Pu Songling
Pu Songling was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty, best known as the author of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.
Biography
Pu was born into a poor merchant family from Zichuan. At the age of 18, he received the Xiucai degree in the Imperial examination. It was not until he was 71 that he was awarded the Gongsheng degree for his achievement in literature rather than for passing the Imperial exam.He spent most of his life working as a private tutor, collecting stories that were later published in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio in 1740. Some critics attribute the Vernacular Chinese novel Xingshi Yinyuan Zhuan to him.
Translations of his work
- Strange Tales from Liaozhai, 6 volumes. Jain Pub Co., 2008-2014..
- Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. London: Penguin, 2006. 562 pages..
- Strange Tales from the Liaozhai Studio. Beijing: People's China Publishing, 1997..
- Strange Tales from Make-do Studio. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1989.
- Strange Tales of Liaozhai. Hong Kong: Commercial Press, 1982.
- Strange Stories from the Lodge of Leisures. London: Constable, 1913.
- Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. London: T. De La Rue, 1880..
- The Emperor of China in a House of Ill Repute: Songs of the Imperial Visit to Datong. Oxford University Press, 2023.
In popular culture
- In The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang, Jackie Chan portrays Pu Songling.
- Dao Lang has released an album based on his folk stories, called "There are Few Folk Songs". The tracklist includes "Luosha Haishi", a song based on The Raksha Country and [the Sea Market], which is compared to "Gangnam Style" for its virality and watching records.