1st Edition
Chinese Culture Through Legends and Fiction A Guided Reader
Part 1: Confucian Culture 1. Loyal Subjects 2. Filial Sons 3. Chaste Wives 4. Respectful Brothers 5. Trustworthy Friends 6. Dutiful Individuals Part 2: Daoist Culture 7. Carefree Wanderers 8. Seekers of the Dao 9. Exemplary Immortals 10. Daoist Magicians 11. Descended Goddesses 12. Immortal Land Adventurers Part 3: Buddhist Culture 13. People of Multiple Lives 14. Travelers in Hells 15. Buddhist Saviors 16. Receivers of Current-Life Retribution 17. Legendary Monks & Nuns 18. Dream Adventurers Part 4: Topics beyond the “Three Teachings” 19. The Knight-Errant 20. The Brave Warrior 21. The Ungrateful Man 22. The Heartless Lover 23. The Dedicated Lover 24. The Predestined Couple 25. The Ghost Wife 26. The Spirit Maiden
Biography
Zhenjun Zhang is Professor of Chinese in the Department of World Languages, Cultures, and Media at St Lawrence University, USA, and co-editor (with Victor Mair) of Routledge Handbook of Traditional Chinese Literature.
"The readings here are well chosen to be both informative and entertaining; they introduce major ideas and figures that circulated widely among all classes of people in premodern China. Some texts explain essential values of the major philosophical and religious traditions; accompanying stories exemplify situations and character types that appear again and again in the histories, the fiction, the plays, and the folklore that were popular for centuries in the past and that recur in the films, videos, and games of today. This collection is certain to appeal to a broad range of readers."
Robert E. Hegel, Washington University, St. Louis
" The strength of this book lies in the high quality of its translations, the careful selection of stories, the clear organization, and its practicality for teaching. It is well-suited for two types of courses: introductory surveys of Chinese literature and culture, as well as advanced seminars on Chinese fiction and religion."
Guojun Wang, McGill University
