In 1967 a body of Chinese texts was discovered in a tomb outside Shanghai. It contained a set of unique examples of an oral genre favoured by unlearned classes in the late imperial period (15th century), best called 'chantefables', appearing at the beginning of a profound historical shift which resulted in a broadening of the uses of writing and printing in China. These texts are now generally seen to occupy an important place in the development of Chinese literature as a whole, and of Chinese vernacular literature in particular. In the first monographic treatment of all the chantefable corpus in English the author, by examination from a more anthropological view, points out that these 'oral traditional texts' can only be appreciated in the festival, ritual and performative context of their derivation and reception. Topics dealt with in this important work include the popular interpretation of Confucian orthodoxies, the literary recycling of the oral tradition, and the influence of chantefables on the development of Chinese vernacular fiction. The author offers interesting comparative perspective on the different social consequences of print technology in China and the West. Illustrations of ten chantefable woodblocks are included.

"This is the first book-length study in the West on the folk epics of the Han Chinese people, who are the majority population of China. These folk epics provide an unparalleled resource for understanding the importance of "the local" in Chinese culture, especially how rice-growing populations perceived their environment and relational world. The folk epics were sung by illiterate farmers while working in the rice paddy or boating along the waterways. It was believed that singing promoted crop fertility and that the rice-plant embodied a female rice spirit whose growth and development paralleled that of human sexuality and procreation. Regarded as "vulgar" due to its erotic content, this song tradition was marginalized and little understood. The erotic content is often removed in editions directed at a national readership. Employing perspectives from memory studies, eco-criticism, and the study of oral traditions, this book examines in detail five iconic folk epics. The author draws on interviews with contemporary song transmitters and ethnologists from the Lake Tai region, as well as a collection of singer transcripts and unedited song material"--

When young Ming travels with his father to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, little does he know that he will meet the famous philosopher himself! Ming and his father are in China's Qufu, Shandong Province, where the great sage Confucius was born over 2,500 years ago. While Ming's father studies the stunning historic architecture, Ming's attention is drawn to a game of Chinese checkers set up in a gazebo. As soon as he touches the checkers, he finds himself magically transported back in time to ancient Qufu. There he meets Confucius and his students, and explores with them the principles established by the renowned teacher, which remain so important in China today.

Chinese civilization is about 5,000 years old. The roots of Chinese culture are as old as Chinese civilization. The ancient culture has tremendously evolved over the long period. Much of what we see in China today can be traced back to the ancient civilization. Chinese people love their culture, and no wonder they are proud of their culture. Chinese language is a very important part of Chinese culture. If you are learning Chinese, you are supposed to learn Chinese culture. This book is Part 9 (第九卷, dì jiǔ juǎn) of the Introduction to Chinese Culture. The book introduces you to the Qing Ming Festival (清明节简介), also known as the Pure Brightness Festival, and the Tomb Sweeping Festival. This book is essentially a Chinese reading practice book. It will help you learn to read Chinese books.

Talk about Chinese culture and images of dragon boats, lion dances, red packets and mandarin oranges readily come to mind. Their common thread is that they are all considered auspicious symbols by the Chinese. This charmingly illustrated book takes you on a journey of discovery of many others: * Animals: Phoenix, tortoise, tiger, bat, toad, spider, deer, elephant, horse, crane, carp, goldfish and others. * Plants: Pine, bamboo, plum peony, peach, orchid, chrysanthemum, pomegranate, gourd and others. * Objects: Treasure bowl, money tree, copper coin, ruyi, mirror, seal, Chinese knot and 'tower of wisdom'. * Home items: New year couplets, dumpling, glutinous rice ball, fish, chopsticks, longevity noodles and others. * Words: Happiness, wealth, longevity, Eight Immortals, combined characters, auspicious numbers and greetings. Understanding the appeal of these symbols will help you to appreciate the arts and crafts displayed in Chinese homes and workplaces.