What the Master Would Not Discuss (Zibuyu), alternatively known as Xin Qixie, is a collection of supernatural stories compiled by Qing Dynasty scholar and writer Yuan Mei.[1] The original collection consist of over 700 stories.

The work has also been translated as What the Master Does not Speak of[2] and other such titles, as well as Censored by Confucius in one English-language translated work of selected tales.[3]

Title

The title of the work Zi bu yu refers to the passage of the Analects of Confucius[4] that states, "The topics the Master did not speak of were prodigies, force, disorder and gods".[5] His reference to the master was criticised as a 'heretical' use of Confucian texts.[6]

Yuan later changed the title to Xin Qixie (新齐谐; 新齊諧, "New Wonder Tales of Qi/from Qi") when he discovered there was a Yuan dynasty text with the title What the Master Would Not Discuss. However, Yuan's collection is still commonly known by its original title.[7][8]

The original anthology appeared in 24 volumes,[a] and a sequel anthology followed in 10 volumes[9][8] under the title Xu xin Qi xie (续新齐谐; 續新齊諧, "A Sequel to New Wonder Tales of Qi").[8] The 34 total volumes combined boasts a content exceeding 1,000 short stories and accounts.[8]

Release

Zi Buyi first appeared in print in 1788.[10] In contrast to the prevailing Confucian orthodoxy of the imperial court, the 747 short stories depicted a rich tapestry of daily life, including themes of ghosts, sex, betrayal, revenge, transvestism, homosexuality, and corruption.[6] However, Yuan defended the collection, as the whims of an ageing man enjoying his last days as much as possible,[11] though the content of his stories relates to many of his personal grievances with the Confucian establishment.[12]

The work was so popular that the government censored it in 1836 during attempts to suppress anti-establishment sentiment.[6]

Stories

The stories were collected over a lengthy period of time.[10] The sources included oral accounts from friends and relatives, official gazettes, or other collections.[13]

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ Volumes or juan (巻).

References

Citations

  1. ^ Santangelo & Yan edd. (2013).
  2. ^ Thome (2008).
  3. ^ Kam & Edwards trr. (1996).
  4. ^ Confucius. Shu Er, Analects 《论语·述而》: "Zi bu yu guai, li, luan, shen 子不语怪、力、乱、神。"
  5. ^ Lau, D. C. tr. (1982) [1979] Confucius: The Analects, Book Seven, p. 88 apud Kam & Edwards trr. (1996), p. xxiii
  6. ^ a b c Kam & Edwards trr. (1996), p. xxiii.
  7. ^ Kam & Edwards trr. (1996), p. xxxiii.
  8. ^ a b c d Lo trr. (1992), p. 77.
  9. ^ Lu, Hsun (2000) [1930]. A Brief History of Chinese Fiction. Honolulu: University Press of the Pacific. pp. 260–261. ISBN 9780898751543.
  10. ^ a b Kam & Edwards trr. (1996), p. xxx.
  11. ^ Kam & Edwards trr. (1996), p. xxiv.
  12. ^ Thome (2008), p. 27.
  13. ^ Santangelo & Yan edd. (2013), p. 1.

Works cited

Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zi_Bu_Yu
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