The Magic Lotus Lantern and Other Tales from the Han Chinese (World Folklore Series)

Focusing specifically on the stories of the Han Chinese (the largest ethnic group in China, numbering over a billion people), this collection presents more than 50 tales, both well known and obscure—from Monkeys Fishing the Moon and The Butterfly Lovers to Painted Skin and Dragon Princess. These are stories that will enchant listeners of all ages, while providing a glimpse into Chinese traditions and ways of thought. To further enhance cultural understanding, the tales are supplemented with historical and cultural background, notes on storytelling, crafts and games, recipes, proverbs, color photos, a map, a glossary, and more.In the past decades, the doors between China and the West have been flung open. Explosive economic growth and massive increases in travel and immigration have engendered curiosity and interest in this burgeoning nation. Yet modernization has a dark side too, threatening traditional Chinese culture, including stories and storytelling. This new gathering of stories from a variety of sources, captures the fading storytelling traditions of a vast and diverse country. Focusing specifically on the stories of the Han Chinese (the largest ethnic group in China, numbering over a billion people), the collection presents more than 50 tales, both well known and obscure—from Monkeys Fishing the Moon and The Butterfly Lovers to Dragon Princess and Painted Skin. These are stories that will enchant listeners of all ages, while providing a glimpse into Chinese traditions and ways of thought. Tales are organized into seven sections: Animal Tales; Tales of Magic, Love and Romance; Myths, Legends and Immortals; Moral Stories; How Things Came to Be; and Proverbial Tales. To further enhance cultural understanding, the stories are supplemented with historical and cultural background, notes on storytelling and other folk traditions, recipes, proverbs, color photos, a map, a glossary, and more. All grade levels. CONTENTS......Page 8 Foreword......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 Part 1: A General Introduction to China......Page 20 Land......Page 22 People......Page 24 Languages......Page 27 History......Page 29 Religion......Page 33 Customs......Page 36 Music and Performing Arts......Page 39 Fine Arts and Architecture......Page 43 Literature......Page 46 Storytelling in China......Page 49 Part 2: Food, Games, and Crafts......Page 52 Food......Page 54 Jiaozi (Dumplings)......Page 55 Hongzao niangao (New Year’s Cake with Dates)......Page 57 Laba zhou (The Twelfth Month Congee)......Page 58 Zongzi (Dumplings in Bamboo or Reed Leaves)......Page 59 Zhima shaobing (Sesame Cake)......Page 60 Yuanxiao (Rice Dumplings)......Page 61 Dandanmian (Sichuan Noodle)......Page 62 Yuebing (Moon Cake)......Page 63 Ban douya (Bean Sprout Salad)......Page 64 Suanlatang (Hot and Sour Soup)......Page 65 Jiang niurou (Multiflavored Beef)......Page 67 Fanqie chao jidan (Stir-Fried Tomato and Egg)......Page 68 Additional Readings......Page 69 Games......Page 70 Laoying zhuo xiaoji (Eagle and Chicks)......Page 71 Tiaoma (Horse Jumping)......Page 72 Diushoupa (Drop the Handkerchief)......Page 73 Additional Readings......Page 74 Crafts......Page 75 Cutting a Chinese Knot......Page 76 Making a Lantern......Page 77 Folding a Chinese Boat......Page 78 Additional Reading......Page 79 Part 3: The Tales......Page 88 Monkeys Fishing the Moon......Page 89 A Frog in a Well......Page 91 A Fox and a Tiger—Who Is the Real King of the Jungle?......Page 92 A Tiger That First Sees a Donkey......Page 93 Wolf “Mother”......Page 94 A Monkey and a Tiger......Page 96 Nezha Fights Sea Dragons......Page 99 A Beauty on a Painting Scroll......Page 102 The Field-snail Fairy......Page 105 Dragon Princess......Page 107 The Magic Lotus Lantern......Page 110 Monkey King and the Iron Fan Princess......Page 113 A Cricket Boy......Page 116 Tales of Love and Romance......Page 119 The Butterfly Lovers......Page 120 A Forsaken Wife and Her Unfaithful Husband......Page 124 A Peacock Flying Southeast......Page 128 Cowherd and Weaving Girl......Page 132 Meng Jiang Wails at the Great Wall......Page 135 A Romance of Zhang Gong and Cui Yingying......Page 139 Xu Xuan and His White-snake Wife......Page 142 Myths, Legends, and Immortals......Page 145 Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy......Page 146 Mazu, Mother Goddess of the Sea......Page 149 A Dancing Crane......Page 152 Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea......Page 154 Bao Zheng and the Fox Fairy......Page 158 Mulan Fights in the Guise of a Male Soldier......Page 162 Women Generals of the Yang Family and Commander-in-Chief Mu Guiying......Page 165 Gun and Yu Conquer the Deluge......Page 169 Laozi’s Prophecy......Page 172 A Compassionate Scholar and an Ungrateful Wolf......Page 173 Painted Skin......Page 176 Monkey King Strikes the White-bone Demon Three Times......Page 179 A Foolish Old Man Tries to Remove Two Mountains......Page 184 The Twin Sisters and the Magic Malan Flower......Page 185 A Man with a Dog’s Leg......Page 188 The Origin of the World......Page 191 The Origin of Human Beings......Page 192 The Origin of Chinese New Year and Its Customs......Page 194 The Origin of the Twelve Zodiac Animals......Page 197 The Origin of the Duanwu Festival......Page 198 The Origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival......Page 200 The Origin of Kitchen God and the Jizao Festival......Page 202 A Steed Lost Is More Horses Gained......Page 205 A Professed Dragon Lover......Page 206 Number Is Security......Page 207 Forgot How to Walk Back Home......Page 209 Waiting for a Rabbit to Bump into a Tree......Page 210 Fishing for a Sword Dropped into a River from a Moving Boat......Page 211 No Sycee Buried Here But Three Hundred Liang......Page 212 The Invincible Spear Versus the Impenetrable Shield......Page 213 A Smile Worth a Thousand Ounces of Gold......Page 214 Reducing an Iron Rod to a Sewing Needle......Page 215 An Unfolded Map Reveals a Dagger......Page 217 A King Who “Eats Bitter”......Page 218 Appendix A: Chinese Proverbs......Page 220 Appendix B: Motifs and Tale Sources......Page 226 Glossary......Page 244 References......Page 250 Index......Page 254 Focusing specifically on the stories of the Han Chinese (the largest ethnic group in China, numbering over a billion people), this collection presents more than 50 tales, both well known and obscurefrom Monkeys Fishing the Moon and The Butterfly Lovers to Painted Skin and Dragon Princess. These are stories that will enchant listeners of all ages, while providing a glimpse into Chinese traditions and ways of thought. To further enhance cultural understanding, the tales are supplemented with historical and cultural background, notes on storytelling, crafts and games, recipes, proverbs, color photos, a map, a glossary, and more. In the past decades, the doors between China and the West have been flung open. Explosive economic growth and massive increases in travel and immigration have engendered curiosity and interest in this burgeoning nation. Yet modernization has a dark side too, threatening traditional Chinese culture, including stories and storytelling. This new gathering of stories from a variety of sources, captures the fading storytelling traditions of a vast and diverse country. Focusing specifically on the stories of the Han Chinese (the largest ethnic group in China, numbering over a billion people), the collection presents more than 50 tales, both well known and obscurefrom Monkeys Fishing the Moon and The Butterfly Lovers to Dragon Princess and Painted Skin. These are stories that will enchant listeners of all ages, while providing a glimpse into Chinese traditions and ways of thought. Tales are organized into seven Animal Tales; Tales of Magic, Love and Romance; Myths, Legends and Immortals; Moral Stories; How Things Came to Be; and Proverbial Tales. To further enhance cultural understanding, the stories are supplemented with historical and cultural background, notes on storytelling and other folk traditions, recipes, proverbs, color photos, a map, a glossary, and more. All grade levels.