Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends (Hardcover)

By Rena Krasno and Yeng-Fong Chiang

This unique collection of 23 legends and myths from China will introduce young readers to magic monkeys, goddesses and immortals, heroines and patriots, poets and philosophers. These stories have entertained and educated many generations of Chinese children and provide today’s readers a window to China's traditional values and beliefs.

The first four stories are ancient legends about deities whose behavior and actions affected the world and the lives of humans. They relate ideas from very ancient times. Next are eight stories that reflect China’s three great traditions of Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Following are nine tales from history about real people still admired by the Chinese people. The last two stories are excerpts from tales that became the basis for two of China’s best-loved novels.

China’s legends reflect the dreams, history, and values of the Chinese people. And they link today with the past. Many of these tales are more than a thousand years old, but they are still popular today. In China, depictions of legendary characters are printed on greeting cards and calendars, carved on door and window frames, and painted on vases. Children learn these stories in school, and through comic books and cartoons. Legends are often the basis for plays and operas. The Moon Maiden, Monkey King, and other characters advertise products on television.

The illustrations are from rare advertising posters of the 1920s and 1930s in the collection of Yeng-Fong Chiang. .