Qifeng Shen

Born in 1741, Qifeng Shen was a Chinese writer of the Qing dynasty. He is chiefly associated with Xieduo (also rendered Hsieh-to or translated as Tales of a Fantastic Studio-style strange tales in some catalogs), a collection that helped preserve the tradition of short classical stories about ghosts, odd encounters, and human folly.

What makes his writing appealing is the mix of humor and bite. The stories are often fantastical, but they also poke at everyday behavior and social pretensions, giving them an energy that still feels readable today.

Reliable biographical details in widely available English-language sources are limited, so much of his life remains less documented than his work. Even so, his reputation endures through the survival and republication of his stories, which continue to introduce readers to the playful, eerie side of Qing fiction.