Locating the Strange: The Illustrated Alienated Women in Liao Zhai Zhi Yi

【Image Source: Photo taken and scanned by the researcher】

The Strange Tales from Liaozhai (Liao zhai zhi yi, Liaozhai hereafter) refers to a legendary short literary novel series by Pu Songling in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). This renowned work in Chinese literary history stands out for depicting bizarre creatures, typically the non-traditional depiction of supernatural women figures.
Among the illustrated copies of Liaozhai, the lithographed version Xiang Zhu Liao Zhai Zhi Yi Tu Yong 詳註聊齋志異圖詠 (Annotated and Illustrated Strange Tales of Liaozhai, Tuyong hereafter) published in 1886, takes a crucial role in the novel's dissemination. Scholars strive to identify its creation date and travel history, whereas the discussion about the images receives little attention. Therefore, I will explore the uniqueness of Tuyong's illustrations and how these images reflect the social contexts and notions of gendered perceptions in nineteenth-century China.