Liaozhai
Pu Songling's masterpiece — the 500 supernatural tales that defined Chinese ghost fiction
6 articles
What is Liaozhai Zhiyi? A Guide to China's Greatest Ghost Stories
Written over 300 years ago, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio remains the most influential collection of supernatural fiction in Chinese literature.
Nie Xiaoqian: The Ghost Romance That Conquered Cinema
A beautiful ghost, a righteous scholar, and a demon tree — the most beloved love story in Chinese supernatural fiction.
Painted Skin: The Most Terrifying Story in Chinese Literature
A demon wearing human beauty — the Painted Skin story has horrified and fascinated readers for 300 years. Here's why it endures.
The Liaozhai Stories That Hollywood Should Adapt (But Probably Won't)
Pu Songling wrote over 490 supernatural tales in the 17th century. Most are better than anything in modern horror cinema.
Pu Songling: The Failed Scholar Who Wrote China's Greatest Ghost Stories
Repeatedly rejected by the imperial examination system, Pu Songling channeled his frustration into nearly 500 supernatural tales that changed Chinese...
Liaozhai Zhiyi: The Ghost Stories That Changed Chinese Literature
Pu Songling spent forty years collecting and writing ghost stories. The result — Liaozhai Zhiyi — is not just a horror anthology.