<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio, volume 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/strange-stories-from-a-chinese-studio-volume-1--6813564</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/6813564/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Legends &amp; Fairy Tales</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg</url><title>Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio, volume 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/strange-stories-from-a-chinese-studio-volume-1--6813564</link></image><lastBuildDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:14:44 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Public Domain</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker17@adfreesounds.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Fiction"/><itunes:category text="Society &amp; Culture"/><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>2be072fd-0887-5702-98e9-053ecde0b43d</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Life and Death, and Other Stories and Legends-Henryk Sienkiewicz</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-and-death-and-other-stories-and-legends-henryk-sienkiewicz--74725377</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74725377</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:01:58 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74725377/life_and_death_and_other_stories_and_legends_henryk_sienkiewicz.mp3" length="18234169" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2277</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Reign of King Edward the Third-William Shakespeare</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reign-of-king-edward-the-third-william-shakespeare--74723328</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74723328</guid><pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2026 09:02:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74723328/reign_of_king_edward_the_third_william_shakespeare.mp3" length="75415780" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9417</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>King in Yellow (part 1)-Robert W. Chambers</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/king-in-yellow-part-1-robert-w-chambers--74531227</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74531227</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:08:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74531227/king_in_yellow_part_1_robert_w_chambers.mp3" length="133643600" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16689</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Sunken Garden and Other Poems-Walter de la Mare</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/sunken-garden-and-other-poems-walter-de-la-mare--74467051</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74467051</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:07:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74467051/sunken_garden_and_other_poems_walter_de_la_mare.mp3" length="18314060" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2287</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Fables of Phaedrus-Phaedrus</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/fables-of-phaedrus-phaedrus--74404311</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74404311</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74404311/fables_of_phaedrus_phaedrus.mp3" length="55519843" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6933</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Vision of Piers the Plowman (Warren translation)-William Langland</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/vision-of-piers-the-plowman-warren-translation-william-langland--74209055</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74209055</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:05:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74209055/vision_of_piers_the_plowman_warren_translation_william_langland.mp3" length="133492424" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16670</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Catiline Conspiracy and the Jugurthine War-Gaius (Sallust) Sallustius Crispus</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/catiline-conspiracy-and-the-jugurthine-war-gaius-sallust-sallustius-crispus--74147067</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74147067</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:06:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74147067/catiline_conspiracy_and_the_jugurthine_war_gaius_sallust_sallustius_crispus.mp3" length="193974087" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24223</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>History of the Thirty Years War, Volume 2-Friedrich Schiller</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/history-of-the-thirty-years-war-volume-2-friedrich-schiller--74098228</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74098228</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:05:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74098228/history_of_the_thirty_years_war_volume_2_friedrich_schiller.mp3" length="101669855" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>12696</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Introduction to The Philosophy of History-Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/introduction-to-the-philosophy-of-history-georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel--74054796</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74054796</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:06:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74054796/introduction_to_the_philosophy_of_history_georg_wilhelm_friedrich_hegel.mp3" length="132379077" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16530</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins (Version 2)-Gerard Manley Hopkins</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/poems-of-gerard-manley-hopkins-version-2-gerard-manley-hopkins--74001084</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74001084</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:06:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74001084/poems_of_gerard_manley_hopkins_version_2_gerard_manley_hopkins.mp3" length="90409255" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>11290</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Selected Poems-George Herbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/selected-poems-george-herbert--73935894</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73935894</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:05:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73935894/selected_poems_george_herbert.mp3" length="47591796" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5943</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Reign of King Edward the Third-William Shakespeare</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reign-of-king-edward-the-third-william-shakespeare--73885178</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73885178</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:07:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73885178/reign_of_king_edward_the_third_william_shakespeare.mp3" length="75415780" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9417</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Aesop's Fables, Volume 11 (Fables 251-275)-Aesop</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/aesop-s-fables-volume-11-fables-251-275-aesop--73808626</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73808626</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:06:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73808626/aesop_s_fables_volume_11_fables_251_275_aesop.mp3" length="17358158" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2168</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Love and Freindship (Dramatic Reading)-Jane Austen</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/love-and-freindship-dramatic-reading-jane-austen--73772075</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73772075</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:27:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73772075/18468_love_and_freindship_dramatic_reading_jane_austen.mp3" length="40433717" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5049</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton, Volume One-Edith Wharton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/early-short-fiction-of-edith-wharton-volume-one-edith-wharton--73739118</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73739118</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 04:44:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73739118/early_short_fiction_of_edith_wharton_volume_one_edith_wharton.mp3" length="134657499" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16815</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Fairy Tales from South Africa-Mrs. E. J. Bourhill</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/fairy-tales-from-south-africa-mrs-e-j-bourhill--73675647</link><description><![CDATA["Fairy Tales from South Africa" by Mrs. E. J. Bourhill invites listeners into a world rich with cultural narratives and timeless wisdom. These enchanting tales reflect the vibrant traditions and moral lessons of South African folklore, showcasing the unique perspectives and values of its people. As listeners immerse themselves in these stories, they will discover themes of resilience, community, and the importance of storytelling, which resonate just as powerfully today as they did in the past. This collection serves not only as a window into a fascinating culture but also as a reminder of the universal truths that bind us all through the art of storytelling.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73675647</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:57:50 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73675647/fairy_tales_from_south_africa_mrs_e_j_bourhill.mp3" length="169032444" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Fairy Tales from South Africa" by Mrs. E. J. Bourhill invites listeners into a world rich with cultural narratives and timeless wisdom. These enchanting tales reflect the vibrant traditions and moral lessons of South African folklore, showcasing the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Fairy Tales from South Africa" by Mrs. E. J. Bourhill invites listeners into a world rich with cultural narratives and timeless wisdom. These enchanting tales reflect the vibrant traditions and moral lessons of South African folklore, showcasing the unique perspectives and values of its people. As listeners immerse themselves in these stories, they will discover themes of resilience, community, and the importance of storytelling, which resonate just as powerfully today as they did in the past. This collection serves not only as a window into a fascinating culture but also as a reminder of the universal truths that bind us all through the art of storytelling.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21108</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lines, On Hearing That Lady Byron Was Ill-George Gordon, Lord Byron</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lines-on-hearing-that-lady-byron-was-ill-george-gordon-lord-byron--73640550</link><description><![CDATA["Lines, On Hearing That Lady Byron Was Ill" by George Gordon, Lord Byron, is a poignant reflection on the emotional turmoil experienced in the face of illness, particularly as it relates to the esteemed Lady Byron. This brief yet impactful poem captures the essence of concern and empathy, illustrating the deep connections that can exist between individuals. The themes of love, vulnerability, and the fragility of life resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the importance of compassion in our relationships. Byron's eloquent expression of sorrow and care makes this work a timeless exploration of human emotions that continues to speak to our hearts.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73640550</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 22:37:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73640550/lines_on_hearing_that_lady_byron_was_ill_george_gordon_lord_byron.mp3" length="27856878" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Lines, On Hearing That Lady Byron Was Ill" by George Gordon, Lord Byron, is a poignant reflection on the emotional turmoil experienced in the face of illness, particularly as it relates to the esteemed Lady Byron. This brief yet impactful poem...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Lines, On Hearing That Lady Byron Was Ill" by George Gordon, Lord Byron, is a poignant reflection on the emotional turmoil experienced in the face of illness, particularly as it relates to the esteemed Lady Byron. This brief yet impactful poem captures the essence of concern and empathy, illustrating the deep connections that can exist between individuals. The themes of love, vulnerability, and the fragility of life resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the importance of compassion in our relationships. Byron's eloquent expression of sorrow and care makes this work a timeless exploration of human emotions that continues to speak to our hearts.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3479</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Aesop's Fables, Volume 02 (Fables 26-50)-Aesop</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/aesop-s-fables-volume-02-fables-26-50-aesop--73596505</link><description><![CDATA[Aesop's Fables, Volume 02 presents a collection of timeless tales, specifically Fables 26 to 50, that explore moral lessons through simple yet profound narratives. These fables, rich in wisdom, highlight the complexities of human nature and the consequences of our actions, making them relevant across generations. The enduring themes of justice, cunning, and the importance of honesty resonate deeply, inviting listeners to reflect on their own lives and choices. Aesop’s ability to convey profound truths through engaging stories ensures that these fables remain a vital part of our cultural heritage, offering lessons that are as applicable today as they were in ancient times.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73596505</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:08:09 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73596505/aesop_s_fables_volume_02_fables_26_50_aesop.mp3" length="15881195" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Aesop's Fables, Volume 02 presents a collection of timeless tales, specifically Fables 26 to 50, that explore moral lessons through simple yet profound narratives. These fables, rich in wisdom, highlight the complexities of human nature and the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Aesop's Fables, Volume 02 presents a collection of timeless tales, specifically Fables 26 to 50, that explore moral lessons through simple yet profound narratives. These fables, rich in wisdom, highlight the complexities of human nature and the consequences of our actions, making them relevant across generations. The enduring themes of justice, cunning, and the importance of honesty resonate deeply, inviting listeners to reflect on their own lives and choices. Aesop’s ability to convey profound truths through engaging stories ensures that these fables remain a vital part of our cultural heritage, offering lessons that are as applicable today as they were in ancient times.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1983</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Watsons (Dramatic Reading)-Jane Austen, L. Oulton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/watsons-dramatic-reading-jane-austen-l-oulton--73549361</link><description><![CDATA["Watsons" by Jane Austen, as presented in this dramatic reading by L. Oulton, captures the timeless themes of love, social class, and the complexities of family dynamics. Set against the backdrop of early 19th-century England, the story explores the lives of the Watson sisters as they navigate the challenges of society and personal relationships. Austen's keen observations and witty prose resonate today, reminding listeners of the enduring struggles for connection and acceptance in a world often dictated by status and expectations. This captivating reading invites audiences to reflect on the universal human experience, making it a relevant and enriching listen for modern times.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73549361</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:03:09 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73549361/watsons_dramatic_reading_jane_austen_l_oulton.mp3" length="112077080" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Watsons" by Jane Austen, as presented in this dramatic reading by L. Oulton, captures the timeless themes of love, social class, and the complexities of family dynamics. Set against the backdrop of early 19th-century England, the story explores the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Watsons" by Jane Austen, as presented in this dramatic reading by L. Oulton, captures the timeless themes of love, social class, and the complexities of family dynamics. Set against the backdrop of early 19th-century England, the story explores the lives of the Watson sisters as they navigate the challenges of society and personal relationships. Austen's keen observations and witty prose resonate today, reminding listeners of the enduring struggles for connection and acceptance in a world often dictated by status and expectations. This captivating reading invites audiences to reflect on the universal human experience, making it a relevant and enriching listen for modern times.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13995</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tales of Men and Ghosts-Edith Wharton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tales-of-men-and-ghosts-edith-wharton--73495368</link><description><![CDATA[Tales of Men and Ghosts by Edith Wharton delves into the intricate interplay between human emotions and the spectral presence of the supernatural, exploring themes of love, loss, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. Wharton's masterful storytelling captures the complexities of human relationships and the haunting echoes of the past, making her work resonate with timeless relevance. This collection invites listeners to reflect on the delicate balance between the tangible and the ethereal, highlighting the enduring impact of our memories and desires. As we navigate our own lives, Wharton's tales remind us of the unseen shadows that linger in our hearts and minds, offering a poignant exploration of the human condition.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73495368</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:27:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73495368/tales_of_men_and_ghosts_edith_wharton.mp3" length="276277121" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Tales of Men and Ghosts by Edith Wharton delves into the intricate interplay between human emotions and the spectral presence of the supernatural, exploring themes of love, loss, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. Wharton's masterful...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Tales of Men and Ghosts by Edith Wharton delves into the intricate interplay between human emotions and the spectral presence of the supernatural, exploring themes of love, loss, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. Wharton's masterful storytelling captures the complexities of human relationships and the haunting echoes of the past, making her work resonate with timeless relevance. This collection invites listeners to reflect on the delicate balance between the tangible and the ethereal, highlighting the enduring impact of our memories and desires. As we navigate our own lives, Wharton's tales remind us of the unseen shadows that linger in our hearts and minds, offering a poignant exploration of the human condition.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>34500</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>063 - The Marriage Lottery</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/063-the-marriage-lottery--68875672</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875672</guid><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875672/063_the_marriage_lottery.mp3" length="3736064" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/39915f99-b7d5-408d-8d07-6ae08558b833/39915f99-b7d5-408d-8d07-6ae08558b833.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/39915f99-b7d5-408d-8d07-6ae08558b833/39915f99-b7d5-408d-8d07-6ae08558b833.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/39915f99-b7d5-408d-8d07-6ae08558b833/39915f99-b7d5-408d-8d07-6ae08558b833.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>467</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>062 - The Husband Punished</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/062-the-husband-punished--68875671</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875671</guid><pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875671/062_the_husband_punished.mp3" length="4546560" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/687e4136-66b2-427a-846a-a415153bdbb0/687e4136-66b2-427a-846a-a415153bdbb0.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/687e4136-66b2-427a-846a-a415153bdbb0/687e4136-66b2-427a-846a-a415153bdbb0.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/687e4136-66b2-427a-846a-a415153bdbb0/687e4136-66b2-427a-846a-a415153bdbb0.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>569</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>061 - The Gambler's Talisman</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/061-the-gambler-s-talisman--68875670</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875670</guid><pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875670/061_the_gambler_s_talisman.mp3" length="1800192" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/2ffc58ae-fbed-43c9-b736-3e472ab41d73/2ffc58ae-fbed-43c9-b736-3e472ab41d73.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/2ffc58ae-fbed-43c9-b736-3e472ab41d73/2ffc58ae-fbed-43c9-b736-3e472ab41d73.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/2ffc58ae-fbed-43c9-b736-3e472ab41d73/2ffc58ae-fbed-43c9-b736-3e472ab41d73.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>225</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>060 - The Thunder God</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/060-the-thunder-god--68875669</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875669</guid><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875669/060_the_thunder_god.mp3" length="3862016" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8e31289f-8977-4e0b-a7e8-ea7c9e123239/8e31289f-8977-4e0b-a7e8-ea7c9e123239.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8e31289f-8977-4e0b-a7e8-ea7c9e123239/8e31289f-8977-4e0b-a7e8-ea7c9e123239.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8e31289f-8977-4e0b-a7e8-ea7c9e123239/8e31289f-8977-4e0b-a7e8-ea7c9e123239.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>483</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>059 - Foot-ball on the Tung-t'ing Lake</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/059-foot-ball-on-the-tung-t-ing-lake--68875668</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875668</guid><pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875668/059_foot_ball_on_the_tung_t_ing_lake.mp3" length="3772416" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/debcd513-43c7-433b-9d33-cc2ff95a93e0/debcd513-43c7-433b-9d33-cc2ff95a93e0.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/debcd513-43c7-433b-9d33-cc2ff95a93e0/debcd513-43c7-433b-9d33-cc2ff95a93e0.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/debcd513-43c7-433b-9d33-cc2ff95a93e0/debcd513-43c7-433b-9d33-cc2ff95a93e0.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>472</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>058 - Country of the Cannibals</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/058-country-of-the-cannibals--68875667</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875667</guid><pubDate>Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875667/058_country_of_the_cannibals.mp3" length="10949632" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5bd61beb-4532-46aa-9134-9a2f0e164817/5bd61beb-4532-46aa-9134-9a2f0e164817.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5bd61beb-4532-46aa-9134-9a2f0e164817/5bd61beb-4532-46aa-9134-9a2f0e164817.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5bd61beb-4532-46aa-9134-9a2f0e164817/5bd61beb-4532-46aa-9134-9a2f0e164817.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1369</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>057 - Dr Tseng's Dream</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/057-dr-tseng-s-dream--68875666</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875666</guid><pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875666/057_dr_tseng_s_dream.mp3" length="7971840" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a51666c1-5bc3-41b8-89b4-91b4703d408c/a51666c1-5bc3-41b8-89b4-91b4703d408c.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a51666c1-5bc3-41b8-89b4-91b4703d408c/a51666c1-5bc3-41b8-89b4-91b4703d408c.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a51666c1-5bc3-41b8-89b4-91b4703d408c/a51666c1-5bc3-41b8-89b4-91b4703d408c.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>997</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>056 - The Virtuous Daughter-In-Law</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/056-the-virtuous-daughter-in-law--68875664</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875664</guid><pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875664/056_the_virtuous_daughter_in_law.mp3" length="8876544" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/dc5046ed-1474-4ab3-b74f-8adbc6f38679/dc5046ed-1474-4ab3-b74f-8adbc6f38679.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/dc5046ed-1474-4ab3-b74f-8adbc6f38679/dc5046ed-1474-4ab3-b74f-8adbc6f38679.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/dc5046ed-1474-4ab3-b74f-8adbc6f38679/dc5046ed-1474-4ab3-b74f-8adbc6f38679.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1110</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>055 - The Man who was Thrown Down a Well</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/055-the-man-who-was-thrown-down-a-well--68875663</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875663</guid><pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875663/055_the_man_who_was_thrown_down_a_well.mp3" length="7011328" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/bf405e82-9f32-4505-87f3-059d257db31a/bf405e82-9f32-4505-87f3-059d257db31a.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/bf405e82-9f32-4505-87f3-059d257db31a/bf405e82-9f32-4505-87f3-059d257db31a.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/bf405e82-9f32-4505-87f3-059d257db31a/bf405e82-9f32-4505-87f3-059d257db31a.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>877</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>054 - The Rat Wife</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/054-the-rat-wife--68875661</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875661</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875661/054_the_rat_wife.mp3" length="10599424" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/92cc19b8-8339-4def-826f-a49ad93f9c22/92cc19b8-8339-4def-826f-a49ad93f9c22.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/92cc19b8-8339-4def-826f-a49ad93f9c22/92cc19b8-8339-4def-826f-a49ad93f9c22.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/92cc19b8-8339-4def-826f-a49ad93f9c22/92cc19b8-8339-4def-826f-a49ad93f9c22.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1325</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>053 - Playing at Hanging</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/053-playing-at-hanging--68875658</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875658</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875658/053_playing_at_hanging.mp3" length="1292288" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/046c1167-3678-4aa1-ac8d-76eda0ad736e/046c1167-3678-4aa1-ac8d-76eda0ad736e.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/046c1167-3678-4aa1-ac8d-76eda0ad736e/046c1167-3678-4aa1-ac8d-76eda0ad736e.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/046c1167-3678-4aa1-ac8d-76eda0ad736e/046c1167-3678-4aa1-ac8d-76eda0ad736e.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>162</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>052 - Death by Laughing</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/052-death-by-laughing--68875657</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875657</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875657/052_death_by_laughing.mp3" length="1993216" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/0db06fa4-fb92-49d2-97ea-431a4035bdda/0db06fa4-fb92-49d2-97ea-431a4035bdda.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/0db06fa4-fb92-49d2-97ea-431a4035bdda/0db06fa4-fb92-49d2-97ea-431a4035bdda.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/0db06fa4-fb92-49d2-97ea-431a4035bdda/0db06fa4-fb92-49d2-97ea-431a4035bdda.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>249</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>051 - A Flood</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/051-a-flood--68875656</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875656</guid><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875656/051_a_flood.mp3" length="1521664" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/06cf2807-60dc-4656-b1b8-f38570be5417/06cf2807-60dc-4656-b1b8-f38570be5417.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/06cf2807-60dc-4656-b1b8-f38570be5417/06cf2807-60dc-4656-b1b8-f38570be5417.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/06cf2807-60dc-4656-b1b8-f38570be5417/06cf2807-60dc-4656-b1b8-f38570be5417.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>191</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>050 - The Master-thief</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/050-the-master-thief--68875654</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875654</guid><pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875654/050_the_master_thief.mp3" length="2877440" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/fd26d508-5a1e-410e-a83f-cda3f9d4b910/fd26d508-5a1e-410e-a83f-cda3f9d4b910.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/fd26d508-5a1e-410e-a83f-cda3f9d4b910/fd26d508-5a1e-410e-a83f-cda3f9d4b910.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/fd26d508-5a1e-410e-a83f-cda3f9d4b910/fd26d508-5a1e-410e-a83f-cda3f9d4b910.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>360</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>049 - The Self-punished Murderer</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/049-the-self-punished-murderer--68875653</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875653</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875653/049_the_self_punished_murderer.mp3" length="1553408" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/28c89e1e-9d09-43f7-8815-15dc166df965/28c89e1e-9d09-43f7-8815-15dc166df965.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/28c89e1e-9d09-43f7-8815-15dc166df965/28c89e1e-9d09-43f7-8815-15dc166df965.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/28c89e1e-9d09-43f7-8815-15dc166df965/28c89e1e-9d09-43f7-8815-15dc166df965.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>195</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>048 - Foreign Priests</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/048-foreign-priests--68875652</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875652</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875652/048_foreign_priests.mp3" length="1865728" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cac68b2c-5a56-4c17-b4b1-9050f878356d/cac68b2c-5a56-4c17-b4b1-9050f878356d.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cac68b2c-5a56-4c17-b4b1-9050f878356d/cac68b2c-5a56-4c17-b4b1-9050f878356d.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cac68b2c-5a56-4c17-b4b1-9050f878356d/cac68b2c-5a56-4c17-b4b1-9050f878356d.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>234</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>047 - The Sisters</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/047-the-sisters--68875651</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875651</guid><pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:00:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875651/047_the_sisters.mp3" length="5218304" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9efcfd77-e615-45cf-92f7-f13bac01e86b/9efcfd77-e615-45cf-92f7-f13bac01e86b.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9efcfd77-e615-45cf-92f7-f13bac01e86b/9efcfd77-e615-45cf-92f7-f13bac01e86b.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9efcfd77-e615-45cf-92f7-f13bac01e86b/9efcfd77-e615-45cf-92f7-f13bac01e86b.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>653</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>046 - The Tiger Guest</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/046-the-tiger-guest--68875650</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875650</guid><pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875650/046_the_tiger_guest.mp3" length="5136896" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/d4c86455-fe2d-40da-a353-1412b93b0396/d4c86455-fe2d-40da-a353-1412b93b0396.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/d4c86455-fe2d-40da-a353-1412b93b0396/d4c86455-fe2d-40da-a353-1412b93b0396.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/d4c86455-fe2d-40da-a353-1412b93b0396/d4c86455-fe2d-40da-a353-1412b93b0396.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>642</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>045 - The Young Gentleman who couldn't spell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/045-the-young-gentleman-who-couldn-t-spell--68875648</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875648</guid><pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875648/045_the_young_gentleman_who_couldn_t_spell.mp3" length="2832384" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/17f14428-6fa8-456f-b622-c58bd5730f37/17f14428-6fa8-456f-b622-c58bd5730f37.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/17f14428-6fa8-456f-b622-c58bd5730f37/17f14428-6fa8-456f-b622-c58bd5730f37.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/17f14428-6fa8-456f-b622-c58bd5730f37/17f14428-6fa8-456f-b622-c58bd5730f37.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>354</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>044 - The Quarrelsome Brothers</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/044-the-quarrelsome-brothers--68875647</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875647</guid><pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875647/044_the_quarrelsome_brothers.mp3" length="10049024" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cd53db8b-ab7a-4a5c-a615-a723fb013bd0/cd53db8b-ab7a-4a5c-a615-a723fb013bd0.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cd53db8b-ab7a-4a5c-a615-a723fb013bd0/cd53db8b-ab7a-4a5c-a615-a723fb013bd0.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cd53db8b-ab7a-4a5c-a615-a723fb013bd0/cd53db8b-ab7a-4a5c-a615-a723fb013bd0.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1256</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>043 - The Wonderful Stone</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/043-the-wonderful-stone--68875645</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875645</guid><pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875645/043_the_wonderful_stone.mp3" length="6199808" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8ebdc728-eb68-415e-bd58-016d5ba02643/8ebdc728-eb68-415e-bd58-016d5ba02643.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8ebdc728-eb68-415e-bd58-016d5ba02643/8ebdc728-eb68-415e-bd58-016d5ba02643.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8ebdc728-eb68-415e-bd58-016d5ba02643/8ebdc728-eb68-415e-bd58-016d5ba02643.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>775</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>042 - Ta-nan in Search of his Father</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/042-ta-nan-in-search-of-his-father--68875644</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875644</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875644/042_ta_nan_in_search_of_his_father.mp3" length="9353216" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4047b9d0-b319-4520-8426-6f196d4d460b/4047b9d0-b319-4520-8426-6f196d4d460b.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4047b9d0-b319-4520-8426-6f196d4d460b/4047b9d0-b319-4520-8426-6f196d4d460b.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4047b9d0-b319-4520-8426-6f196d4d460b/4047b9d0-b319-4520-8426-6f196d4d460b.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1169</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>041 - The Flower-nymphs</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/041-the-flower-nymphs--68875640</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875640</guid><pubDate>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 10:00:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875640/041_the_flower_nymphs.mp3" length="7422976" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9610d26c-1a26-4d42-a538-a602ac6fbc3e/9610d26c-1a26-4d42-a538-a602ac6fbc3e.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9610d26c-1a26-4d42-a538-a602ac6fbc3e/9610d26c-1a26-4d42-a538-a602ac6fbc3e.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9610d26c-1a26-4d42-a538-a602ac6fbc3e/9610d26c-1a26-4d42-a538-a602ac6fbc3e.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>928</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>040 - The Man who was changed into a Crow</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/040-the-man-who-was-changed-into-a-crow--68875638</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875638</guid><pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:00:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875638/040_the_man_who_was_changed_into_a_crow.mp3" length="6349824" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c3676067-1a06-48b4-b99b-9556783fb599/c3676067-1a06-48b4-b99b-9556783fb599.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c3676067-1a06-48b4-b99b-9556783fb599/c3676067-1a06-48b4-b99b-9556783fb599.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c3676067-1a06-48b4-b99b-9556783fb599/c3676067-1a06-48b4-b99b-9556783fb599.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>794</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>039 - The Young Lady of the Tung-t'ing Lake</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/039-the-young-lady-of-the-tung-t-ing-lake--68875637</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875637</guid><pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875637/039_the_young_lady_of_the_tung_t_ing_lake.mp3" length="6052864" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5e913c44-6174-4170-b9a0-aaf6ce2cc4e7/5e913c44-6174-4170-b9a0-aaf6ce2cc4e7.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5e913c44-6174-4170-b9a0-aaf6ce2cc4e7/5e913c44-6174-4170-b9a0-aaf6ce2cc4e7.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5e913c44-6174-4170-b9a0-aaf6ce2cc4e7/5e913c44-6174-4170-b9a0-aaf6ce2cc4e7.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>757</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>038 - Engaged to a Nun</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/038-engaged-to-a-nun--68875635</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875635</guid><pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875635/038_engaged_to_a_nun.mp3" length="6706688" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/82023a1f-69f1-42b8-ac5b-f68687dd6074/82023a1f-69f1-42b8-ac5b-f68687dd6074.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/82023a1f-69f1-42b8-ac5b-f68687dd6074/82023a1f-69f1-42b8-ac5b-f68687dd6074.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/82023a1f-69f1-42b8-ac5b-f68687dd6074/82023a1f-69f1-42b8-ac5b-f68687dd6074.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>839</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>037 - The King</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/037-the-king--68875634</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875634</guid><pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875634/037_the_king.mp3" length="4986368" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4ec8c3bd-334a-434e-972e-850f798ab505/4ec8c3bd-334a-434e-972e-850f798ab505.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4ec8c3bd-334a-434e-972e-850f798ab505/4ec8c3bd-334a-434e-972e-850f798ab505.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4ec8c3bd-334a-434e-972e-850f798ab505/4ec8c3bd-334a-434e-972e-850f798ab505.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>624</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>036 - The Fight with the Foxes</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/036-the-fight-with-the-foxes--68875633</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875633</guid><pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875633/036_the_fight_with_the_foxes.mp3" length="4782080" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/348eae68-ddeb-4806-b09f-f4df541b3f8f/348eae68-ddeb-4806-b09f-f4df541b3f8f.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/348eae68-ddeb-4806-b09f-f4df541b3f8f/348eae68-ddeb-4806-b09f-f4df541b3f8f.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/348eae68-ddeb-4806-b09f-f4df541b3f8f/348eae68-ddeb-4806-b09f-f4df541b3f8f.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>598</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>035 - A Taoist Priest</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/035-a-taoist-priest--68875630</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875630</guid><pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875630/035_a_taoist_priest.mp3" length="3687424" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/acfdc3c5-397e-4536-bf00-8713a8ad593c/acfdc3c5-397e-4536-bf00-8713a8ad593c.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/acfdc3c5-397e-4536-bf00-8713a8ad593c/acfdc3c5-397e-4536-bf00-8713a8ad593c.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/acfdc3c5-397e-4536-bf00-8713a8ad593c/acfdc3c5-397e-4536-bf00-8713a8ad593c.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>461</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>034 - Chang's Transformation</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/034-chang-s-transformation--68875628</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875628</guid><pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875628/034_chang_s_transformation.mp3" length="7218176" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/071be678-d300-44b7-8410-7f95d14d508f/071be678-d300-44b7-8410-7f95d14d508f.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/071be678-d300-44b7-8410-7f95d14d508f/071be678-d300-44b7-8410-7f95d14d508f.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/071be678-d300-44b7-8410-7f95d14d508f/071be678-d300-44b7-8410-7f95d14d508f.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>903</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>033 - Hsiang-Ju's Misfortunes</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/033-hsiang-ju-s-misfortunes--68875627</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875627</guid><pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:00:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875627/033_hsiang_ju_s_misfortunes.mp3" length="11128832" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/363bbc97-c14f-48f2-84e1-f556dda8e920/363bbc97-c14f-48f2-84e1-f556dda8e920.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/363bbc97-c14f-48f2-84e1-f556dda8e920/363bbc97-c14f-48f2-84e1-f556dda8e920.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/363bbc97-c14f-48f2-84e1-f556dda8e920/363bbc97-c14f-48f2-84e1-f556dda8e920.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1391</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>032 - A Dwarf</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/032-a-dwarf--68875626</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875626</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:00:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875626/032_a_dwarf.mp3" length="1633792" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8420cbfe-6a1d-4e2b-ae25-a7a6ccd61faf/8420cbfe-6a1d-4e2b-ae25-a7a6ccd61faf.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8420cbfe-6a1d-4e2b-ae25-a7a6ccd61faf/8420cbfe-6a1d-4e2b-ae25-a7a6ccd61faf.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/8420cbfe-6a1d-4e2b-ae25-a7a6ccd61faf/8420cbfe-6a1d-4e2b-ae25-a7a6ccd61faf.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>205</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>031 - Tiger of Chao-Ch'eng</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/031-tiger-of-chao-ch-eng--68875624</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875624</guid><pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875624/031_tiger_of_chao_ch_eng.mp3" length="2866176" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5f251d3a-44b3-4273-8188-0599252a3943/5f251d3a-44b3-4273-8188-0599252a3943.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5f251d3a-44b3-4273-8188-0599252a3943/5f251d3a-44b3-4273-8188-0599252a3943.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/5f251d3a-44b3-4273-8188-0599252a3943/5f251d3a-44b3-4273-8188-0599252a3943.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>359</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>030 - The Performing Mice</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/030-the-performing-mice--68875623</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875623</guid><pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:00:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875623/030_the_performing_mice.mp3" length="731136" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9378054c-cc0a-4bf0-a605-ad54b9b94e9a/9378054c-cc0a-4bf0-a605-ad54b9b94e9a.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9378054c-cc0a-4bf0-a605-ad54b9b94e9a/9378054c-cc0a-4bf0-a605-ad54b9b94e9a.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9378054c-cc0a-4bf0-a605-ad54b9b94e9a/9378054c-cc0a-4bf0-a605-ad54b9b94e9a.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>92</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>029 - The Singing Frogs</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/029-the-singing-frogs--68875622</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875622</guid><pubDate>Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875622/029_the_singing_frogs.mp3" length="697344" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/ab8d96f5-1a4a-4022-8359-e34dcc893515/ab8d96f5-1a4a-4022-8359-e34dcc893515.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/ab8d96f5-1a4a-4022-8359-e34dcc893515/ab8d96f5-1a4a-4022-8359-e34dcc893515.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/ab8d96f5-1a4a-4022-8359-e34dcc893515/ab8d96f5-1a4a-4022-8359-e34dcc893515.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>88</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>028 - The Three Genii</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/028-the-three-genii--68875621</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875621</guid><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875621/028_the_three_genii.mp3" length="1734144" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/531bf445-3b33-4c63-b473-76d3c2b03e55/531bf445-3b33-4c63-b473-76d3c2b03e55.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/531bf445-3b33-4c63-b473-76d3c2b03e55/531bf445-3b33-4c63-b473-76d3c2b03e55.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/531bf445-3b33-4c63-b473-76d3c2b03e55/531bf445-3b33-4c63-b473-76d3c2b03e55.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>217</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>027 - The Lost Brother</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/027-the-lost-brother--68875620</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875620</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:00:24 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875620/027_the_lost_brother.mp3" length="7488000" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/377ad1e7-43ae-499f-aa81-c275cb3f1f7f/377ad1e7-43ae-499f-aa81-c275cb3f1f7f.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/377ad1e7-43ae-499f-aa81-c275cb3f1f7f/377ad1e7-43ae-499f-aa81-c275cb3f1f7f.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/377ad1e7-43ae-499f-aa81-c275cb3f1f7f/377ad1e7-43ae-499f-aa81-c275cb3f1f7f.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>936</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>026 - Jen Hsiu The Gambler</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/026-jen-hsiu-the-gambler--68875619</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875619</guid><pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:00:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875619/026_jen_hsiu_the_gambler.mp3" length="4173312" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/d827ce8b-86a5-489b-a2f6-ed980018af02/d827ce8b-86a5-489b-a2f6-ed980018af02.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/d827ce8b-86a5-489b-a2f6-ed980018af02/d827ce8b-86a5-489b-a2f6-ed980018af02.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/d827ce8b-86a5-489b-a2f6-ed980018af02/d827ce8b-86a5-489b-a2f6-ed980018af02.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>522</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>025 - Miss A-Pao or Perseverance Rewarded</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/025-miss-a-pao-or-perseverance-rewarded--68875615</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875615</guid><pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875615/025_miss_a_pao_or_perseverance_rewarded.mp3" length="7363584" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/04c69e3a-c90b-4263-853b-fcf9d9e08a9e/04c69e3a-c90b-4263-853b-fcf9d9e08a9e.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/04c69e3a-c90b-4263-853b-fcf9d9e08a9e/04c69e3a-c90b-4263-853b-fcf9d9e08a9e.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/04c69e3a-c90b-4263-853b-fcf9d9e08a9e/04c69e3a-c90b-4263-853b-fcf9d9e08a9e.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>921</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>024 - Miss Lien-Hsiang The Fox-girl</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/024-miss-lien-hsiang-the-fox-girl--68875613</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875613</guid><pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875613/024_miss_lien_hsiang_the_fox_girl.mp3" length="13081088" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c1fd83ee-d87d-4c38-b689-5b9772866b3a/c1fd83ee-d87d-4c38-b689-5b9772866b3a.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c1fd83ee-d87d-4c38-b689-5b9772866b3a/c1fd83ee-d87d-4c38-b689-5b9772866b3a.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c1fd83ee-d87d-4c38-b689-5b9772866b3a/c1fd83ee-d87d-4c38-b689-5b9772866b3a.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1635</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>023 - The Boon-Companion</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/023-the-boon-companion--68875610</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875610</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875610/023_the_boon_companion.mp3" length="2125824" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/6a120e97-8918-4188-9f52-402eb62277a4/6a120e97-8918-4188-9f52-402eb62277a4.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/6a120e97-8918-4188-9f52-402eb62277a4/6a120e97-8918-4188-9f52-402eb62277a4.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/6a120e97-8918-4188-9f52-402eb62277a4/6a120e97-8918-4188-9f52-402eb62277a4.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>266</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>022 - The Magnanimous Girl</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/022-the-magnanimous-girl--68875608</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875608</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875608/022_the_magnanimous_girl.mp3" length="3463168" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/e01a9aee-8fd8-465d-9f46-3726ed4ea58c/e01a9aee-8fd8-465d-9f46-3726ed4ea58c.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/e01a9aee-8fd8-465d-9f46-3726ed4ea58c/e01a9aee-8fd8-465d-9f46-3726ed4ea58c.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/e01a9aee-8fd8-465d-9f46-3726ed4ea58c/e01a9aee-8fd8-465d-9f46-3726ed4ea58c.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>433</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>021 - Mr Chu The Considerate Husband</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/021-mr-chu-the-considerate-husband--68875606</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875606</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:00:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875606/021_mr_chu_the_considerate_husband.mp3" length="1747456" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/f76e043a-7812-4697-97be-5dfdf1f2c54a/f76e043a-7812-4697-97be-5dfdf1f2c54a.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/f76e043a-7812-4697-97be-5dfdf1f2c54a/f76e043a-7812-4697-97be-5dfdf1f2c54a.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/f76e043a-7812-4697-97be-5dfdf1f2c54a/f76e043a-7812-4697-97be-5dfdf1f2c54a.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>219</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>020 - Miss Quarta Hu</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/020-miss-quarta-hu--68875605</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875605</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875605/020_miss_quarta_hu.mp3" length="4297728" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/19cd9e10-2a64-4a5c-9522-2f28e6f2c8f5/19cd9e10-2a64-4a5c-9522-2f28e6f2c8f5.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/19cd9e10-2a64-4a5c-9522-2f28e6f2c8f5/19cd9e10-2a64-4a5c-9522-2f28e6f2c8f5.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/19cd9e10-2a64-4a5c-9522-2f28e6f2c8f5/19cd9e10-2a64-4a5c-9522-2f28e6f2c8f5.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>538</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>019 - Little Chu</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/019-little-chu--68875603</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875603</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:58 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875603/019_little_chu.mp3" length="7335936" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/230d0666-3b51-4e35-bab5-d550e25cdd04/230d0666-3b51-4e35-bab5-d550e25cdd04.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/230d0666-3b51-4e35-bab5-d550e25cdd04/230d0666-3b51-4e35-bab5-d550e25cdd04.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/230d0666-3b51-4e35-bab5-d550e25cdd04/230d0666-3b51-4e35-bab5-d550e25cdd04.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>917</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>018 - The Shui-mang Plant</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/018-the-shui-mang-plant--68875599</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875599</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875599/018_the_shui_mang_plant.mp3" length="5991936" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/02b8cc0e-e24b-4713-92cc-0ec856c99500/02b8cc0e-e24b-4713-92cc-0ec856c99500.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/02b8cc0e-e24b-4713-92cc-0ec856c99500/02b8cc0e-e24b-4713-92cc-0ec856c99500.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/02b8cc0e-e24b-4713-92cc-0ec856c99500/02b8cc0e-e24b-4713-92cc-0ec856c99500.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>749</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>017 - The Magic Sword</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/017-the-magic-sword--68875594</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875594</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:46 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875594/017_the_magic_sword.mp3" length="10736128" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4040a56d-496d-4a70-b086-a44ca334e9fe/4040a56d-496d-4a70-b086-a44ca334e9fe.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4040a56d-496d-4a70-b086-a44ca334e9fe/4040a56d-496d-4a70-b086-a44ca334e9fe.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4040a56d-496d-4a70-b086-a44ca334e9fe/4040a56d-496d-4a70-b086-a44ca334e9fe.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1342</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>016 - Miss Ying-ning or the Laughing Girl</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/016-miss-ying-ning-or-the-laughing-girl--68875585</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875585</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:37 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875585/016_miss_ying_ning_or_the_laughing_girl.mp3" length="14153216" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/f34ec1dd-edfe-4a48-b4cb-8aa010f9e08d/f34ec1dd-edfe-4a48-b4cb-8aa010f9e08d.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/f34ec1dd-edfe-4a48-b4cb-8aa010f9e08d/f34ec1dd-edfe-4a48-b4cb-8aa010f9e08d.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/f34ec1dd-edfe-4a48-b4cb-8aa010f9e08d/f34ec1dd-edfe-4a48-b4cb-8aa010f9e08d.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1769</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>015 - Judge Lu</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/015-judge-lu--68875572</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875572</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875572/015_judge_lu.mp3" length="7570944" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/25e2cd9b-fa1a-42c1-bc54-11419a9d6f42/25e2cd9b-fa1a-42c1-bc54-11419a9d6f42.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/25e2cd9b-fa1a-42c1-bc54-11419a9d6f42/25e2cd9b-fa1a-42c1-bc54-11419a9d6f42.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/25e2cd9b-fa1a-42c1-bc54-11419a9d6f42/25e2cd9b-fa1a-42c1-bc54-11419a9d6f42.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>947</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>014 - The Trader's Son</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/014-the-trader-s-son--68875566</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875566</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875566/014_the_trader_s_son.mp3" length="8146432" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/7d18742b-d87b-400f-9349-44ea968e624c/7d18742b-d87b-400f-9349-44ea968e624c.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/7d18742b-d87b-400f-9349-44ea968e624c/7d18742b-d87b-400f-9349-44ea968e624c.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/7d18742b-d87b-400f-9349-44ea968e624c/7d18742b-d87b-400f-9349-44ea968e624c.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1019</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>013 - The Painted Skin</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/013-the-painted-skin--68875560</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875560</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:11 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875560/013_the_painted_skin.mp3" length="5197312" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>650</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>012 - The Fighting Quails</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/012-the-fighting-quails--68875556</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875556</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:40:07 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875556/012_the_fighting_quails.mp3" length="7992832" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>999</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>011 - Joining the Immortals</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/011-joining-the-immortals--68875554</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875554</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875554/011_joining_the_immortals.mp3" length="9635840" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1205</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>010 - Magical Arts</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/010-magical-arts--68875551</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875551</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875551/010_magical_arts.mp3" length="3685376" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>461</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>009 - Miss Chiao-no</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/009-miss-chiao-no--68875550</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875550</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875550/009_miss_chiao_no.mp3" length="9612288" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1189</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a899ca59a5c40e89eb5bd4c854348eab.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>008 - The Marriage of the Fox's Daughter</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/008-the-marriage-of-the-fox-s-daughter--68875548</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875548</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875548/008_the_marriage_of_the_fox_s_daughter.mp3" length="5104128" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>638</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>007 - The Buddhist Priest of Ch'ang-ching</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/007-the-buddhist-priest-of-ch-ang-ching--68875547</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875547</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:35 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875547/007_the_buddhist_priest_of_ch_ang_ching.mp3" length="2309632" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>289</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>006 - The Taoist Priest of Lao-shan</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/006-the-taoist-priest-of-lao-shan--68875546</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875546</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875546/006_the_taoist_priest_of_lao_shan.mp3" length="3332096" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>417</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>005 - Planting a Pear-tree</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/005-planting-a-pear-tree--68875543</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875543</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:29 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875543/005_planting_a_pear_tree.mp3" length="1747456" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>219</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>004 - The Painted Wall</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/004-the-painted-wall--68875542</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875542</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875542/004_the_painted_wall.mp3" length="3125248" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>391</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>003 - The Talking Pupils</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/003-the-talking-pupils--68875541</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875541</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875541/003_the_talking_pupils.mp3" length="2871808" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>359</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>002 - Examination for the Post of Guardian Angel</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/002-examination-for-the-post-of-guardian-angel--68875540</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875540</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875540/strangestoriesvol1_01_pu_64kb.mp3" length="3309568" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>414</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>001 - Introduction</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/001-introduction--68875539</link><description><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68875539</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:39:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68875539/strangestoriesvol1_00_pu_64kb.mp3" length="14238208" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Songling Pu</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (also known as Strange Tales of Liaozhai) is a mesmerizing collection of nearly five hundred supernatural stories penned by the renowned Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. Written in Classical Chinese, this captivating anthology reflects a rich tradition of oral storytelling, where the lines between reality and the fantastical blur. Most of these tales were completed around 1679, though Pu may have added more until as late as 1707. The narratives are populated with a diverse cast of characters, including vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists, and mythical beasts. Often, the moral compass is intriguingly inverted, revealing the author’s critique of society—where bold and trustworthy spirits contrast sharply with the indecisive and easily manipulated humans. Join our Librivox volunteers as they bring to life Volume 1 of Herbert Giles English translation of these timeless and enchanting stories.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1780</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>culture,folklore,ghosts,morality,qing,spirits,storytelling,supernatural,tales,vixen</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0b1d95aaa8a794f07b7e619f83be9cc.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
