This anthology presents seventy translated and annotated short
essays, or hsiao-p'in, by fourteen well-known sixteenth- and
seventeenth-century Chinese writers. Hsiao-p'in, characterized by
spontaneity and brevity, were a relatively informal variation on
the established classical prose style in which all scholars were
trained. Written primarily to amuse and entertain the reader,
hsiao-p'in reflect the rise of individualism in the late Ming
period and collectively provide a panorama of the colorful life of
the age. Critics condemned the genre as escapist because of its
focus on life's sensual pleasures and triviality, and over the next
two centuries many of these playful and often irreverent works were
officially censored. Today, the essays provide valuable and rare
accounts of the details over everyday life in Ming China as well as
displays of wit and delightful turns of phrase. The open access
publication of this book was made possible by a grant from the
James P. Geiss and Margaret Y. Hsu Foundation.
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