Chinese Folktales for Language Learners

Chinese Folktales for Language Learners
Author: Vivian Ling
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2024-08-20
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 1462924832

A collection of 15 classic Chinese folk stories—passed down from generation to generation—presented in both Chinese and English. Welcome to the fascinating world of Chinese folklore. The fifteen stories in this book address universal converns such as the origins of humankind, the impact of wars and natural disasters, the great deeds of cultural heroes, the struggle for dignity and justice for the common man, and the yearnings of the human heart. For readers from around the world, this book is a window to some of the historical and cultural facets of China that remain relevant today. These stories can be enjoyed in English by readers with no knowledge of Chinese, while the bilingual format and vocabulary lists are an added bonus for language students. Each story is given in parallel Chinese and English versions, and is accompanied by a short essay about its historical context, a vocabulary list, discussion questions, and native speaker audio recordings. Enjoy fifteen classic Chinese folk tales, including: "Taming the New Year's Beast" — How the Lunar New Year festival came about, celebrated after the ferocious monster Nian was frightened off by sparks, explosive noises and the color red when it came hunting for children and animals "Two Virtuous Mothers of Ancient China" — The philosopher Mencius's mother, a virtuous widow, illustrates the importance of not wasting one's education through her efforts to ensure her son's success "The Chinese Romeo and Juliet" — A classic tale of tragic love, Zhu Yingtai, the beloved daughter of a local official, is disguised as a young male scholar to study in Hangzhou — some distance away from her home. While she was in the academy she met a soulmate, Liang Shanbo, and as they studied together for three years, she developed feelings for him "Judge Bao Takes On the Emperor's Son-in-Law" — The famous Judge Bao decided to right a wrong when the emperor's son-in-law, Chen Shimei, committed bigamy by pretending to be single in order to become the imperial son-in-law. He even attempted to hide this crime by obliterating his wife and two children, but was thwarted by Judge Bao, who risked his own life and career to carry out justice

Chinese Folktales

Chinese Folktales
Author: Howard Giskin
Publisher: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
Total Pages: 296
Release: 1997
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Discover the rich background of this culture through these tales handed down from one generation to the next in the oral tradition. Every province of China is represented, and each story is put in perspective using maps, pronunciation guide, and notes

Chinese Folktales

Chinese Folktales
Author: Shiho S. Nunes
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 73
Release: 2021-10-19
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1462922740

For thousands of years, Chinese storytellers have delighted listeners with stories about the value of virtues like honesty, respect, courage and self-reliance. Chinese Folktales collects nineteen of these fantastic tales, some of them dating back to the third century BCE, and retells them in contemporary English for a modern audience. This updated edition--previously titled Chinese Fables--offers the same great stories in a smaller, easier to handle format at a lower price. Each of these stories offers a nugget of ancient folk wisdom and glimpses of traditional Chinese culture and lore. All of the tales express the foibles and wisdom of human experience with great humor and affection. Although the lessons are universal, the wit and flavor are uniquely Chinese. Beautifully illustrated by a master Chinese artist using a patchwork of ancient tones and textures, with a deft touch of humor, this book will give great joy to children and adults alike. Chinese children's stories include: The Practical Bride Stealing the Bell Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy Cooking the Duck Scaring the Tigers The Dragon Slayer The previously published edition, Chinese Fables, won: *The Aesop Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature* *The Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award for Fables, Folklore & Fairytales* *The Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year Award*

Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet

Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet
Author: Lotta Carswell-Hume
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2012-10-16
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1462908004

This colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book presents Chinese and Tibeten folk and fairytales and other stories--providing insight into a rich literary culture. Favorite Children's Stories from China and Tibet is a captivating collection of stories from different parts of China and Tibet. Enter a mythical world where animals speak and play tricks on each other. Also depicted are humans who perform both good and bad magic, humans who become animals, animals who become human, magic pancakes, wishing cups, fairy boats, and a Tibetan creation story. These unique stories are fresh and charming, filled with humorous insights into Tibetan and Chinese culture and history--including the influence of the moon and importance of festivals. They make perfect new additions to story time or bedtime reading, and readers of all ages will find much to love within these pages. Chinese and Tibeten folk tales include: A Chinese Cinderella The Country of the Mice The Wishing Cup The Story of the Tortoise and the Monkey A Hungry Wolf The King of the Mountain How the Deer Lost His Tale The Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories.

Chinese Short Stories For Beginners

Chinese Short Stories For Beginners
Author: Lingo Mastery
Publisher:
Total Pages: 166
Release: 2020-01-22
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 9781951949044

Chinese Short Stories For Beginners is an excellent resource for Chinese (Mandarin) learners in the HSK1 to HSK 3 range. The book provides the student with 20 short stories in Chinese along with English and Pinyin parallel text.

Chinese Fairy Tales and Legends

Chinese Fairy Tales and Legends
Author: Frederick H. Martens
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2019-09-19
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1912392143

Fearless heroes, feisty princesses, sly magicians, terrifying dragons, talking foxes and miniature dogs. They all feature in this enthralling compendium of Chinese fairy tales and legends, along with an array of equally colourful characters and captivating plots. Although largely unknown in the West, the 70-plus stories in this volume are just as beguiling as the more familiar Grimms' Fairy Tales or Arabian Nights. They were collected in the early 20th century by Richard Wilhelm and first translated into English by Frederick H Martens. This beautifully produced revised and edited new edition includes updated notes which not only provide background on the tales, but also offer a fascinating insight into ancient Chinese folk lore and culture. These are stories to return to time and time again. From awesome adventures to quirky allegories, from the exploits of the gods to fables about beggars who outwit their betters, Chinese Fairy Tales and Legends is extraordinarily diverse and endlessly engaging. These wonderful stories have enduring and universal appeal, and will intrigue both children and adults.

Chinese Stories for Language Learners

Chinese Stories for Language Learners
Author: Vivian Ling
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2021-03-23
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 1462922279

The highly anticipated next book in Tuttle's Stories for Language Learners series is here! This book presents 22 classic Chinese proverbs and the traditional tales behind them. The stories are bilingual, with the Chinese and English versions presented on facing pages. Each includes an explanation of how the proverb is used today, cultural notes, vocabulary and discussion questions. Online audio recordings of the tales by native speakers give students a chance to improve their pronunciation and comprehension. Some of the proverbs featured in this collection include: "Painting the Eyes on the Dragon" Based on the story of a famous court painter in 6th century China who painted dragons, this proverb refers to the finishing touches needed to bring a work of art or literature to life. In a discussion, it refers to the final statements used to clinch the argument. "Waiting for Rabbits by a Tree Stump" Based on an ancient folktale about a foolish farmer who sees a rabbit kill itself in front of him by running into a tree stump, then gives up tilling his field to wait for more rabbits by the stump. This saying is applied to people who wait passively for luck to strike again. It also refers to impractical people who stick to one way of doing things only because it has worked for them once in the past. "Pure Water Has No Fish; Perfect People Have No Friends" Many versions of this historical tale exist. The one told here is about a 2nd century AD official sent to govern a far-flung outpost on the Silk Road who is fastidious in applying strict rules and thereby causes the local people to rebel against him. In the professional world, it is used to refer to people who do not like to work with an overly strict supervisor or colleague. Whether being used in a classroom or for self-study, Chinese Stories for Language Learners provides an educational and entertaining way for intermediate Mandarin learners to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the language.

Chinese Ghost Stories for Language Learners: New Adaptations of Chinese Folklore Ghost Tales - Learn Chinese Mythology, Culture, Traditional Folktales - Bilingual Horror Stories in Chinese and English

Chinese Ghost Stories for Language Learners: New Adaptations of Chinese Folklore Ghost Tales - Learn Chinese Mythology, Culture, Traditional Folktales - Bilingual Horror Stories in Chinese and English
Author: AL Language Cafe
Publisher: AL Language Cafe
Total Pages: 173
Release: 2024-06-18
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN:

Unlock the mystical world of ancient China's ghostly folklore with our new adaptations of classic Chinese literary works. Immerse yourself in the supernatural realm while honing your Chinese skills and uncovering centuries-old mythology, traditions, and beliefs. In this collection, we have carefully curated 15 intriguing ghost or supernatural stories, presented in both Chinese and English. These stories are new adaptations of selected tales from renowned literary works in China, including Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio 《聊斋志异》, Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang 《酉阳杂俎》, Anecdotes About Spirits and Immortals《搜神记》, and more. We adapt these stories for a couple of reasons. First, classic Chinese literature is often written in a style that differs significantly from modern Chinese, posing challenges for contemporary readers. Second, some of these works serve not merely as entertainment but as records of extraordinary events and folklore, employing straightforward language without elaborate storytelling. Our new adaptations preserve the original plots while presenting them in modern standard Mandarin with a more engaging narrative. This approach allows readers to enjoy the stories while learning common and useful vocabulary and expressions. The 15 stories are: 1. The Ghost Pressing Down on the Bed 咬鬼 2. The Ghost with Painted Skin 画皮 3. The Headless Ghost 无头鬼 4. Hanba the Drought Demon 旱魃鬼 5. The Lonely Wandering Soul 孤魂野鬼 6. The Vengeful Spirit 冤鬼 7. Zhong Kui Kills Ghosts 钟馗杀鬼 8. The Fox Spirit 狐狸精 9. The Tree Demon 树妖 10. The Water Demon 水鬼 11. Soul Snatching 勾魂 12. Underworld Official 鬼吏 13. Deceased Son Visits in Dream 亡儿托梦 14. Body Possession 附身 15. Reincarnation 投胎 Furthermore, we provide bilingual explanations of key terms at the end of each story. This helps our readers understand the story better, enrich their reading experience, and further explore Chinese mythology, beliefs, and culture. Upon finishing the book, readers will have gained a fundamental grasp of the Chinese perspective on spirits and ghosts. This knowledge not only enhances their appreciation of Chinese cinema and literature but also offers insights into Chinese culture.