子不語

by Mei Yuan

"子不語" by Yuan Mei is a collection of supernatural stories first published in 1788. This Qing Dynasty anthology contains over 700 tales that defied Confucian orthodoxy, depicting ghosts, forbidden desires, revenge, and corruption in daily life. The title ironically references Confucius's refusal to discuss supernatural matters. So popular it faced government censorship in 1836, Yuan Mei's collection captures the vivid tapestry of Chinese society through stories gathered from friends, relatives, and official records—defending his work as an aging scholar's final indulgence.