroine + suspense and horror + decisive killing + brotherhood] My name is Jiang Daotian. I was born on Ghost Festival, and I’ve been frail and sickly since childhood. When I was five, I became seriously ill, and major hospitals issued notices that I was in critical condition. My parents had plenty of connections and sought out many Taoist priests and immortal masters. But after looking at my birth details and fate, every one of them furrowed their brows and reached the same c —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 40 Tales of a Northeastern Spirit Medium 东北出马仙见闻 Strange things began happening around Li Yaoyao while she was still in school. Later, all sorts of baffling images kept appearing in her life. Had she really seen them with her own eyes, or had she imagined them? Perhaps neither you nor I can tell. It was only after she met her master that everything became clear through her explanations. Yet these so-called truths were only the opening chapter of the story of what happened to her. The road a spirit medium must travel is long, very long. Over th 44Reads—Score—Shelves
- 41 Twenty Years of Walking Between Yin and Yang: A Memoir 二十年走阴串阳回忆录 [The Great Six Ren, Qimen Dunjia, Four Pillars of Destiny, Xuan Kong Flying Stars, Jin Suo Yu Guan, folk witchcraft, Southeast Asian black magic...] And much more: an abundance of divination arts and folk culture, all knowledge you can learn at a glance and put into practice right away. A wealth of practical information! Zhao Jun graduated straight into unemployment. Then, reeling from the double blow of losing his job and his girlfriend, he encountered something that even he, a staunch material 59Reads—Score—Shelves
- 42 I Heard of Strange Things That Year: Never Read This Late at Night 那年听闻怪事，千万别深夜翻看 These stories are adapted and fictionalized from various experiences shared by friends. They are written in an accessible style and make for a good way to unwind. A reminder: reject superstition. This is all imaginative fiction. Any similarities to real events are purely coincidental, so don't take it seriously! 12Reads—Score—Shelves
- 43 The Midnight Restaurant 午夜饭店 I opened a restaurant that can only open in the middle of the night, and it has all sorts of rules. I'm starting to suspect that none of my customers are human. What should I do? Asking online. 46Reads7.7Score—Shelves
- 44 The Strange Arts of a Feng Shui Master 奇门相师 When the Nine Stars align, a supreme fiend descends from Heaven. A beggar raises an orphan; humanity nurtures Heaven’s fate. Also known as The Nine Stars Ascend to Dragonhood. The Mysterious Maiden of the Nine Heavens gave birth to the Green Satchel, while Fu Xi, the Great Bright One, created the Eight Trigrams. One is feng shui, the other the Book of Changes; together, they form the art of physiognomy. Shennong, the Flame Emperor, tasted a hundred herbs, and the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan, compil 54Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 45 Memoirs of a Spirit-Medium Taoist 出马道士回忆录 First establish a spirit-medium altar, then head to Bayu to study the ritual arts. A Qingwei disciple, holding the rank of Dujiao, with a white crane in his cave. A book of real experiences, true stories, and popular science! Everything in this book comes from my own real experiences and true stories! This book only covers things that really happened. It contains no fantasy or cultivation tales! 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 46 The Record of a Spirit Medium's Disciple 出马弟子进行录 A very real, purely personal account of life as a spirit medium! I’m a real spirit-medium disciple myself! This book has no fantasy elements or cultivation-power fantasies, just true experiences and information! I hope you’ll enjoy it! wlt52121 —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 47 The Corpse in the Cave Pool Can Kill 洞穴深潭里的尸体会杀人 The Corpse in the Cave Pool Can Kill 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 48 One Hundred Thousand and One Folk Horror Stories 十万零一个民间恐怖故事 A collection of short horror stories in an episodic format, with a new story every chapter. No dragging things out! Haunted houses in the countryside, mountain spirits, urban legends, old customs and taboos... Every kind of Chinese-style horror is covered, with nonstop thrills and no filler. Anti-superstition disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional. Believe in science and read rationally. Please don’t apply it to real life~ 304Reads—Score101Shelves
- 49 The Bronze Coffin Seals the Soul: The Yin Corpse 铜棺封魂·阴尸 The Bronze Coffin Seals the Soul: The Yin Corpse 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 50 Folk Tales of the Supernatural II: Journey to the Underworld 民间异闻录二：下阴 Have you ever wondered how the dead make their way to the underworld? How do you know there aren't ghosts right beside you? I'm a fortune-teller, and also a guide. By day, I move through the city like everyone else. But at night, I light a lamp and send ghosts on their way... If you happen to see me, don't come near. The place around me is where ghosts dwell... 6.7kReads9.3Score659Shelves
