Stories to Caution the World is the first complete translation of Jingshi tongyan, the second of three volumes of stories that were pivotal in the development of Chinese vernacular fiction. These tales, whose importance in the Chinese literary canon and in world literature is without question, have been compared to BoccaccioÂ's Decameron and the stories of A Thousand and One Nights.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Translators' Note
Chronology of Chinese Dynasties
Stories to Caution the World
Title Page from the 1624 Edition
Preface to the 1624 Edition
1. Yu Boya Smashes His Zither in Gratitude to an Appreciative Friend
2. Zhuang Zhou Drums on a Bowl and Attains the Great Dao
3. Three Times Wang Anshi Tries to Baffle Academician Su
4. In the Hall Halfway-up-the-Hill, the Stubborn One Dies of Grief
5. Lu Yu Returns the Silver and Brings about Family Reunion
6. Yu Liang Writes Poems and Wins Recognition from the Emperor
7. Chen Kechang Becomes an Immortal during the Dragon Boat Festival
8. Artisan Cui's Love Is Cursed in Life and in Death
9. "Li the Banished Immortal" Writes in Drunkenness to Impress the Barbarians
10. Secretary Qian Leaves Poems on the Swallow Tower
11. A Shirt Reunites Magistrate Su with His Family
12. A Double Mirror Brings Fan the Loach and His Wife Together Again
13. Judge Bao Solves a Case through a Ghost That Appeared Thrice
14. A Mangy Priest Exorcises a Den of Ghosts
15. Clerk Jin Rewards Xiutong with a Pretty Maidservant
16. The Young Lady Gives the Young Man a Gift of Money
17. The Luckless Scholar Rises Suddenly in Life
18. A Former Protogee Repays His Patron unto the Third Generation
19. With a White Falcon, Young Master Cui Brings an Evil Spirit upon Himself
20. The Golden Eel Brings Calmity to Officer Ji
21. Emperor Taizu Escorts Jinniang on a One-Thousand-Li Journey
22. Young Mr. Song Reunites with His Family by Means of a Tattered Felt Hat
23. Mr. Le Junior Searches for His Wife at the Risk of His Life
24. Yutangchun Reunites with Her Husband in Her Distress
25. Squire Gui Repents at the Last Moment
26. Scholar Tang Gains a Wife after One Smile
27. Fame Immortals Throw Guanghua Temple into an Uproar
28. Madame White Is Kept Forever under the Thunder Peak Tower
29. Zhang Hao Meets Yingying at Lingering Frangrance Pavilion
30. Wu Qing Meets Ai'ai by Golden Bright Pond
31. Zhao Chun'er Restores Prosperity
32. Du Shiniang Sinks Her Jewel Box in Anger
33. Qiao Yanjie's Concubine Ruins the Family
34. Wang Jiaoluan's One Hundred Years of Sorrow
35. Prefect Kuang Solves the Case of the Dead Baby
36. The King of the Honey Locust Grove Assumes Human Shape
37. Wan Xiuniang Takes Revenge through Toy Pavilions
38. Jiang Shuzhen Dies in Fulfillment of a Love Bird Prophecy
39. The Stars of Fortune, Rank, and Longevity Return to Heaven
40. An Iron Tree at Jingyang Palace Subdues Demons
Notes

Feng Menglong (1574-1646), the most knowledgeable connoisseur of popular literature of his time, is best known for his three collections of vernacular stories, now commonly known as the Sanyan. Shuhui Yang is professor of Chinese at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. Yunqin Yang is a simultaneous interpreter in the United Nations Secretariat. Together, they translated Feng's Gujin xiaoshuo as Stories Old and New: A Ming Dynasty Collection (Volume 1).