Li Yu, considered a master of comedy in Chinese literature, was a novelist, playwright, and essayist in the 17th century. In this collection, patrick Hanan has translated six of the twelve stories in the Sh'ier lou collection, which is one of the most famous individual collections of vernacular stories from pre-modern China. With Hanan's introduction and notes, and containing Li Yu's emphasis marks, notes, and critiques, this volume should be of interest to students of Chinese literature and general readers alike.