平话主人

Pinghua Zhuren (平话主人), whose real name and dates are unknown, is the author of the novel "Nine-Tailed Fox" (九尾狐), published in the late Qing dynasty. The pseudonym, meaning "Master of Plain Talk," suggests a storyteller or vernacular writer. The novel, drawing on the legendary fox spirit motif, is a satirical and moralistic tale that critiques social corruption and human folly. While not as famous as other Qing novels, it contributes to the rich tradition of Chinese supernatural fiction and reflects the era's literary interest in blending folk beliefs with social critique. The author's identity remains obscure, but the work has been preserved in Chinese literary collections and studied by scholars of Qing fiction.