Chinese Folklore

Chinese Folklore

Several of thousands of years ago, the concept of Chinese folklore came into existence. With the change in the ruling dynasties of different emperors in China, Chinese folklores also underwent recurrent revisions on a periodic basis. For example, many emperors insisted on the burning of old books for the new ones to be printed that also goes in sync with the existing culture that they tried to impose. Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism have been greatly influenced by Chinese folklores (or, folktales).

By Chinese folklores, we mean Chinese folktales that often comprise myths, legends, fables and many books written on folktales such as Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio, which gained a lot of fame in China. The dynasties of Jin and Wei saw major Chinese folklores on mythology, and several writers were found inspired by the alchemists ideas and the superstitions of Taoism and Buddhism. This made them write more Chinese folklores on the supernatural, some with their imaginary stories, while others showing their mastery over their writing skills. This practice continued until the next period of dynasties entitled Northern and Southern.

During the Tang Dynasty, writers, as well as poets, penned down Chinese folklores that cover a diverse amount of themes and subject matters, while focusing on aspects like human nature, relation-building and structure of society. Earlier, such stories were written in the form of small anecdotes, but during the Tang Dynasty, they were stretched out to well-structured stories; all having exciting characters such as fox, Gods, goats and interesting plots. The storied drafted during the Song Dynasty also show strong fictions of Tang dynasty but not up to the same level.

All the Chinese folklores till date have been created either by the ancient people or by the scholars born in the later period. All the stories, no doubt, are based on human feelings and human relations. A majority of stories have characters who have been personified ith human-like attributes. Writers who invented myths in China describe Gods equal to man.

A majority of Chinese folklore also tries to demonstrate fatalism, rebirths and such other doctrine in their stories. The art and style of Chinese writing has always been exemplary and marvelous.

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