Again on the pleasures of research.
I’m currently reading with much pleasure A Chinese Bestiary – Strange Creatures from the Guideways Through Mountains and Seas, a University of California book that reprints an ancient Chinese bestiary, edited by Richard E. Strassberg.
This is a compendium of strange creatures that was compiled between the 4th and the 1st centuri BCE, and was later re-edited, expanded and variously repackaged.
The English edition uses the woodblock prints from the 16th century version, and is highly entertaining.
The original text describes the lay of the land, and the gods, supernatural creatures, beasts and human (or thereabouts) tribes that inhabit those different parts.
Of these, about 350 out of over 500 are featured in the volume.
Three hundred eighty li farther east is Gibbon-Wings Mountain, where there are many strange beasts, strange fish, an abundance of white jade, and many Fu-Vipers, strange snakes, and strange trees. This mountain should not be climbed.
And no kidding.
The book also reprints the plates of the old book.
While a great read and a wonderful addition to my collection of books, the Bestiary is also paying its keep by providing ample resources for the filling up of my novel – in which Chinese folklore and strangeness are quite frequent.
I hope the readers will appreciate a book whose creatures are not taken from the D&D Monster Manual.
AND, curiously enough, the text refers to an even better edition – in the words of the editor – which was published in Italy in the mid-90s.
So far, attempts on my part at tracking a copy have failed, but I keep searching.
Related articles
Karavansara 