"This addition to a growing body of premodern popular Chinese literature in translation, much of it also by Idema, is something to be celebrated. Books like these provide a welcome source of variety for those of us who regularly teach undergraduates and hope to broaden our students’ understanding of Chinese literature beyond the highlight reel of the Shijing, Tang poetry, and six great novels of the Ming and Qing. ... there remains incredible value in making obscure, yet compelling, stories such as these available to non-native Chinese readers. Though the price of the hardcover edition is certainly beyond the budgets of most students, it appears that Cambria offers students and libraries digital access to the book at much friendlier rates. Thanks to this, and the inspiring power the Immortal Maiden, I can recommend this collection of translated precious scrolls for anyone interested in adding more popular Chinese literature to courses on religion or culture." —Journal of Chinese Religions

"This comprehensive book brings together a wide range of scholarship on the baojuan genre with an insightful use of sources. The translated texts offer readers a well-rounded look at the themes and content of this prosimetric genre which are creatively presented on the printed page. The text will be very useful in comparisons with other Chinese genres of prosimetrum and texts in other traditions in East Asia, India, Central Asia, and possibly farther afield." —Mark Bender, The Ohio State University

Wilt L. Idema is Professor of Chinese literature at Harvard University and a recipient of the prestigious Special Book Award of China. He holds a PhD from Leiden University. His publications of the last ten years include The Red Brush: Writing Women of Imperial China (with Beata Grant, 2004); Personal Salvation and Filial Piety: Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her Acolytes (2007); Meng Jiangnü Brings Down the Great Wall: Ten Versions of a Chinese Legend (2008); Heroines of Jiangyong: Chinese Narrative Ballads in Women’s Script (2009); The White Snake and her Son (2009); Judge Bao and the Rule of Law: Eight Ballad-Stories from the Period 1250-1450 (2010); Monks, Bandits, Lovers and Immortals: Eleven Early Chinese Plays (with Stephen H. West, 2010); The Butterfly Lovers: The Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (2010); Escape from Blood Pond Hell: The Tales of Mulian and Woman Huang (with Beata Grant, 2011); Battles, Betrayals, and Brotherhood: Early Chinese Plays on the Three Kingdoms (with Stephen H. West, 2012); The Generals of the Yang Family: Four Early Plays (with Stephen H. West, 2013); and The Resurrected Skeleton: From Zhuangzi to Lu Xun (2014).

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. The Precious Scroll of the Immortal Maiden Equal to Heaven

Chapter 3. The Precious Scroll of Liu Quan Presenting Melons

Chapter 4. The Precious Scroll of the Parrot

Chapter 5. The Precious Scroll of the Mouse

Chapter 6. The Precious Scroll of Kalpa Survival

Chapter 7. The Precious Scroll of the Wedding Scams of Hu Yucui

Bibliography

Index