Dai Fu is the author of the Guang Yi Ji (Extensive Records of the Strange), and very little else about his life is known from public sources; his courtesy name, native place, dates of birth and death, and official career are all difficult to verify, so modern understanding of him rests mainly on this single work. The book is an important Tang dynasty collection of zhiguai tales, recording stories of gods and ghosts, supernatural rumors, and popular marvels. Its subjects are varied, its narratives concise, and it carries the distinctive flavor of the zhiguai tradition, inheriting something of the Six Dynasties legacy while reflecting Tang society's imagination of and curiosity about the world of spirits. In the surviving pieces, Dai Fu tends to retell strange tales in short compass, emphasizing completeness of plot and richness of detail; his language is plain yet lively, and some stories circulated widely, providing material for later fiction and drama. The Guang Yi Ji is a useful reference in the study of Tang fiction and is often consulted for the evolution of zhiguai literature and the shape of popular belief. Because information on Dai Fu himself is scarce, discussion of his literary standing centers on the themes and influence of the Guang Yi Ji rather than on the author's life.
