Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Acknowledgments ix
4. Introduction xi
5. Translators’ Note xix
6. Illustrations xxi
7. Chronology of Chinese Dynasties xxiii
8. Preface [1628 Edition] 1
9. Five Editorial Principles for This Collection 5
10. 1 The Man Whose Luck Has Turned Chances upon Dongting Tangerines: The Merchant from Persia Reveals the Secrets of a Turtle Shell 9
11. 2 Yao Dizhu Flees from Disgrace Only to Incur More Disgrace: Zheng Yue’e Uses a Mistake to Advance Her Own Interests 37
12. 3 Liu Dongshan Brags about His Prowess at the City Gate: Eighteenth Brother Leaves His Mark in the Village Tavern 65
13. 4 Cheng Yuanyu Pays for a Meal at a Restaurant: Lady Eleventh Explains Swordsmanship on Mount Cloud 79
14. 5 Zhang Derong Encounters a Tiger Sent by the Gods as a Matchmaker: Pei Yueke Becomes the Lucky Mate Just in Time for the Blissful Date 99
15. 6 Zhao the Nun Drugs a Beauty into a Stupor: Jia the Scholar Takes Revenge in a Brilliant Move 115
16. 7 Emperor Minghuang of Tang, a Daoist Devotee, Seeks Out Eminent Daoists: Consort Wu, a Buddhist Disciple, Witnesses Contests of Magic Power 141
17. 8 General Wu Repays the Debt of One Meal: Chen Dalang Reunites with Two Loved Ones 160
18. 9 In the Director’s Garden, Young Ladies Enjoy a Swing-Set Party: At Pure and Peaceful Temple, Husband and Wife Laugh and Cry at Their Reunion 178
19. 10 Scholar Han Takes a Wife in a Wave of Panic: Prefect Wu Makes a Match for a Talented Scholar 193
20. 11 An Evil Boatman Commits Blackmail with a Dead Body: A Heartless Servant Wrongfully Presses Murder Charges 215
21. 12 Mr. Tao Takes In Strangers Seeking Shelter from the Rain: Jiang Zhenqing Gains a Wife with a Jest 241
22. 13 Mr. Zhao Spoils His Son and Dies as a Result: Magistrate Zhang Sentences an Unfilial Son to Death in an Ironclad Case 259
23. 14 To Steal Money, Yu Dajiao Does Violence to a Drunken Man: To Confront the Culprit in Court, Yang Hua Attaches Himself to a Woman’s Body 277
24. 15 With His Merciless Heart, Squire Wei Plots to Seize Another Man’s Property: With His Clever Plan, Scholar Chen Wins Back His House 292
25. 16 Zhang Liu’er Lays One of His Many Traps: Lu Huiniang Severs a Bond of Marriage 310
26. 17 Prayer Services Are Held at West Hill Temple for a Departed Soul: A Coffin Is Prepared in the Kaifeng Yamen for a Living Criminal 329
27. 18 An Alchemist Turns Half a Grain of Millet into a Nine-Cycle Pill: A Rich Man Squanders Thousands of Taels of Silver to Win a Beauty’s Smile 369
28. 19 Li Gongzuo Ingeniously Reads a Dream: Xie Xiao’e Cleverly Snares Pirates 391
29. 20 Li Kerang Sends a Blank Letter: Liu Yuanpu Begets Two Precious Sons 411
30. 21 Yuan’s Face-Reading Skills Impress the High and Mighty: Zheng’s Good Deed Wins Him a Hereditary Title 447
31. 22 With Money, a Commoner Gains an Official Post: Out of Luck, a Prefect Becomes a Boatman 463
32. 23 The Older Sister’s Soul Leaves Her Body to Fulfill a Wish: The Younger Sister Recovers from Illness to Renew a Bond 483
33. 24 The Old Demon of Yanguan County Indulges in Debauchery: The Bodhisattva on Mount Huihai Puts the Evil Spirits to Death 503
34. 25 Revenue Manager Zhao Leaves Word for His Love a Thousand Li Away: Su Xiaojuan Achieves Happiness with a Single Poem 524
35. 26 In a Competition for Sexual Favor, a Village Woman Is Murdered: In Claiming Celestial Authority, a Judge Solves a Case 541
36. 27 Gu Axiu Donates to a Nunnery with Joy: Cui Junchen Is Shown the Lotus Screen through a Clever Scheme 562
37. 28 The Master of Golden Light Cave Recalls the Past: The Venerable Elder of Jade Void Cave Is Enlightened about His Previous Life 586
38. 29 They Remain Loyal to Each Other through Their Trysts: His Success Is Announced at the Jailhouse 602
39. 30 Commissioner Wang Rides Roughshod Over His Subordinates: Adjutant Li Gets His Comeuppance from a Reincarnated Victim 633
40. 31 Priest He Commits Fornication via Black Magic: Registrar Zhou Wipes Out Rebels via Fornication 648
41. 32 Mr. Hu Corrupts a Fellow Man in a Wife-Swapping Scheme:s A Chan Master in Meditation Explains the Principle of Retribution 688
42. 33 Squire Zhang, in His Noble-Mindedness, Adopts an Orphan: Judge Bao, in His Wisdom, Recovers a Document 709
43. 34 Scholar Wenren Shows His Prowess at Cuifu Nunnery: The Nun Jingguan Goes in Glory to Huangsha Lane 727
44. 35 A Pauper Keeps Temporary Watch over Another Man’s Money: A Miser Resorts to Tricks When Buying His Nemesis’s Son 756
45. 36 The Monk of the Eastern Hall Invites Demonic Spirits during a Lapse in Vigilance: The Man in Black Commits Murder in an Abduction Attempt 779
46. 37 Qutu Zhongren Cruelly Kills Other Creatures: The Yunzhou Prefect Helps His Nephew in the Netherworld 797
47. 38 To Stake His Claim on the Family Fortune, a Jealous Son-in- Law Plots against the Rightful Heir: To Continue the Bloodline, a Filial Daughter Hides Her Brother 811
48. 39 Heavenly Preceptors, with Their Theatrics, Claim to Subdue Drought Demons: A County Magistrate, in His Sincerity, Prays for Sweet Rain from Heaven 829
49. 40 On the Huayin Trail, Li Meets One Extraordinary Man: The Jiangling Commander Opens Three Mysterious Envelopes 848
50. Notes 871