This collection of tales opens up a magical world far from our customary haunts. Ghost stories, romances, fables, and heroic sagas: the forms are familiar, but the characters we meet surprise us at every turn. For those who know and love the tales of the Grimms and Andersen, the universal themes of fairy tale literature emerge in these classic stories, but with a sophistication that is uniquely Chinese and altogether entrancing.

With black-and-white drawings throughout
Part of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library “These tales from China are richly underscored by an ancient philosophical battle—the Taoist challenge to the hierarchical rigidity of the Confucian order—which gives the stories an edge and power uniquely their own. An enthralling collection.” 
—Los Angeles Times

“Brimming with magic and mortals, these enchanting legends and myths bring to mind familiar fables, yet possess an aura that is wholly Chinese . . . Enlightening and enjoyable reading.”
—Booklist