Strange and Supernatural Tales: A Translation of "Luanyang Xulu Wu" from Ji Yun's Yuewei Caotang Biji, Poster 34

Yuewei Caotang Biji is a collection of zhiguai stories recorded by Ji Yun in separate books that were later compiled together in 1800. As zhiguai stories written in the biji style, the entries in this collection are brief note... [ view full abstract ]

Yuewei Caotang Biji is a collection of zhiguai stories recorded by Ji Yun in separate books that were later compiled together in 1800. As zhiguai stories written in the biji style, the entries in this collection are brief note style jottings that cover a vast range of strange and supernatural topics. My senior project is a translation of one section of this collection called "Luanyang Xulu Wu that includes twenty six zhiguai stories. The topics are quite diverse, ranging from strange instances like the production and quality of Cangzhou wine to supernatural beings like foxes, ghosts, and demons. Although the topics for each story are different and seemingly random, there are a few themes that are consistent throughout this section; for instance, Ji Yun clearly uses most of these stories to present a strong moral argument. Also present is a criticism of government officials and religious figures. The goal of this translation is to spread these relatively under-appreciated stories and introduce this genre of Chinese literature to a western audience for both enjoyment and insight into Chinese culture.