Zhong Kui
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Summary
Originally titled Zhan Gui Zhuan (The Tale of Slaying Ghosts), also known as Zhong Kui Zhan Gui Zhuan, Zhong Kui Zhuo Gui Zhuan, and The Ninth Book of Genius, this is a chapter-novel mythological novel by Liu Zhang of the Qing Dynasty. Completed during the Kangxi reign, it consists of ten chapters and tells how the traditional Chinese mythological figure Zhong Kui exterminates all manner of ghosts and specters in the human world, using the story to satirize various social evils.
The main plot: during the reign of Emperor Dezong of Tang, the scholar Zhong Kui, brilliant but hideously ugly, goes to Chang'an for the imperial examination and is ranked first by the chief examiners Han Yu and Lu Zhi. But when he appears before the emperor, Dezong takes offense at his ugliness, and treacherous officials seize the chance to demand that his zhuangyuan title be revoked. With no way to redress his grievance, Zhong Kui draws his sword and cuts his own throat. After death he is posthumously proclaimed by Dezong "Great God Who Expels Demons."
Zhong Kui reports to the underworld, and the King of Hell sends him to the world of the living to slay ghosts. Riding the divine beast Baize and wielding a sword, aided by two ghosts, Xian Yuan and Fu Qu, and guided by a little ghost who can turn into a bat, he crosses mountains and rivers, overcomes every obstacle, and destroys one after another: the Shameless Ghost, the Starving Ghost, the Fake Ghost, the Reckless Ghost, the Meticulous Ghost, the Beggar Ghost, the Black-Eyed Ghost, the Filthy Ghost, the Swindling Ghost, the Clever Ghost, the Lying Ghost, and many more. In the end Zhong Kui fulfills his mission and is received into Heaven as the Imperial Lord Who Subdues Demons.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in the Chinese mythological figure Zhong Kui
- General readers seeking an easy introduction to Qing chapter-novels
- Readers who enjoy ghost stories that satirize society
- Collectors interested in illustrations and visual presentation in classical novels
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting a long, epic mythological narrative
- Readers with low tolerance for Qing vernacular who prefer modern Chinese
- Specialist researchers seeking rigorous textual scholarship and edition studies
Reading tips
- Read the preface first to learn the book's background and the origins of the Zhong Kui legend; the main text will then make more sense.
- After each chapter, note the ghost names that appear and try matching them to real human weaknesses to appreciate the satire.
- Read alongside related passages from Journey to the West to feel the different narrative rhythms of mythological fiction.
- If the language is difficult, rely on the annotations and read for plot and satirical intent rather than puzzling over every word.
About the publisher
Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House is a professional literary and art publishing institution. It mainly publishes books on contemporary and modern literature, foreign literature, poetry and prose, music and art, and literary theory. Judging from the books in the database, the house places considerable emphasis on classic works and foreign literature. Representative titles include Lu Xun's Call to Arms and Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk, Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Xiao Hong's The Story of Hulan River, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, William Shakespeare's Hamlet, and Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. Its translator resources include Deng Jiawan, Shi Zhongge, Du Yunci, and Zhu Shenghao. Common categories include social fiction, classic works, foreign literature, world classics, literary appreciation, and classical poetry, reflecting a publishing profile that balances Chinese and foreign literary classics with literary appreciation.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一回 金銮殿求荣得辱 酆都城舍鬼谈人
- 第二回 诉根由两神共愤 逞豪强三鬼齐诌
- 第三回 咸司马计救西施 富先锋箭射涎脸鬼
- 第四回 因龌龊同心访奇士 为仔细彼此结冤家
- 第五回 忘父仇偏成莫逆 求官做反失家私
- 第六回 诓骗人反被人抠掐 丢谎鬼却教鬼偷尸
- 第七回 对芳樽两人赏明月 献美酒五鬼闹钟馗
- 第八回 悟空庵懒诛黑眼鬼 烟花寨智请白眉神
- 第九回 喜好色潜移三地 爱贪杯谬引群贤
- 第十回 妖气净归地狱 功行满钟老上天堂
FAQ
What is this book's relationship to Journey to the West?
Can I understand it without prior experience with classical novels?
Do the ghost names have special meanings?
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About the author
Liu Zhang is an ancient author about whom very little is publicly known: his exact dates of birth and death, native place, and career cannot be verified, so his personal life must be left aside. Two of his works are held in the collection, Zhong Kui and Zhong Kui Slays Demons, both belonging to classical literature, which shows that his writing is closely tied to the Zhong Kui theme. The story of Zhong Kui slaying demons was widely circulated among the people and often used supernatural tales to express judgments on the world and human affairs. Liu Zhang built his narratives around this theme in plain, somewhat satirical language, with characters and plot serving a moral purpose. Because public information is limited, his associations, teachers, and overall body of work remain unclear; these two works are the main basis for understanding his writing and reflect the continuation and evolution of the Zhong Kui story in classical fiction and folk narrative.
Dai Dunbang is a painter whose work draws on classical Chinese literature; public information about him is limited, and details of his life are largely unknown. Judging from the four works held here, his output centers on Dream of the Red Chamber and on classical figure imagery. Dai Dunbang Paints and Explains Dream of the Red Chamber presents the novel's characters and scenes through painting, while the youth edition of Dream of the Red Chamber adapts the classic text for younger readers, and Dai Dunbang's Handwritten Collection of Poems and Lyrics from Dream of the Red Chamber combines the novel's verse with his own calligraphy, reflecting an approach that values both literature and the arts of painting and calligraphy. Zhong Kui, drawn from folk legend, shows that his subjects are not confined to a single masterpiece. His works are usually classified under art, classical literature, and classical poetry, and offer both visual pleasure and reading value for readers interested in traditional Chinese literature and calligraphy and painting.
