Illustrated myths & legends of China

About this book

Illustrated Myths & Legends of China is a profusely illustrated collection of 32 carefully chosen tales of Chinese Myth and legend. With more than 100 illustrations drawn over two thousand years of all aspects of Chinese art, including painting, pottery and porcelain, jade, bronzes and tomb decoration, Illustrated Myths & Legends of China is not only a vividly written collection of tales of the universe's emergence from chaos and the creation of the world in which the first Chinese people appeared but also a depiction of how the many strands of myth and legend have reformed and influence Chinese culture. An impressive array of heroic figures and rich storytelling are at the center of these tales including: **Pangu opening heaven to save the earth from chaos. **Nuwa creating man and repairing the vault of heaven. **Fuxi fixing the calendar by observing the heavens. **Shennong creating agriculture. **Cangjie inventing writing thus creating the basis for Chinese culture. Fragments of these myths and legends are found in Chinese paintings, wood artifacts, relief carvings, and lacquer art which are illustrated in this book along with informative text.