Handbook of Chinese Mythology (Handbooks of World Mythology)

This is a more academic type text, rather than a story book. Lots of interesting information, comparisons and contrasts of local variations and traditions of the themes.

Thank you

Arrived very quickly and as promised!

I thought this was going to be a collection of myths - it is not. It is essentially a dictionary or encyclopedia for chinese myth characters, concepts, places, etc. In terms of that, it's a great book.

good why would I want to keep writing writing and writing while all I wanted to say is good. strange.

Really disgusted and disappointed.

This book is a mine of wealth in Chinese mythology with inputs from ancient texts and Chinese different ethnic groups over the long Chinese history.It highlights the creation, major deities, spirits and demigods. It showed human in relation to heaven and earth with the universe in the belief in cultural context.Reading this book will help understand Chinese characters, vision and belief. As they are independently developed, will Christian West look at mysterious East to defeat and convert?

I thought this would be more a collection of folktales, turned out very college textbook type so I returned it

I really had appreciated the Chinese renderings of the deities etc...otherwise it is as one can expect well researched.Unfortunately though it is somewhat behind considering the hermetic and its potential when it comes to a critical understanding of practical aspects of myths for the ruling classes, historic development, calibration of mass consciousness, gender, shamanism, gongfu, astrology, metaphysics, ethymology, etc.A bit boring to put it plainly.If this is the essence of how chinese scholars look at their own culture? Goodbye original chinese thought.

Honestly I'm a bit disappointed. But I think that it's excellent for newcomers on the subject. The best part is chapter four: Print and nonprint resources.

Very informative book!