Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preliminary Material / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Humanity’s Beginnings In Creation And Origin Myths From Around The World / Mineke Schipper -- The World Of Chinese Mythology: An Introduction / Yang Lihui and An Deming -- From Frog To Nüwa And Back Again: The Religious Roots Of Creation Myths / Ye Shuxian -- Water-Of-Immortality Myths In Altaic And Japanese Cultures / G. Namjila -- Myths Of Giant Corpse Transformation / Jung Jaeseo -- Sacred Order: Cosmogonic Myth In The Chu Silk Manuscript / Kao Lifeng -- The Wholeness Of Chaos: Laozi On The Beginning / Kristofer Schipper -- Gun And Yu: Revisiting The Chinese “Earth-Diver” Hypothesis / Chen Lianshan -- Pangu And The Origin Of The Universe / Wu Xiaodong -- Chinese Creation Myths: A Great Discovery / Wu Bing’ An -- Minority Creation Myths: An Approach To Classification / Wang Xianzhao -- Humanism As A Paradigm Of Creation Myths / Liu Yahu -- Performing Myths Today: A Field Study Of The Renzu Temple Festival / Yang Lihui -- Perspectives On The Environment In Miao And Yi Creation Narratives / Mark Bender -- Creation Myths In Chinese Minority Cultures / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Oroqen Origin / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Dangun / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- All Creatures Made Out Of Clay / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Bear Origin / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- God’s Creation Of The World / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- The First Man: Son Of Celestial Maiden Fukulun / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Creation Of The World / Goddess Mai Deer -- Khudai Blows To Create The Heaven And The Earth / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Creation Of The Mortal World / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Beauty Ai Sema / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Zhe Pama And Zhe Mima / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Origin Of All Living Creatures / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Bu Sanggai And Ya Sanggai / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- How Heaven Came To Be Separated From Earth / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Muq Pung Gyeu / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Four Generations Of Man / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Creation Of Man, Heaven And Earth / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Heaven And Earth Created by Frog / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Heaven And Earth Created by E Ya and Sha Ya / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Bibliography / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Index / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin -- Color Plates / M. Schipper , S. Ye and H. Yin.

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How did the world begin? How were the first people created and which specific roles were they supposed to play in the cosmos? Like other mythologies worldwide, China’s creation and origin myths explain how man created order out of chaos and imposed culture on nature. Cross-cultural approaches to myth make us aware of the limitations of our own familiar classifications. This book makes a provocative case for the comparative study of the hidden treasures of China’s oral and written myth traditions in different languages and cultures, a legacy generously left behind by singers, storytellers, poets, and writers. This book opens new doors to the study of Chinese mythologies, a surprising and so far almost unknown world outside China.