SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

  • Maternal devotion and Daoist transcendence in “Fairy Su”

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    Ana

    In Strange Tales from Liaozhai: Su Xian(Su Immortal or Fairy Su), a woman surnamed Su from Chenzhou, Hunan, washes clothes by a river when she sees mystical green moss coils around the huge stone she is standing on. She later discovers she is pregnant.

  • Fairy Su

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    Ana

    A girl named Su, in Chenzhou, Hunan, was washing clothes one day by squatting on a huge rock in the river. Some lovely green water plants drifted over and circled the rock three times, arousing Su’s curiosity. After that she found herself pregnant.

  • Bridging Worlds in “The Fox Scholar”

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    Ana

    In Strange Tales from Liaozhai: The Fox Scholar (The Fox-teacher), a wealthy Hebei family hires a scholar named Hu to tutor their children.

  • The Fox-Teacher

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    Ana

    A rich family in Zhili, Hebei, was trying to find a teacher for their children.

  • The mirage in “The Daoist Priest”

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    Ana

    In Strange Tales from Liaozhai: The Daoist Priest, a ragged Daoist priest befriends Scholar Han — a nobleman fond of hosting banquets — and his neighbor Xu.

  • Taoist Priest

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    Ana

    Scholar Han, descendant of a well-known aristocratic family, was very fond of guests. A man named Xu in the same village often went to his place to drink.