Chinese Mythology A To Z

An alphabetical presentation of the major figures, places, stories, objects, and themes of Chinese mythology.

Alphabetical entries cover Buddhist deities, legendary characters, sacred places and shrines, Chinese dynasties and beliefs, and animal legends and themes.

The chief literary sources of Chinese myths are the Li tai shen hsien t'ung chien, in thirty-two volumes, the Shen hsien lieh chuan, in eight volumes, the Feng shen yen i, in eight volumes, and the Sou shen chi, in ten volumes. In writing the following pages I have translated or paraphrased largely from these works. I have also consulted and at times quoted from the excellent volumes on Chinese Superstitions by Pere Henri Dore, comprised in the valuable series Varietes Sinologiques, published by the Catholic Mission Press at Shanghai. The native works contained in the Ssu K'u Ch'uan Shu, one of the few public libraries in Peking, have proved useful for purposes of reference. My heartiest thanks are due to my good friend Mr Mu Hsueh-hs�n, a scholar of wide learning and generous disposition, for having kindly allowed me to use his very large and useful library of Chinese books. The late Dr G.E. Morrison also, until he sold it to a Japanese baron, was good enough to let me consult his extensive collection of foreign works relating to China whenever I wished, but owing to the fact that so very little work has been done in Chinese mythology by Western writers I found it better in dealing with this subject to go direct to the original Chinese texts. I am indebted to Professor H.A. Giles, and to his publishers, Messrs Kelly and Walsh, Shanghai, for permission to reprint from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio the fox legends given in Chapter XV.This is, so far as I know, the only monograph on Chinese mythology in any non-Chinese language. Nor do the native works include any scientific analysis or philosophical treatment of their myths. Page 8My aim, after summarizing the sociology of the Chinese as a prerequisite to the understanding of their ideas and sentiments, and dealing as fully as possible, consistently with limitations of space (limitations which have necessitated the presentation of a very large and intricate topic in a highly compressed form), with the philosophy of the subject, has been to set forth in English dress those myths which may be regarded as the accredited representatives of Chinese mythology-those which live in the minds of the people and are referred to most frequently in their literature, not those which are merely diverting without being typical

This book introduces readers to Chinese mythology, presents legendary characters and stories, and shows how Chinese myths have influenced our culture. Readers are engaged with historical content while sharpening their skills at analyzing images and identifying evidence.

Compiled from ancient and scattered texts and based on groundbreaking new research, Handbook of Chinese Mythology is the most comprehensive English-language work on the subject ever written from an exclusively Chinese perspective. This work focuses on the Han Chinese people but ranges across the full spectrum of ancient and modern China, showing how key myths endured and evolved over time. A quick reference section covers all major deities, spirits, and demigods, as well as important places, mythical animals and plants, and related items.

In graphic novel format, presents three stories based upon ancient Chinese religious mythology.

In Chinese Mythology, Anne Birrell provides English translations of some 300 representative myth narratives selected from over 100 classical texts, many of which have never before been translated into any Western language. Organizing the narratives according to themes and motifs common to world mythology, Birrell addresses issues of source, dating, attribution, textural variants, multiforms, and context. Drawing on exhaustive work in comparative mythology, she surveys the development of Chinese myth studies, summarizes the contribution of Chinese and Japanese scholars to the study of Chinese myth since the 1920s, and examines special aspects of traditional approaches to Chinese myth. The result is an unprecedented guide to the study of Chinese myth for specialists and nonspecialists alike.

Collects stories from ancient Chinese mythology, including the creation of the world, the story of the Yellow Emperor, and the importance of dragons who would intervene to help the Chinese people.

Discusses the myths and gods of ancient China and their sources.