STRANGE STORIES

FROM A

CHINESE STUDIO.

STRANGE STORIES FROM A CHINESE STUDIO.

TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY HERBERT A. GILES, _Of H.M.'s Consular Service_.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON: THOS. DE LA RUE & CO. 110, BUNHILL ROW.

1880.

PRINTED BY THOMAS DE LA RUE AND CO., BUNHILL ROW, LONDON.

TO MY WIFE AND OUR CHILDREN:

_BERTRAM_,

_LIONEL_,

_VALENTINE_,

_LANCELOT_.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION Vol. I., pp. xiii-xxxii.

STORIES.

VOL. I. VOL. II.

PAGE PAGE

Adulteration Punished -- 332

Alchemist, The -- 313

Boat-girl Bride, The -- 149

Boatmen of Lao-lung, The -- 348

Boon Companion, The 165 --

Bribery and Corruption -- 170

Buddhist Priest of Ch'ang-ch'ing, The 22 --

Buddhist Priests, Arrival of -- 231

Butterfly's Revenge, The -- 289

Carrying a Corpse -- 181

Cattle Plague, The -- 253

Censor in Purgatory, The -- 238

Chang Pu-liang -- 177

Chang's Transformation 237 --

Chou K'o-ch'ang and his Ghost -- 106

Clay Image, The -- 276

Cloth Merchant, The -- 127

Collecting Subscriptions -- 220

Considerate Husband, The 158 --

Country of the Cave Men, The 397 --

Courage Tested -- 116

Cruelty Avenged -- 267

Dead Priest, The -- 247

Death by Laughing 352 --

Disembodied Friend, The -- 119

Prev - Next >>

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (Volumes I a
• 2: The 272 Forty Strings of Cash
• 3: The 1 Lost Brother
• 4: The 193 Rip van Winkle
• 5: The 374 Wei ch'i Devil
• 6: And I had made the journey overland from Swatow to Canton
• 7: His particular name was Sung ling
• 8: Known to the Chinese as the Liao Chai Chih I
• 9: That it is from the edition of Tan Ming lun
• 10: These words stand for Liao library record strange
• 11: Who can enjoy the Liao Chai in the original text
• 12: A celebrated musician and alchemist A
• 13: Of the Buddhist system of metempsychosis
• 14: Sung sat down alongside of him
• 15: Sung here left him and rode on
• 16: Fang noticed that the carriage curtain was partly open
• 17: Fang was very fond of these epidendrums
• 18: Chu keep quiet until she came back
• 19: You have several hundred pears on your barrow
• 20: Should be participated in by married Taoist priests
• 21: But Wang was overwhelmed with rage and shame
• 22: The buddhist priest of ch'ang ch'ing
• 23: One evening when Yin was carousing with some fellow students
• 24: Yin slightly changed his position
• 25: Yin heard the bridegroom take his leave
• 26: Then the goblets were brought in
• 27: This is the Shan family mansion
• 28: At that moment a servant entered and announced Miss Chiao no
• 29: Miss Chiao no immediately dismissed her blushes
• 30: K'ung asked after Miss Chiao no
• 31: And Chiao no gradually came round
• 32: Whereupon the necromancer said
• 33: Yue again ran between his legs
• 34: And depended very much upon Chou
• 35: Chou married another named Wang
• 36: And Chou was permitted to return home
• 37: And Chou recognised his own features
• 38: Chou then approached his house
• 39: From the degrading penalty of the bamboo
• 40: Wang asked what her husband had been
• 41: Wang replied that he had no capital
• 42: Wang waited for it to clear up
• 43: The landlord therefore said to Wang
• 44: Wang here looked at the landlord
• 45: She asked Wang where his family were
• 46: Where she ripped open Wang and tore out his heart
• 47: And then the maniac crying out
• 48: Does not sit in a sedan when she goes out
• 49: But she became queerer and queerer every day
• 50: Leaving the long bearded servant alone
• 51: One of them has bewitched a lady named Wang
• 52: At Ling yang there lived a man named Chu Erh tan
• 53: In the morning Chu undid the bandage
• 54: Chu took a mirror to look at herself
• 55: Chu was proceeding to inquire further
• 56: 106 Wei subsequently rose to high honours
• 57: Chinese coffins are beautifully made
• 58: Wang drew the flower from underneath his pillow
• 59: Wang had been explaining who he was
• 60: Wang waited till she had finished
• 61: Wang told her she did not understand
• 62: Wang and Ying ning then took their leave
• 63: His mother then scolded Ying ning well
• 64: And when he waked he told Ying ning
• 65: 114 The semi divine head of the Taoist religion
• 66: All lodgings had gone up in price
• 67: Cannot the spirits trouble Yen
• 68: Collected Hsiao ch'ien's bones
• 69: But Hsiao ch'ien came out rejoicing
• 70: The shui mang 126 is a poisonous herb
• 71: San niang entreated them to dry their tears
• 72: Subsequently a man of the village who had eaten shui mang
• 73: Shortly after these events little Chu fell sick
• 74: Little Chu was merely a man named Yen Tz u fang
• 75: To get an interview with Hsiao hui
• 76: 136 and that she was called Tertia
• 77: While Miss Quarta sat playing with her girdle
• 78: When he descried Miss Quarta at a distance
• 79: Chu urged her again to prepare
• 80: Ku thereupon shouldered a peck of rice
• 81: As she was speaking Ku walked in
• 82: Buckwheat is very cheap in the market just now
• 83: The next evening Lien hsiang came
• 84: Lien hsiang asked who had said so
• 85: Sang then began to reproach her
• 86: Lien hsiang looked round and said
• 87: And Miss Yen erh was delighted to recover it
• 88: She's the image of Lien hsiang
• 89: Sang written by a comrade of his named Wang Tz u chang
• 90: And bade her inform Miss A pao
• 91: Occasionally calling on A pao by name
• 92: A pao was greatly astonished at this
• 93: Every footstep makes a lily grow
• 94: Which brought young Hsiu to his senses
• 95: Hsiu soon took this out of them
• 96: In Honan there lived a man named Chang
• 97: Na replied that he was only hungry
• 98: The magician said he didn't know
• 99: Why did your father go away to Honan
• 100: Slaves take the surnames of their masters
• 101: But Chieh led the scholar into another room
• 102: And then he tapped the frogs all round
• 103: Followed Li Neng to the magistrate's office
• 104: Who had an only son called Hsiang ju
• 105: In reply to Hsiang ju's inquiries
• 106: Hsiang ju soon perceived what Mr
• 107: Thereby nearly causing Hsiang ju to die of grief and rage
• 108: Hsiang ju was released and went home
• 109: Hsiang ju marvelled very much at this
• 110: That Miss Tseng had died suddenly
• 111: As Miss Tseng was sitting by Chang's side
• 112: And in a few days Miss Tseng had cried herself to death
• 113: And on one occasion Hsue said to him in raillery
• 114: And Han and Hsue lay down to sleep
• 115: The tutor said his name was Hu
• 116: Hu was somewhat disconcerted at this
• 117: And the magistrate obeyed his instructions
• 118: The magistrate here burst into tears
• 119: And the third was Liang Yuen tung
• 120: And Yuen mien led him into another court yard
• 121: Chen threw himself on his knees
• 122: The young lady of the tung t'ing lake
• 123: Soldiers now came and bound Lin
• 124: Lin then begged she would return with him
• 125: And Yue received a suit of black clothes
• 126: Yue therefore remained with her
• 127: So Yue communicated this to Chu ch'ing
• 128: Huang asked the young lady her name
• 129: Hsiang yue declared it was destiny
• 130: To which Chiang hsueeh replied
• 131: And drawing Chiang hsueeh towards them
• 132: And the question was gravely put to Mencius Book IV
• 133: Ta nan next met a gentleman named Chiang
• 134: Shen was therefore compelled to yield
• 135: To the great satisfaction of Hsi and his wife
• 136: Consisting of the teachings of Confucius and Mencius
• 137: This took Hsing very much aback
• 138: Hsing was overjoyed at this dream
• 139: So Hsiao in a rage got his brothers Chung and Hsin
• 140: Besides causing the arrest of Hsiao
• 141: Hsiao and the other two determined that
• 142: Chi tsu had no brothers of his own
• 143: And Hsiao himself said to Yu yue
• 144: 254 A sham entertainment given by the Fu t'ai
• 145: But when he mentioned Wen chi's name
• 146: And then Miao got up and took his leave
• 147: But so wretchedly that Miao called out
• 148: 263 This is the vel ego vel Cluvienus style of satire
• 149: Begging Mao to wait a little longer
• 150: Until at last Mao himself arrived
• 151: And when Mao and his wife saw her return
• 152: Pao chu walked along the eaves
• 153: Arrows fell round Pao chu like drops of rain
• 154: 285 The Chinese distinguish five degrees of homicide
• 155: An invitation to which Hsi Shan gladly responded
• 156: We sold all our grain except about twenty piculs
• 157: Hsi Shan was very much astonished at this
• 158: Lan then went home and told San lang
• 159: Tai was a little disturbed at this
• 160: And that he was otherwise known as Lung fei
• 161: Tai was promptly conveyed home
• 162: His mother abused Shan hu for dressing so nicely
• 163: In three or four years Erh ch'eng had grown up
• 164: And ultimately Tsang ku consented
• 165: Knowing what Tsang ku's temper was
• 166: Erh ch'eng entreated him to do so
• 167: Tsang ku had thirteen children
• 168: Thereupon Tseng was much pleased
• 169: The soldiers bade Tseng begone
• 170: The devils flogged Tseng on to the wheel
• 171: Tseng bowed and begged him to explain
• 172: And buy a concubine for your husband
• 173: Hsue was horribly afraid of her
• 174: On reaching home Hsue found that his wife had married again
• 175: He then went off to find a boat for Piao
• 176: Piao then laid his scheme before them
• 177: 334 Here again we have 100 chuen
• 178: Wang was of course unable to flee
• 179: Whereupon Le came forward and paid all expenses
• 180: And drawing a cart with a huge vat in it
• 181: When suddenly they met Han on the road
• 182: So Han gave him a talismanic formula
• 183: She married a gentleman of position named Hsia
• 184: Ching now thought she could not be A hsia
• 185: Ma doubted this rather extraordinary promise
• 186: Ma replied that he wasn't engaged
• 187: Strange storiesfrom achinese studio
• 188: Ma asked the name of their country
• 189: Ma then got up and began to attitudinize
• 190: Whereupon Ma made obeisance before the king
• 191: But if loneliness 364 overtakes you then choose a concubine
• 192: Ma having found out she was there
• 193: Presented him with a cricket which
• 194: While the soothsayer stood by the side
• 195: And sent the cricket in to the Governor
• 196: And deeply attached to his half brother Sheng
• 197: Falling on his knees before Feng
• 198: Feng now asked what it all meant
• 199: Feng was accordingly liberated
• 200: Which Kuo drank off at a draught
• 201: On the score of being himself a Kiangsi man
• 202: And Niu took her by the ear and began to revile her
• 203: And saw beautiful green hills and waving willows
• 204: He walked up and entered the kiosque
• 205: Death would have been almost a happy release
• 206: Then Ch'en said to the Princess
• 207: Which very much astonished Liang
• 208: At Chiao chou there lived a man named Tou Hsuen
• 209: Tou rose and thanked the Prince
• 210: Tou begged to know what was the matter
• 211: Tou at first offered objections to this
• 212: Chung got into a great perspiration
• 213: Chung was overwhelmed with anxiety
• 214: Whereupon Chung begged her pardon
• 215: And his eldest son was called Chia
• 216: Despatched his second son with a letter to Chia
• 217: Chia had indeed come to life again
• 218: Chu said his bloody clothes would be evidence enough
• 219: Evidently inflicted by a heavy chopper
• 220: Chia took off his shoes and lay down
• 221: Chia was amazed when he heard all this
• 222: Hsing went home dreadfully mortified
• 223: Would not summon Hsing at once
• 224: His father's name was Hsi Lien a hasty tempered man
• 225: Fang p'ing thought this was mere gossip
• 226: But his spirit did not forget Erh Lang
• 227: So Ku begged to be excused a moment
• 228: He then bade Ku close his eyes
• 229: The position of which Chai had changed
• 230: Hsue was consulting his archives
• 231: Feng hsien seemed to be crying bitterly
• 232: Tung asked what plan he could suggest
• 233: Lue discovered what had taken place
• 234: Lue advised Ch'en to take Ch'u as his tutor
• 235: Ch'en found his name among the successful candidates
• 236: A certain cloth merchant went to Ch'ing chou
• 237: There indeed he was in one of the panniers
• 238: Stands on one leg and performs the shang yang
• 239: Chou Kung was the first Emperor of the Chou dynasty
• 240: After Tsu had been wounded in the hand
• 241: The Yue hang scholar was much abashed at this
• 242: And observing Liang ss u outside
• 243: So Liang ss u sat down again
• 244: Lin tsung had the good sense to be charmed
• 245: Wang then threw a piece of silver towards her
• 246: Wang now sent off betrothal presents
• 247: Wang now unpacked his baggage again
• 248: 492 Adoption is common all over China
• 249: 494 Thereupon Chi sheng became dangerously ill
• 250: And hurried off to tell Chi sheng
• 251: And thought no more of Kuei hsiu
• 252: Chao when he went out to dinner anywhere
• 253: Explaining that he was Kung sun Hsia
• 254: Upon which Kuan Ti exclaimed in a loud voice
• 255: Shansi being literally west of the mountains
• 256: If he was pu liang not virtuous
• 257: From the Pescadores they finally retired
• 258: 520 Some years afterwards he returned
• 259: He was instructed to produce some peaches
• 260: Stepped down from one of the camellias before him
• 261: As he could tell by the noise of the trestles
• 262: Hsue meanwhile not catching a single fish
• 263: Hsue would accept his assistance
• 264: Hsue informed him that his name was Hsue
• 265: Told the lictors they had brought the wrong man
• 266: When the lictors had returned his soul to its tenement
• 267: In the year 1621 he took his master's degree
• 268: 549 and unlicensed dealers in salt
• 269: A curious custom exists in Canton
• 270: Chou immediately sent off fifty taels
• 271: Each what he had misappropriated from the public fund
• 272: And a yellow girdle about his waist
• 273: 564 Of course only pretending to be hurt
• 274: That Kuan yin and Wen shu 569 are still alive
• 275: FOOTNOTES 572 The perfect man
• 276: Hua had forgotten almost all the sutras he had ever known
• 277: The capital city of which is also called Feng tu
• 278: On proceeding to the magistrate's yamen
• 279: 587 Quadrupeds don't usually fly
• 280: 588 She saw two men pushing each other in jest
• 281: Ch'en suddenly bethought himself of the earth in the niche
• 282: Lin felt a deadly thirst coming on
• 283: 597 scraped together one hundred ounces of silver
• 284: This is commonly called ta hsue pa
• 285: The disembodied spirit of the oilman
• 286: 611 He did the same with another uncle
• 287: If he had any business at T'ai ngan
• 288: And smeared it on the clay image
• 289: At Chiao chou there lived a man named Liu Hsi ch'uan
• 290: The umbrella handle became a huge serpent
• 291: Shao was greatly astonished at this remark
• 292: 629 exactly like the one he was in search of
• 293: Which he was quite unable to cure
• 294: Who understood the art of planchette
• 295: Used here and elsewhere for Planchette
• 296: All of a sudden the whirling movement stopped
• 297: Shook and shook while its victim squeaked and squeaked
• 298: And killed Kuo Ngan 648 in mistake for his enemy
• 299: 651 The Chinese dog is usually an ill fed
• 300: Next day Chia called and sent in his card
• 301: This silver he would give to Chia
• 302: Chen relaxed his hold and let Chia proceed
• 303: Confucius referred him on to Wen ch'ang
• 304: And the geomancers engaged by one brother
• 305: 671 He then narrated all that had taken place
• 306: And then Wang got up once more
• 307: The boy in the other tree pinched the other cub
• 308: Now Feng was well aware of the state of Hu's affairs
• 309: He then summoned Hu before him
• 310: Was followed to his home by the gander
• 311: The Kuang yuen says it is a kind of lion
• 312: Now Yueeh sheng was a filial son
• 313: Hou was at his wits' end what to do
• 314: Hou now understood all that had happened
• 315: Had not the mandarin stopped her
• 316: These belong specially to Taoism
• 317: From this rule to be excepted disloyal ministers
• 318: Two punishments shall be remitted him
• 319: And subdivided into sixteen wards
• 320: Their faces are scraped with iron and copper knives
• 321: Their mouths are painfully pricked
• 322: Will be thrust into the great Gehenna
• 323: Shall first be tortured in the great Gehenna
• 324: All dwellers upon earth who on the 8th day of the 3rd moon
• 325: The third by the Chief Justice of the great Gehenna
• 326: Due east below the Wu chiao rock
• 327: Having heard the warnings of the Divine Panorama
• 328: Enclosed on all sides by an iron palisade
• 329: But men called her Mother Meng
• 330: 715 The soil of China belongs
• 331: 725 Popularly known as the Chinese Pluto
• 332: The ghost of a ghost is called chien
• 333: ' TYLOR'S Primitive Culture
• 334: Theatrical Entertainments during ii
• 335: Priestly ii
• 336: Fresh water ii
• 337: Soothsayers possessed by ii
• 338: Fixing the ii
• 339: 351 689 Living Lictors of Purgatory
• 340: Professors of ii
• 341: The ii
• 342: 196 170 Sections of Purgatory
• 343: Pardonable ii
• 344: A Chinese Landseer ii
• 345: From swatow to canton overland