子不語

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25245

Title

子不語

Language

zh

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A collection of supernatural tales from the Song dynasty featuring ghosts, demons, and magical creatures. The stories blend humor, horror, and moral lessons, showcasing the era's fascination with the paranormal and the power of human wit against otherworldly forces.

Summary up to 500 words

The text presents a collection of supernatural tales from the *E Book of Ghosts* (Zi Bu Ye), attributed to Mei Yuan, illustrating the pervasive fear of ghosts and demons in ancient Chinese society. The first story recounts how a wealthy official named Dong avoided a prophecy of death by sacrificing a tower's grass to a demon, only to find an old man sitting there; the official's subsequent nightmares and the old man's disappearance after a lightning strike suggest the demon was real but elusive. Another tale describes a haunted hall in Yuzhou where a ghost claims to be a man killed by his wife's lover; the ghost's detailed account of his murder and the names of his accusers lead to the identification and punishment of the murderer, demonstrating how spirits could seek justice. A third narrative involves a traveler staying at an inn who encounters a terrifying figure emerging from the floorboards; the figure's demand for a seat and the subsequent appearance of a two-foot-tall, headless entity with a long tongue result in the death of the inn's staff and guests, highlighting the lethal nature of uninvited spirits. In another account, a rich family hires a Taoist priest to exorcise a dog-like demon that barks at intruders; despite the priest's powerful incantations and magical displays, the demon remains unafraid until a Taoist from Jiangxi arrives, who successfully banishes the entity with a spell. The final story features a fox spirit that tricks a host into providing alcohol and firewood, causing the house to burn down; the fox's ability to manipulate reality and cause destruction underscores the theme that supernatural forces often exploit human weakness. Across these stories, the tone is one of dread and mystery, emphasizing the belief that ghosts and demons are real, dangerous, and capable of influencing human fate, while also suggesting that only those with superior spiritual power can confront them.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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2026-07-07 14:35 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Horror