The 22 short stories,14 of the Tang Dynasty and 8 of the Song,in this collection are a fair sample of earlier short stories in China. Short stories of this kind often involve supernatural events,adventures,political themes,Buddhist or Taoist preachments,or love between men and women.They reflect the thoughts and aspirations of the common people and are,in fact,consummate works of art imbued with all the vitality of their times.