This collection gives a fine insight into the past of Chinese unconscious through the prevailing themes of pursuit of love, seeking of justice and restoring the truth. The plots of the plays deal with degradation of women and torture of the weak way more often than it’s desirable for a contemporary reader. Each play has a happy end of a sort, but when the vengeance takes place after three generations or the corrupt official denounced post mortem, it’s a weak consolation.