Shi Mei

毛祥麟Nanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

2.9

Word count: 2.7K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Shi Mei, a young man of Shu commandery, had reached the age of capping and was studying at the local school. He was handsome and elegant. His parents had died early, so since childhood he had lived with his grandmother and depended on his uncle Lüji. Lüji had once traded in Chu and was rich in gold but slow to produce heirs; for this reason he and his wife loved Mei more than their own child and ordinarily would not let him leave the household. When Qingming came, Mei went with a single servant to the family graveyard to sweep the tombs. After the paper offerings had been burned, he strolled in the countryside. Two or three li from the graves he came upon a stream. West of the stream was a small nunnery; peach blossoms rose above its low wall, their color unusually brilliant. He crossed the flat bridge and followed the stream for over a hundred paces, then saw the nunnery gate half open, with a red plaque above it reading “Chaoyun.” Inside, an old monk sat cross-legged, murmuring Buddha’s name; seeing a guest, he did not receive him warmly...

Editor's review

Written in the manner of classical-language notebook fiction, Shi Mei tells of the young man Shi Mei of Shu commandery, who after sweeping tombs at Qingming strays into a small nunnery by a stream and encounters an old monk. The narration is unhurried, the classical prose polished but not forbidding, and the atmosphere carries on the tradition of strange tales associated with Liaozhai without straining for fright; its greater concern is human feeling and the ways of the world. The background of Shi Mei, orphaned young and raised under his uncle’s roof, gives the encounter a sense of fate, while the old monk’s coldness in “not receiving a guest warmly” leaves suspense for what follows. The descriptions of the village outskirts, the stream and bridge, the peach blossoms above the low wall, and the half-open red plaque are vivid and pictorial, suited to slow reading on a quiet night, when one can savor the reserve and lingering flavor characteristic of classical fiction. For readers who know some classical Chinese yet want light notebook-style tales, this small book is a good entry into the cadence of traditional narrative.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classical-language notebook fiction such as Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio
Lovers of classical literature who want to develop a feel for classical Chinese through short stories
Casual readers who prefer a quiet, strange-tale atmosphere over strong plotting
Researchers interested in notebook-style narrative from the Ming and Qing through the modern period

Not a good fit for

Readers accustomed to long modern vernacular novels who lack patience for classical Chinese
Readers of genre fiction expecting fast-paced suspense or a fully resolved mystery
Readers uninterested in strange tales and religious settings

Reading tips

Read through once without worrying over every point, then go back sentence by sentence to difficult words and phrases, using notes to clarify the meaning.
Read alongside similar pieces from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio to observe the conventions of strange-tale notebook narrative and where they differ.
Pay attention to the pacing of scenery and character entrances, picturing places such as the nunnery hall and the stream bridge in your mind.
Read only a small passage at a time and pause afterward to savor what is left unsaid; there is no need to rush toward the ending.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
石每

FAQ

Is this book written in classical Chinese, and is it hard to read?

The original is in classical notebook style, with short, polished sentences far easier than official memorials or standard histories. Ordinary readers can get through it with notes and reference tools; the first reading may feel remote, but after a few passages the feel of the language becomes noticeably smoother.

Is the story complete, and does it contain strange or supernatural episodes?

From the available content, the story begins with a country walk after tomb sweeping at Qingming and a chance encounter at a nunnery, where the old monk does not receive the guest warmly; the atmosphere has a strange-tale coloring. How it develops afterward must be judged from the full text, and no guess is offered here.

Is it better read in one sitting or in several?

It is better read slowly in several sittings. The charm of classical notebook writing often lies in what is left between the lines and in the atmosphere; reading it all at once makes it easy to remember only the plot. Reading a small passage each day and then returning to details of scenery and character will yield more.

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About the author

毛祥麟 Author

Mao Xianglin's biographical details remain unknown, and publicly available information is limited. Judging from the nineteen works held in the collection, his writing draws largely on folk legends and local lore, including titles such as The Embroidered Shoe in the Stone Cave, The Black-and-White Tale, The Huang Daopo Shrine, Wutong Shen, and The Tale of Tian Yu, as well as note-style miscellanies like Duishan Yumo and Pingyuan Wenshi Ji. His subjects move between the supernatural, anecdotes, and historical and geographical observations. The narratives are concise and carry the plain flavor of traditional notebook literature, valuing complete and engaging stories while occasionally reflecting on human affairs. His works are classified under classics, folk literature, and Eastern philosophy, showing their value in preserving folk narrative and traditional culture. Owing to the lack of biographical material, his life and associations await further study, and the existing works are the main basis for understanding his writing.