1 h 30 minAudiobook8 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A familiar face, a promising deal, a bag of silver: which part of the scene is the trap?
In The Book of Swindles, Zhang Yingyu takes you through the markets, inns, boats and government offices of late Ming China. Money moves quickly, and strangers have good reasons to be wary. These short tales follow con artists as they set their traps, borrow identities and turn another person's trust into a chance for profit.
The collection groups its tricks into twenty-four categories, including fake silver, stolen goods, false identity and schemes that feed on desire. One bag replaces another. A stranger claims a connection or rank. Zhang shows how each deception works and who falls for it. Most tales end with his own brief warning, making the stories both sly entertainment and a practical guide to dealing with strangers.
What you’ll discover
- The art of substitution Watch a simple exchange of look-alike bags become the heart of a swindle.
- Names that open doors Meet impostors who pose as relatives, scholars or servants of officials to gain trust.
- Hope becomes a weakness Explore schemes that work on private wishes and worries, not just the hunger for silver.
- Everyday life in motion Step beyond emperors into a busy world of travellers, householders, markets and inns.
- A storyteller's warning Follow Zhang's closing comments as he draws practical cautions from the tricks he tells.
Who will love it
Readers who enjoy clever crime stories, cautionary tales and glimpses of daily life in Ming China will find short cases to savour, each closing with a lesson on how to judge people.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Thieves borrow trust to steal in plain sight
- Keep your own hands on what you own
- Beware good news and miracles that nobody asked for
- A pleasant new friend may be planning your ruin
- Brokers, gamblers and boasters bring their own downfall
- On boats and roads, dress plainly and stay close
- Courts and examination halls are full of clever traps
- Marriage and desire are favorite ground for swindlers
- Holy men who ask for silver deserve a plain question
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 1 h 30 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 8 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
eBooks and audiobooks open right away. Download EPUB or PDF, or send the book to your Kindle. Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then 0,14 USD a day in your first year on the yearly plan and 0,27 USD a day after, or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
Read and hear Das Buch der Betrügereien in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Das Buch der Betrügereien
by Zhang Yingyu · 1617
A stranger asks you to mind his umbrella while he shops, and a horse, a bolt of satin and a good name are at stake.
Medium levelUnder 2 hours to read25 languages
Excellent
- Read or listen
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then 0,14 USD a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
In short
Can a thief steal satin by pretending to buy your horse? The Book of Swindles by Zhang Yingyu, a Chinese collection from the late Ming era, sets out many such cases.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Thieves borrow trust to steal in plain sight
He arranges for other people to hand him the goods. Zhang Yingyu lays out each trick so the listener sees exactly how it works.
A rogue in fine clothes admires the horse of a seller named Chen Qing, rides it toward a satin shop, and leaves Chen holding his umbrella outside. Inside, he walks out with the satin, saying his horse and companion wait at the door. The shopkeeper seizes Chen, and only a sharp prefect sees the plan. In another case, a man dressed as a carpenter carries off a money changer's desk, grumbling aloud that it needs replacing, and no bystander stops him.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about Das Buch der Betrügereien
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is The Book of Swindles about?
Each case ends with advice on how to avoid the trick.
Who wrote The Book of Swindles and when?
Zhang Yingyu wrote it in the late Ming era, and its cases mention the Wanli reign. He compiled the stories as a guide for merchants and travelers, adding his own comment to each one.
Are the stories in The Book of Swindles true?
The author presents them as real cases, with named people, places and officials. Some read like retold rumors and tales, but all serve the same aim, which is to show readers how deception works and how to resist it.
The author
Zhang Yingyu
Chinese Ming dynasty writer
Zhang Yingyu was a Chinese writer from Fujian province who lived during the late Ming dynasty. He wrote The Book of Swindles, which was published in 1617. Little is known about his life, and his dates of birth and death are unknown.
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
