divine intervention

  • The Battle of Kunyang [Eastern Han]

    Brief: This article records the legendary Battle of Kunyang. Liu Xiu led 9,000 defenders against Wang Mang’s 420,000‑strong army. A sudden storm turned the tide; the Xin army was destroyed. Though Liu Xiu won glory, his brother was executed by the Gengshi Emperor. He hid his grief and bided his time to restore the…

  • The Willow Scholar’s bargain

    “The Willow Scholar” is a symbolic short story from Strange Tales from Liaozhai. Blending myth, fable, and social concern, it explores the relationship between humans, nature, and spirits through the resolution of a locust plague.

  • Justice and Karmic Balance in “Wang Lan”

    Strange Tales from Liaozhai: Wang Lan recounts the supernatural journey of Wang Lan from Licheng County, Shandong.

  • Wang Lan

    A man named Wang Lan, who lived in Lijing County, in Shandong Province, suddenly died.