Chinese Folk Tales
China Plus
Immerse yourself in the enchanting narrative of Chinese Cinderella, the romantic tale of the cowherd and the fairy, and the heroic legend of the fearless female general, Mulan...... These mythical stories blur the lines of reality, featuring epic protagonists. Join us on a wondrous journey into a new world, imbued with tradition, mythology, and enduring wisdom. Subscribe and listen now.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 27, 2021 • 12min
The Legend of Jiang Ziya
Jiang Ziya was an unusual old man, a household name in China, even though he lived some three thousand years ago. Many remember him as this kind and wise old man from the TV series in the 1990s, someone who always knew the right thing to do and also had a clever plan.
Jan 21, 2021 • 12min
The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl
People have been celebrating Valentine's Day since the year 496 in the west. Is there a similar celebration in China? Yes and no. We do have a Valentine's Day but it all started with a rather sad story, involving once again, the Queen Mother of the West.
Jan 19, 2021 • 14min
Tales of Immortality and the Doughnut Peach
Would anyone like to learn a thing or two about becoming an immortal? What about some pills from the Queen Mother of the West and throw in some doughnut peaches too! Interested?
Jan 14, 2021 • 6min
Monster Piggy Bank
What do you say to a gold-stuffed piggy bank? Yes, please! That's what I would say. There was such a monster according to Chinese folk tales. Its name is Pi Xiu and it didn't look quite as cute as a pink pig.
Jan 14, 2021 • 8min
The impartial monster Xie Zhi
After stories of evil monsters, I would like to introduce a nice and good one called “Xie Zhi”. The mythical creature looks a bit like a goat, or at least initially it did, except that it has only one horn. Xie Zhi loathes liars, and his horn was reserved for people who did bad things and then lied about it, basically criminals.
Jan 14, 2021 • 7min
Magical Plants from Ancient China
In the past few episodes, we've talked about some magical creatures in Chinese mythology, have you ever wondered if there were any magical plants? Today, I will introduce two fascinating plants that I hope had really existed. Actually, I wish they were still around.
Jan 4, 2021 • 7min
The Greedy Monster Chaos
I'm not sure if other cultures have their symbols for greediness, in China, we have the monster named Tao Tie, the two characters also stand for a "big feast"! I guess you can make that connection. So what's he like?
Dec 31, 2020 • 6min
Poor Monster Hun Tun
Monsters come in all shape and sizes, but you probably haven't heard of one like this! With a name of Hun Tun, or Chaos, the monster can't be good.
Dec 28, 2020 • 9min
The Phoenix and the Roc Bird
Sure you've heard of the magical bird that arises from ashes, yes, the phoenix. But that's the ancient Greek species. In this episode, we will talk about the Chinese phoenix and also another kind of giant bird. Intrigued?
Dec 24, 2020 • 11min
Dragons in Chinese culture
Today we turn our attention from emperors and giants to magical creatures in Chinese history. The one leading the way is of course the dragon. Hard to say whether or not they actually existed, but it's certainly a crucial symbol for the Chinese people. Have you ever thought about keeping a dragon as a pet? Someone did.
