Wonders of the Present and the Past

Discover the masterpiece that defined Chinese storytelling - now available in its first complete English edition.

Step into the bustling markets, quiet courtyards, and treacherous courts of Ming Dynasty China. Wonders of the Present and the Past (Jīn Gǔ Qí Guān) is a landmark collection of vernacular stories that has captivated readers for over four centuries. Compiled during the late Ming era by the enigmatic scholar known only as "Old Man Carrying the Jar" (Baowenglaoren), this anthology represents the golden age of Chinese short fiction.

This volume presents the complete collection of all 40 stories in its first-ever English edition, offering a rare and unbroken window into the lives, loves, and moral dilemmas of ordinary people in pre-modern China. Unlike the tales of emperors and warriors, these stories pulse with the drama of everyday life: the merchant risking everything on a voyage, the wife navigating loyalty and betrayal, the scholar outsmarting a corrupt official, and the ghost seeking justice from beyond the grave.

Within these pages, you will find:

• A Small Quarrel Over One Penny Leads to a Strange Injustice: A cautionary tale of how a childish argument over a single coin spirals into a devastating tragedy involving a dozen lives.
• The Pearl Shirt Reencountered: A masterful story of love, loss, mistaken identity, and the fragile nature of trust between husband and wife.
• The Courtesan's Jewel Box: A poignant romance between a beautiful courtesan and a destitute young lover, testing the limits of loyalty against the ruthless power of greed.
• The Wrongful Death of a New Wife: A gripping tale of jealousy, false accusation, and the haunting pursuit of justice.
• And dozens more tales of wit, romance, revenge, and the supernatural - every story from the original compilation, together for the first time in English.

These are not just stories; they are mirrors reflecting the Confucian values, Buddhist beliefs, and social realities of a lost era. Filled with unexpected twists, sharp dialogue, and profound moral questions, the tales in Wonders of the Present and the Past are the ancestors of the modern short story.

Whether you are a lover of classic literature, a student of Chinese history, or a reader seeking timeless tales of human nature, this collection promises to transport you to a world both foreign and familiar.

Why this edition matters:

• The First Complete English Edition: For the first time, all 40 stories of the original Ming Dynasty compilation are presented together in a single English volume.
• Cultural Treasure: Experience the "Canterbury Tales" of the East - a vital piece of world literature, finally fully accessible to English readers.
• Timeless Themes: Explore universal human struggles with love, honor, money, and fate, rendered in the rich context of Imperial China.

Scroll up and click "Buy Now" to unlock the complete wonders of the past and present.

Rediscover the great epics, mysteries and chronicles of dynastic China: gods and generals, swindlers and scholars, courtesans, ghosts and emperors, in complete English translations.