This Transformation
| "This Transformation" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio | |||
| Publication type | Anthology | ||
| Publication date | c. 1740 | ||
| Published in English | 2006 | ||
| Chronology | |||
| |||
"This Transformation", also known as "The Begging Monk", (
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (1740). The tale revolves around a monk who begs for nothing in particular and is treated like an outcast. It was first fully translated into English by John Minford
in 2006, followed by Sidney L. Sondergard in 2008.
Plot
A reclusive and shabby-looking monk skulks the streets of
disembowels himself with a short knife.[3] He is quickly buried but when his coffin is unearthed, the corpse is nowhere to be found.[3]
Reception
Sidney L. Sondergard, who included the story in the second volume of his translation of the 494 entries in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, suggests that it is criticizing people who are not receptive towards the feelings of others, in this case the titular "begging monk"; in real life, Pu Songling was reportedly misunderstood by many.othering suffered by beggars.[5] A writer for Wenshi Zhishi (文史知识), a Chinese literature-based circular, compares the begging monk to a Buddhist character in Dream of the Red Chamber.[6]
See also
References
Notes
Citations
- ^ Minford 2006, p. 258.
- ^ Sondergrad 2008, p. 413.
- ^ a b Minford 2006, p. 259.
- ^ Sondergrad 2008, p. 14.
- ^ Zhang 2007, p. 203.
- ^ Wenshi Zhishi 2007, p. 84.
Bibliography
- Minford, John (2006). Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780140447408.
- Sondergrad, Sidney (2008). Strange Tales from Liaozhai. Jain Publishing Company. ISBN 9780895810519.
- 文史知识 [History of Literature] (in Chinese). Chinese Publications. 2007.
- Zhang, Zhongliang (2007). 濟公故事綜合研究 [General analysis of works by Pu Songling] (in Chinese). Xiuwei Publications. ISBN 9789866909542.