Hidden and Visible Realms (eBook)

Early Medieval Chinese Tales of the Supernatural and the Fantastic

eBook Download: PDF | EPUB

2018
Columbia University Press (Verlag)
978-0-231-54705-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Hidden and Visible Realms is one of the most significant medieval Chinese collections of stories of the fantastic and otherworldly phenomena, distinguished by its varied contents, elegant writing style, and Buddhist influence. This annotated first complete English translation explains the key themes and textual history of the work.

ZhangZhenjun: Zhenjun Zhang is associate professor of Asian Studies and Modern Languages & Literatures at St. Lawrence University. His publications include: Buddhism and Tales of the Supernatural in Early Medieval China: A Study of Liu Yiqing's Youming lu (Brill, 2014) and Traditional Fiction and Chinese Culture (Guangxi Normal University Press, 1996).Zhenjun Zhang is associate professor of Asian studies and modern languages and literatures at St. Lawrence University. His books include Buddhism and Tales of the Supernatural in Early Medieval China: A Study of Liu Yiqing's (403-444) Youming lu (2014).

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Chinese culture of the Six Dynasties period (220-589) saw a blossoming of stories of the fantastic. Zhiguai, "e;records of the strange"e; or "e;accounts of anomalies,"e; tell of encounters with otherness, in which inexplicable and uncanny phenomena interrupt mundane human affairs. They depict deities, ghosts, and monsters; heaven, the underworld, and the immortal lands; omens, metamorphoses, and trafficking between humans and supernatural beings; and legendary figures, strange creatures, and natural wonders in the human world.Hidden and Visible Realms, traditionally attributed to Liu Yiqing, is one of the most significant zhiguai collections, distinguished by its varied contents, elegant writing style, and fascinating stories. It is also among the earliest collections heavily influenced by Buddhist beliefs, values, and concerns. Beyond the traditional zhiguai narratives, it includes tales of karmic retribution, reincarnation, and Buddhist ghosts, hell, and magic. In this annotated first complete English translation, Zhenjun Zhang gives English-speaking readers a sense of the wealth and wonder of the zhiguai canon. Hidden and Visible Realms opens a window into the lives, customs, and religious beliefs and practices of early medieval China and the cultural history of Chinese Buddhism. In the introduction, Zhang explains the key themes and textual history of the work.

Inhalt

AcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsTerms Regarding Weights and MeasuresChronologyIntroduction1. The Wonder of Love2. A Garden of Marvels3. The Spectacle of Monsters4. The Realm of Ghosts5. The Netherworld and This World6. Animals and Men7. Anecdotes of Notable Figures8. Local LegendsAppendixTales Appearing in Other RenditionsWorks CitedIndex

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 24.9.2018
• Reihe/Serie: Translations from the Asian Classics
• Übersetzer: Zhenjun Zhang
• Zusatzinfo: no art
• Verlagsort: New York
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror ► Horror
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Sprach- / Literaturwissenschaft ► Literaturwissenschaft
• ISBN-10: 0-231-54705-6 / 0231547056
• ISBN-13: 978-0-231-54705-5 / 9780231547055