Tangguo

An anthology of chilling tales from contemporary China, translated into English for the very first time.

An anthology of unsettling tales from contemporary China, translated into English for the very first time.

Fourteen dazzling horror stories delve deep into the psyche of modern China in this new anthology curated by acclaimed writer and essayist Xueting C. Ni, editor and translator of the British Fantasy Award-winning Sinopticon.

From the menacing vision of a red umbrella, to the ominous atmosphere of the Laughing Mountain; from the waking dream of virtual working to the sinister games of the locked room... this is a fascinating insight into the spine-chilling voices working within China today - a long way from the traditional expectations of hopping vampires and hanging ghosts.

This ground-breaking collection features both well-known names and bold upcoming writers, including: Hong Niangzi, Fan Zhou, Chu Xidao, She Cong Ge, Chuan Ge, Goodnight, Xiaoqing, Zhou Dedong, Nanpai Sanshu, Yimei Tangguo, Chi Hui, Zhou Haohui, Su Min, Cai Jun, and Gu Shi.

Xueting Christine Ni was born in Guangzhou, during China’s ＂re-opening to the West＂. Having lived in cities across China, she emigrated with her family to Britain at the age of 11, where she continued to be immersed in Chinese culture, alongside her British education, realising ultimately that this gave her a unique a cultural perspective, bridging her Eastern and Western experiences. After graduating in English Literature from the University of London, she began a career in the publishing industry, whilst also translating original works of Chinese fiction. She returned to China in 2008 to continue her research at Central University of Nationalities, Beijing. Since 2010, Xueting has written extensively on Chinese culture and China’s place in Western pop media, presenting publicly in collaboration with companies, theatres, institutions and festivals. Having worked on manhua, poetry, documentaries and science fiction, she continues her literary translation of China to the West, with a mission to help improve understanding of Chinese heritage, culture and innovation, and introduce its wonders to new audiences. Xueting currently lives in the suburbs of London with her partner and their cat, both of whom are learning Chinese. You can find out more about her work from her website: snowpavilion.co.uk.

＂A Piece of Candy,＂ or ＂Poison Candy＂ to her readers, is a renowned suspense writer, attracting millions of dedicated fans. Her sharp writing style, and alluring plotlines, have cemented her place as China’s unshakable queen of horror.

Author, screenwriter, and committee member of the China Writer’s Association, Cai Jun has published about thirty novels, many short stories, and has won multiple awards including the Liang Yusheng Award for Outstanding Contribution and the Hundred Flowers Literature Award.

The former deputy chief editor of Science Fiction World, Chi Hui has published almost a dozen sci-fi and fantasy novels, and has earned such accolades as the Galaxy, Nebula and Coordinate awards. Her short works are available in English on Clarkesworld, and Apex magazines.

A member of the Shanghai Writer’s Association and ex-creative director to an advertising company, Chu Xidao now works mainly on novel and screen writing, with great acclaim for her series Demon Born. She was also head script writer for the C-Drama Warrior of Destiny.

A self-professed ＂story grave-digger,＂ Chuan Ge is a suspense writer famous for his short form suspense and deduction fiction, managing to create high tension in an exceptionally short space of time.

As a new writer, with a very serious day job, Fan Zhou spends her spare time writing in secret about the type of conspiracy, corpses and crime she wishes she could banish purely to the pages of fiction.

Goodnight Xiaoqing is one of the ＂hot authors＂ jointly endorsed by almost all China’s major online publishing platforms, with millions of followers calling themselves ＂The Qing Clan.＂ Her books include The Imprisoned Fox, The Avenger’s Song and Ghostly Fragrance.

Suspense author, screen writer and cutting-edge director, Zhou Haohui is most known as the creator of the Death Notice franchise, China’s hottest suspense drama, whose live action adaption drew a 100 million views within days of its release.

Gu Shi is a speculative fiction writer and senior urban planner. She has been working as a researcher at the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design since 2012. Her short fiction works have won two Yinhe Awards and three Xingyun Awards. She published her first story collection Möbius Continuum in 2020. Her stories have been translated into English and published in Clarkesworld and Xprize’s Sci-fi Ocean Anthology.

The pen name of Xu Yufeng, She Cong Ge published his first supernatural horror, Ghost Stories of Yichang, in 2010, and shot to fame online. He quit his day job in 2013 to help in adapting his books Snake City and The Secret Tunnel for TV and film.

A sci-fi and screen writer, Su Min’s signature works have won reader voted awards at both the 2019 Chinese Sci-Fi Gala, and the 2020 Gravity Award for Best Short Fiction, whilst The Reconciliation won a ＂Youth Star＂ from the China Science and Science Fiction Association.

Hong Niangzi, ＂The Red Lady,＂ has written 16 novels, including her Seven Colour Horrors series. Her flair and dynamic style have earned her the title ＂The Empress of Horror.＂ Published in Italy, Korea, and Vietnam, this is the first time her work will be available in English.

Considered China’s ＂godfather of suspense fiction＂, Zhou Dedong has been editor-in-chief of Youth, Friends and Motto magazines, and has published almost a dozen books, which have been translated across the world.

Nanpai Sanshu, (＂Third Uncle of the Southern Sect＂), is the pseudonym of Xu Lei. One of the founding figures of China’s tomb raiding genre, his signature work, The Graverobber Chronicles, launched a multi-award winning, multi-media experience covering film, TV, comics and games.