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Chinese mythology: an introduction
By Anne M. Birrell. 1999
English translations of some three hundred representative myths from more than one hundred classical Chinese texts. Selections are grouped thematically…
covering topics such as creation, gods, divine birth, love, heroes, the natural world, and immortality. Includes introduction and explanatory notes analyzing the context and significance of each narrative. 1993Battles, Betrayals, and Brotherhood: Early Chinese Plays on the Three Kingdoms
By Wilt L. Idema, Stephen H. West. 2005
No cycle of historical legends has enjoyed greater or more enduring popularity in China than that of the Three Kingdoms,…
which recounts the dramatic story of the civil wars (c. AD 180-220) that divided the old Han empire into the Shu-Han, Wei, and Wu states, and the eventual reunification of the realm under the Western Jin in AD 280.More Max Danger
By Robert J. Collins. 1988
Life with Max Danger is never dull-as all readers of the first, best-selling volume of his adventures as an expatriate…
in Tokyo will know.More Max Danger provides more entertainment and more pleasure. It will delight not only all of Max's old friends, but also all those who have only recently made his acquaintance.Once a Peacock, Once an Actress: Twenty-Four Lives of the Bodhisattva from Haribhatta's "Jatakamala"
By Peter Khoroche, Haribhatta. 2017
Written in Kashmir around 400 CE, Haribhatta’s Jåtakamåla is a remarkable example of classical Sanskrit literature in a mixture of…
prose and verse that for centuries was known only in its Tibetan translation. But between 1973 and 2004 a large portion of the Sanskrit original was rediscovered in a number of anonymous manuscripts. With this volume Peter Khoroche offers the most complete translation to date, making almost 80 percent of the work available in English. Haribhatta’s Jåtakamålå is a sophisticated and personal adaptation of popular stories, mostly non-Buddhist in origin, all illustrating the future Buddha’s single-minded devotion to the good of all creatures, and his desire, no matter what his incarnation—man, woman, peacock, elephant, merchant, or king—to assist others on the path to nirvana. Haribhatta’s insight into human and animal behavior, his astonishing eye for the details of landscape, and his fine descriptive powers together make this a unique record of everyday life in ancient India as well as a powerful statement of Buddhist ethics. This translation will be a landmark in the study of Buddhism and of the culture of ancient India.Mulan: Five Versions of a Classic Chinese Legend, with Related Texts
By Wilt L. Idema, Shiamin Kwa. 2010
The legend of Mulan--the daughter who disguises herself as a man, dons her father's armor, and heads off to war…
in his place--remains one of the most popular Chinese folktales despite (or because of) its lack of supernatural demonstrations or interventions.This volume offers lively translations of the earliest recorded version of the legend and several later iterations of the tale (including the screenplay of the hugely successful 1939 Chinese film Mulan Joins the Army), illustrating the many ways that reinterpretations of this basic story reflect centuries of changes in Chinese cultural, political, and sexual attitudes.An Introduction traces the evolution of the Mulan legend and its significance in the history of Chinese popular culture. Annotation explaining terms and references unfamiliar to Western readers, a glossary, and a comprehensive bibliography further enhance the value of this volume for both scholars and students.Tales of the Samurai: More Samurai Tales Of The Tokugawa Ii
By James S. de Benneville. 1986
A young lord undertakes the restoration of his family's fortunes and honor in this gripping retelling of a 15th-century Japanese…
epic. Gripping and evocative, it recounts the rebellions, plots, and battles that culminate in a vendetta's thrilling resolution. James S. de Benneville's Western-style narrative offers an exceptionally faithful retelling. 44 black-and-white illustrations.Indian Fairy Tales
By Joseph Jacobs. 2009
Soils and national characteristics differ, but fairy tales are the same in plot and incidents the world over. So proved…
the leading British folklorist Joseph Jacobs (1854-1916) with this now classic volume of 29 traditional tales from India, including some of the oldest recorded tales known."The Lion and the Crane," "How the Raja's Son Won the Princess Labam," "The Broken Pot," "The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal," "The Talkative Tortoise," "The Ass in the Lion's Skin," "Why the Fish Laughed," "Sun, Moon, and Wind Go Out to Dinner," "The Prince and the Fakir," and all the other stories make delightful reading or listening for youngsters who are tired of the same familiar old favorites. John D. Batten's nine full-page plates and his 37 other drawings are reproduced from the original edition.Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds: A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese Tales (Translations from the Asian Classics)
By Haruo Shirane, Keller Kimbrough. 2018
Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds is a collection of twenty-five medieval Japanese tales of border crossings and the fantastic, featuring…
demons, samurai, talking animals, amorous plants, and journeys to supernatural realms. The most comprehensive compendium of short medieval Japanese fiction in English, Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds illuminates a rich world of literary, Buddhist, and visual culture largely unknown today outside of Japan.These stories, called otogizōshi, or Muromachi tales (named after the Muromachi period, 1337 to 1573), date from approximately the fourteenth through seventeenth centuries. Often richly illustrated in a painted-scroll format, these vernacular stories frequently express Buddhist beliefs and provide the practical knowledge and moral education required to navigate medieval Japanese society. The otogizōshi represent a major turning point in the history of Japanese literature. They bring together many earlier types of narrative—court tales, military accounts, anecdotes, and stories about the divine origins of shrines and temples––joining book genres with parlor arts and the culture of itinerant storytellers and performers. The works presented here are organized into three thematically overlapping sections titled, “Monsters, Warriors, and Journeys to Other Worlds,” “Buddhist Tales,” and “Interspecies Affairs.” Each translation is prefaced by a short introduction, and the book features images from the original scroll paintings, illustrated manuscripts, and printed books.The Key to Midnight: A gripping thriller of heart-stopping suspense
By Dean Koontz. 1995
The past can be a very dangerous place when it is locked into a nightmare... The Key to Midnight is…
a page-turning thriller from Dean Koontz that delves into the darkest of dreams. Perfect for fans of Stephen King and Harlan Coben. 'Dean Koontz writes page-turners, middle-of-the-night-sneak-up-behind-you suspense thrillers. He touches our hearts and tingles our spines' - Washington Post Book WorldWho is Joanna Rand?Alex Hunter hasn't come to Japan to fall in love. But Joanna Rand is the most beautiful, exciting woman he has ever met.But Joanna is not who she thinks she is. Ten years before, and halfway across the world, a brutally bizarre experiment recreated her mind. A violation so hideous that her dreams are filled with terror and her memories are a lie.If they are ever to be free, Alex and Joanna have to reopen the dangerous door into the nightmare past. Somehow they have to find the key to midnight... What readers are saying about The Key to Midnight: 'This is a story of suspense, action and intrigue set to the backdrop of international espionage... Koontz delivers his usual blend of mystery and action that keeps those pages turning''This is an intriguing tale, a mystery and a romance but shot through with an underlying psychological horror and also a political undertone, too''As always, so, so readable, and so, so well written'The Story of the Three Buddhist Monks: Based on a Traditional Chinese Folk Tale
By Jing Jing Ding, Nelson Daboud. 1996
A story of three Buddhist monks based on a traditional Chinese folk tale about cooperation. Without cooperation, one monk can…
fetch two buckets of water, two monks will only be able to fetch one bucket of water, and three monks will fetch no water at all.Korean Nursery Rhymes
By Danielle Wright, Helen Acraman. 2013
A charming collection of fourteen well-loved rhymes, Korean Nursery Rhymes is the perfect introduction to Korean language and culture for…
young readers.This beautifully illustrated book features songs and rhymes perfect for children who are interested in learning the Korean language or about its culture. Presented in both English and Korean, this multicultural children's book also includes an audio CD with recordings of kids singing in both languages -- songs so lively and sweet, you'll soon find yourself singing along! Many accompany everyday play activities like jum rope and hand clap games. Others speak to a child's view of nature, and a love of home.Favorite rhymes and songs include: Little One Monkey's Bottom Twirling Round Spring in My Hometown And more!For preschoolers and beyond, this book will be a joy to the mind, the eye, the ear and the heart.Chinese and English Nursery Rhymes
By Faye-Lynn Wu, Kieren Dutcher. 2010
This lovely multicultural book for kids teaches classic fairy tales in both English and Mandarin Chinese.As Mother Goose has known…
for centuries, rhyme and rhythm are fun! And what could be a more enjoyable way for children and their parents to learn about different cultures and languages than through familiar rhymes and songs?In Chinese and English Nursery Rhymes, an innovative collection of favorite rhymes are put in pairs-one from China and the next in English-to show how the things that kids love are the same, no matter where in the world they live. Whether your native language is English or Chinese, you can learn the rhymes along with your children. Just follow the words on the page, or play the CD and sing along!Nursery rhymes and songs include: Muffin Man Happy Birthday to You I See the Moon As I Was Going Along Hickory Dickory Dock I Love Little Pussy And many more&hellipLafcadio Hearn's Japan
By Lafcadio Hearn, Donald Richie. 1997
Over one hundred years after his death author translator and educator Lafcadio Hearn remains one of the best-known…
Westerners ever to make Japan his home His prolific writings on things Japanese helped shape Western views on Japan well into the twentieth century This masterful anthology compiled by Donald Richie is organized into two parts Part One The Land chronicles Hearn s early years when he wrote primarily about the appearance of his new home Part Two The People records the author s later years when he came to terms with the Japanese themselvesKwaidan
By Lafcadio Hearn. 1971
Kwaidan translates from the Japanese as weird tales which perfectly describes these haunting stories This collection of supernatural…
tales includes a musician called upon to perform for the dead man-eating goblins and insects who uncannily mimic human behavior A perfect treat for fans of the strange and otherworldlyTales from Tang Dynasty China: Selections from the Taiping Guangji
By Alexei Ditter, Jessey Choo, Sarah Allen. 2017
Compiled during the Song dynasty (960–1279) at the behest of Emperor Taizong, the Taiping Guangji anthologized thousands of pages of…
unofficial histories, accounts, and minor stories from the Tang dynasty (618–907). The twenty-two tales translated in this volume, many appearing for the first time in English, reveal the dynamism and diversity of society in Tang China. A lengthy Introduction as well as introductions to each selection further illuminate the social and historical contexts within which these narratives unfold. This collection offers a wealth of information for anyone interested in medieval Chinese history, religion, or everyday life.