The Hsu-Tang Library presents authoritative and eminently readable translations of classical Chinese literature, in bilingual editions, ranging across three millennia and the entire Sinitic world. The Misadventures of Master Mugwort: A Joke Book Trilogy from Imperial China is a translation of three collections of humorous episodes revolving around the beloved fictional character of Master Mugwort (Aizi). Set in the ancient Warring States period, Master Mugwort counsels kings in the art of statecraft, takes on other masters in mock philosophical debates, and wisecracks his way through this age of opportunity and intrigue, disciples in tow. The explosive popularity of the original collection from the late 1000s, attributed to literatus-extraordinaire Su Shi, inspired sequels centuries later: in 1516 by precocious teenager Lu Cai; and in 1608 by whimsical retiree Tu Benjun. Together, these three books represent a time-honored tradition of Chinese humor as well as a light-hearted interpretation of a bygone age that remained of enduring importance to the writers' own day and age. Translated in full for the first time by Elizabeth Smithrosser, with an introduction and explanatory notes, this volume introduces a once bestselling, if today much overlooked, tradition of Chinese literature to new audiences.

"[The Hsu-Tang Library] will open up a classical tradition that spans millennia, relatively little of which has ever been translated into English. There is a humanity and irreverence to some of these works that readers expecting stuffy, prim Confucian moralizing will find refreshing." - The Wall Street Journal

"There is real humor to be found here... Smithrosser's informative Introduction and extensive supplementary material help greatly with appreciation of the texts." - The Complete Review

"Smithrosser's complete translation of the three Master Mugwort collections is a remarkable achievement, especially considering how sophisticated the jokes are.... [It] is not only an important addition to the body of English translations of premodern Chinese texts, but also an excellent example of scholarly rigor." - Ming Studies

"The translation is excellent: accurate, fluent, and - most important! - often very amusing." - Journal of the European Association for Chinese Studies

"With her elegant style, Smithrosser managed to donate coherence and cohesion to three different texts written by (at least) three authors in different epochs.... I would recommend this book to fellow humour scholars, as an important contribution (in English, finally! And translated by a native speaker!) to the field of late-imperial Chinese jokes." - Antonio Leggieri, The European Journal of Humour Research

"The collection is also a fascinating account of the reception history of the pre-Qínperiod in the Sòng and Míng eras." - Lukas K. Pokorny, Religious Studies Review