The mythology of Chinese culture and civilization is contained in a variety of sacred narratives which tell how the world and human society were created in their present form. They are sacred narratives because they relate acts of the deities in addition to other episodes, and they embody the most deeply felt spiritual values of a nation. A generally accepted Western definition of myth as 'sacred narrative' reflects the meaning of the Chinese term for myth, shen-hua: shen means 'divine, deity, holy'; hua means 'speech,tale, oral narrative'. The concerns of myth also extend beyond the accounts of the deities, including stories about world catastrophes of flood, fire,drought, famine, of eating, exile and migration, besides leadership qualities,human government, the hero figure and the foundation of dynasties, peoples and clans.

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Anne Birreli has translated representative narratives drawn from over a hundred classical texts in the course of her work on various aspects of Chinese mythology, and here she introduces a splendid selection especially for the general reader. Lucidly retold using English equivalents for the Chinese names, these lively mythic tales are full of colourful episodes and vivid characters. Helpfully organized by themes and motifs which set them in the context of mythology the world over, these stories are a fascinating treasure trove that has long been inaccessible and unknown to Western readers.

Introduction

Origins

Divine cosmos

Catastrophe myths

Mythic heroes and heroines

Gender in myth

Metamorphoses

Fabled flora and fauna

Strange lands and peoples

Continuities in the mythic tradition

Suggestions for further reading

Picture credits

Index