Tales from the Neighborhood

许奉恩Jul 2024

3.6

Word count: 209K words
Chapters: 18

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early intellectual forms are especially distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers—all vast and profound. This "Essence of Classics: Original Texts of Traditional Chinese Culture" series preserves the original appearance of the texts and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate temperament and quietly absorb the classics of national learning.

Editor's review

Lishang is a collection of notebook fiction by Xu Feng'en of the Qing dynasty. It mostly records strange tales and unusual events while touching on human nature and the ways of the world; the language is concise and full of lively interest. This volume is included in the "Essence of Classics: Original Texts of Traditional Chinese Culture" series, which preserves the original appearance of the text and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. Unlike ordinary anthologies, it makes no extensive modern rewriting, so readers can directly encounter the original text and feel the narrative rhythm and linguistic delight of ancient notebooks. Its contents cover ghosts and spirits, karmic cause and effect, customs and many other aspects; it is both leisure reading and a window onto traditional social ideas and popular psychology. It suits readers interested in ancient notebook fiction and tales of the strange and legendary for casual dipping, and also serves as supplementary reading for understanding traditional thought and culture. There is no need to read quickly; readers may choose pieces according to their length and mood, and when something interests them, return to savor the brushwork and the implied meaning.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy ancient notebook fiction and tales of the strange and legendary
Readers of national studies who wish to encounter original texts and understand traditional social ideas
Readers who need short pieces for leisure reading or classroom supplementation

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer systematic theoretical exposition and rigorous academic frameworks
Younger readers unfamiliar with classical Chinese notebook language and with limited reading patience

Reading tips

Read pieces at random; pause briefly after every few to savor the worldly feeling and implied meaning.
When encountering obscure allusions or names of customs and objects, consult reference books as needed; there is no need to understand everything at once.
Read alongside other Qing notebook fiction to compare narrative techniques and similarities and differences in subject matter.

版权信息
里乘
序
序
序
跋
跋
说例
里乘卷一
里乘卷二
里乘卷三
里乘卷四
里乘卷五
里乘卷六
里乘卷七
里乘卷八
里乘卷九
里乘卷十

FAQ

What kind of book is Lishang?

It is a collection of notebook fiction by Xu Feng'en of the Qing dynasty. It mostly records strange tales and unusual events while touching on human nature and the ways of the world, and belongs to the traditional notebook genre. This volume preserves the original appearance of the text and is included in the "Essence of Classics: Original Texts of Traditional Chinese Culture" series.

What are the features of this series?

According to the book's description, the series focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture and preserves the original appearance of the texts. Its contents cover religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hundred Schools thought, customs and local gazetteers, and more.

What background does reading this book require?

The book preserves the original text in classical Chinese notebook style, so readers need basic classical Chinese reading ability. If unfamiliar with ancient customs and names of objects, they may consult reference books; there is no need to understand everything at once.

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About the author

许奉恩 Author

Xu Feng'en is an author about whom little is now known; publicly available materials are limited, and his native place, dates of birth and death, and official career are all undocumented. At present, he can be understood only through his sole surviving work, Li Cheng, a collection of classical-language biji tales drawn largely from folk legends and scholarly anecdote. Its contents range from strange and wondrous events to moral tales of cause and retribution and observations of social life, written in a concise style with a strong narrative appeal and clear traces of the Ming and Qing biji tradition. In this library the book is classified under Eastern philosophy, suggesting that its value lies not only in storytelling but also in its use as material for observing traditional ethics and popular belief. Owing to the scarcity of sources, knowledge of Xu Feng'en remains dependent on this work, and details of his life await further discovery.