The ears can hear flattering sounds; the eyes can be dazzled by silver and gold. These effects are enemies encroaching from without, whereas carnal desires are robbers hidden within.
Once greed and selfishness dominate a man’s mind, his previously steel-like nature will become soft and weak; his intelligence will become blocked and dulled; his benevolent nature will become vicious; his pure spirit will become muddied; and the virtue he has accumulated over a lifetime will become dissipated.
Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: The Fox Sisters (Fourth Sister Hu) weaves a fantastical tale of scholar Shang and his encounters with fox spirits Hu Sanjie(Third Sister Hu) and Hu Sijie(Fourth Sister Hu), exploring themes of desire, morality, and karmic justice.
Strange Tales from Liaozhai: Prince of the Sea (Hai Gongzi) by Pu Songling narrates a tale of seduction, adventure, and survival set on the mythical Guji Island.
“Dong Sheng” (Scholar Dong), from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from Liaozhai, follows scholar Dong Xiasi living on the western frontier of Qingzhou, Shandong.
Baboons are the wisest beasts who know the past, but lack foresight for the future.