"You will ask me who she was-beautiful Xue Tao...Gor thousands of years and even longer, the trees have been whispering over her stony bed. And the syllables of her name reach to those who listen, with the breath of the leaves; with the trembling of the long-fingered branches; with the flickering of lights and shadows, and the breath -sweet like the presence of a woman- the plethora of wild flowers -Xue Tao."

Dragons, artists, aristocrats, deities. Ghosts, demons. Beautiful women and brave young men. A tapestry of Chinese ghost stories by Lafcadio Hearn, a writer of Greek and Irish blood, influenced by the Chinese and Japanese culture with a distinctive sensitivity and clarity in his writing. These stories take us to the heart of an early medieval society populated with heroes and women dedicated to Art and Love while spirits stand witnesses to haunting deeds.

The Story of Ming Yi: A young man falls in love with a mysterious widow, a lover of poetry and calligraphy. But Xue Tao hides more than meets the eye...
The Legend of Zhi Nu: A beautiful young woman married a young man who became a slave out of duty to his father. His life changes in unfathomable ways. A story of a goddess walking among mortals, a well-known motif of Asian myths.
The Return of Yan Zhenjing: A story of the Son of Heaven, an incompetent emperor, fire and blood
The Story of the Porcelain God: A tale of the porcelain mystery and the spirits that protect it. A story dedicated to a product that lies at the heart of China and its glorious culture.

This is a very interesting collection. Don't think it is scary in the sense of an "in-your-face" horror. Hearn creates a poetic, haunting atmosphere worthy of the richness and mystery of beautiful, enchanting China.

*Extract translated by me, taken from the Greek edition by Ars Nocturna*

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ ( )

Ancient chinese ghost stories, as translated and shared by master story teller Lafcadio Hearn, who was quite a character in his own right as well . . . an author with a goal of sharing the stories of the world from all cultures. This is one example thereof, and a good one: "The soul of the great bell" is a tale of tragic loss and a daughter's loyalty to her father, "The Story of Ming Yi" is a tale of love undying, perhaps bridging even time and space, surely bridging two souls, "The Legend of Zhi Nu" is a tale of honor and virtue and of the gods response thereto, "The Return of Yan Zhenjing" is a tale of loyalty and courage, "The Tradition of the Tea Plant" is a tale of the suffering of men and the creation of something divine--tea,"The tale of the porcelain god" is a tale of excellence and effort and epicness. These tales are often more divine than ghostly, though they all have something to say for those that might listen. Well worth the read.