“The Treasury Official” is a concise yet profound short story from Strange Tales from Liaozhai (Liaozhai Zhiyi). Through the mysterious figure of a “Treasury Official of the Netherworld,” it showcases Pu Songling’s philosophical reflections on fate, wealth, and the vicissitudes of life.
“Dong Sheng” (Scholar Dong), from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from Liaozhai, follows scholar Dong Xiasi living on the western frontier of Qingzhou, Shandong.