Short Stories of Imperial China

This unique collection consists of twenty-two short stories originating from the Tang, Sung, Ming and Qing (Manchu) dynasties in China, covering a period of thirteen hundred years in Chinese history. The characters portrayed range from emperors and courtiers, scholars and strategists, courtesans and story-tellers, ordinary peasants and men in the street, love-lorn young men and women, hermits and magic workers, to fairies and immortals. They are representative of many facets of the life of old China; and offer a remarkable glimpse into the wonderful world and myriad facets of Chinese classical literature.