Micro-Recorded Stories

"Weilu Qi Tan" is a collection of short stories, which is like a "miraculous Ukiyo-e" spread out in the Qing Dynasty: ancient mirrors hide souls, ink ingots reveal characters, foxes and ghosts repay favors, and ghosts communicate their feelings. It seems that the paper is full of fantasy, but in fact every word is written by "human". The most rare thing about this collection of ghosts and ghosts is that the "strange" and "usual" are just right: the supernatural powers of the souls of the artifacts are never for showing off skills, and the appearance of foxes, ghosts and monsters are never for curiosity, but are all for questioning people's hearts and reflecting the world. The book is based on volumes such as "Strange Things Create Love", "Fox Ghost Repays a Kindness" and "Netherworld Crossover". Each story is a "small but bright" prism. All stories cover the Qing Dynasty's marketplace, countryside, and officialdom, from the cold windows of Jiangnan scholars to the festivals of grassland herdsmen, from river lanterns in water towns to camel bells in the desert. Historical details such as the bamboo penholder of a Xiang concubine, the imperial examination route in the Qing Dynasty, and folk embroidery customs lay a "real" foundation for the fantasy plot, making the "spiritual objects" no longer suspended, but seem familiar. The comments of "Wei Lu Shi Yue" are even more like the finishing touch. "Demons also have faith, but people have no perseverance" and "Obsession can nourish the soul, but it can also bind people", which brings the story back from "strange news" to "worldly feelings". After reading the entire book, I realized that this collection was not about "wonder". It was clearly about using strange objects, fox ghosts, and the underworld to describe the kindness and obsession, warmth and regret in the world. In today's fast-paced world, such a work that allows people to slow down and appreciate "one thing and one reason" is just like a cup of warm tea on the desk. It can see the truth in fantasy and resonate with the ancient meaning.