Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio, Vol. 1

It is consequently two centuries, almost to the day, since the first appearance of a book destined for a popularity that the passing of time seems unable to diminish. This is a fitting moment for its first presentation to the English reader in an English dress. I should mention, however, that the Liao-Chai was originally, and for many years, circulated in manuscript only. P'u Sung-ling, as we are told in a colophon A concluding note in a book containing information about its production. by his grandson to the first edition, was too poor to meet the heavy expense of woodblock printing. It was not until 1740—when the author must have already been a resident of the dark land he so loved to describe—that his grandson printed and published the collection that is now so famous. Since then, many editions have been presented to the Chinese public. The best of these is by Tan Ming-lun, a Salt Commissioner who lived during the reign of the Tao Kuang Emperor. In 1842, he published, at his own expense, an excellent edition in sixteen small volumes. Since various editions may contain different readings, I would warn students of Chinese who wish to compare my translation with the original text that I have used the edition of Tan Ming-lun, collated with that of Yü Chi,