China
Explore Chinese folk tales, legends and literary adventures, including stories preserved through older translated collections. Source notes identify the version followed and distinguish its imagined world from historical or religious commentary.
80 stories are in this region right now.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
Sam-Chung and the Water Demon
On his way to the land of the Immortals, the pilgrim Sam-Chung finds a village forced to feed its children to a river demon, and his helpers fight back.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
Retribution
A boy witnesses old Wang causing a death and concealing it; years later, a fatal stone throw is presented as supernatural repayment.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Dragon-Princess
An emperor sends three brothers with jade, wax, and roasted swallows into a dragon cave, and the dragon-princess repays him with pearls of wonderful power.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
Old Dschang
A poor old gardener pays a huge bride-price for an official’s daughter, and years later her brother finds the couple living as immortals in the hills.
Chinese Folk Tales
Notscha
Born glowing from a spinning ball, the wild boy Notscha battles the Dragon-King’s son, gives up his life, and is reborn from lotus with wheels of fire.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
Old Dragonbeard
A runaway fan-bearer and the hero Li Dsing befriend curly-bearded Dragonbeard, who sees the Prince of Tang will rule and gives them his fortune.
Chinese Folk Tales
Laotsze
Laotsze rides west on a black ox, refuses to pay his servant, turns him to bones and back, and leaves the guardian of the pass his book of five thousand words.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
King Mu of Dschou
A magician from the far West carries King Mu on a spirit journey that lasts decades in a moment, and the king later visits the Queen-Mother of the West.
Chinese Folk Tales
Kwang-Jui and the God of the River
A scholar who frees a captured fish is murdered by a boatman who steals his post, but the River God keeps him safe until his son brings justice.
Chinese Folk Tales
How Three Heroes Came by Their Deaths Because of Two Peaches
A chancellor offers two peaches to three warriors; the contest for honor ends in their deaths rather than a shared reward.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
How the Five Ancients Became Men
Five elemental Ancients shape heaven and earth from chaos, make plants, beasts, and people, and crown the White Jade Ruler as the highest god.
Chinese Folk Tales
How the River-God’s Wedding Was Broken Off
Governor Si-Men Bau attends the yearly drowning of a river-god’s ‘bride’ and ends the cruel custom by sending the sorcerers in to deliver the message.