Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter I
2. Contents VII
3. Some Idle Talk Before the Story 1
4. 1 The Little Girl, Fragrant Lotus 12
5. 2 The Weird Happenings Really Begin 23
6. 3 And Again : The Weird Happenings Really Begin 34
7. 4 Several Gentlemen Display Their Learning 44
8. 5 Competition and Defeat 60
9. 6 Beyond the Immortal Lies a God 73
10. 7 The Four Marvels of Tianjin 93
11. 8 Poetry, Painting, Song, Dream, Mist, and 106
12. 9 A True Talent Does Not Reveal Himself 126
13. 10 Three Battles 133
14. 11 When False Becomes True, True Is False 147
15. 12 And the Eyes Close 158
16. 13 Descent into Chaos 172
17. 14 Bind Unbind Bind Unbind Bind Unbind Bind 194
18. 15 President Pretty Flower of the Natural Foot Society 211
19. 16 37 Gloucester Street 221
20. Translator's Note 231
21. Translator's Postscript 233