二刻拍案驚奇

by Mengchu Ling

"二刻拍案驚奇" by Mengchu Ling is a collection of vernacular short stories composed in the mid-17th century during the late Ming dynasty. This second volume contains 39 tales drawn from various Chinese dynasties, depicting merchants, street vendors, thieves, and other common people rather than emperors and heroes. The stories explore themes of love, marriage, and commerce while reflecting the social changes of its era. Written in vernacular Chinese, these tales captivated ordinary readers by finding the extraordinary within everyday life, revealing both human virtue and vice through twisting plots and vivid characters.