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 a
vividly written collection of tales of the universe's emergence from
chaos, the creation of the world in which the first Chinese people
appeared and a depiction of how the many strands of myth and legend have
influenced 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. Anyone interested in Chinese
culture, mythology, history or art will find this collection a must-have
volume for their bookshelf.
