Books with title Myths and Legends of China

The Ancient Chinese lived thousands of years ago, but their myths are filled with characters, creatures, and stories that have fascinated people ever since. This book mixes dramatic retellings and nonfiction information to give a full picture of Chinese myths, exploring the gods, goddesses, heroes, villains, tricksters, and quests that make Chinese myths and legends so compelling.

The most popular myths and legends of Japanese culture are charmingly retold in English in this handsomely illustrated book. Here are myths of gods, heroes and warriors; legends of Buddha, and of the goddess Benten and the god Daikoku; tales of the sea and of Mount Fuji; accounts of superstitions and supernatural beings; observations on the spiritual properties of fans, flowers, dolls and butterflies and much more.The collection begins with the early myths of Japan, which the author describes as "quaint, beautiful, quasi-humorous." These are followed by legends celebrating early heroes and warriors, and the earliest examples of the Japanese romance, "The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon-Maiden." Many of the legends that follow reflect a poetic love of beauty and of nature. But as the author points out, "there is plenty of crude realism in Japanese legend. We are repelled by the Thunder God's favorite repast, amazed by the magical power of foxes and cats; and the story of 'Hōïchi-the-Earless' and of the corpse-eating priest afford striking examples of the combination of the weird and the horrible."Thirty-two full-page illustrations offer compelling images of Buddha and the Dragon; A Kakemono Ghost; The Jelly-Fish and the Monkey; The Firefly Battle; Tokoyo and the Sea Serpent; Sengen, the Goddess of Mount Fuji; and other subjects of these timeless myths. In addition, the author has included several invaluable appendixes that offer a helpful note on Japanese poetry, a listing of gods and goddesses, a genealogy of The Age of the Gods, and an index of poetical quotations.

Bold reader - open your mystical map and get ready to travel through time with 21 dazzling stories of daring and deceit, reward and punishment. Meet gods, goddesses and demigods, serpents, coyotes, talking fish and clever spiders, and cavort with sea nymphs, mystical women, terrifying beasts and volcano people - as you discover different tales of how the world began. These powerful, fascinating myths and legends will transport you to every corner of the globe. You'll journey from ancient to modern times, from hot climates to freezing temperatures, from mountaintops to seafloors. The stories in this book link you to past generations; these tales have been passed down through a long line of oral traditions. The souls of ancestors, the lives of heroes and the fates of mortals are waiting to be discovered. Myths and legends are retold by Alli Brydon and beautifully illustrated by Julia Iredale. Myths from Africa include: 'The Creation of the World' from the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo 'The Tale of the Ghosts and the Flutes' from the Beba people of Cameroon 'Anansi and the Box of Stories' from the Ashanti people of present-day Ghana Myths from Europe include: The Selkies from Scottish mythology 'Athena, Arachne and the Duelling Looms' from Greek mythology Myths from Asia include: Lord Ganesh from the Hindu pantheon 'Nyai Loro Kidul, Queen of the Sea' from Indonesian mythology Myths of Oceania include: 'The Legend of Maui' from Polynesian mythology Uluru from the Anangu people of Australia The Rainbow Serpent from the Aboriginal people of Australia Myths of the Americas include: 'Coyote Steals Fire for the People' from the Native American people of the United States 'The Hero Twins Visit the Underworld' from the Mayan People of Mesoamerica The Mapinguary from Brazilian mythology Myths from the Arctic include: Sedna, the Mother of the Sea from Inuit mythology Niekija and the Northern Lights from Sami Shamanism About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids - an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet - published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travellers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

My 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 or instructive—in short, a true, not a distorted image

In this fascinating and comprehensive collection of Chinese myths and legends, E. T. C. Werner drew upon material readily available to him as a member of the Chinese government's' Historiographical Bureau in Peking. A former barrister and British consul in Foochow, Werner presents a wealth of information illuminating the ideas and beliefs that governed the daily lives of the Chinese people long before the revolutions of the 20th century. Offering a provocative glimpse into a world dominated by traditional rules of etiquette and inhabited by demons, dragon-gods, and spirits, the volume opens with an introductory chapter on the origins of the Chinese people. In succeeding chapters, Mr. Werner's readable, well-illustrated text considers the gods of China and myths of stars, thunder, lightning, wind and rain; of water and fire; of epidemics, medicine, and exorcism; as well as tales about the goddess of mercy, the guardian of the gate of heaven, accounts of how the Monkey became a god, and much more.

The Celts lived thousands of years ago, but their myths are filled with characters, creatures, and stories that have fascinated people ever since. This book mixes dramatic retellings and non-fiction information to give a full picture of Celtic myths, exploring the gods, goddesses, heroes, villains, tricksters, and quests that make Celtic myths and legends so compelling.