Book excerpt: Chinese Ghost Stories offers a selection of entertaining Chinese tales of the fantastical and paranormal. Author Lafcadio Hearn had a great affinity for the traditional ghost stories of China, and these stories clearly inspired him as he penned subsequent works. Set in richly atmospheric locales, these tales speak of heroic sacrifice, chilling horror, eerie beauty and otherworldly intervention. The six ghost stories include: The Soul of the Great Bell The Story of Ming Yi The Legend of Zhi Nu The Return of Yan Zhenjing The Tradition of the Tea Plant The Tale of the Porcelain God This completely reset and pinyin-converted edition of Hearn's classic work contains a new foreword by Victoria Cass, which places the stories, their author, and his love for the strange and mysterious into perspective. If you're seeking insights into the traditional Chinese world of ghosts, goblins and demons--or just want to feel a chill run down your spine on a dark and lonely night--then this book is the perfect companion.