East Asian Folktales, Myths & Legends

Have you ever wondered about the origins of Chinese New Year? Or why the Chinese zodiac names its years after particular animals such as the rat, the dragon and the rooster? If so, this collection of ancient tales from East Asia will answer your questions and entertain you at the same time. 

The myths and legends in this book are principally from China, Japan and North and South Korea but, as a result of millennia of migration across the globe, they are now familiar to communities all over the world. 

Divided thematically into tales of origin and discovery, festival stories, animal tales, tales of the good, wise and brave, and ancient love stories, there is something in the collection to please every reader and together they build a glorious background to the cultural values, beliefs and celebrations of East Asian communities at home and abroad. 

So, whether your preference is for magic, absurdity, horror, romance, history or spirituality, there will be plenty to enjoy in this retelling of ancient tales that have their origin in a tradition of centuries-old oral storytelling.