Additional Tales of the Trimmed Lamp

李昌祺北京汇聚文源文化发展有限公司 · ChinaJul 2026

4.2

Word count: 77K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

In earlier years, while supervising work at the Changgan Temple, I came upon the "Tale of Rourou" by Gui Heng of Muzhou. Admiring its brilliant wit and graceful, polished style, I wrote "The Return of the Soul" in imitation of it.

Seven years later, I was again assigned to work at Fangshan. A guest brought me the Jiandeng Xinhua of the Qu family of Qiantang, and I admired it too, eager to imitate it. Though I hurried about amid the dust and my spirits were worn down, my hands still itched to try. In my spare hours from official duties, I gathered stray reports and arranged them into twenty pieces, entitling them Jiandeng Yuhua, and still appended "The Return of the Soul" at the end of the volume.

Editor's review

Jiandeng Yuhua is a collection of classical-language tales by Li Changqi of the Ming dynasty, written in imitation of Qu You's Jiandeng Xinhua. According to the author's own account, he first admired Gui Heng's "Tale of Rourou" and wrote "The Return of the Soul" in imitation of it; later, having obtained Jiandeng Xinhua, he was "eager to imitate it," and in spare moments from official travels he gathered rumors and arranged them into twenty pieces, appending "The Return of the Soul" at the end. This preface is itself the key to understanding the book: it shows that the work was born between admiration and imitation, and it reveals the author's state of mind as he wrote, still itching to try even while worn down by paperwork. The stories often involve the supernatural, love, and the ways of human feeling; the language is graceful and indirect, carrying the taste of early Ming chuanqi as it continued the traditions of Six Dynasties zhiguai and Tang-Song chuanqi. Its value for readers lies in the fact that it is both a direct product of the influence of Jiandeng Xinhua and a concrete sample for observing the themes and techniques of Ming classical-language fiction. It suits readers interested in classical chuanqi, the zhiguai tradition, and the Jiandeng Xinhua series, and is best read slowly, savoring the language and story motifs.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Ming classical-language fiction and the chuanqi and zhiguai traditions
Readers who have read Jiandeng Xinhua and want to understand its imitations and sequel lineage
Lovers of classical literature who enjoy supernatural and love themes and can accept a classical-language style
Literary scholars studying motifs and imitation in classical fiction

Not a good fit for

General readers unaccustomed to classical Chinese who need a smooth vernacular reading
Readers expecting a modern long-form structure or strong suspense and detection
Readers with little interest in the supernatural and chuanqi who prefer realistic subjects

Reading tips

Begin with the author's preface to understand the circumstances of imitating Jiandeng Xinhua, then move on to the main pieces.
Read it alongside Jiandeng Xinhua, noting what is inherited and what changes in theme and technique.
Read the classical-language pieces slowly, one by one; when encountering allusions or obscure passages, first grasp the general meaning and then return to them.
Save "The Return of the Soul" for last, to appreciate the author's intention in appending it at the end of the volume.

About the publisher

北京汇聚文源文化发展有限公司 China

Beijing Huiju Wenyuan Cultural Development Co., Ltd. is a cultural institution focused on publishing traditional Chinese classics. Public information about the company is limited, and its publishing profile is mainly reflected in the 83 books in the database. Judging from its representative titles, the company attends to classics across the traditional Four Categories of Chinese literature. The Lotus Sutra relates to Buddhist literature; Comprehensive Institutions, A Record of Reading in the Prefectural Studio, and The Meaning of Textual Criticism are works of history and bibliography; New Songs from the Jade Terrace is a literary anthology; Agricultural Administration in Its Entirety concerns agricultural policy and practice; and Annotations to the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals and Discourse on the Song Dynasty reflect the directions of classical scholarship and historical commentary. Its authors include Du You, Chao Gongwu, Xu Ling, Xu Guangqi, He Xiu, Zhang Xuecheng, and Wang Fuzhi, as well as anonymous works. Its common categories center on classic works, social sciences, Eastern philosophy, literary appreciation, and philosophical reading, indicating a publishing orientation characterized by the organization of traditional scholarly primary texts and the promotion of traditional cultural reading.

版权信息
自序
曾序
王序
罗序
长安夜行录
听经猿记
月夜弹琴记
何思明游酆都录
两川都辖院志
连理树记
田洙遇薛涛联句记
青城舞剑录
秋夕访琵琶亭记
鸾鸾传
凤尾草记
武平灵怪录
琼奴传
幔亭遇仙录
胡媚娘传
洞天花烛记
泰山御史传
江庙泥神记
芙蓉屏记
秋千会记
附录：贾云华还魂记
后序

FAQ

What is the relationship between Jiandeng Yuhua and Jiandeng Xinhua?

According to the author's own account, after reading the Jiandeng Xinhua of the Qu family of Qiantang he was "eager to imitate it," and in spare moments from official duties he gathered rumors and wrote twenty pieces, entitling them Jiandeng Yuhua, appending his earlier "The Return of the Soul" at the end. It is an imitative work under the influence of Jiandeng Xinhua, not a work by the same author.

How many pieces are in the whole book?

According to the author's preface, in spare moments from official duties he gathered stray reports and arranged them into twenty pieces, entitling them Jiandeng Yuhua, and appended "The Return of the Soul" at the end. The exact composition of the contents depends on the actual edition; when reading, begin with the table of contents to understand the arrangement.

Can someone with only an ordinary grounding in classical Chinese read it?

You can try, but it requires some patience with classical Chinese. The book consists of classical-language chuanqi with graceful, indirect language; it is best to read the preface first to become familiar with the author's voice, then read each piece for the general meaning rather than clinging to every character. If it proves difficult, use an annotated edition or first learn about the story types in Jiandeng Xinhua.

For readers researching what questions is this book suitable?

It suits readers concerned with Ming classical-language fiction, the chuanqi and zhiguai traditions, the phenomenon of imitations of Jiandeng Xinhua, and the evolution of motifs in classical fiction. The author's preface explains the circumstances of writing and the objects of imitation, and is also of reference value for understanding the creative ecology of early Ming chuanqi.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

李昌祺 Author

Li Changqi was a Ming-dynasty author of classical-language fiction and poetry. Public information about him is limited, and his dates, native place, and official career are not clearly recorded. Five of his works are held in this collection, the best known being Jiandeng Yuhua (More Tales of the Lamplighter). Written in the tradition of Jiandeng Xinhua, it consists of short classical-language tales of love and separation between humans and ghosts and of strange events in worldly life. The plots are delicately wrought and the prose ornate, with occasional moral admonition. It is an important work of Ming chuanqi fiction and circulated widely in later times. Another work, Yunpi Mangao, is a collection of poetry and prose, showing his versatility in various genres. His works here are usually classed under classical literature, philosophical reading, and culture, suggesting that beyond fiction his writing also touches on literati essays and reflections. Overall, Li Changqi is best known for Jiandeng Yuhua, which continues the narrative tradition of Ming classical-language fiction and is of value for studying the fiction and literati mentality of the period.