Shenguai Fiction (“Tales of Gods and Strange Beings”) is a genre of classical Chinese fiction named for its focus on supernatural, divine, and monstrous themes. It is also commonly referred to as “shenmo xiaoshuo” (“gods-and-demons fiction”).
In the vast landscape of Chinese literature, few works blend fantasy, romance, social critique, and folklore as masterfully as Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Liaozhai Zhiyi). Written by Pu Songling (1640–1715), a scholar of the Qing Dynasty, this collection of over 490 short stories has enchanted readers for centuries with its vivid depictions…