CAUTIONARY TALES OF THE SPIRITS THAT STALK THE EARTHIn classical China, ghosts were considered as real as the trees or hills or wind. Decisions concerning everything from construction of homes and buildings to the course of the roads winding through the countryside were made considering the impact that could result from unsettling or angering the spirits. To avoid the risks of drawing the attention of the otherworldly, the people carefully maintained customs and shared stories of the supernatural with one another as reminders...and warnings.Candle Game: TM Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio contains complete rules for play and features tales such as Pu Songling's classics "The Painted Skin," translated by Herbert Giles, and "Deceiving Shadows," translated by George Soulié, as well as folktales including "The Story of Ming-Y" from Lafcadio Hearn. Included as part of the game, these eerie stories can also be read on their own. But when exploring this strange and unsettling supernatural world, keep one thing in mind: These cautionary tales were recounted in China for centuries-what happenings made ongoing warnings so necessary?