Pu Songling

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Pu Songling Criticism

The critical scholarship surrounding Pu Songling's work explores a multitude of layers, from the captivating blend of supernatural figures and historical contexts to the incisive social critiques embedded within his narratives. Pu's major work, Strange Stories, stands as a testament to his mastery of the ch'uan-ch'i genre, where traditional storytelling techniques meet innovative social commentary. Scholars like Martin Buber have highlighted the engaging subject matter and supernatural figures in his stories, whereas Jaroslav Prušek emphasizes their historical context and the seamless fusion of reality with fantasy.

Contents

  • Principal Works
  • Sung-Ling, P'U (Literary Criticism (1400-1800))
    • Introduction to Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
    • Oriental Otherworld
    • The Examination Syndrome in Liao-chai-chih-yi
    • Foxes in Chinese Supernatural Tales (Part I)
    • Obsession
  • Sung-ling, P'u (Short Story Criticism)
    • Introduction to Chinese Ghost & Love Stories
    • P'u Sung-ling and His Work
    • P'u Sung-ling and His 'Liao-chai Chih-I'—Literary Imagination and Intellectual Consciousness in Early Ch'ing China
    • The Discourse on the Strange
  • Further Reading