Victor H. Mair is professor of Chinese language and literature at the University of Pennsylvania and editor of The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature and The Columbia History of Chinese Literature.Mark Bender is associate professor of East Asian languages and literatures at The Ohio State University and author of Plum and Bamboo: China's Suzhou Chantefable Tradition and Butterfly Mother: Miao (Hmong) Creation Epics from Guizhou, China.

A work of monumental proportions, filling a huge gap in a field that most Chinese literature scholars in the West and China have chosen to ignore. -- Susan R. Blader, Dartmouth College, translator of Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants, Selections from Sanxia Wuyi The first book to offer a substantial, representative sample of China's rich and complex oral traditions. Given the unprecedented nature of its scope and scale, it will be novel and innovative even to old 'China hands' with its abundance of little known gems from ethnic minorities. Even the old favorites, stories derived from the most famous myths, legends, and fiction, are retold in regional oral genres rarely accessible in translation, appearing here new and fresh. -- Anne E. McLaren, author of Performing Grief: Bridal Laments in Rural China Impressive. This valuable resource gives insight into Chinese culture in all its ethnic diversity. With themes ranging across all aspects of human experience, it is a treasure trove of many genres that will explode preconceptions and captivate students and scholars alike. -- Margaret Wan, University of Utah an impressive and worthwhile enterprise, offering a wonderful selection of folk literature that would otherwise not be accessible to the English-speaking reader. -- Loh Su Hsing Asian Review of Books ...the publication of this anthology should be considered no less than epoch-making. -- Liangyan Ge, University of Notre Dame CHINOPERL Papers This valuable resource is the first anthology of China's rich oral tradition, and it also provides insight into the minority ethnic groups within the borders of modern China. Choice ...a sophisticated and engaging introduction to Chinese folk culture... Journal of Folklore Research It is no exaggeration to say that The Columbia Anthology of Chinese Folk and Popular Literature will become the source book for all researchers working in the area of folk literature in China, and a valuable resource for all researchers in the subject area. -- James Grayson, University of Sheffield Folklore

• Preface Acknowledgments Chinese Units of Measure "I Sit Here and Sing for You": The Oral Literature of China 1. Folk Stories and Other Spoken Traditions 2. Folk Song Traditions 3. Folk Ritual 4. The Epic Traditions 5. Folk Drama 6. Professional Storytelling Traditions of the North and South Further Readings Contributors and Translators

Victor H. Mair is professor of Chinese language and literature at the University of Pennsylvania and editor of The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature and The Columbia History of Chinese Literature.Mark Bender is associate professor of East Asian languages and literatures at The Ohio State University and author of Plum and Bamboo: China's Suzhou Chantefable Tradition and Butterfly Mother: Miao (Hmong) Creation Epics from Guizhou, China.

A work of monumental proportions, filling a huge gap in a field that most Chinese literature scholars in the West and China have chosen to ignore. -- Susan R. Blader, Dartmouth College, translator of Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants, Selections from Sanxia Wuyi The first book to offer a substantial, representative sample of China's rich and complex oral traditions. Given the unprecedented nature of its scope and scale, it will be novel and innovative even to old 'China hands' with its abundance of little known gems from ethnic minorities. Even the old favorites, stories derived from the most famous myths, legends, and fiction, are retold in regional oral genres rarely accessible in translation, appearing here new and fresh. -- Anne E. McLaren, author of Performing Grief: Bridal Laments in Rural China Impressive. This valuable resource gives insight into Chinese culture in all its ethnic diversity. With themes ranging across all aspects of human experience, it is a treasure trove of many genres that will explode preconceptions and captivate students and scholars alike. -- Margaret Wan, University of Utah an impressive and worthwhile enterprise, offering a wonderful selection of folk literature that would otherwise not be accessible to the English-speaking reader. -- Loh Su Hsing Asian Review of Books ...the publication of this anthology should be considered no less than epoch-making. -- Liangyan Ge, University of Notre Dame CHINOPERL Papers This valuable resource is the first anthology of China's rich oral tradition, and it also provides insight into the minority ethnic groups within the borders of modern China. Choice ...a sophisticated and engaging introduction to Chinese folk culture... Journal of Folklore Research It is no exaggeration to say that The Columbia Anthology of Chinese Folk and Popular Literature will become the source book for all researchers working in the area of folk literature in China, and a valuable resource for all researchers in the subject area. -- James Grayson, University of Sheffield Folklore

• Preface Acknowledgments Chinese Units of Measure "I Sit Here and Sing for You": The Oral Literature of China 1. Folk Stories and Other Spoken Traditions 2. Folk Song Traditions 3. Folk Ritual 4. The Epic Traditions 5. Folk Drama 6. Professional Storytelling Traditions of the North and South Further Readings Contributors and Translators

Victor H. Mair is professor of Chinese language and literature at the University of Pennsylvania and editor of The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature and The Columbia History of Chinese Literature.Mark Bender is associate professor of East Asian languages and literatures at The Ohio State University and author of Plum and Bamboo: China's Suzhou Chantefable Tradition and Butterfly Mother: Miao (Hmong) Creation Epics from Guizhou, China.

A work of monumental proportions, filling a huge gap in a field that most Chinese literature scholars in the West and China have chosen to ignore. -- Susan R. Blader, Dartmouth College, translator of Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants, Selections from Sanxia Wuyi The first book to offer a substantial, representative sample of China's rich and complex oral traditions. Given the unprecedented nature of its scope and scale, it will be novel and innovative even to old 'China hands' with its abundance of little known gems from ethnic minorities. Even the old favorites, stories derived from the most famous myths, legends, and fiction, are retold in regional oral genres rarely accessible in translation, appearing here new and fresh. -- Anne E. McLaren, author of Performing Grief: Bridal Laments in Rural China Impressive. This valuable resource gives insight into Chinese culture in all its ethnic diversity. With themes ranging across all aspects of human experience, it is a treasure trove of many genres that will explode preconceptions and captivate students and scholars alike. -- Margaret Wan, University of Utah an impressive and worthwhile enterprise, offering a wonderful selection of folk literature that would otherwise not be accessible to the English-speaking reader. -- Loh Su Hsing Asian Review of Books ...the publication of this anthology should be considered no less than epoch-making. -- Liangyan Ge, University of Notre Dame CHINOPERL Papers This valuable resource is the first anthology of China's rich oral tradition, and it also provides insight into the minority ethnic groups within the borders of modern China. Choice ...a sophisticated and engaging introduction to Chinese folk culture... Journal of Folklore Research It is no exaggeration to say that The Columbia Anthology of Chinese Folk and Popular Literature will become the source book for all researchers working in the area of folk literature in China, and a valuable resource for all researchers in the subject area. -- James Grayson, University of Sheffield Folklore

• Preface Acknowledgments Chinese Units of Measure "I Sit Here and Sing for You": The Oral Literature of China 1. Folk Stories and Other Spoken Traditions 2. Folk Song Traditions 3. Folk Ritual 4. The Epic Traditions 5. Folk Drama 6. Professional Storytelling Traditions of the North and South Further Readings Contributors and Translators