Samuel Wells Williams’ translation of “Strange Tales of the Chinese Studio” has been praised for its accuracy and faithfulness to the original text. He attempted to capture the essence of Pu Songling’s writing style, which is characterized by a blend of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, as well as his use of traditional Chinese poetic forms. Williams’ version also includes extensive footnotes that provide context and explanation for cultural references that may be unfamiliar to Western readers.
In terms of textual analysis, Williams’ translation has been criticized for its reliance on a single manuscript copy of the original text, which contained some errors and omissions. Some scholars have suggested that this may have led to inaccuracies in certain sections of his translation. However, despite these criticisms, Williams’ version remains one of the most widely read and influential English translations of “Strange Tales of the Chinese Studio”.
