In Search of the Supernatural

In Search of the Supernatural (Chinese: 搜神記; pinyin: Sōushénjì, literally "Records of Searching for Spirits") is a 4th-century CE Chinese compilation of legends, short stories and hearsay concerning spirits, ghosts and other supernatural phenomena. Although the authorship of the book is not made explicit in the text, it is believed to have been written and compiled by Gan Bao, a historian at the court of Emperor Yuan of Jin (sometimes wrongly referred to as Yü Pao) in 350 AD. The book consists of 464 stories. Pu Songling cites Gan Bao's work as a far greater work than his own, the now famous Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.

References

• Gan Bao. In Search of the Supernatural: The Written Record, translated into English by Kenneth J. DeWoskin and James Irving Crump. Stanford University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8047-2506-3

External links

• 搜神記 (Sou Shen Ji) at Project Gutenberg (in Chinese)
• Journal of the American Oriental Society
• Renditions.org

Chinese mythology Overview topics Creation myth Godly world concepts Astrology Dragons Shenmo fiction Deities Tian Pangu Ghosts Major entities Deities Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors Eight Immortals Shennong Yellow Emperor Creatures Bixie Black Tortoise Azure Dragon White Tiger Vermilion Bird Qilin Fenghuang Huli jing Chinese guardian lions Pixiu Nian Places Fusang Penglai Diyu Kunlun Mountain Youdu Popular literary works Classic of Mountains and Seas Shi Yi Ji The Peach Blossom Spring The Four Journeys Investiture of the Gods Legend of the White Snake The Sorcerer's Revolt Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Journey to the West In Search of the Supernatural Tian Xian Pei What the Master Would Not Discuss