Quick Overview An introduction to Chinese mythology. Colourful, sometimes grotesque and imaginative, Chinese mythology is just as moving and compelling as anything to be found in the better-known Egyptian, Greek and Teutonic traditions. In this book, Yuan Ke has culled from ancient sources, rearranged in chronological order and retold the variant versions of the creation of the world, the origins of men, women and animals and the era of the five endlessly warring emperor-gods. Table of Contents Part 1 The Gods of creation: the first world - Pan Gu opens up heaven and earth; the first people - Nu Wa creates humanity, the marriage of Nu Wa and Fu XI, a southwest creation story; the collapse of the heavens - the war between fire and water, Nu Wa mends the sky. Part 2 The Gods descend to earth: the five emperors; the struggle for supremacy; the yellow emperor, Huang Di - Mount Kunlun - the earthly home of the yellow emperor, the yellow emperor loses his precious pearl; God of the east - Tai Hou - strange birth, powers and gifts; God of the south - the fiery emperor - the first grain, the three daughters of the fiery emperor; God of the west - Shao Hao; God of the north - Zhuan Xu - the heavenly ladder destroyed, Zhuan Xu's children, the secret of longevity, the death of Zhuan Xu; God of the underworld - Hou Tu; demons, giants and ghosts - the other realms of heaven and earth - the yellow emperor's procession, giants, dwarfs and little people. Part 3 Wars of the Gods - the first uprising; Chi You challenges the yellow emperor; a tale of Chi You's giant troops - Kua Fu tries to catch the sun; the final defeat of Chi You; Xing Tian takes revenge - the yellow emperor's last battle; a victory celebration and the gift of silk; the flowering of culture; the yellow emperor returns to heaven. Part 4 Divine heroes: two Gods of the Yin nation - Di Jun, Di Ku, Di Ku's music, Di Ku's wives and ancestors, Qi, Hou Ji; King Yao - auspicious signs and inventions, Yao's officials, famous gifts, respect for the king, Yao's evil son, Dan Zhu, the heritage of King Yao; Shun, Yao's successor - Shun's birth and marriage, Xiang tries to murder Shun, Shun is offered the kingdom, other tales of Shun; Yi, the archer - the ten strange suns, the tasks of Yi, Chang E quests for immortality, Mi Fei, the fairy, betrayed by an apprentice; gun battles the great flood; Yu conquers the flood - the defeat of Gong Gong, regulation of the rivers, help from the fairy Yao Ji, the marriage of Yu, where Yu travelled while controlling the flood, the nine-headed monster, legendary vessels, the death of Yu; ten thousand strange sights, ten thousand strange creatures - Shanhaijing - the south, the east, the north, the west. Part 5 Three dynasties: the Xia dynasty - Qi usurps state power, Hou Yi of Youqiong state, Kong Jia, lover of dragons, Jie, last king of the Xia dynasty; the Shang dynasty - the Yin nation - herders and princes, King Tang defeats Jie of Xia, King Tang offers a rain sacrifice, the official Fu Yue becomes a star, Zhou, last king of the Shang dynasty; the Zhou dynasty - Xibo finds a wise counsellor, young Prince Wu brings down the Shang dynasty, the death of a concubine and the loyalty of two old men, King Mu meets a magician and the fairy of the West, a skilful craftsman, the rebellion of Prince Yan of Xu, Du Bo kills King Xuan of Zhou, Bo Qi sings a mournful song, the death of King You - fall of the western, Zhou dynasty. Part 6 Other favourite tales:
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