This book presents a unique collection of fairy tales from contemporary China, translated into English for the first time. Demonstrating the continuity of oral tradition throughout Chinese history, the thirty tales are selected according to the theme of "magic love." Many readers are familiar with European tales of love and family, but these Chinese tales have a very different emphasis. The structural differences are also striking: there are more tales with tragic endings, instead of the familiar "happily ever after," and often more tale types in one tale. They are fascinating to read and challenging in terms of both morphology and cultural symbolism. Unlike many collections of fairy tales, this book provides contextual information on the tellers, collectors, and time and location of collection, along with an introduction to the Chinese social and cultural background, and folkloristic approaches to fairy tale studies.
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"The Magic Love: Fairy Tales from Twenty-First Century China is a treasure trove of newly translated fairy tales and an important addition to fairy- tale studies. Zhang's careful selection, translations, and contextualization invite readers to reflect on the essence of Chinese fairy tales and to rethink the fundamental concepts of family and love within the historical framework of storytelling tradition in China. An enlightening and enjoyable read." - Claudia Schwabe, Utah State University; Author of Craving Supernatural Creatures