太原王生早行，遇一女郎，抱襆獨奔，甚艱于步。急走趁之，乃二八姝麗。心相愛樂，問：「何夙夜踽踽獨行？」女曰：「行道之人，不能解愁懮，何勞相問。」生曰：「卿何愁懮？或可效力，不辭也。」女黯然曰：「父母貪賂，鬻妾朱門。嫡妒甚，朝詈而夕楚辱之，所弗堪也，將遠遁耳。」問：「何之？」曰：「在亡之人，烏有定所。」生言：「敝廬不遠，即煩枉顧。」女喜，從之。生代攜襆物，導與同歸。女顧室無人，問：「君何無家口？」答云：「齋耳。」女曰：「此所良佳。如憐妾而活之，須秘密，勿泄。」生諾之，乃與寢合，使匿密室，過數日而人不知也。生微告妻。妻陳疑為大家媵妾，勸遣之。生不聽。
太原王生早行，遇一女郎，抱襆独奔，甚艰于步。急走趁之，乃二八姝丽。心相爱乐，问：「何夙夜踽踽独行？」女曰：「行道之人，不能解愁懮，何劳相问。」生曰：「卿何愁懮？或可效力，不辞也。」女黯然曰：「父母贪赂，鬻妾朱门。嫡妒甚，朝詈而夕楚辱之，所弗堪也，将远遁耳。」问：「何之？」曰：「在亡之人，乌有定所。」生言：「敝庐不远，即烦枉顾。」女喜，从之。生代携襆物，导与同归。女顾室无人，问：「君何无家口？」答云：「斋耳。」女曰：「此所良佳。如怜妾而活之，须秘密，勿泄。」生诺之，乃与寝合，使匿密室，过数日而人不知也。生微告妻。妻陈疑为大家媵妾，劝遣之。生不听。
A scholar of Taiyuan named Wang was out walking early one morning when he came upon a young woman hurrying along alone with a bundle in her arms, making very hard going of it. He quickened his pace to catch her up: she was a beauty of about sixteen. He took to her at once. “Why are you out walking all alone before it is light?” he asked. “You are a stranger on the road,” she said. “You cannot ease my sorrows. Why trouble to ask?” “What sorrows have you?” said Wang. “If I can be of any help, I will not refuse.” Her face darkened. “My parents were greedy for money and sold me to a rich house as a concubine. The wife was so jealous that she cursed me in the morning and beat me at night. I could bear it no longer, so I am running far away.” “Where will you go?” he asked. “A runaway has no place to go,” she said. “My poor house is not far,” said Wang. “Would you do me the honour?” She was glad, and went with him. Wang carried her bundle for her and led her home. Seeing no one in the rooms, she asked, “Why have you no family here?” “This is only my study,” he answered. “This is a fine place,” she said. “If you pity me and would save my life, you must keep it secret. Tell no one.” Wang promised, and went to bed with her. He hid her in a back room, and several days passed without anyone knowing. Then Wang hinted at it to his wife, Mrs. Chen. She suspected the girl was a concubine from some great family and urged him to send her away. Wang would not listen.
偶適市，遇一道士，顧生而愕。問：「何所遇？」答言：「無之。」道士曰：「君身邪氣縈繞，何言無？」生又力白。道士乃去，曰：「惑哉！世固有死將臨而不悟者。」生以其言異，頗疑女；轉思明明麗人，何至為妖，意道士借魘禳以獵食者。無何，至齋門，門內杜，不得入；心疑所作，乃窬垝垣，則室門亦閉。躡跡而窗窺之，見一獰鬼，面翠色，齒巉巉如鋸；鋪人皮于榻上，執彩筆而繪之；已而擲筆，舉皮如振衣狀，披于身，遂化為女子。睹此狀，大懼，獸伏而出。
偶适市，遇一道士，顾生而愕。问：「何所遇？」答言：「无之。」道士曰：「君身邪气萦绕，何言无？」生又力白。道士乃去，曰：「惑哉！世固有死将临而不悟者。」生以其言异，颇疑女；转思明明丽人，何至为妖，意道士借魇禳以猎食者。无何，至斋门，门内杜，不得入；心疑所作，乃窬垝垣，则室门亦闭。蹑迹而窗窥之，见一狞鬼，面翠色，齿巉巉如锯；铺人皮于榻上，执彩笔而绘之；已而掷笔，举皮如振衣状，披于身，遂化为女子。睹此状，大惧，兽伏而出。
One day Wang happened to go to the market, where he met a Daoist who looked at him and started in alarm. “What have you met with?” the Daoist asked. “Nothing,” Wang answered. “An evil aura coils all about you,” said the Daoist. “How can you say nothing?” Wang protested again that it was so. The Daoist went on his way, saying, “Deluded! Truly there are people in this world who will not see their death even when it is upon them.” The strangeness of these words made Wang more than a little suspicious of the girl. But then he thought: she was so plainly a lovely girl — how could she be an evil spirit? The Daoist, he decided, was one of those who make a living from exorcisms. Before long he came to the gate of his study. It was barred from inside, and he could not get in. Wondering what she could be up to, he climbed over the broken-down wall, but the door of the room was shut too. He crept up on tiptoe and peered through the window. He saw a hideous fiend with a face of kingfisher green and teeth as jagged as a saw. It had spread a human skin on the bed and was painting it with a coloured brush. Then it threw down the brush, lifted the skin, shook it out as one shakes out a garment, and draped it over itself — and became the girl. At this sight Wang was terrified. He crept out on all fours like an animal.
急追道士，不知所往；遍跡之，遇于野，長跪乞救（，請遣除之）。道士曰：「請遣除之。此物亦良苦，甫能覓代者，予亦不忍傷其生。」乃以蠅拂授生，令掛寢門，臨別，約會于青帝廟。生歸，不敢入齋，乃寢內室，懸拂焉。一更許，聞門外戢戢有聲。自不敢窺（也）（，使妻窺之）。但見女子來，望拂子不敢進；立而切齒，良久乃去。少時復來，罵曰：「道士嚇我。終不然，寧入口而吐之耶！」取拂碎之，壞寢門而入，徑登生床，裂生腹，掬生心而去。
急追道士，不知所往；遍迹之，遇于野，长跪乞救（，请遣除之）。道士曰：「请遣除之。此物亦良苦，甫能觅代者，予亦不忍伤其生。」乃以蝇拂授生，令挂寝门，临别，约会于青帝庙。生归，不敢入斋，乃寝内室，悬拂焉。一更许，闻门外戢戢有声。自不敢窥（也）（，使妻窥之）。但见女子来，望拂子不敢进；立而切齿，良久乃去。少时复来，骂曰：「道士吓我。终不然，宁入口而吐之耶！」取拂碎之，坏寝门而入，径登生床，裂生腹，掬生心而去。
He ran after the Daoist, but did not know where he had gone. He searched everywhere and at last found him in the fields. Falling to his knees, he begged him for help. “Let me drive it away for you,” said the Daoist. “The creature has had a hard time of it too. It has only just found someone to take its place, and I cannot bear to take its life.” He gave Wang his fly whisk and told him to hang it on his bedroom door. Before they parted, he arranged to meet him at the Temple of the Azure Emperor. Wang went home. He did not dare go into his study, but slept in the inner rooms, and hung the whisk there. At about the first watch of the night he heard a soft rustling outside the door. He did not dare look himself, and had his wife look. She saw the girl come, catch sight of the whisk and stop, not daring to come in. The girl stood there grinding her teeth, and after a long while she went away. Before long she was back, cursing. “The Daoist is trying to frighten me! Never! Am I to spit out what is already in my mouth?” She seized the whisk and tore it to pieces, broke down the bedroom door and came in. She went straight up onto Wang’s bed, ripped open his belly, scooped out his heart and was gone.
妻號，婢入燭之，生已死，腔血狼藉。陳駭涕不敢聲，明日，使弟二郎奔告道士，道士怒曰：「我固憐之，鬼子乃敢爾！」即從生弟來，女子已失所在，既而仰首四望，曰：「幸遁未遠。」問：「南院誰家？」二郎曰：「小生所舍也。」道士曰：「現在君所。」二郎愕然，以為未有。道士問曰：「曾否有不識者一人來？」答曰：「僕（早）赴青帝廟，良不知。當歸問之。」去，少頃而返，曰：「果有之。晨間一嫗來，欲傭為僕家操作，室人止之，尚在也。」道士曰：「即是物矣。」遂與俱往。仗木劍，立庭心，呼曰：「孽魅！償我拂子來！」嫗在室，惶遽無色，出門欲遯，道士逐擊之。嫗仆，人皮劃然而脫，化為厲鬼，臥嗥如豬。道士以木劍梟其首；身變作濃煙，匝地作堆。道士出一葫蘆，撥其塞，置煙中，飗飗然如口吸氣，瞬息煙盡。道士塞口入囊，共視人皮，眉目手足，無不備具。道士捲之，如捲畫軸聲，亦囊之，乃別欲去。
妻号，婢入烛之，生已死，腔血狼藉。陈骇涕不敢声，明日，使弟二郎奔告道士，道士怒曰：「我固怜之，鬼子乃敢尔！」即从生弟来，女子已失所在，既而仰首四望，曰：「幸遁未远。」问：「南院谁家？」二郎曰：「小生所舍也。」道士曰：「现在君所。」二郎愕然，以为未有。道士问曰：「曾否有不识者一人来？」答曰：「仆（早）赴青帝庙，良不知。当归问之。」去，少顷而返，曰：「果有之。晨间一妪来，欲佣为仆家操作，室人止之，尚在也。」道士曰：「即是物矣。」遂与俱往。仗木剑，立庭心，呼曰：「孽魅！偿我拂子来！」妪在室，惶遽无色，出门欲遯，道士逐击之。妪仆，人皮划然而脱，化为厉鬼，卧嗥如猪。道士以木剑枭其首；身变作浓烟，匝地作堆。道士出一葫芦，拨其塞，置烟中，飗飗然如口吸气，瞬息烟尽。道士塞口入囊，共视人皮，眉目手足，无不备具。道士卷之，如卷画轴声，亦囊之，乃别欲去。
His wife screamed. A maid came in with a lamp. Wang was dead, the hollow of his chest a mess of blood. Mrs. Chen was so frightened that she wept without daring to make a sound. The next day she sent Wang’s younger brother, Erlang, running to tell the Daoist. The Daoist was furious. “I took pity on it,” he said, “and the devil dares to do this!” He went back at once with Wang’s brother. The girl was nowhere to be found. Then the Daoist raised his head and looked all around. “Luckily it has not fled far,” he said, and asked, “Whose is the south courtyard?” “That is where I live,” said Erlang. “It is in your house now,” said the Daoist. Erlang was astonished; he did not think so. “Has anyone you do not know come there?” the Daoist asked. “I went to the Temple of the Azure Emperor early this morning,” said Erlang, “so I really don’t know. I will go home and ask.” He went, and was soon back. “There was someone,” he said. “This morning an old woman came wanting to be taken on to work in my household. My wife kept her. She is still there.” “That is the creature,” said the Daoist, and they went there together. Holding a wooden sword, the Daoist stood in the middle of the courtyard and shouted, “Wicked demon! Pay me for my fly whisk!” Inside, the old woman went pale with panic. She ran out of the door to escape, but the Daoist chased her and struck her down. As she fell, the human skin came away with a ripping sound, and she turned into a vicious fiend that lay on the ground howling like a pig. With his wooden sword the Daoist cut off its head. Its body turned into thick smoke that lay in a heap on the ground. The Daoist took out a gourd, pulled out the stopper and set it in the smoke. With a whooshing sound, like a mouth drawing in breath, it sucked the smoke up, and in the blink of an eye the smoke was gone. The Daoist stopped up the gourd and put it in his bag. Together they looked at the human skin: eyebrows, eyes, hands, feet, nothing was missing. The Daoist rolled it up, and it made a sound like a painted scroll being rolled, and he put that in his bag too. Then he took his leave to go.
陳氏拜迎于門，哭求回生之法，道士謝不能；陳益悲，伏地不起。道士沉思曰：「我術淺，誠不能起死，我指一人，或能之，往求必合有效。」問：「何人？」曰：「市上有瘋者，時臥糞土中。試叩而哀之。倘狂辱夫人，夫人勿怒也。」二郎亦習知之，乃別道士，與嫂俱往；見乞人顛歌道上，鼻涕三尺，穢不可近。陳膝行而前。乞人笑曰：「佳人愛我乎？」陳告之故。又大笑曰：「人盡夫也，活之何為？」陳固哀之。乃曰：「異哉！人死而乞活于我，我閻摩耶？」怒以杖擊陳。陳忍痛受之。市人漸集如堵。乞人咯痰唾盈把，舉向陳吻曰：「食之！」陳紅漲于面，有難色；既思道士之囑，遂強啖焉。覺入喉中，硬如團絮，格格而下，停結胸間。乞人大笑曰：「佳人愛我哉！」遂起，行已不顧。尾之，入于廟中。追而求之，不知所在；前後冥搜，殊無端兆，慚恨而歸。
陈氏拜迎于门，哭求回生之法，道士谢不能；陈益悲，伏地不起。道士沉思曰：「我术浅，诚不能起死，我指一人，或能之，往求必合有效。」问：「何人？」曰：「市上有疯者，时卧粪土中。试叩而哀之。倘狂辱夫人，夫人勿怒也。」二郎亦习知之，乃别道士，与嫂俱往；见乞人颠歌道上，鼻涕三尺，秽不可近。陈膝行而前。乞人笑曰：「佳人爱我乎？」陈告之故。又大笑曰：「人尽夫也，活之何为？」陈固哀之。乃曰：「异哉！人死而乞活于我，我阎摩耶？」怒以杖击陈。陈忍痛受之。市人渐集如堵。乞人咯痰唾盈把，举向陈吻曰：「食之！」陈红涨于面，有难色；既思道士之嘱，遂强啖焉。觉入喉中，硬如团絮，格格而下，停结胸间。乞人大笑曰：「佳人爱我哉！」遂起，行已不顾。尾之，入于庙中。追而求之，不知所在；前后冥搜，殊无端兆，惭恨而归。
Mrs. Chen came to the gate, bowed to greet him and, weeping, begged him for a way to bring her husband back to life. The Daoist said he could not. Mrs. Chen grieved all the more and lay face down on the ground and would not get up. The Daoist thought deeply. “My arts are shallow,” he said. “I truly cannot raise the dead. But I will point you to someone who may be able to. Go and beg him, and it is sure to work.” “Who is he?” she asked. “There is a madman in the market who often lies in the dung and dirt. Try kowtowing to him and pleading with him. If he insults you in his madness, madam, do not be angry.” Erlang knew the man well. So they took leave of the Daoist, and he and his sister-in-law went together. They found the beggar singing wildly in the road, with snot three feet long, too filthy to go near. Mrs. Chen went up to him on her knees. The beggar laughed. “Does the pretty lady love me?” Mrs. Chen told him why she had come. He laughed even louder. “Any man can be your husband. Why bring this one back to life?” Mrs. Chen begged him all the harder. “Strange!” he said. “A man dies and you beg me to bring him back to life. Am I Yama, then?” In a rage he beat her with his stick. Mrs. Chen bore the pain and took the blows. People from the market gathered round, packed as tight as a wall. The beggar coughed up a handful of phlegm and spittle, held it to her lips and said, “Eat it!” Mrs. Chen’s face flushed crimson and she hesitated. But she remembered what the Daoist had told her, and forced herself to swallow it. She felt it go into her throat, hard as a ball of cotton wadding; it went down gulp by gulp and lodged in her chest. The beggar laughed aloud. “The pretty lady loves me!” Then he got up and walked off without looking back. They followed him into a temple. They hurried in after him to plead with him, but he was nowhere to be seen. They searched every corner, front and back, but found no trace of him at all, and went home ashamed and bitter.
既悼夫亡之慘，又悔食唾之羞，俯仰哀啼，但願即死；方欲展血斂尸，家人竚望，無敢近者。陳抱尸收腸，且理且哭。哭極聲嘶，頓欲嘔，覺鬲中結物，突奔而出，不及回首，已落腔中。驚而視之，乃人心也。在腔（中）突突猶躍，熱氣騰蒸如煙然。大異之。急以兩手合腔，極力抱擠，少懈，則氣氤氳自縫中出，乃裂繒帛急束之。以手撫尸，漸溫。覆以衾裯。中夜啟視，有鼻息矣。天明，竟活。為言：「恍惚若夢，但覺（腹）隱痛耳。」視破處，痂結如錢，尋愈。
既悼夫亡之惨，又悔食唾之羞，俯仰哀啼，但愿即死；方欲展血敛尸，家人竚望，无敢近者。陈抱尸收肠，且理且哭。哭极声嘶，顿欲呕，觉鬲中结物，突奔而出，不及回首，已落腔中。惊而视之，乃人心也。在腔（中）突突犹跃，热气腾蒸如烟然。大异之。急以两手合腔，极力抱挤，少懈，则气氤氲自缝中出，乃裂缯帛急束之。以手抚尸，渐温。覆以衾裯。中夜启视，有鼻息矣。天明，竟活。为言：「恍惚若梦，但觉（腹）隐痛耳。」视破处，痂结如钱，寻愈。
Grieving at her husband’s cruel death and stung by the shame of having eaten the spittle, she wept and wailed, bowing to the ground and rising again, and wished only to die. She was about to wipe away the blood and lay out the body, but the household stood staring and no one dared come near. Mrs. Chen took the body in her arms and gathered up the entrails, weeping as she worked. When she had wept until her voice was hoarse, she suddenly felt she would vomit. The lump in her chest burst up and out of her, and before she could turn her head, it had fallen into the open cavity of his body. She looked in astonishment: it was a human heart. There in the cavity it was still throbbing and leaping, and hot steam rose from it like smoke. She was amazed. Quickly she closed the wound with both hands and held it together with all her strength; whenever she eased her grip a little, steam came wisping out through the gap. So she tore a piece of silk and bound it tight. When she stroked the body with her hand, it was slowly growing warm. She covered it with a quilt. In the middle of the night she lifted the quilt to look, and he was breathing through his nose. By daybreak he was alive again. “It was all hazy, like a dream,” he told her. “I only feel a dull ache in my belly.” Where he had been torn open there was a scab the size of a coin, and soon he was healed.
異史氏曰：「愚哉世人！明明妖也，而以為美。迷哉愚人！明明忠也，而以為妄。然愛人之色而漁之，妻亦將食人之唾而甘之矣。天道好還，（無往不復，）但愚而迷者不寤耳。可哀也夫！」
异史氏曰：「愚哉世人！明明妖也，而以为美。迷哉愚人！明明忠也，而以为妄。然爱人之色而渔之，妻亦将食人之唾而甘之矣。天道好还，（无往不复，）但愚而迷者不寤耳。可哀也夫！」
The Historian of the Strange says: How foolish people are! It is plainly a demon, and they take it for a beauty. How deluded fools are! The warning is plainly loyal, and they take it for nonsense. But a man who covets another’s beauty and preys on it will see his own wife eat another man’s spittle and find it sweet. The way of Heaven repays in kind — nothing goes out that does not come back — only the foolish and deluded never wake up to it. How pitiful!