1

FAMOUS CHINESE SHORT STORIES

Retold by LIN YUTANG (1959)

Part I
Translated by Ma Hninpwint

Translated by Ma Hninpwint

FAMOUS CHINESE SHORT STORIES

Retold by LIN YUTANG (1959)

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All pictures and paintings including the book cover are taken from Google.

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CurlyCurly-Beard
This is a favorite Tang story , distinguished by sharp characterization and dialogue. It was probably written by
Tu Kwang-ting (A.D. 850-933), a highly distinguished Taoist himself and an author of many works.
It forms No. 193 of Taiping Kwangchi, but slightly varying texts exist, some of which ascribe it to one
Chang Yueh. Legendary tales had grown up around the figure Li Tsing, who is also the hero in A Lodging for
the Night . There were two dramatizations of the story. I have supplied some details in the part at the
Taiyuan inn. ( Lin Yutang)

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White Monkey

This story forms No. 444 of Taiping Kwaingchi. Author unknown. It bears the curious title, supplement to
Chiang Tsungs story of the White Monkey. Chiang Tsung ( 519-594) being the person who saved the white
monkeys son by hiding him. The story goes that it was written to make fun of Ouyang Hsun (557-594), one of
the greatest calligraphists in China, who was as ugly as a monkey. Ouyang Hsun was supposed to be the
white monkey the main theme. Sources for additional material on the customs of the aborigines are taken
from one Tang and two Sung records: Tuan Kung-lus Peihulu, Fan Cheng-tas Kweihai Yuheng, and Chu Fus
Chiman Tsunghsia. A similar story about a Chinese general losing his wife in the Kwangtung mountains is
found in the Ching-pingshan Tang collection (Major Chen Loses His Wife in the Mei Mountains).
(Ling Yutang)

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The Strangers Note

From the Chingpingshan Tang collection. No.2, Chingpingshan Tang was the name of the publishing house.
These huapen or story-tellers copies apparently could be sold separately, for there was no general title for the
book, and both literary and vernacular stories are found in it. As usual no authors name is given. The original
of this story bears there alternate titles, The Monk who sent the note, Auntie Hu and A misdelivered Note
and the subtitle Kungan Chuan-chi, which means that it was a crime and mystery story. It was,therefore,a
popular teachouse story, going under several names. The same story is also found in another collection,
Kuchin Shiaoshuo. The next best crime story I have come across is Tsui Ning Wrongly Executed in the other
Sung story-tellers copies, the Chingpen Tungshu Hsiaoshuo. The original shows the stranger as a through
cheat and villain disguised as a monk. Besides omitting and supplying some details, I have switched the
readers sympathy to the stranger and made the wife stick to him instead of going back to her first husband,
which was more satisfactory to a Chinese audience. (The wife in the original was a suffering, submissive
woman, doing nothing on her own initiative.) Otherwise, this version follows the main outline of original.

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The Jade Goddess

Based on a story bearing the same title in the Chingpen Tungshu Shiaoshuo. The original story ends quite
differently. The jade cravers wife was discovered by an officer and buried alive in a garden, but she appeared
as a ghost to effect her revenge. I have followed the first part of the story only, and developed the story
according to the simple theme of whether a great artist should destroy his art to cover his identity , or let his
betray him .The story probably belongs to the twelfth century.
( Ling Yutang)

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Chastity

This is developed from a short anecdote in popular books of jokes and anecdotes. The chicken story is in the
original. The anecdote tells how a widow, on the eve of receiving a memorial arch erected in her honor, was
tempted by a servant, lost the arch, and hang herself.
( Ling Yutang)

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184
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185

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186

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187
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188

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189

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190

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191
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192

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193

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194

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195
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196

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197
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198
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199
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200

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201

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