閱微草堂筆記

by Yun Ji

"閱微草堂筆記" by Ji Yun is a collection of supernatural stories published between 1789-1798. Comprising roughly 1,200 entries, this work gathers purportedly true tales of ghosts, spirits, and creatures from Chinese folklore. Most stories came from Ji's friends and colleagues—distinguished officials and scholars—while others drew from his own experiences. The collection offers rare insight into how eighteenth-century China's cultural elite viewed the supernatural, challenging assumptions about Confucian rationalism during the Qing Dynasty.