From Liaozhai, Mr. Zhang is wrongly taken to the underworld and witnesses his sinful monk‑brother’s hellish torture. Revived, he finds the monk bears matching physical agony, who then recovers through sincere repentance.
The Pupil-Bound Spirits is both a cautionary story about the dangers of lust and a fable about moral transformation. The grotesque yet whimsical image of tiny spirits chatting inside the eyes gives it a unique place in Chinese supernatural literature.
The Master said, “To have faults and not correct them – that is truly a fault.”
A supposedly virtuous man who pretends to do good deeds is no better than a selfish scoundrel.
No matter how earth-shaking one’s achievements, self-conceit will cancel them out. No matter how horrendous one’s sins, repentance will atone for them.
“The Tiger of Zhao Cheng (The Repentant Tiger)” is a story from Strange Tales from Liaozhai (Liaozhai Zhiyi), recounting a tale of filial piety, vengeance, and forgiveness. Set in Zhao Cheng, the story revolves around an elderly woman and her son.
Once upon a time in Zhaocheng County there was an old lady in her seventies who had only one son. One day, her son went into the mountains and was eaten by a tiger. The old lady was so grieved that she nearly committed suicide.