Publisher's Synopsis
This book contains Twenty-two distinctly different yet historically and culturally themed translations of Chinese short stories that span 2000 years of ancient culture to life in the last century. These amazing translations stretch from The House of Kou-chien, King of Yueh by Ssu-ma Ch'ien (147 BC-ca. 90 BC) to The Neighbours by Lao She (1899-1966).
Some of these tales were originally translated and presented in the book titled 'A Perfect Lady by Mistake' by William Dolby but now have been added to and expanded upon in this current volume; more stories, greater depth.
China has a rich tradition, through the ages, of superbly plotted, highly imaginative and vivid world-quality short stories. This anthology presents but a few, from 100 or so BC up to modern times, including some tales that have been seminal for other forms of literature and entertainment. Here are the noble and the dastardly, paragons of friendship, a tiger of honour, a most base bandit, a dragon king, tragedy born of a joke, China's most famous poet, the most renowned tale of mighty vengeance, a courtesan of immense integrity, a love-triangle of intricate intrigue, China's most celebrated romance, a fairy paradise, bleak cynicism, a drunkard in life and death, a touching and insightful last visit home by the doyen of twentieth century Chinese literature, and a depiction of the victory of mild humans over brutal ones by China's best novelist of recent times.
These tales, translated and introduced by the well-known sinologist and translator William Dolby, are designed to be read for enjoyment, either aloud or to oneself; they serve to be enjoyed by all, and to give insight into the delightful enjoyment that story-telling and myth has in Chinese Culture, then and now.
