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001299

Chinese Tales of the StrangeAuthor: Okamoto Kidō

Original Title中国怪奇小説集
Author岡本 綺堂
GenreDetective & Mystery
Author TypeMale Author
SummaryThis collection unveils eerie tales from China’s Tang Dynasty, where history intertwines with the uncanny. A grave robber confesses to plundering an ancient tomb guarded by lethal traps—arrows rain like storms, sand buries intruders alive, and treasures shimmer beneath cursed coffins. A peasant’s hospitality turns to horror when a charming stranger reveals monstrous secrets on a wedding night, leaving only a skull behind. Art transcends reality as a scholar vanishes into a painting to alter its figures, while a monk confronts a tree-dwelling demon that haunts his hermitage. Elsewhere, spectral encounters blur life and death: a murdered official’s bones materialize at dawn, and a corpse dances to phantom music under moonless skies. From vengeful spirits to mystical omens tied to celestial constellations, each story pulses with suspense, blending folklore with chilling twists. These narratives—steeped in betrayal, curiosity, and supernatural justice—invite readers into a world where every shadow whispers danger and even the mundane conceals otherworldly terror.