Strange Writing: Anomaly Accounts in Early Medieval China

More about the book

The book explores the zhiguai genre, a collection of strange narratives from the Han to Sui dynasties, focusing on encounters with the spirit world and miraculous feats. It examines the authors—ranging from Daoists to Buddhists—and their motivations for documenting these anomalies, revealing how such writings were tied to royal traditions and cultural perspectives. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of these texts within Chinese history and as part of a broader discourse, blending Sinological research with comparative insights to understand their significance and evolution.