What the Master Would Not Discuss

Zi Buyu is a collection of zhiguai notebook fiction compiled by the Qing dynasty man of letters Yuan Mei in his later years. Its title comes from the Analects' "the Master did not speak of extraordinary things, feats of strength, disorder, or spirits," yet its contents are just the opposite, devoted entirely to gods and ghosts, spirits and monsters, and strange occurrences. This is no mere curiosity-seeking work: it is Yuan Mei's alternative observation of the world's myriad phenomena and the warmth and coldness of human feeling, from the perspective of a scholar-official. The stories are short and pithy, written in concise, vivid prose; they offer admonitions on karmic retribution and ethics, contain veiled satire on official corruption and social injustice, and abound in profound insight into the subtleties of human nature. Compared with the romantic elaboration of Liaozhai Zhiyi, Zi Buyu is plainer and more austere; its value lies in placing supernatural phenomena within the framework of daily life, blurring the boundary between reality and illusion, and enabling readers, amid their astonishment, to reflect on the logic and absurdity of the real world. As a model of notebook fiction, it is not only a precious source for studying Qing society, culture, and folk belief, but its distinctive narrative aesthetics have also had a profound influence on later literature. It is best read with a leisurely mind, savoring the worldly feeling and wit beneath its plain, spare prose.