Chinese Tales

The renowned Chinese writer Pu Songling (1640–1715) was born in the Great Ming Empire, in the territory of Shandong province, which has a rich history. His father came from a noble family but, having lost all his wealth, was forced to engage in trade. Songling received a classical education; however, he could not pass the exam that allowed entry into government service. Then the young man began to earn a living by giving private lessons. At the same time, Pu Songling delved deeply into literature. In his lifetime, he composed more than a thousand poems, numerous romances and essays, as well as several plays. Immortal fame was bestowed upon him by "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio," known in China as "Liao Zhai Zhi Yi." They are a collection of stories based on folk beliefs in mysterious fox spirits, evil demons and good spirits, powerful wizards and fearsome gods. The elegant texts of Pu Songling are full of allegories and subtle humor; in his stories, ancient superstitions intertwine with topical satire. After the death of Pu Songling, the manuscripts of his works were kept in the writer's family for many years. The texts of "Strange Stories" were first published only half a century after the death of Pu Songling—in 1766. Today, his tales enjoy great popularity both in China and beyond its borders; they are translated into various languages of the world. The works of Pu Songling have entered the golden fund of Chinese literature.

In this edition, the tales of "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" by Pu Songling are presented in translations by the famous Soviet sinologist, Doctor of Philological Sciences, and member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR Vasily Mikhailovich Alexeev (1881–1951). In 1902, Vasily Mikhailovich graduated from the Oriental Languages Department of St. Petersburg University. He dedicated his professional activity to the Chinese language, the study of the history and literature of China. Alexeev lectured at leading educational institutions, participated in compiling an academic Chinese-Russian dictionary, and translated the works of Chinese writers. His works introduced Russian-speaking readers to the writings of more than two hundred authors who are considered classics of Chinese literature. In the first half of the 20th century, stories by Pu Songling in the translations of V. M. Alexeev were published in thematic collections "Fox Charms" (1922), "Monk Wizards" (1923), "Strange Stories" (1928), and "Tales of Unusual People" (1937). Each such publication was accompanied by a detailed preface and thorough commentaries. In this book, the beauty of Pu Songling's stories is highlighted by the wonderful color illustrations of Anastasia Iv (1991).