Attribution Controversies in Classical Chinese Fiction: The Case of Records of Ghosts and Spirits

Miaoyan Hua

doi:10.5281/zenodo.15534101

Authors

Miaoyan Hua Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15534101

Keywords:

Records of Ghosts and Spirits, Chang Yi, supernatural tales

Abstract

Since the late Ming dynasty, the phenomenon of falsely attributing supernatural tale collections to Tang authors has been widespread, a fact well acknowledged by scholars. Amid the corrective efforts starting in the Qing dynasty, Records of Ghosts and Spirits (Ling Gui Zhi), traditionally attributed to the Tang author Chang Yi, has been widely regarded as a spurious work. By clarifying the life of Chang Yi, analyzing the entries in Records of Ghosts and Spirits, examining the biases of its compiler, and exploring the nature, targets, and impact of false attributions by late Ming booksellers, this paper seeks to substantiate the likelihood of Records of Ghosts and Spirits being a forged text. This analysis contributes to the study of the creation and reception of Tang dynasty supernatural tales and the broader phenomenon of literary forgeries.

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