The Future of Chinese Folklore by Ashley Ng

THE FUTURE OF CHINESE FOLKLORE By Ashley Ng

History........................ 1 Annual Festivities......... 15 Pop Culture................. 27 he Future................... 35

History of Chinese Myths & Folklore

he writing of mythological tales began several thousand years ago during the 12th century BC. Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long history is as ancient as that of the Greeks and in many ways parallels Greek development. Before Buddhism, Chinese religion was very similar to that of the Greeks, in which they believed in many different gods representing different aspects of nature, and beliefs that attempted to explain the mysteries of the universe in human terms. Chinese folklore is comprised of myths, legends, and fables and are the earliest pieces of literature in China. They existed many years before written Chinese was ever invented, and were passed down as oral stories from generation to generation. All Chinese folklore were either created by the ancient people of China or by scholars born in the later period. Much of the ancient Chinese myths and folktales were influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Many people have ceased to believe in the gods as supernatural powers but many of the religious practices have survived as colorful folk customs. Many of the folktales have now become proverbs in China with short sayings teaching a value of wisdom.

COMMON THEMES In Chinese mythology, myths about world calamities in the remote past are quite numerous. They tell how and why the former world or human race was disturbed or even destroyed during the catastrophes, which usually happened in the form of deluge, worldwide fire, rare snow, the collapse of the sky pillars, more than one sun rising in heaven, and so forth. Among some ethnic groups, the mythological world catastrophes occurred in a series and regularly. After the disasters, the stories usually continued with renewal of the world and humans.

One common moral theme of Chinese folktales is filial piety, which is the duty of the children to respect and obey their elders.

It is impossible to portray a clear chronology

times, and therefore how heroes or heroines

of Chinese mythology. Chinese myths are

tried to stop the flood and save the world

never worked into an orderly system. Instead,

from the disaster, or how human ancestors

myths come from different cultural traditions

tried to re-create humans after the deluge,

and appear at different times, and these

and how a new cosmic order was eventu-

myths are also scattered throughout diverse

ally rebuilt and a new civilization appeared.

sources. Additionally, the relationships

Some Chinese scholars assert that there are

between mythological events and particular

three systems of flood myths in Chinese

gods are usually unfixed and sometimes

mythology (see the entry â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Floodsâ&#x20AC;?).

random. However, if we look at some of the

Among them, the Gun-Yu myth is the most

mythological events that happen in these

popular one, focusing on the theme of flood

narratives, we can construct a linear timeline

and the controlling of it. Most versions of

of the mythological world according to the

this myth state that in the ancient era, the

content of the myths.

flood brought great damage to the world.

Flood myths are especially popular in Chinese mythology. Chinese flood myths usually tell how the flood imperiled the world in ancient

The water was so fierce that it gushed up into heaven. Gun wanted to stop the flood. So he stole Xirang, a kind of mythical soil that was able to grow ceaselessly by itself, from

the Supreme Divinity without waiting for his

stories with interesting plots and vivid char-

permission. Gun used Xirang to barricade

acters, often several thousand words in

against the overflowing water. The Supreme

length. Among them are many tales whose

Divinity was angry, so he ordered the fire

main characters are gods, ghosts, or foxes.

god Zhurong to kill Gun at the outer edge

Mythical stories of the Song Dynasty show

of Yushan (which literally means “feather

strong influence of Tang fiction, but hardly

mountain”). Gun’s corpse did not rot for three

attain the Tang level.

In popular religion, the pantheon of gods is arranged in a hierarchy, much like the complex bureaucracy that governed China during the time of their emperors.

years. Later, when his belly was opened with a sword, his son Yu emerged. Yu continued

One achievement in the field of fiction worthy

to fight the floodwater. He deepened the

of special mention is the ompilation of the

seas and lakes, dredged the rivers, and dug

great Taiping Guangji or Extensive Records

mountains, channeling the overflowing water

Compiled in the Taiping Years (976-983),

to the east seas. Eventually the demigod

which is he writing of mythological tales

Yu stopped the flood and changed the

began several thousand years ago during

miserable world into a habitable place for

the 12th century BC. China’s long history is

humankind. He then became the founder

as ancient as that of the Greeks and in many

of the first civilized state, Xia. According to

ways parallels Greek development. Before

a widespread mythological story, Yu spent

the time åof Buddhism, Chinese religion

thirteen years trying to control the deluge.

was very similar to that of the Greeks, in

During this period, he was so devoted to his

which they believed in several different gods

task that he did not go to his home three

that represent different aspects of nature,

times when he passed by it. In another story,

and beliefs that attempted to explain the

he had changed into a bear to dig a mountain

mysteries of the universe in human terms.

when his pregnant wife came to bring him

Emergence of humans was popular in many

food. She felt embarrassed when she saw

myths. Numerous mythological types and

her husband as a bear, so she ran away. Yu

themes explain the origins of humans in

ran after her and she metamorphosed into a

Chinese mythology. Among them are that

stone. When Yu shouted to the stone, “Give

humans were made by gods; that they were

back my son!” the stone opened up and out

sown from seeds; that they were spat out

came Qi (literally meaning “open up”), the

from the mouths of gods and goddesses; that

first ruler of Xia.

they were made from sound; that they were

Filial piety is also a common theme. It is the

created by two gods touching their knees

duty of the children to respect and obey

together; that they came from an animal’s

their elders. Other common themes are

metamorphosis; that a plant metamorphosed

loyalty, justice, morality, and conscience.

into the first human; that humans came out

Also, because ancient China was primarily an

of a cave or emerged from a huge stone or a

agricultrual country, many of their folktales

gourd; that they were procreated by animals

emphasize hard work, persistence, and deter-

or plants; that they were born after a man

mination. In the middle of the Tang Dynasty

married a goddess, or after a man married

many well known writers and poets began

an animal; that they were created by the sun;

story writing. Their stories incorporate a

and that they were made from the corpse of

wide range of subject matter and themes,

a divine creature (see the Introduction to this

reflecting various aspects of human nature,

book for more detail). Among these myths,

human relations and social life. In form they

the most celebrated in the Chinese language

are not short notes or anecdotes like the tales

are as follows.

produced before them, but well-structured

OPPOSITE: Statue of a young child alongside the God of Luck. Photo by Rex Maximillian.

Early Chinese religious beliefs held that everything in life had its own guardian spirit and that even inanimate objects had an existence of their own.

GODS & CREATURES The existence of gods usually is the prerequisite of any other facet of myth. In myths recorded and handed down orally, there are numerous gods and spirits who take charge of various duties, such as arranging all the parts of heaven and earth, creating water and fire, ordering the directions and seasons, and arranging the underworld. Tian Di (the Supreme Heaven or the God of Heaven) or Shang Di (the Supreme God or the Supreme Divinity) sometimes assumes the position as the highest leader of the random pantheon of the gods. During the Tang or Song dynasty, the disorderly pantheon became systemized and Yu Di, the Jade Emperor who came into being when Taoism and beliefs of the Supreme God were merged together, turned out to be the supreme ruler of the comparatively ordered pantheon of gods.

Han and other ethnic groups) do not explain where the gods and culture heroes come from and how they come into being. But some myths do explain their origins. Some gods and heroes are born by a divine father and mother, come from an egg or other object, be created from air or sound, come from another god’s corpse, be made by other deities with mud, or may be transformed from an actual monkey. Among these possible birth stories of gods, the most popular ones in the Chinese language are those of the creator Pangu coming from an egg and the Gansheng myths, in which gan means ‘responding with or reacting to an outside influence’ and sheng means ‘birth’. In ancient China, many people did not understand science, such as the workings of nature and the causes of disasters or weather changes. Thus, it became natural for them to create stories that gave reason to these natural

There are hundreds of different Deities,

occurrences that affected their lives. They

demigods, mythological creatures, and

made up stories expressing their frustrations

mythological places. Ironically, although

and hoping their lives would be better. These

Chinese folklore was heavily influenced by

stories were not only entertaining, but played

Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, none

an important role in teaching values. Even

of these religions have a specific god they

though some of them combined history and

believe in. Early Chinese religious beliefs

mythology, all of the stories stressed posi-

held that everything in life had its own

tive values.

guardian spirit and that even inanimate objects had an existence of their own. In popular superstition this belief was attributed to even the most humble man-made objects such as, houses, stoves, cooking pots and pans all had guardians who had the power to make the objects work properly and help the people who used them to succeed in what they were doing. The people of ancient China believed these deities brought good

Pangu is the creator of the world. It is he who separates heaven and earth, and when he dies, his body transforms into the universe. Though Pangu created the world, his myth did not appear in ancient Chinese literature until as late as the Three Kingdoms era (220-280AD), which was a period in Chinese history that followed the Han Dynasty rulers.

fortune or bad luck; good health, wealth,

According to Sanwu Liji (historical reocrds

and happiness; success of failure to every

written during the Three Kingdoms period),

aspect of life. To keep these guardians in a

Pangu was born in chaos and grew up while

good temper, people would make offerings

shaping the heaven and the earth. At the very

to them and even dedicated their temples

beginning, heaven and earth were in chaotic

to the more powerful spirits.

formlessness like a chicken’s egg. Within this

Some Chinese myths (including myths in

chaos Pangu was born. After 18,000 years,

the egg somehow opened and unfolded.

be found in texts of the Warring States era

The limpid and light part of it rose and then

(475-221BC), and these records are quite

became heaven, while the turbid and heavy

detailed in the Han era. These accounts,

part of it sank down and became the earth.

like many other mythological recordings, are

Pangu lived inside heaven and earth. One day

incomplete and sometimes conflict with each

he transformed many times and became more

other. Cangjie is described in these writings

divine than heaven and more sacred than

as having remarkable vision and ability. He

earth. Each day heaven rose ten feet higher,

had four eyes and was able to write when he

the earth grew ten feet thicker, and Pangu

was born. He examined the constellations,

grew ten feet taller. This situation lasted for

observed the footprints of birds and beasts,

another 18,000 years. By then heaven was

and studied the signs visible on turtles’ shells,

extremely high, the earth was extremely

birds’ feathers, mountains and rivers, and

deep, and Pangu was extremely tall. Then

fingers and palms. From these observations

there appeared the Three Sovereigns, who

he understood that natural phenomena

were the earliest divine lords in Chinese

could be differentiated and marked by

mythical history.

pictographic signs. Relying on these signs,

Boyi is the domesticator of beasts and birds, and helps the hero Yu in controlling the great flood and taming all kinds of animals in the world, Boyi also appears as Yi in different myth versions. As the helper and minister of Yu, Boyi made many glorious contributions to the king and to ordinary people. One of his most famous deeds is helping Yu to prevent frequent floods through water control. This skill is often related to his mythical ability to tame beasts and birds. Boyi could understand the language and characteristics of animals, which enabled him to domesticate some beasts and birds and keep them from hurting human beings. Another

he created Chinese characters. This invention was such a great event that afterward millet fell down like rain from heaven, and ghosts cried during the night. Some scholars interpret that such miraculous phenomena show the magical power of writing. But Gao You (third century CE), a scholar who annotated many of the classics, explained that along with the invention of writing, deceit appeared too. Humans began to neglect farming, their essential work, and attend to trifle benefits. Heaven knew they would be hungry, so it rained millet. And the ghosts were afraid that they would be accused by man’s writing, so they cried.

of his important deeds is that he invented the

Chang’e is the spirit of the moon, she is one

digging of wells, one of the most vital facili-

of the most well-known goddesses in Chinese

ties in people’s lives in early times. According

mythology. She stole the elixir of immortality

to some versions, because of Boyi’s distin-

from her husband, Hou Yi.

guished merits, King Yu abdicated in favor of Boyi, handing the crown over to him. But Yu’s son, Qi, killed Boyi, took over as the king, and became the first ruler of Xia, the first civilized state in Chinese history.

One of the more complete stories about Chang’e appeared in Huainanzi at the beginning of the Han dynasty. Yi got the elixir of immortality from Xiwangmu, but Chang’e stole it from him and consumed it. Then she

Cangjie is the famous culture hero who

flew to the moon. Yi was very disappointed

invented Chinese characters. He is said to

but could not recover the elixir of immortality.

be an official historiographer of Huang Di in mythical history. The records about Cangjie’s invention can

Although the most popular story of Chang’e is that she stole the elixir of immortality from her husband Hou Yi,

ABOVE: Statue of the Chinese God of War. Photo taken by Daniel Norwood.

The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary in Chinese mythology. Each Immortal's power can be transferred to a power tool that can bestow life or destroy evil.

there is another version saying she stole

being and went by the name Zhang Lang. He

it from Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of

married a faithful woman, but he ended up

the West. This rendition of the story comes

falling in love with a younger woman. He left

from one of the early traces of the legend

his wife to be with this younger woman and

in the initial periods of the Warring States

as punishment for his adultery, the heavens

era (fifth century BC). There are different

affl icted him with ill-fortune. He became

versions of the story. All versions say she

blind, and his young lover abandoned him,

consumed the elixir, then flew to the moon

leaving him to resort to begging in the streets

and became the spirit of the moon.

for money.

The Kitchen God developed from the tradi-

One day, while begging for charity, he came

tional belief of the cooking stove or hearth as

across his former wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home. Being blind,

the central point of a household. The Kitchen

he was not able to recognize her. Despite his

God who controlled the cooking stove is an

despicable treatment towards her, she took

important figure in Chinese society. His name

pity on him and invited him in to her home.

is Zao Jun. The most popular story of the

The former wife cooked a meal for him and

Kitchen God dates back to around second

relayed his life story to her. As he shared his

Century B.C. He was originally a human

story, he became overwhelmed with self-pity

and the pain of his error and began to weep.

the family has been behaving all year round.

ABOVE: The Eight Immortals. They are

Upon hearing him apologize, his former wife

Having observed them from the central point

considered to be signs of prosperity and

told him to open his eyes and his vision was

of the home he knew all about them and their

longevity.

restored. Recognizing his former wife, he

future was fixed based on his report.

felt such shame that he threw himself into the kitchen stove, not realizing that it was lit. His former wife tried to save him but all she managed to save was one of his legs. Heaven took pity on Zhang Lang’s tragic story and was made the god of the Kitchen. To this day, a fire poker is sometimes referred to as “Zhang Lang’s Leg.” And in respect and celebration of the Kitchen God, every year families light incense in front of an image of the god.

Shentuis a god that always appears with another god named Yulü. In myths and beliefs; they both are the original Gate Gods. The earliest record about Shentu and Yulü describes their power and how they become Gate Gods. Among the great seas, there was Dushuo Mountain. On the top of that mountain, a huge peach tree grew. Its branches reached 3,000 li (about 1,000 miles). To the northeast of its branches there was the gate of ghosts where all ghosts went in

People believe the Kitchen God will go up to

and out. Two deities, Shentu and Yulü, stayed

Heaven and report to the High God on how

above the gate. They had the responsibility of

ABOVE: Chinese Gods in Brighton Musem in Sussex, Engalnd. Photo taken by Melita Dennett. RIGHT: Statue of Chinese God of War, Guan Gong, the red faced general.

The Chinese mythological creature called the dragon is one of the most important mythical creatures. It is the controller of the rain, the river, the sea, and all other kinds of water; symbol of divine power and energy; great helper of heroes; and bearer of gods or demigods.

supervising all of the ghosts. Evil or harmful

term ‘Eight Immortals’ is figuratively used for

ghosts would be bound with reed rope and

happiness. The number eight has become

fed to tigers. Being inspired by that, the great

lucky in association with this tradition,

mythological emperor Huang Di started and

and persons or things eight in number are

promoted a ritual that was held regularly. He

embraced.

taught people to paint the figures of Shentu, Yulü, and a tiger on door frames, place a statue made from peach wood beside the gate, and hang a reed rope on its top. By doing this at a specific time, all evils might be driven away from people inside the house. From then on the belief in the Gate Gods (Shentu and Yulü) spread. Similar descriptions can also be seen in Fengsu Tongyi (Popular Customs and Traditions, second century CE) and several other documents compiled in

They are the favorite subjects of romance, and special objects of adoration. In them we see “the embodiment of the ideas of perfect but imaginary happiness which possess the minds of the Chinese people.” They represent all kinds of people—old, young, male, female, civil, military, rich, poor, afflicted, cultured, noble. They are also representative of early, middle, and later historical periods.

and after the Han dynasty. Many of these

Each Immortal has its own power that can

documents also mention that the time for

save any life or destroy all evil. Unpredictable

doing this custom is the end of each year.

occurrences such as, weather which was man’s

These records suggest that at least in the

greatest enemies. They were considered to

Han dynasty, belief in the Gate Gods and the

be the important gods in folk religion and

custom of painting Shentu and Yulü’s pictures

were worshipped with full ceremony.

on door frames before the Chinese New Year

Dragons are one of the most important

had become very popular.

mythical creatures in Chinese mythology,

In later times this custom was simplified.

the dragon is the controller of the rain, the

People only painted the two deities’ pictures

river, the sea, and all other kinds of water;

on paper and pasted them on door frames

symbol of divine power and energy; great

before the Chinese New Year. The pictures

helper of heroes; and bearer of gods or demi-

would not be replaced until the next New

gods. In the imperial era it was identified

Year. Today, in rural areas and in some

as the symbol of imperial power. The figure

urban settings, this custom is still common.

of the dragon appeared within the modern

However, its function has become diverse.

boundaries of China at least 6,000 years ago.

Rather than serving to guard the house and

In 1987, at the Xishuipo Cemetery Ruins in

protect the family, Gate Gods pictures are

Puyang County, Henan Province, figures of a

used to express happiness and celebration,

dragon and a tiger were unearthed in a tomb.

to decorate, or to entertain.

Both of them were made from numerous

The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary saints. They either appear alone or in a full group. They come from the Taoist religion and are one of the most popular subjects of representation in China; their portraits are to be seen everywhere—on porcelain vases,

shells. The dragon measured nearly 6 feet in length and 2.2 feet in height. Dating back to over 6,400 years, it is presently the earliest image of a dragon uncovered in Chinese archeology. Thus, it is widely known by the title “the First Dragon of China.”

teapots, teacups, fans, scrolls, embroidery,

In another archeological project a jade coiled

etc. Images of them are made in porcelain,

dragon was uncovered that dates to around

earthenware, roots, wood, and metals. The

5,000 years ago. This dragon was discovered in the Hongshan Culture relics (which are

mainly located in the area between modern

black, white, red, blue and yellow. It is also

Inner Mongolia, Liaoning Province, and

sometimes depicted as having three legs.

Hebei Province). It is about 10.4 inches long

It is believed that phoenix only appear in

and coiled like the letter C. The figure has a

areas or places that are blessed with utmost

snakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body, a boarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head, a tight-lipped

peace and prosperity or happiness. Chinese

snout, and two bulging eyes.

traditions cites it as living atop the Kunlun

Chinese mythology and beliefs of the dragon

Mountains in northern China.

often appear as a most powerful and divine

There are hundreds and hundreds of Gods

creature. People believe that the dragon

and creatures, but the ones mentioned previ-

can fly in the sky and make clouds with its

ously are some of the most popular ones

breath; wherever it appears there will be

known today.

clouds. Among its many miraculous abilities, the power of controlling rain and the river is the most well-known. In peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imaginations, dragons usually live in water and are the controllers of rain. If there is a drought in any area, by praying to a dragon, residents hope to get rain. Phoenixs are mythological birds that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females are called Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be paired with the Chinese dragon, which has male connotations. Fenghuang is most commonly depicted attacking the snakes with its talons and its wings spread. The Fenghuang is said to be made up of the beak of a rooster, the face of a swallow, the forehead of a fowl, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish. Today, however, it is often described as a composite of many birds including the head of a golden pheasant, the body of a mandarin duck, the tail of a peacock, the legs of a crane, the mouth of a parrot, and the wings of a swallow. Its body symbolizes the six celestial bodies. The head is the sky, the eyes are the sun, the back is the moon, the wings are the wind, the feet are the earth, and the tail is the planets. Its feathers contain the five fundamental colors:

The phoenixes body symbolizes the six celestial bodies. The head is the sky, the eyes are the sun, the back is the moon, the wings are the wind, the feet are the earth, and lastly the tail is the planets.

Chinese Folklore Annual Festivities

hinese folklore not only ties in with stories and religion, it also contributes to specific festivals and celebrations. Most Chinese festivals are based on Chinese folklore and mythology. Traditional festivals began to form during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). Chinese holidays are an essential part of Chinese culture and there are several customs that the Chinese follow.

CELEBRATIONS There are many Chinese festivals that fall on specific days on the Chinese lunar calendar. Each festival having their own legend of how the celebration began. Almost all traditional Chinese festivals correlate back to Chinese mythology and is based on gods and mythological creatures. Chinese New Year Festival is most important Chinese holiday, also known as the Spring Festival, which is also celebrated in other Asian countries that follow the lunar calendar. All traditional holidays are scheduled according to the Chinese lunar calendar. According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called Nian. According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the color red. Nian would come on the first day of New Year to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year for Nian to eat. This way Nian would not attack them. One time, people saw that Nian was scared away by children wearing red, which is why every New Year the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. Firecrackers were also used to frighten away the Nian.

The scale of a dragon dance festival depends on the size of a community or temple. This kind of performance was originally held to bring good weather and good harvests on specific occasions, but nowadays the dragon dance functions as entertainment.

In current times, the Nian of Chinese New

As the story goes, there was once a young

Year festivals is portrayed during the lion

cowherd, Niulang, who lived with his elder

dance with banging drums and symbols.

brother and sister-in-law. But the sister-in-

Other popular and important festivals would include, the Lantern, Dragon Boat, Magpie, and Moon Festivals. Behind each of these festivals is a folktale that explains the reasoning of the celebration. Qixi Festival or the Magpie Festival falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar. It has sometimes been called the Chinese Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. The Magpie Festival relates to the story of The Cowherd and The Weaver Girl, which is a love story about a man and a woman who is only allowed to meet on the night of Qixi or the seventh night of the seventh month.

law disliked and abused him, and the boy was forced to leave home with only an old cow for company. The cow, however, was a former god who had violated imperial rules and was sent to earth in bovine form. One day the cow led Niulang to a lake where fairies took a bath on earth. Among them was Zhinu, the most beautiful fairy and a skilled seamstress. The two fell in love at first sight and were soon married. They had a son and daughter and their happy life was held up as an example for hundreds of years in China. Yet in the eyes of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Deity in Taoism,

marriage between a mortal and fairy was

Even the Jade Emperor was touched, and

ABOVE: Dancers in Singapore’s Mid-Autumn

strictly forbidden. He sent the empress to

allowed Niulang and Zhinu to meet once a

Festival. Photo taken by Cindy Marie

fetch Zhinu.

year on the seventh night of the seventh

Christine Fernandez. OPPOSITE: A Chinese

month of the Chinese calendar.

dragon dance in a festival.

Niulang grew desperate when he discovered Zhinu had been taken back to heaven.

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the

Driven by Niulang’s misery, the cow told

Moon Festival is held on the fifteenth day

him to turn its hide into a pair of shoes after

of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar

it died. When the cow died, Niulang made

during the full moon. This festival is associ-

his hide into shoes, and the magic shoes

ated with the legend of Houyi and Chang’e,

whisked Niulang off on a chase after the

the skilled archer and the Moon Goddess

empress. The pursuit enraged the empress,

of Immortality. As usual there are many

who took her hairpin and slashed it across

versions of the tale of Houyi and Chang’e.

the sky creating the Milky Way which sepa-

But all versions end with Chang’e ends up

rated husband from wife.

stuck on the moon where only during the

But all was not lost as magpies, moved by their love and devotion, formed a bridge across the Milky Way to reunite the family.

Moon Festival her and Houyi are able to reunite once again and rekindle their love.

ABOVE: Chinese musicians and dancers perform a lion dance under red lantern decorations during the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival Temple Fair at the Temple of Earth in Beijing February 2, 2011.

here are diferent costumes and rituals for the lion dance depending on what region of China the celebration is being held.

Lantern Festivals are celebrated on the

legend relates to the Taoist god named

last day of the Chinese New Year, which

Tianguan. This god is responsible for good

is the fifteenth day of the first month on

fortune and is said that he likes all types of

the Chinese calendar. It is a traditional

entertainment, so followers prepare various

festival since the Han Dynasty, which was

kinds of activities during which they pray

over 2000 years ago. During the Lantern

for good fortune.

Festival, children go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns. This festival officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations. Lanterns are often embellished with many complex designs. Often times lanterns are made in shapes of animals. The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their passed selves and getting a new one.

Dragon Boat Festival is one the most wellknown examples of the symbolic dragon. The dragon boat race is often held during the Dragon Boat or Duanwu Festival on May 5 of the lunar calendar in river or lake regions in southern China. Sometimes the race is held among several neighboring villages, and sometimes it is held among teams throughout a county or even an

The origin of the festival has various legends

entire province. The scale of the races may

that correlate with the celebration. One

be very different according to the region

they cover, and the dragon boats, though

a dragon, people will place ornamental

all carved in the shape of a dragon, also

candles inside its trunk. These are called

differ in size and quality because of their

dragon lanterns. In the evening several

ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; financial resources. In the race,

skilled performers will hold the dragon

all participating boats will compete in a

lanterns on handles under its trunk with all

race to determine which boat covers the

of the candles lit, and they will perform the

predetermined distance the fastest, while

dragon dance in the public square or along

the audience stands along the banks and

main streets. The scale of a dragon dance

cheers. This forms the highlight of the

festival depends on the size of a commu-

Duanwu Festival; accordingly, in many areas

nity or temple. This kind of performance

in southern China the festival is called the

was originally held to bring good weather

Dragon Boat Festival.

and good harvests on specific occasions,

The origin of the dragon boat race correlated to the legend of Qu Yuan. According to the famous legend, Qu Yuan was the first great poet in the Warring States era, who drowned himself in a river on May 5 for the honor of his state and his ambition.

but nowadays the dragon dance functions as entertainment. At various celebrations, fairs, and new festivals, the dragon dance is performed in a standardized way, and occurs more often in the daytime rather than its traditional evening performance.

When Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo

Lion dancing is another form of tradi-

River, people rowed boats on the river to

tional dance in Chinese culture, in which

rescue him. Though Qu Yuan died, this act

performers mimic a lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movements in

brought about the custom of the dragon

a lion costume. The lion dance is often

boat race. However, scholars presume that

mistakenly referred to as dragon dance.

this custom originated much earlier than

An easy way to tell the difference is that

the time of Qu Yuan. It was initially a ritual

a lion is operated by two people, while a

held to avert evil fortune.

dragon needs many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; faces are covered,

DANCES & RITUALS

since they are inside the lion.

There are many customs and rituals that

The story goes that a monk had a dream in

the Chinese tradition entails. For example,

which there were many sorrows and evils

in preparation for the Chinese New Year,

plaguing the land. The monk prayed and

there is a custom of cleaning the house,

asked the gods how he could prevent these

buying a new outfit, and cutting ones hair

evils from occurring. The gods told him that

to make sure that one is starting their year

a lion would protect them and fight back

off fresh and clean.

the evils. The Chinese people had never

Dragon dancing is a customary activity held primarily at traditional festivals, such as the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival and many kinds of temple fairs. During these holidays, people will prepare for the

seen a lion before, but had heard stories that the lion was the king of all the other animals, so the monk combined all the lucky or magical animals he could think of and so made a lion.

dragon dance by constructing a dragon

If you look closely at any lion, you can see

approximately sixteen feet long with

a red sash tied on its horn. It is told that the

grass and cloth or with bamboo strips and

lion was disrespectful to the Jade Emperor.

paper. Conventionally the dragon dance

This of course caused him to get very angry,

is performed at night, so after shaping

so as a punishment he chopped off his horn.

The origin of the dragon boat race, according to a famous legend, is related to Qu Yuan, the first great poet in the Warring States era, who drowned himself in a river on May fifth for the honor of his state and his ambition.

Horn of a unicorn

Clouds of fortune

Illuminating Heavenly Mirror

Eyes of a phoneix

Chinese Lion Dance Costume According to the legend a mythical beast called a Nian (meaning year in Chinese) would come and attack villagers at the same time every year. The villagers asked for the help of a great colourful lion spirit, who came and drove the Nian away with much noise. The following year the people were left defenseless as the lion was away defending the Emperor's Palace. The people improvised and created a false lion out of cloth and bamboo along with noisy firecrackers to drive the Nian away. This was so successful that every year since then the lion dance is performed to frighten away evil spirits and bring luck in with the New Year.

ABOVE: Photo taken by Wee Sen Goh

The horn was the source o the lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life

Chinese Southern lion dancing is a bit more

and the lion died. The Goddess of Mercy

symbolic. The Southern dance is usually

(Guan Yin) felt bad for him so she tied his

performed as a ceremony to scare away

horn back on with a red sash with golden

evil spirits and to summon luck and fortune.

leaves and chanted to the lion and he came

The Chinese southern lion exhibits a wide

back to life.

variety of color and has a distinctive head

Lion dances can be broadly categorized into three styles, Chinese Northern, Chinese Southern, and Taiwanese. The Chinese Northern dance was used as entertainment for the imperial court and elsewhere. The Northern lion is usually red, orange and yellow (sometimes with green fur for the female lion), shaggy in appearance, with a golden head. The northern dance is acrobatic and may include dangerous stunts.

with large eyes (of a phoneix), a mirror on the forehead called the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Illuminating Heavenly Mirrorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that supposedly scares off demons with their reflection in the mirror, and a single horn at center of the head (the horn of a unicorn mentioned earlier). Lion dance costumes are considered to be spiritually protective when used as they are traditionally blessed before usage. Taiwanese lion dancing integrates more with martial arts. The focus on martial arts

is very different from the Chinese southern

culture) and beard, the ears and tail from

ABOVE: A lion dance for the 2012 New Year

dance whose fancy style is more suitable for

the Chinese Unicorn (Chi Lin), the shell of

in Beijing, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images).

circuit shows. In addition to dance steps,

the tortoise for the hump on the back of

OPPOSITE: Lion dance performed by martial

the differences between the Taiwanese and

the Lion head, the snake was represented

the Chinese Southern dances lie in the lion

as the spine of the lion, and taken from

appearance and music. Unlike the Chinese

the phoenix are the eyes. Furthermore, the

Southern lion whose eyes and mouth can

white tiger is represented by the teeth in

be moved, the Taiwanese lion is less elabo-

the lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth.

rate and either has an open-mouth lion or closed-mouth. Costumes of the lion is based on the four celestial beasts. They include the Dragon, the phoenix, the Chi Lin (Chinese unicorn) and the tortoise with the snake wrapped around it. From the dragon they borrowed its large protruding forehead (a large forehead is symbolic of intelligence in Chinese

artists from WuShu Shaolin Kung Fu academy.

Chinese Folklore in American Pop Culture

he influence of Chinese mythology and folklore has had a strong impact on Chinese culture and society. Not only has Chinese myths and folktales played roles in the basic parts of beliefs. In China, those gods who play the main roles in myths are also usually the ones worshiped as the central part of belief systems. Chinese myths have long been thought to be the root of Chinese literature and art. Myths have had a great impact on writers. During the history of literature, many eminent poets and writers, including Qu Yuan, Tao Yuanming (365-427 CE) and Guo Moruo (1892-1978), were all more or less nourished by Chinese myths. Myths were not fixed when they were woven into literature and art. Instead, they were always rewritten and reconstructed by different writers for different goals and needs. This revives old myths with new meanings and new contexts. INFLUENCE ON SOCIETY Until recently, animated cartoon films and TV series in China came mostly from Japan and the United States (particularly Disney films). These programs charmed numerous Chinese children and made them much addicted to these cartoons. Adults in China began to worry about this and to call for Chinese made animated movies and TV programs. In 2003 The Legend of Nezha was produced and achieved great success. The series tells the story of how Nezha, a naive child with many shortcomings, is trained through a series of struggles with many evils, and finally becomes a virtuous hero who weeds out evil and helps people live in peace.

Hell is divided into eighteen sections based on Chinese mythology. Two sections are the chamber of grinding and the chamber of dismemberment, which were shown in the game called Mortal Kombat Deception.

VIDEO GAMES There are numerous video games that

massively armored and breathe a cloud of scalding steam.

have mythological creatures. The infamous

Dynasty Warriors 4 is set in Ancient China

game Super Mario Bros. main arch-nemesis,

during the time of the Three Kingdoms

Bowser is based on the Chinese dragon

era. The game begins at the fall of the Han

turtle. Other games such as Dungeons &

Dynasty, shortly after the death of Emperor

Dragons, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft,

Ling when the Yellow Turban Rebellion led

Dynasty Warriors and The Legend of Zelda

by Zhang Jiao begun an uprising against the

all have a character relating back to a

Empire. A number of elements in the game

Chinese mythological animal.

build on aspects of Chinese Mythology and

Bowser, the arch-nemesis of Mario in the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise, is a well known dragon turtle. In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game dragon turtles are gigantic sea creatures, feared by sailors for their ability to capsize the largest ships. They are

there is a mix between fact and fiction as the game is built on the story of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Many of the locations, characters, and events in Dynasty Warriors 4 are reported to have happened in Chinese history although many have been exaggerated to make the

game more appealing to the player. There

dismemberment, which were shown in the

ABOVE: Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks for

are also some features that are historically

game called Mortal Kombat Deception.

Playstation 2.

inaccurate such as Zhou Tai’s weapon, a Japanese tachi, as there is no historical record of this kind of weapon being used in that era. The game features environments resembling that of ancient China and various items from the era. Common items throughout the game include Fairy Wine and Dim Sum’s.

The characters in the game are based on gods seen in Chinese mythology. Raiden although his name was derived from a Japanese god called Raijin, his appearance looks more like a Buddhist/ Taoist god instead. The same treatment was given to Fujin. Apparently Raiden’s character is based on the Chinese light-

In the game Mortal Kombat the concepts

ning god Erlang Shen. Shinnok the fallen

of having different realms such as Heaven,

elder god is apparently inspired by Yang

Earth, Hell, Order, Chaos, Outworld and

Wang, the fallen elder god in Journey

Edenia (a realm in the game). Hell is divided

to the West who was condemned to the

into eighteen sections based on Chinese

Netherworld for rebellion against the

mythology. Two of the sections are the

Elder Gods. Bo Rai Cho resembles Sha

chamber of grinding and the chamber of

Wujing, both being obese and drunk

Super Mario Bros. main villain Bowser is based on the Chinese mythological creature called a dragon.

characters. Shujinko resembles the Monkey

battle may have drawn inspiration from the

King’s mentor Subhuti in appearance.

monk Sanzou from Journey to the West.

Too bad though, Monkey King never did

But that’s just opinion though. Shao Kahn

appear in Mortal Kombat. Dairou’s appear-

may have been inspired by the merciless

ance somewhat resembles the Chinese god

warlord in Journey to the West who usurped

Erlang Shen in some incarnations. Onaga

the Dragon King’s kingdom.

the dragon king was apparently inspired by Nezha’s archenemy the Dragon King who later fought Sun Wuukong and his friends after he was reincarnated. The sorcerer Shang Tsung was apparently inspired by the shapeshifting sorcerer in Journey to the West who held a dragon girl captive. Scorpion’s scenario is apparently the rule of an undead spirit who cannot be quenched. Such beings exist not only in Japanese mythology but also in Chinese mythology. The original Kung Lao who Goro slew in

S u p e r M a r i o B ro s . i n c o r p o r a t e s t h e Chinese mythological creature called a dragon turtle which is seen as Bowser in the video games. The dragon turtle is a legendary Chinese creature that combines two of the four celestial animals of Chinese mythology: the body of a turtle with a dragon like head. It is promoted as a positive ornament in Feng Shui, symbolizing courage, determination, fertility, longevity, power, success, and support.

Decorative carvings or statuettes of the

guardian. Often times carved in stone and

ABOVE: Nintendoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super Mario Bros. villain

creature are traditionally placed facing the

put in front of ones house for protection.

named Bowser. He is based on the Chinese

window. Dragon turtles are monsters in

Yuna gains a similar shishi, Kogoro, as her

mythological creature called the dragon turtle.

some DragonQuest/DragonWarrior games,

animal partner with the Trainer dressphere.

often called Tortragon. There are dragon turtles in the game Might and Magic VIII.

FILM & TELEVISION

Dynasty Warriors is another video game that

Although there have not been many movies

has the mythological goddess Nu Wa. She

and television shows based on Chinese

appears in the video game Dynasty Warriors

mythology, there have been a few.

Three and the later game, Warriors Orochi Two. She wields a rapier and a shield. In Dynasty Warriors Three, she wore green pants, a green top with a gold chestplate, a golden hairpiece, and she looked human. The game Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, the aeon Yojimbo has a shishi named Daigoro, as his companion. A shishi is a lion

Gremlins is a movie that featured Mogwai, which are Chinese demons. The film is about the cute and cuddly creatures that turn into monstrous gremlins. Gremlins is based on an ancient Chinese mythological creature called the Mogwai. The Mogwai is actually a demon that inflicts harm on humans and reproduce during

The earliest accounts of the original Fa Mulan legend state that she lived during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534). But the 1998 Disney film incorrectly implies that Mulan is set during the Han Dynasty.

rainy weather. The 1984 American horror

refuses to sell the Mogwai to Randall on

comedy film directed by Joe Dante was

the grounds that owning one is too great

released by Warner Bros. The film is about

a responsibility. However, as Randall is

a young man who receives a strange crea-

leaving the store, the owner’s grandson sells

ture called a Mogwai as a pet, which then

Randall the creature stating that the family

spawns other creatures who transform

needs the money. The boy gives Randall

into small, destructive, evil monsters. This

three specific instructions in caring for the

story was continued with a sequel titled,

Mogwai: never expose it to bright light

Gremlins 2: The New Batch, released in

(especially sunlight, which will kill it); never

1990. Unlike the lighter sequel, the original

get it wet (which will make it multiply); and,

Gremlins opts for more black comedy, which

most importantly: never, ever feed it after

is balanced against a Christmas time setting.

midnight. Randall takes the Mogwai, which

As the movie goes, while searching for a Christmas present for his teenage son,

he gives the name “Gizmo”, to his family in the town of Kingston Falls.

inventor Randall Peltzer discovers a small,

The 1998 Disney film titled Mulan is based

furry creature called a Mogwai in an antique

on the Chinese legend of Fa Mulan. The

store in Chinatown. The owner of the store

tale is believed to be based on a true story

that took place during the fourth century.

the original version Fa Mulan lives during

ABOVE: Fan art titled Mulan - Savior of China

The original Fa Mulan tale was actually a

the Wei Dynasty. Another difference is that

created by Madam Maria on devianart.com.

very short poem, which was later written

in the Disney version, Mulan falls in love

OPPOSITE: Poem of the legend of Fa Mulan.

into a Chinese play. In the poem, Fa Mulan

with one of the lead commanders, but in

takes her aged father’s place in the army.

the original version Fa Mulan has no love

She fought for 12 years and gained high

interest and has an arranged marriage when

merit, but she refused any reward and

she arrives back home from war. Another

retired to her hometown instead. She

important aspect of the Disney version is

was a great warrior and unlike the Disney

that Mulan doesn’t know how to fight and

version where she is taught how to fight,

must learn during her training. But in the

the original Mulan already knew how to

original version, Fa Mulan actually already

fight her own battles.

knows how to defend herself and is one of

Disney’s version of Mulan is quite similar to the original story but there are some aspects of the Disney version that are different from the original. For one, the Disney version is set in China during the Han Dynasty, but in

the top warriors in her regime.

Chinese Folklore of the Future

he future of Chinese folklore will have a bright future within the next twenty years or so. Not only will the traditions of festivals and religion continue to be practiced, but many of the Chinese folktales will be retold through pop culture media. Here in America there are countless American movies based on folklore such as, Thor, Rapunzel, Snow White, etc. But in the future movies will be based on Chinese folklore. An old story always captures the interest of an individual. There have been many television shows and films that have been based on retelling an old folktale. It’s popular in most societies to retell an old story through film or television. Take for example, the many different versions of Alice in Wonderland. There’s the original story by Lewis Caroll, which later became a Disney movie. Up until now, there have been over a hundred movies and television series based on the story. The most recent of Alice in Wonderland film would be Tim Burton’s dark and dreary version that was released in 2010 starring Hollywood star Johnny Depp. Alice in Wonderland isn’t the only example of an old tale reincarnating into a movie or television series. Many of the original Disney films were actually based on old German folktales such as, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid. Many of the tales were often recreated as animation films. Today in the 21st century, we now see less cartoon animated movies and more drama or action movies based on folklore. There’s been movies such as Thor, 300, and Lord of the Rings, which are based on both German folklore and Greek mythology. For the future, there will be animation and action packed movies based on Chinese folklore.

The equivalent of Superman to the Chinese is the folk legend of the Monkey King.

FILM & TELEVISION

will tell the story about the infamous Sun

By the year 2025 American film and tele-

Wukong and his rebellion against the father

vision will be more accepting of Asian

of all Gods, the Jade Emperor.

cultures and will try to expose audiences to

Monkey King the movie will have the status

the Chinese culture. There will be cartoons,

equivalent to the famous Iron Man movie.

animated films, and action packed movies

The movie will tell the story about the infa-

based on legendary Chinese myths. the

mous Sun Wukong and his rebellion against

Chinese legendary tale of the Monkey

the father of all Gods, the Jade Emperor.

King will be released as a CGI 3-D movie. It will be an action packed movie filled with special effects and suspenseful cliff hanging scenes. The Monkey King CGI movie will have the status equivalent to the famous Iron Man movie. In the year 2025, the Chinese legendary tale of the Monkey King will be released as a CGI 3-D movie The movie

Films will be shot in urban San Francisco with scenes of the Monkey King on the Golden Gate Bridge and on top of the tall Transamerica Pyramid building. Famous movie stars such as, Johnny Depp and Kate Beckinsale will star as the lead roles. Brad Pitt will play the antagonist, Jade Emperor. And the movie will be a Blockbuster hit, winning five Academy

Awards, and two Golden Globes in the year

will be a box office movie making triple

ABOVE: Drawing of the original story of the

2025. Fans will love the movie and will be

the amount of movies like Spiderman,

Monkey King and his journey to the West.

waiting in anticipation for the sequel to

Transformers, and Iron Man.

Illustration done by Keithsith.

be released.

In the next twenty years or so, there will

The equivalent of Superman to the Chinese

be an American made version of the stories

is the folk legend of the Monkey King, also

of the Monkey King. Just as how Greek

known as Sun Wukong. The Monkey King is

mythology is presented in American films,

the main character in the classical Chinese

there will be more films based on Chinese

epic novel Journey to the West. The novel

mythology. Such as, the power of the Jade

dates back to the 16th century during the

Emperor, the ruler of Heaven and all realms

Ming Dynasty and is still well known today.

of existence below including that of Man

There have been various Chinese films and

and Hell. Many action packed movies will

cartoons based on the story. But Americans

be based on Chinese folklore and will be

have yet to see an American spin to the

featured in 3-D with computer generated

legend. The future of American film holds

immagery and special effects.

an action packed film starring Hollywoods star Brad Pitt as the Monkey King. It

There will be the first Chinese Disney Princess animated featured film by Pixar

In the future there will be a new video game without Mario and Luigi, but instead the main character will be Bowser.

and Disney. Since the beginning of Disney

of China’s Tang Dynasty. She left China in

animated films, their stories have been

640, and according to records, arrived the

based on mainly German folklore such

next year in Tibet to marry the thirty-seven

as, The Little Mermaid, Snow White,

year old Songtsän Gampo (605?–650 CE)

and Rapunzel. But in twenty years or so,

the thirty-third king of the Yarlung Dynasty

Disney will finally venture out more with

of Tibet, in a marriage of state as part of

the tales that they chose to portray in

a peace treaty along with large quantities

their featured animated films. The tale of

of gold. She is popularly known in Tibet

the Chinese princess. Yen-Shen will be one

as Gyasa, or ‘Chinese wife’. The princess

of the movies Disney will create. It is a

is portrayed as a Buddhist and, along with

fairytale type of story where the young

Songtsän Gampo’s Nepalese wife, Bhrikuti

girl goes from rags to riches. The story

Devi, is said to have introduced Buddhism

was written around 850 A.D., which is over

to Tibet. The details regarding Wencheng

a thousand years older than the earliest

are scarce and there is uncertainty amongst

version of Cinderella.

historians as to whether she truly existed.

There’s also another story about a real prin-

As a marriage of state, the union must be

cess named, Princess Wencheng who was

considered a success as peace between

a niece of the powerful Emperor Taizong

China and Tibet.

Disney will also make a movie based on

New Mogwai will be introduced wearing

ABOVE: Nintendo Wiiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game of the future

the famous Chinese legend of the Moon

traditional Chinese outfits and will show

starring the infamous Bowser titled Bowser

Goddess, and her love story with the

Gizmo and his master the ropes of the

Great Demon King Koopa. OPPOSITE: Nintendo

powerful archer. While, the future has a

neighborhood. The gremlins will be having

3DS version of the same video game.

lot of potential for Chinese folklore and

a splendid time until they meet an evil man

mythology, there are still many stories that

who intends to take all the Mogwai and

are in the process of being translated now.

turn them on their masters.

Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network will have cartoon animated series that repre-

LITERATURE AND ART

sent Chinese mythology. Similar to the

Chinese mythology and folktales will be digi-

Avengers, there will be a super heroic clan

talized into electronic books. All legends

of Chinese mythological gods.

will be able to download quick and easy

Gremlins will return to theatres. Gremlins

on the Internet.

Twenty-Five: When Mogwaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Attack. Gizmo

Holographic storytellers will be able to

will be on his watch all day and night to

reenact the ancient days of oral trans-

protect his master against the evil demons.

mittions of Chinese myths and legends.

This time the setting will be in China.

In twenty years or so, the technology will

Illustration done by anonymous.

Gremlins 3 will come out in theatres in the future and be released on Blu Ray disc a few months after.

advance rapidly and the use of a hologram

including, Houyi the Archer, a benevolent

will be a daily tool used as a replacement

or malevolent emperor, an elixir of life, and

for reading. People will be able to pick and

of course, the Moon.

choose a variety of Chinese folktales and

Chang’e won’t be the only story being told.

have a hologram read aloud and reenact

There will no longer be a need for chil-

the story. They will be able listen to the

dren books when a hologram will be able

tales in any language. In the example on the

to read your child a story. The holograms

left, the hologram is projecting an image of

will be able to act out any and all Chinese

the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang’e. She

mythological tales.

is the Chinese Goddess of the Moon and unlike many lunar deities in other cultures who personify the Moon, Chang’e only lives on the Moon. As the woman of the Moon, Chang’e could be considered the Chinese complement to the Western notion of a man in the Moon. Chang’e is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology, ost of which incorporate several elements

VIDEO GAMES The video game industry always enjoys taking mythological tales and creatures and turning them into a gruesome, killing video game. In the future, this tradition will continue and the video game Legend of the Jade Emperor will be released in the

summer of 2040. The game will include a

infamous Bowser. It will be a role play

ABOVE: Future billboard for promoting the new

story line on the mythological legend of

game that will focused on destroying the

addition to the Gremlin movies, Gremlins 3.

the Jade Emperor’s powers. In Chinese folk

world with Bowser’s dragon turtle powers

Illustration done by Niarbon. OPPOSITE: DVD

culture, he is the ruler of Heaven and all

and kidnapping Princess Peach.

case that Gremlins 3 will look like. Illustration

realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese tradition religion pantheon. In actual Taoism, the Jade Emperor governs all of the mortals’ realm and below.

With so many deities, creatures, and stories, Chinese folklore offers an endless amount of opportunities to be retold in different forms of media. With the diversity in America today, I think it will be good for American companies to take advantage of Chinese mythology

The video game industry always enjoys

and folklore and use it to expose Americans

taking mythological tales and creatures

to the rich and traditional culture of China.

and turning them into a gruesome, killing video game. In the future, this tradition will continue and Chinese folktales will be retold through CGI game software. There will be a new video game starring the

done by PoaAlpina.

Sources BOOKS Sanders, Tao Tao Liu. Dragons, Gods & Spriits. Italy: Eurobook Limited, 1980. Yang, Lihui, and Deming An. Handbook of Chinese Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 2005.

WEBSITES alwayschristine.wordpress.com devianart.com flickr.com wikipedia.org wushushaolinkungfu.com

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Ashley Ng Type Systems

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Spring 2012

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