Frederick H. Martens (Author), Richard Wilhelm (Author)

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury China; Gift edition (Nov. 19 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1912392151

ISBN-13: 978-1912392155

Product Dimensions: 15.3 x 23.4 cm

Shipping Weight: 549 g

《中国民间故事》选取了74个中国民间故事，囊括了诸多类型，分属童话故事（Nursery Fairy Tales）、神话故事（Legends of the Gods）、圣人和术士传说（Tales of Saints and Magicians）、自然和动物故事（Nature and Animals Tales）、鬼故事（Ghost Stories）、历史传说（Historic Legends）、文学神话故事（Literary Fairy Tales）七个系列，较全面地呈现中国神话故事的丰富性。

一段简短的注释，对某些中国特有的事物、风俗或者文中较难理解的词语等加以说明。

可以作为面向中外小读者的儿童读物，也可以作为外国成人读者了解中国文化的一个入口。

在最后一部分“文学神话故事”中，卫礼贤共节译了包括《薄情郎》(《三言二拍》之“金玉奴棒打薄情郎”) 和《心猿孙悟空》(《西游记》) 等在内的五个故事。《心猿孙悟空》（Der Affe Sun Wu Kung）是对《西游记》前七回内容的简介，这或许是德语世界*早的《西游记》译文。

An elegantly packaged new edition of a classic Chinese folk tale collection that responds to the contemporary fascination with the ancient culture of the Far East.

This elegantly presented edition of Richard Wilhelm & Frederick H. Martens' classic collection of 73 Chinese fairy tales has been re-edited by a leading Chinese historian to heighten its appeal to the modern Western reader. As China continues to develop as an economic and political superpower, there has been a growing interest in its history and literature. China has a rich oral tradition and these stories, passed down through hundreds of years, not only enthrall and delight, but also cast light on the country's ancient culture.

Chinese folklore is as colourful and captivating as the Arabian Nights or the work of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, yet the stories themselves remain largely undiscovered in the West. Written with economy and wit, the short, one- or two-page tales exhibit those distinct aspects of the Chinese character and approach to life which derive from the values of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. These include moderation, the value of promises, respect for one's elders, justice and injustice, and the power of wisdom.

The stories are arranged thematically under headings such as nursery fairy tales, nature and animal tales, and myths. Some, such as the legend of the ghostly general and haunted battlefield, engage with the supernatural, while others are dramatic tales featuring flying ogres and cunning demons. Yet others introduce magical talking animals, dragons, endangered princesses, clever shepherd boys and divine figures, including the shape-shifting Yang Oerlang, Guan Yu, the god of war, and the Silkworm Goddess who has a horse's head.

Intriguing titles such as Why Dog and Cat Are Enemies, The Dragon Princess, The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away and The Bird with Nine Heads sit next to tales familiar to all Chinese children, including The Lady of the Moon and The Herd Boy and the Weaving Maiden.

卫礼贤（Richard Wilhelm 1873—1930），原名为理查德·威廉。1899年，理查德·威廉投入海外传教的大潮，来到中国青岛，取中文名——卫礼贤，亦作尉礼贤。卫礼贤在中国待了25年，在青岛扎根后，卫礼贤结交了许多鸿儒文雅之士，深受中国传统文化影响，有着深厚的中国文化渊源和背景，是早期将中国文化带到西方的学者之一。

他先后翻译了《论语》、《道德经》、《列子》《庄子》、《孟子》、《大学》、《吕氏春秋》、《礼记》，译文质量较高，成为中国经典德文译本的权威版本，迄今仍不断出版。唯有《易经》让他摸不着头脑，翻译迟迟无从进行。在老师劳乃宣的指导下，历经十个春秋，德文译本《易经》才诞生，将中国文化推向世界，为西方学者打开了中国的玄学之门。

除了以上儒家经典著作，卫礼贤也翻译、编著了许多中国文学作品。《中国神话与民间故事》便是其中之一。