Giles. Pu's Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio

Today's free book is Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio by Songling Pu, translated by Herbert A. Giles. This is a literary work with many supernatural elements, along with some sexual themes that the 19th-century translator, Herbert Giles, was not comfortable with; for some comments about that, see Wikipedia.

For the table of contents, check at the bottom of this post below the image. The Giles translation was published in two volumes, but the Gutenberg online edition combines both volumes into one, and the table of contents below is from that online edition.

In addition to the Project Gutenberg, Internet Archive, Hathi Trust, and Google Books. There is also a free audiobook at LibriVox with stories from the first volume.



Volume 1

Examination for the Post of Guardian Angel
Talking Pupils
Painted Wall
Planting a Pear-tree
Taoist Priest of Lao-shan
Buddhist Priest of Ch‘ang-ch‘ing
Marriage of the Fox’s Daughter
Miss Chiao-no
Magical Arts
Joining the Immortals
Fighting Quails
Painted Skin
Trader’s Son
Judge Lu
Miss Ying-ning; or Laughing Girl
Magic Sword
Shui-mang Plant
Little Chu
Miss Quarta Hu
Considerate Husband
Magnanimous Girl
Boon Companion
Miss Lien-hsiang Fox-girl
Perseverance Rewarded
Jen Hsiu Gambler
Lost Brother
Three Genii
Singing Frogs
Performing Mice
Tiger of Chao-ch‘êng
Dwarf
Hsiang-ju’s Misfortunes
Chang’s Transformation
Taoist Priest
Fight with the Foxes
King
Engaged to a Nun
Young Lady of the Tung-t‘ing Lake
Man who was changed into a Crow
Flower-nymphs
Ta-nan in Search of his Father
Wonderful Stone
Quarrelsome Brothers
Young Gentleman who couldn’t spell
Tiger Guest
Sisters
Foreign Priests
Self-punished Murderer
Master-thief
Flood
Death by Laughing
Playing at Hanging
Rat Wife
Man who was thrown down a Well
Virtuous Daughter-in-law
Dr. Tsêng’s Dream
Country of the Cave Men
Foot-ball on the Tung-t‘ing Lake
Thunder God
Gambler’s Talisman
Husband Punished
Marriage Lottery

Volume 2

Lo-ch‘a Country and the Sea Market
Fighting Cricket
Taking Revenge
Tipsy Turtle
Magic Path
Faithless Widow
Princess of the Tung-t‘ing Lake
Princess Lily
Donkey’s Revenge
Wolf Dream
Unjust Sentence
Rip van Winkle Chinese
Three States of Existence
Infernal Regions, In the
Singular case of Ophthalmia
Chou K‘o-ch‘ang and his Ghost
Spirits of the Po-yang Lake
Stream of Cash
Injustice of Heaven
Sea-serpent
Magic Mirror
Courage Tested
Disembodied Friend
Cloth Merchant
Strange Companion
Spiritualistic Séances
Mysterious Head
Spirit of the Hills
Ingratitude Punished
Smelling Essays
His Father’s Ghost
Boat-girl Bride
Two Brides
Supernatural Wife
Bribery and Corruption
Jonah Chinese
Chang Pu-liang
Dutch Carpet
Carrying a Corpse
Taoist Devotee
Justice for Rebels
Theft of the Peach
Killing a Serpent
Resuscitated Corpse
Fisherman and his Friend
Priest’s Warning
Metempsychosis
Forty Strings of Cash
Saving Life
Salt Smuggler
Collecting Subscriptions
Taoist Miracles
Buddhist Priestsrrival of
Stolen Eyes
Invisible Priest
Censor in Purgatory
Mr. Willow and the Locusts
Mr. Tung; or, Virtue Rewarded
Dead Priest
Flying Cow
“Mirror and Listen” Trick
Cattle Plague
Marriage of the Virgin Goddess
Wine Insect
Faithful Dog
Earthquaken
Making Animals
Cruelty Avenged
Wei-ch‘i Devil
Fortune-hunter Punished
Life Prolonged
Clay Image
Dishonesty Punished
Mad Priest
Feasting the Ruler of Purgatory
Picture Horse
Butterfly’s Revenge
Doctor
Snow in Summer
Planchette
Friendship with Foxes
Great Rat
Wolves
Singular Verdict
Grateful Dog
Great Test
Alchemist
Raising the Dead
Fêng-shui
Lingering Death
Dreaming Honours
She-wolf and the Herd-boys
Adulteration Punished
Solomon Chinese
Roc
Faithful Gander
Elephants and the Lion
Hidden Treasure
Boatmen of Lao-lung
Pious Surgeon
Solomonnother
Incorrupt Official