FOREWORD

For many Americans, China is a mystery, due to the vast differences between Chinese
and American cultures. This book intends to lead American readers into that unfamiliar ter-
ritory through a doorway painted with fascinating tales from Chinese tradition.
China has produced countless tales of various genres in its 5,000-year history. The
tales transmitted from generation to generation, by mouth and in print, have gone through a
long process of transformation, changing with the growth of Chinese culture. The narra-
tives are expressions of the Chinese peoples wisdom, records of their lives, and reflections
of their thinking. This book includes fifty-four tales of the Han Chinese, who constitute the
largest ethnic group of China, totaling 91.5 percent of its entire population. Of these tales,
seven were collected from oral sources in China by the author. Although the majority of the
tales contain materials based on either written sources or performing arts, this is the first
time they have been retold and published together in English in a World Folklore Series
book, along with notes about folklore motif numbers and descriptions. Conscientiously se-
lected and divided into the categories of animal; magic, love and romance; myth, legend,
and immortals; moral; how things came to be. and proverbial tales, they are good represen-
tations of the Han Chinese folk narrative tradition.
Preceding the tales, Part 1 familiarizes American readers with the Chinese land, peo-
ple, languages, history, religion, customs, literature, and performing and fine arts, as well as
providing an account of Chinese storytelling. Part 2 highlights traditional Chinese food,
spiced with a dozen recipes; Chinese pastimes with instructions for popular childrens
games; and a brief introduction to Chinese crafts, with examples that offer easy-to-follow
directions. Rather than being a simple storybook, this collection offers a rich context in
which to understand Chinese folktales.
This book is notable for its flowing text, enchanting stories, and captivating photos and
pictures. Readers of all ages and walks of life will find the volume useful, including students,
school teachers and librarians, instructors of Chinese, folklorists, travelers and
businesspeople who plan to visit China, and everyone who has an interest in Chinese culture.
Cultures of the world may differ in many ways, but human desires and aspirations are
the same; peace, justice, love, and happiness are the themes of many of the tales included in

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