What do you think?
Rate this book
Chinese Myths
Chinese mythology has been passed down in written and oral form over many millennia, emerging from a range of cultural traditions that often have their origins in Daoism and Buddhist religion. At times merging history and folklore, Chinese myths are rich in symbolism and teach us about the complexities of an ancient culture that stretches back more than 4000 years. In this book, learn about Pangu, the creator being, who sprang from an egg after the forces of yin and yang emerged out of a formless chaos; or Hou Yi, the greatest archer of all time who shot down nine of the ten suns; or Fuzanglong, the treasure dragons, who are said to live underground guarding massive hoards of gold and jewels; or the mad monk Ji Gong, a man of great appetites who used his supernatural abilities to seek justice for the poor; and enjoy the adventures of the short-tempered, super-human Monkey King, who after being defeated by the Bodhisattva Guanyin, gains modesty and becomes a disciple of the monk Tank Sanzang. Illustrated with 120 photographs and artworks, Chinese Myths is an accessible, entertaining and highly informative exploration of the fascinating mythology underlying one of the world’s oldest and most influential cultures.
- GenresMythologyChinaNonfiction
224 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2023
4 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Xueting C. Ni
11 books39 followersXueting Christine Ni was born in Guangzhou, during China's "re-opening to the West". Having lived in cities across China, she emigrated with her family to Britain at the age of 11, where she continued to be immersed in Chinese culture, alongside her British education, realising ultimately that this gave her a unique a cultural perspective, bridging her Eastern and Western experiences. After graduating in English Literature from the University of London, she began a career in the publishing industry, whilst also translating original works of Chinese fiction. She returned to China in 2008 to continue her research at Central University of Nationalities, Beijing. Since 2010, Xueting has written extensively on Chinese culture and China's place in Western pop media, working with companies, theatres, institutions and festivals, to help improve understanding of China’s heritage, culture and innovation, and introduce its wonders to new audiences. Xueting has contributed to the BBC, Tordotcom Publishing, and the Guangdong Art Academy. Her first book, From Kuan Yin to Chairman Mao, is published by Weiser Books. Her new anthology Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction, is out on the 9th of November. Xueting currently lives just outside London with her husband and their cats, all of whom are learning Chinese.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 3, 2025
Growing up in the States, the only mythology we are inundated with is Greek, Roman, and a splattering of Norse. I always found Norse the most interesting. I would not like to unpack that. To add to that, it is the most sparse. I'd venture to say most Americans' knowledge of Norse mythology stems from Marvel, which has so much of it wrong.
You've heard me complain about YA, particularly YA fantasy. When I first read SONG OF SILVER, FLAME LIKE NIGHT, I was immediately stunned by how much I loved it. It didn't survive a re-read. However, I didn't know the motif of the four animals was so prevalent in Chinese mythology until I read this book. Most of it went over my head, because this is the first time I have ever heard any of these stories.
But in any case, I wonder what my life would've looked like had I grown up with these stories. It's a very different thing to grow up Asian vs. Asian American. Maybe Asians are as bored with these stories as I am with Greek mythology. Maybe not. But it's something to think about.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books
You've heard me complain about YA, particularly YA fantasy. When I first read SONG OF SILVER, FLAME LIKE NIGHT, I was immediately stunned by how much I loved it. It didn't survive a re-read. However, I didn't know the motif of the four animals was so prevalent in Chinese mythology until I read this book. Most of it went over my head, because this is the first time I have ever heard any of these stories.
But in any case, I wonder what my life would've looked like had I grown up with these stories. It's a very different thing to grow up Asian vs. Asian American. Maybe Asians are as bored with these stories as I am with Greek mythology. Maybe not. But it's something to think about.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books
January 1, 2025
This book is SO good if you love to read Chinese novels or just want a quick reference for Chinese mythology, cultural traditions, Daoism, Buddhism, history, etc.
It’s illustrated, easy to understand, and a great gateway into diving deep into China’s heritage.
Highly recommend for any danmei reader.
It’s illustrated, easy to understand, and a great gateway into diving deep into China’s heritage.
Highly recommend for any danmei reader.
May 10, 2023
“Chinese Myths” by Xueting C. Ni is an academically detailed and well illustrated coverage of Chinese folklore. The book is organized into eight chapters, “Cosmology: The Dao”, “Creation Myths”, “Gods and Immortals”, “Monsters and Ghosts”, “Legends”, & “Treasures of the Earth and Forge.”
On the positive side, since it contributed to my goal of learning more about Chinese culture, I absolutely enjoyed the brief summaries of the key stories about the many deities and legendary figures. On the other hand, while always interesting, the extensive encyclopedia coverage becomes confusing at points, especially chapters such as “Mythological Creatures” that unavoidably had less narrative than the chapters that featured heroes and heroins of legends. I was amused to learn that the characteristics of certain Pokemon creatures, such as Gyarados and Ninetails have their foundations in Chinese folklore. Likewise, it was interesting to learn about the perplexing Chinese zombies I happened to encounter in a TV show a while back. (Hint: read this book to learn why they tend to hop, and why the humans are so frantic to slap pieces of paper on the foreheads of these zombies…)
After I finished reading this book, I was delighted to realize that the author was also the editor of another book I enjoyed reading, the Chinese science fiction anthology Sinopticon. I will keep an eye open for more works by Xueting C. Ni!
I thank the author and publisher for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this book.
On the positive side, since it contributed to my goal of learning more about Chinese culture, I absolutely enjoyed the brief summaries of the key stories about the many deities and legendary figures. On the other hand, while always interesting, the extensive encyclopedia coverage becomes confusing at points, especially chapters such as “Mythological Creatures” that unavoidably had less narrative than the chapters that featured heroes and heroins of legends. I was amused to learn that the characteristics of certain Pokemon creatures, such as Gyarados and Ninetails have their foundations in Chinese folklore. Likewise, it was interesting to learn about the perplexing Chinese zombies I happened to encounter in a TV show a while back. (Hint: read this book to learn why they tend to hop, and why the humans are so frantic to slap pieces of paper on the foreheads of these zombies…)
After I finished reading this book, I was delighted to realize that the author was also the editor of another book I enjoyed reading, the Chinese science fiction anthology Sinopticon. I will keep an eye open for more works by Xueting C. Ni!
I thank the author and publisher for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this book.
May 13, 2023
Beautiful pictures and informative texts that made me learn something new about Chines myths
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
July 15, 2023
What is mythology if not a way for cultures and its peoples to understand and process the world around them? Our stories carry from generation to generation so that all may learn about the world and how things came to be.
And so, here we are with Xueting C. Ni’s recent publication: Chinese Myths. What the book accomplishes is to present a dissection of cultural myths and stories to the reader so that we may understand and appreciate the stories of an ancient civilization. Notice that what I'm doing here is reviewing Chinese Myths, not reviewing Chinese myths.
Artifacts and art are set throughout for added context but Ni’s ability to showcase each subsection of mythology is a feat all in itself. Studies in Cosmology (the relationship between Yin and Yang) and Daoism, myths about creation, creatures, Gods and Immortals, heroes, monsters and ghosts, legends, and treasures are neatly packed together. It’s a literary wander through a mythological Chinese museum. Our tour guide Xueting Ni’s presentation is incredibly slick and easy to follow. There is a steady stream of respect in the telling of each myth. Ni’s own prose between the myths is knowledgeable but, crucially, inclusive. As such, this book can be enjoyed by those already familiar with Chinese mythology and those who have had no prior introduction at all.
Speaking of museums and that point, there was notable controversy from the British Museum's take five years ago at the accessibility of Asian names for British people. Thankfully we have progressed far from such a terrible take. I’m relieved that a book such as Chinese Myths is in circulation and serves as a strong answer to any fear of struggling to understand another culture. With a mix of Chinese and English names, any difficulty in understanding has been removed.
What was so easy to understand was how familiar a number of the myths feel to that which we’re used to. Interestingly, there were times when a particular myth Ni studies reminded me of substantial works of SFF in recent times. Perhaps my best example of this was reading about Baxia, the sixth son of The Dragon King, ruler of the Seas. Baxia, the oldest turtle, who carried the eight great mountain ranges. Does that not sound awfully similar to Discworld?
The Way
As a child I had a great love for Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. Ancient Chinese mythology was not readily available and my hope is that will no longer be the case in years to come. With Chinese Myths ticking all the boxes an educational text should, maybe it proves that there are no cultural barriers at all when it comes to humanity telling stories.
And so, here we are with Xueting C. Ni’s recent publication: Chinese Myths. What the book accomplishes is to present a dissection of cultural myths and stories to the reader so that we may understand and appreciate the stories of an ancient civilization. Notice that what I'm doing here is reviewing Chinese Myths, not reviewing Chinese myths.
Artifacts and art are set throughout for added context but Ni’s ability to showcase each subsection of mythology is a feat all in itself. Studies in Cosmology (the relationship between Yin and Yang) and Daoism, myths about creation, creatures, Gods and Immortals, heroes, monsters and ghosts, legends, and treasures are neatly packed together. It’s a literary wander through a mythological Chinese museum. Our tour guide Xueting Ni’s presentation is incredibly slick and easy to follow. There is a steady stream of respect in the telling of each myth. Ni’s own prose between the myths is knowledgeable but, crucially, inclusive. As such, this book can be enjoyed by those already familiar with Chinese mythology and those who have had no prior introduction at all.
Speaking of museums and that point, there was notable controversy from the British Museum's take five years ago at the accessibility of Asian names for British people. Thankfully we have progressed far from such a terrible take. I’m relieved that a book such as Chinese Myths is in circulation and serves as a strong answer to any fear of struggling to understand another culture. With a mix of Chinese and English names, any difficulty in understanding has been removed.
What was so easy to understand was how familiar a number of the myths feel to that which we’re used to. Interestingly, there were times when a particular myth Ni studies reminded me of substantial works of SFF in recent times. Perhaps my best example of this was reading about Baxia, the sixth son of The Dragon King, ruler of the Seas. Baxia, the oldest turtle, who carried the eight great mountain ranges. Does that not sound awfully similar to Discworld?
The Way
As a child I had a great love for Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. Ancient Chinese mythology was not readily available and my hope is that will no longer be the case in years to come. With Chinese Myths ticking all the boxes an educational text should, maybe it proves that there are no cultural barriers at all when it comes to humanity telling stories.
April 26, 2023
Briefly - Lovely "coffee table" book - you might look for more content. 3.5/5
In full
This book gives an insight into the wide range of Chinese myths and legends. These are aspects of Daoism and Buddhist generally and may be 4000 years old. As a result of these roots the book also allows a discovery of Chinese culture, traditions and some superstitions. The importance of dragons - varied - in the Chinese way of life is quite clear for example. This book takes us from creation to rather more modern characters/beings that have been included far more recently. The book is very clearly laid out. There is a succinct introduction which looks at influences, sources and themes in this subject. The sheer size of the country (and the variations over years) makes you realise just what a massive subject this is. It served as a very useful introduction to me.
The first chapter is entitled Cosmology: The Dao. For the past few years I have been increasingly interested in the Dao. It is variously translated as 'the way' or 'the path'. Indeed translation from Chinese into English is actually fraught with difficulties. There are subtleties in Chinese that do not easily translate and certainly do not convey real meaning well culturally. Ying and Yang are mentioned and they are good examples of the difficulties in translation. Fortunately the author does not add the gender misconceptions of these terms which Western cultures have taken to. The creation myth(s) are then covered and reasonably effectively to me. Inevitably this does bring some gods or god like beings into the discussion.
Mythological Creatures and the Gods and Immortals are the subjects of the next chapters. I found the Cardinal creatures fascinating however it also felt brief to me. The Matriarchal roots here and the supreme goddess was an interesting insight. I was also very interested by the idea that Lao Zi may or may not have been real - "his" book is arguably the definitely Daoist text.
The book then turns to Mythological Heroes and Monsters and Ghosts for the next couple of chapters. Under these headings I was interested in the guardians of the underworld for example. These chapters also reinforced the importance of the number four in Chinese culture with 4 guardians and 4 fiends. This train of thought continues with the 4 "great legends" for example (and there are other examples in the book).
The final two chapters are Legends and Treasures of the Earth and Forge. Some of these are more recent and we are introduced to the 8 Buddhist treasures and swords too. In addition there is a useful Bibliography and a decent index. There are a number of sidebar type note panels that cover all kinds of subjects related to the chapter. An example of this would be the explanation - briefly - of the 8 trigrams leaning to the I-Ching.
This really is a lovely book and is so well illustrated. The pictures used are excellent and I have some doubts this would really work as an e-book on a small screen. On a personal basis I guess I would have liked some indication/guidance on pronunciation. I found this a good introduction to the subject of Chinese mythology. It managed to be encyclopaedic without being dry. While the stories are covered they really only have the outlines of the myths and legends. However the subject is so wide ranging that anything else would be asking a lot of a relatively short (no far over 200 pages) book. I suppose I wanted more but that is not a bad thing!
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
In full
This book gives an insight into the wide range of Chinese myths and legends. These are aspects of Daoism and Buddhist generally and may be 4000 years old. As a result of these roots the book also allows a discovery of Chinese culture, traditions and some superstitions. The importance of dragons - varied - in the Chinese way of life is quite clear for example. This book takes us from creation to rather more modern characters/beings that have been included far more recently. The book is very clearly laid out. There is a succinct introduction which looks at influences, sources and themes in this subject. The sheer size of the country (and the variations over years) makes you realise just what a massive subject this is. It served as a very useful introduction to me.
The first chapter is entitled Cosmology: The Dao. For the past few years I have been increasingly interested in the Dao. It is variously translated as 'the way' or 'the path'. Indeed translation from Chinese into English is actually fraught with difficulties. There are subtleties in Chinese that do not easily translate and certainly do not convey real meaning well culturally. Ying and Yang are mentioned and they are good examples of the difficulties in translation. Fortunately the author does not add the gender misconceptions of these terms which Western cultures have taken to. The creation myth(s) are then covered and reasonably effectively to me. Inevitably this does bring some gods or god like beings into the discussion.
Mythological Creatures and the Gods and Immortals are the subjects of the next chapters. I found the Cardinal creatures fascinating however it also felt brief to me. The Matriarchal roots here and the supreme goddess was an interesting insight. I was also very interested by the idea that Lao Zi may or may not have been real - "his" book is arguably the definitely Daoist text.
The book then turns to Mythological Heroes and Monsters and Ghosts for the next couple of chapters. Under these headings I was interested in the guardians of the underworld for example. These chapters also reinforced the importance of the number four in Chinese culture with 4 guardians and 4 fiends. This train of thought continues with the 4 "great legends" for example (and there are other examples in the book).
The final two chapters are Legends and Treasures of the Earth and Forge. Some of these are more recent and we are introduced to the 8 Buddhist treasures and swords too. In addition there is a useful Bibliography and a decent index. There are a number of sidebar type note panels that cover all kinds of subjects related to the chapter. An example of this would be the explanation - briefly - of the 8 trigrams leaning to the I-Ching.
This really is a lovely book and is so well illustrated. The pictures used are excellent and I have some doubts this would really work as an e-book on a small screen. On a personal basis I guess I would have liked some indication/guidance on pronunciation. I found this a good introduction to the subject of Chinese mythology. It managed to be encyclopaedic without being dry. While the stories are covered they really only have the outlines of the myths and legends. However the subject is so wide ranging that anything else would be asking a lot of a relatively short (no far over 200 pages) book. I suppose I wanted more but that is not a bad thing!
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
June 9, 2023
As I knew exactly what to expect from this book it may have been made all the better – until it immediately proved to be not what I expected, yet was still damned good. The previous Myths books – Roman, English and Greek – from Amber Books that I have seen have all had an eye to the stories, legends and fables, but also about how they came about, how they got passed on, believed and adhered to. This is much more a guide to the stories themselves.
Yes, we get a picture building up here of how Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism all merged into Chinese myth over the last centuries, but that is framing all the tales. There is also notice made of how when we imposed on us earthly government and class systems, we did the same to the ethereal worlds. But this is much more like the typical guide to the myths, telling us what creation legends were thought up, how the woman in the moon got there, how this was done, what thunder meant, and so on. We almost get a straight gazetteer of the monsters and heroes – and even the fabled swords – of these legends.
So, yes, coming to this thinking I'd be immured in centuries of Chinese thought, and gain little in the way of the stories that have come from those thoughts, this was anecdote after story after saga. True, a lot of this went in one ear and out the other, but that is bound to happen with a deadline under which to read this and a host of unfamiliar names. As a narrative reference work it is still mighty fine – and paired as usual with the publisher's fine pictorial elements. With the author proclaiming a sort-of prequel to this already out in the world, one should bear this in mind as being a recommendation for two books and not the usual one.
Yes, we get a picture building up here of how Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism all merged into Chinese myth over the last centuries, but that is framing all the tales. There is also notice made of how when we imposed on us earthly government and class systems, we did the same to the ethereal worlds. But this is much more like the typical guide to the myths, telling us what creation legends were thought up, how the woman in the moon got there, how this was done, what thunder meant, and so on. We almost get a straight gazetteer of the monsters and heroes – and even the fabled swords – of these legends.
So, yes, coming to this thinking I'd be immured in centuries of Chinese thought, and gain little in the way of the stories that have come from those thoughts, this was anecdote after story after saga. True, a lot of this went in one ear and out the other, but that is bound to happen with a deadline under which to read this and a host of unfamiliar names. As a narrative reference work it is still mighty fine – and paired as usual with the publisher's fine pictorial elements. With the author proclaiming a sort-of prequel to this already out in the world, one should bear this in mind as being a recommendation for two books and not the usual one.
May 31, 2023
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I’m a big fan of myths and this one was right up my alley. I’m familiar with some of the myths, gods and demons but it was cool to read about the others I weren’t.
May 26, 2024
interesting book to understand chinese myths, good to learn some of the translations there
December 19, 2024
This was a great, yet simple and comprehensive view of mythology. Chinese mythology has always been difficult to me, but this book was very instructive.
June 10, 2023
Very informative exploration of Chinese mythology covering a vast period and watching how it evolved over the Eric’s is fascinating. One I can see myself coming back to again and again
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
October 10, 2023
My review of this book for The Folklore Podcast can be read here.
A long, long time ago there were ten suns rather than one. They would take turns climbing up the world tree to rest in the sky and shine down upon the world. One day, however, they all decided to climb up at once. The ten suns gamboled in the sky, shining so brightly that they burned away all the plants upon the land and evaporated all the water. If they kept it up much longer, they would destroy all life on the planet. So, Di Jun asked the Celestial Archer Hou Yi for his help to get the suns from the sky…
Xueting C. Ni retells this story, and many, many more, in her new book Chinese Myths (Amber Books Ltd., 2023). This beautiful hardcover, illustrated with 120 photographs and artworks, would make a perfect gift or display book. Its depth of information makes it suitable for reading cover-to-cover as well. Ni is an award-winning writer and translator, and has been writing about Chinese culture and mythology for decades. She brings this impressive array of knowledge into an easily digestible form within this book.
Chinese Myths covers a diverse set of Daoist and Buddhist beliefs throughout Chinese culture. In these pages the reader will be introduced to mythological emperors and immortals, demons and ghosts, and, of course, great dragon kings. Chinese history comes into clear focus through the lens of changing beliefs. Ni is careful to explain how various figures have changed over time, and illuminates the symbolism in the many pieces of artwork throughout the book.
This is a beautiful book, and it would serve well as a reference text for newcomers as well as those more familiar with Chinese culture. Xueting communicates vast amounts of information clearly and succinctly and the vast bibliography can easily serve as a starting point for in-depth study.
A long, long time ago there were ten suns rather than one. They would take turns climbing up the world tree to rest in the sky and shine down upon the world. One day, however, they all decided to climb up at once. The ten suns gamboled in the sky, shining so brightly that they burned away all the plants upon the land and evaporated all the water. If they kept it up much longer, they would destroy all life on the planet. So, Di Jun asked the Celestial Archer Hou Yi for his help to get the suns from the sky…
Xueting C. Ni retells this story, and many, many more, in her new book Chinese Myths (Amber Books Ltd., 2023). This beautiful hardcover, illustrated with 120 photographs and artworks, would make a perfect gift or display book. Its depth of information makes it suitable for reading cover-to-cover as well. Ni is an award-winning writer and translator, and has been writing about Chinese culture and mythology for decades. She brings this impressive array of knowledge into an easily digestible form within this book.
Chinese Myths covers a diverse set of Daoist and Buddhist beliefs throughout Chinese culture. In these pages the reader will be introduced to mythological emperors and immortals, demons and ghosts, and, of course, great dragon kings. Chinese history comes into clear focus through the lens of changing beliefs. Ni is careful to explain how various figures have changed over time, and illuminates the symbolism in the many pieces of artwork throughout the book.
This is a beautiful book, and it would serve well as a reference text for newcomers as well as those more familiar with Chinese culture. Xueting communicates vast amounts of information clearly and succinctly and the vast bibliography can easily serve as a starting point for in-depth study.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews