The ethnological and anthropological significance of animals is common to all cultures and periods. Given this fact, the book essays a comparative study of the animal figures in the works of a representative of Chinese literature - Pu Songling (1640-1715) - and those found in the works of a German-speaking writer, Franz Kafka (1883-1924). The first chapter establishes the basic characteristics of the animal figures of the two authors and then proceeds to place these in the broader context of categories such as the grotesque, metamorphosis, animal parable and animal comparison, with copious reference to the different cultural and literary traditions. Jianming Zhou undertakes detailed textual analyses and comparisons with a view to illuminating Kafkas approach to Pus work and the development of his style in the portrayal of animals and humans. In so doing he suceeds in pointing up the influence of Pu Songling on Kafka and thus opening up new perspectives for intercultural comparative research on Kafkas work.