Selected Tales of the Han Wei and Six Dynasties Periods

Series: Library of Chinese Classics
Paperback: 299 pages
Publisher: foreign language press (November 24, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 7119040308
ISBN-13: 978-7119040301
ASIN: B0011CLQ40
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

This book selects 90 stories from among the fictions, such as Tales of Marvels, Records of Spirits, Records of Light and Dark, and New Anecdotes of Social Talk, of the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties (), revealing a rough picture of the dawn of classical Chinese fiction. Such works fall mainly into three categories. The first is supernatural stories, or stories about deities, immortals, ghosts and monsters, such as Tales of Marvels and Records of Spirits. The second category covers unofficial historical records, which are accounts of historical events and figures mixed with some incredible contents, such as Prince Can s Revenge and Tales of Emperor Wu. The third category includes anecdotes of celebrities extraordinary manners, words and deeds, such as New Anecdotes of Social Talk. Except for unofficial histories and biographies, works of ancient fiction are mostly very short. They are not detailed in narration, and some of them are even not stories in the real sense of the word. But the succinct words describe complicated matters without missing their essence.