References

• 《四庫全書總目提要·卷142 子部·小說家類三》

Source: 《搜神記》(In Search of the Supernatural), a twenty-volume anthology of supernatural tales and folk legends, is traditionally attributed to 干寶 (Gan Bao, c. 280–?), a scholar of the 著作郎 office during the Jin dynasty. Known as 令升, Gan was born in Xincai and served under Emperor Yuan, later advancing to positions such as 散騎常侍. His biography is recorded in the 'Jin Shu', which notes that he compiled the work after being moved by a story about his father's concubinum rebirth. The preface to 'Shen Ji' is preserved within this historical text. The earliest bibliographical records, including the 'Sui shu' and Tang dynasty catalogs (new and old editions), cite it as thirty volumes titled 'Shenji'. However, the 'Song Shu Zongmu' lists a ten-volume version titled 'Sou Shen Zong Ji', though its authorship remains unattributed. Some scholars incorrectly associate this variant with Gan Bao. The currently surviving edition was first published in Hu Zhenheng's 'Mi Ce Hui Han' and later incorporated into Mao Jin's Jindai Mi Shu collection. Cross-referencing reveals that the extant text aligns with citations from classical sources, such as裴松之 (Pei Songzhi)'s annotations on the 'Sanguozhi' and Liu Xiu's 'Shiyu Shu Yu Zhu'. The work's authenticity has been debated due to discrepancies with other historical records. For instance, entries like 「Han Ping transforms into a butterfly」 appear as 「swan」 in the 'Taiping Huanyu Ji', while the original text describes a transformation into 郭忠恕's referenced term for 「琵琶.」 Additionally, certain passages cited by 李善, such as those in 'Shudu Fu Zhu' and 'Huang Taizi Yan Yuanpu Shi', are absent from the extant version. Some scholars argue that Volumes 6–7 directly copy sections of the 'Hanshu' and 'Hou Hanshu', raising questions about Gan Bao's originality given his access to司马彪 (Sima Biao)'s 'Hou Han Shu'. Despite these controversies, 'Shen Ji' is praised for its archaic prose style and sophisticated commentary, distinct from other pseudo-classical texts. The work likely synthesizes fragments from older sources like the 'Chongwen Zongmu' and 'Pei Xi', with later additions by compilers with limited scholarly rigor. Notable examples include the tale of Xie Shang, cited in the 'Taiping Guangji' as originating from a different text ('Zhiguailu'), yet mistakenly attributed to Shen Ji here. The 胡應麟 (Hu Yingle) critiques these inconsistencies, arguing that the book's contents were compiled from later sources such as 'Fayuan Lu', 'Yongle Dadian', and 'Siku Quanshu'. His remarks emphasize that many 「discovered」 works of this era are similarly reconstructed. The surviving version of 'Shen Ji' remains a vital resource for studying Jin dynasty folklore, blending mythological narratives with historical events to reflect contemporary beliefs in the supernatural. Its enduring legacy lies in its vivid storytelling and cultural insights into early Chinese perceptions of the spiritual world. ==References== * 《四庫全書總目提要·卷142 子部·小說家類三》 {{AI-summary}}