Content area
Full Text
Zhang Yingyu (trans. Christopher Rea and Bruce Rusk ): The Book of Swindles: Selections from a Late Ming Collection . (Translations from the Asian Classics.) xxxvi, 226 pp. New York : Columbia University Press , 2017. ISBN 978 0 231 17863 1 .
Reviews: East Asia
One of the most pleasing trends in the translation of pre-modern Chinese literature over recent years has been the appearance of renditions of a number of lesser-known works, broadening the variety of works available in English far beyond the most famous classics. Adding to this variety is this abridged translation of The Book of Swindles from Christopher Rea and Bruce Rusk, both associate professors of Chinese studies in the University of British Columbia.
The Book of Swindles, first published 400 years ago, in 1617, is a unique collection of tales from an obscure seventeenth-century writer named Zhang Yingyu. As the title suggests, it is a themed work, containing 84 brief tales (44 are translated here) of deception and fraud. Each tale is followed by a comment from Zhang Yingyu which analyses the incident and may suggest possible defensive measures or moral lessons. Some comments express plain admiration for the ingenuity of the criminals. Its original title was A New Book for Foiling Swindles, Based on Worldly Experience, reflecting its claim to serve as a handbook for the unwary: by...