The Story of Stone

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In this groundbreaking study of three well-known texts in the Chinese tradition that feature stones with magical properties, Jing Wang reconstructs ancient Chinese stone lore. Her systematic comparison of these classic works sheds light on various interpretations of the stone narrative and offers fresh insights into significant topics in traditional Chinese literature. By integrating Chinese myth, religion, folklore, art, and literature, this work is the first in any language to compile the sources of stone myth and lore in Chinese culture. Wang connects classical Chinese studies with contemporary Western theoretical issues, analyzing intertextuality within Chinese traditions. She provides innovative interpretations of longstanding critical questions, such as the paradoxical nature of the monkey in The Journey to the West, the narrative circularity in The Dream of the Red Chamber, and the structural role of the stone tablet in Water Margin. By challenging and incorporating traditional sinological scholarship, Wang's study reveals the ideological implications of these literary works on Chinese cultural history, making historical insights relevant to modern intellectual discourse. Scholars in Chinese literature, comparative literature, literary theory, and religious studies will find this work to be an essential reference on the subject.