In Search of the Supernatural (), is a 4th-century Chinese compilation of legends, short stories, and hearsay concerning Chinese gods, ghosts, and other supernatural phenomena in the zhiguai and chuanqi styles. Although the authorship of the book is not made explicit in the text, it is believed to have been written and compiled by Gan Bao, a historian at the court of Emperor Yuan of the Jin dynasty around AD350. It was reissued in numerous editions, including in 1593. The book usually consists of 464 stories.

The English translation by Kenneth J. DeWoskin and J. I. Crump, Jr. was published in 1996. The book is also known as In Search of the Sacred and Anecdotes about Spirits and Immortals.

Stories Notable stories include:

"Gan Jiang Mo Xie"〈〉 "Wu Wang Xiao Nü"〈〉 "Li Ji Zhan She"〈〉a legend about serpent-slaying: Li Ji Slays the Giant Serpent (Li Chi Slays the Serpent), similar to the legend of Chen Jinggu.Gan Bao. In Search of the Supernatural: The Written Record, translated into English by Kenneth J. DeWoskin and James Irving Crump. Stanford University Press, 1996. pp. 230-231. Journey of a Goddess: Chen Jinggu Subdues the Snake Demon. Translated, edited, and with an introduction by Fan Pen Li Chen. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. 2017. p. 31. Idema, Wilt L. Personal Salvation and Filial Piety: Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her Acolytes. University of Hawai'i Press. 2008. p. 205. "Han Bing Fufu"〈〉

The collection also contains a variant of the story of a Swan Maiden (or Heavenly/Celestial Bride) who marries a mortal man.Hsieh, Daniel. Love and Women in Early Chinese Fiction. The Chinese University Press. 2008. pp. 123-136.

Legacy Pu Songling cites Gan Bao's work as a far greater work than his own, the now famous Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.

References

Gan Bao. In Search of the Supernatural: The Written Record, translated into English by Kenneth J. DeWoskin and James Irving Crump. Stanford University Press, 1996.

Further reading

External links (Sou Shen Ji) at Project Gutenberg (in Chinese)