幹寶 【東晉】

About the Author

Gan Bao, a distinguished scholar and historian of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (circa 285–336 CE), is renowned for his pioneering contributions to Chinese classical literature through his seminal work, 'Sou Shen Ji' (In Search of the Supernatural). Living during a tumultuous era marked by political upheaval and cultural flourishing, Gan Bao served as an official in the imperial court, where his deep interest in folklore, anomalies, and the supernatural led him to compile an extensive collection of over four hundred tales drawn from ancient records, oral traditions, and historical anecdotes. This anthology not only preserves a rich tapestry of myths, ghost stories, and divine interventions but also reflects the spiritual worldview of ancient China, blending moral philosophy with the uncanny. As one of the earliest systematic recorders of the bizarre and wondrous, Gan Bao's legacy endures as a foundational text in weiqi (tales of the strange) literature, influencing generations of writers and scholars in exploring the boundaries between the natural and the supernatural worlds.