Records of Unusual Phenomena 录异记

Authored by Du Guangting, titled "Compiled by Minister Du Guangting, the Guangcheng Master, Grand Master of Glorious Prosperity, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, First-Class Pillar of the State, and Duke of Cai". The original work consists of eight volumes, while the version in the The Daozang is condensed into four volumes and included in the Biographical Category of the The Dongxuan Section.

Records of Unusual Phenomena

In his preface at the beginning of the book, Du Guangting stated: Though the sage refrained from speaking of strange powers, chaotic spirits and supernatural matters, such tales are often recorded in classical scriptures and historical annals. Taking advantage of his leisure time, the author "compiled these accounts by chance, gathering stories either witnessed and heard firsthand or collected from various books, in the hope that those with a fondness for such matters may find pleasure in perusing them", and named the work Records of Unusual Phenomena.

The book contains more than 120 stories of strange and supernatural occurrences from ancient and contemporary times, most of which date from the Tang Dynasty. These tales are categorized into seventeen sections: Immortals, Extraordinary People, Loyalty and Filial Piety, Karmic Responses, Strange Dreams, Gods and Ghosts, and others. Following a style similar to Records of the Unusual and In Search of the Supernatural, it draws on abundant sources and serves as a valuable reference for scholars of literature and history, as well as researchers of Taiji and Taoist cultural studies.