《狐媚叢談》是一部以狐為主題的明代文言小說總集。有墨杘子為其撰寫小引，憑虛子「（叢）而傳之」，最終由明代書坊主楊爾曾刊刻成書。然而，《狐媚叢談》的作者究竟是誰，目前學術界尚無定論。有學者認為《狐媚叢談》的編纂者是墨杘子，有人認為是憑虛子，也有人認為是楊爾曾。據考證，墨杘子與憑虛子都是「子虛烏有」的寓言式人名，《狐媚叢談》的刊刻者楊爾曾則歷史實有。楊爾曾，明代浙江人，是一位作家兼書坊主。蘇杭刻書歷史悠久，在明代中後期更是刻書的中心，可見，《狐媚叢談》的刊刻成書具有得天獨厚的區位優勢。另外，楊爾曾具有尚道的思想傾向，其名下的《仙媛紀事》、《淨明宗教錄》等書籍便浸染著濃郁的道教思想。無獨有偶，《狐媚叢談》的刊刻成書也離不開楊爾曾這一宗教思想的指引。

With a theme of fox, Hu Mei Cong Tan is collection of classical Chinese novels in Ming dynasty. Mochizi writtes Foreword for it, and Pingxuzi “(collects) and passes it on,” finally it inscribed tobe a book in Ming Dynasty by Yangerzeng. However, today’s researchers still argue about Who is the author of Hu Mei Cong Tan, there is not a conclusion that can convince most people. Thre are three main points arguing about who is compiler of Hu Mei Cong Tan, Mochizi or Pingxuzi and Yangerzeng. According to research, Mochizi and Pingxuzi are non-existent, they are allegorical figures, but Yangerzeng is a real history Character who inscribe Hu Mei Cong Tan as a book. Yangerzeng Born lives in Zhejiang in the Ming Dynasty, he is a writer and bookshop owners. it is a long history for SuHang engraved book, In the late Ming Dynasty it become the central area of engraved book. Obviously, SuHang has a great geographical advantage to inscribe Hu Mei Cong Tan. Other, Yangerzeng has a mindset advocating Taoism whoes work “Sin Yuan Chronicle” and “Jing Ming religion” as well other books which influnced by Taoist ideas. Coincidentally, the inscription of Hu Mei Cong Tan is inseparable from the religious thought of the guidelines Yangerzeng.