Archive for category Chinese Literature
Quench Thirst by Watching Plums
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Folktale on October 11, 2011
One summer, a warrior called Cao Cao was leading his troops to battle. It was terribly hot and all the water was gone. The bad news was that there was still a long distance from the nearest source of water. They were so thirsty that they did not want to move any more.
Seeing that, Cao thought for a while and then told his soldiers that there was a ton of plum trees ahead. Hearing that, all soldiers began to think about the sour and juicy green plums. Read the rest of this entry »
Chinese Matchmaker
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Folktale on August 15, 2011
Yue Lao, also called Chinese matchmaker, who, much like the role of Cupid in the western culture, is the god who is in charge of marriages in Chinese legend.
Yue Lao is depicted as an old man with a long flowing beard. The matchmaker holds a book called “the book of fate” in his hand. It is said that marriages of all people in the world are recorded on this book. He always carries a big bag of red threads. According to the legend, he ties a man and a woman around their ankles with a red thread. They are destined to be soul mates and no matter how far apart the two may be, they will eventually meet and marry. Read the rest of this entry »
Ji Gong
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Folktale on March 9, 2011
Ji Gong, also known as Living Buddha Ji Gong, was a folk hero in China. In Chinese folklore, he was a monk with magical powers. He was always ready to defend people against injustice, punish vice, reward virtue, etc. It was widely recognized that he was the incarnate of the Taming Dragon Arhat, one of the eighteen legendary arhats.
The legend of Ji Gong based on a real historical figure whose name was Li Xiuyuan (1130–1207). Li became a monastic at the age of 18 and then was ordained under the monastic name Daoji. Unlike other traditional monks, he drank wine and ate meat and looked like a madman. Read the rest of this entry »
Nine Sons of the Dragon – Jiaotu
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Chinese Myths on March 6, 2011
Jiaotu is the ninth son of the dragon. He enjoys listening to the tunes played by stringed instruments, so his image can often be found on the instruments, especially stringed instruments.
He is also regarded as the ancient guardian with the task of watching over and guarding homes. Therefore, his image is always carved on doors. Read the rest of this entry »
Chinese Four Great Classical Novels
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Four Great Classical Novels on February 18, 2011
The Four Great Classical Novels in China, also called the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels regarded as the greatest and most influential of Chinese literature.
In chronological order, they are:
Romance of the Three Kingdoms – Written in the early Ming Dynasty, it was also known as the first historical novel in China.
Outlaws of the Marsh – Also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, it has 108 heroes and heroines in the novel. Read the rest of this entry »
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