| "The Bird Language" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short story by Pu Songling | |||
 19th-century illustration from Xiangzhu liaozhai zhiyi tuyong (Liaozhai Zhiyi with commentary and illustrations; 1886) | |||
| Original title | 鸟语 (Niaoyu) | ||
| Translator | Sidney L. Sondergard (2008) | ||
| Country | China | ||
| Language | Chinese | ||
| Genre(s) | |||
| Publication | |||
| Published in | Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio | ||
| Publication date | 1740 | ||
| Chronology | |||
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"The Bird Language" (simplified Chinese: 鸟语; traditional Chinese: 鳥語; pinyin: Niǎo yǔ) is a short story by Pu Songling, first published in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (1740). It is a brief anecdote about a Taoist monk who can communicate with birds, which has been suggested to be a criticism of the corrupt bureaucracy in Pu's time.