SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

imperial examinations

  • Lü Dongbin

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    Ana

    Lü Dongbin was a Daoist figure traditionally associated with the late Tang dynasty. He is best known as one of the legendary Eight Immortals Baxian) in Chinese folk religion and Daoist hagiography. His given name was Lü Yan (also written as “Yan”), courtesy name Dongbin, and sobriquet Chunyang Zi (“Master Pure Yang”). In the…

  • Celestial encounters and earthly choices in “Bai Yuyu”

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    Ana

    In Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – Liaozhai: Bai Yuyu, the gifted scholar Wu Qing’an (also named Wu Jun) attracts attention in his youth for literary talent. A court historian promises his daughter’s marriage if Wu succeeds in imperial exams. After failing the county-level examination, Wu perseveres in studies.

  • Justice and Transformation in “Judge Lu”

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    Ana

    Strange Tales from Liaozhai, a collection of classical tales by Qing writer Pu Songling, features fantastical stories about fox spirits, ghosts, etc. Today, we will talk one of the most popular stories, the Judge Lu.