University Libraries Faculty & Staff Book Gallery
The Magic Lotus Lantern and Other Tales from the Han Chinese
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Description
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.
ISBN
978-1-59158-294-6
Publication Date
2006
Publisher
Libraries Unlimited
Disciplines
Chinese Studies | Folklore
Recommended Citation
Yuan, Haiwang, "The Magic Lotus Lantern and Other Tales from the Han Chinese" (2006). University Libraries Faculty & Staff Book Gallery. 15.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlps_book/15
Comments
Haiwang Yuan joined the Department of Library Public Services at WKU in 1997. A Fulbright student, he received his M.A. and M.L.S. from Indiana University at Bloomington. He is Professor and Web & Emerging Technologies Coordinator, leading the Libraries’ Web & Emerging Technologies Work Group and serves on the Library Leaders Council. He's a member of WKU's Academic Technologies Advisory Group and the WKU Web Council.