Title: The Genesis of China's Fifty Nationalities
Translated from the Chinese by Haotong Han
Original authors: Shuxian Ye, Xianzhao Wang
Hardback ISBN: 978-1-80589-045-4
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-80589-046-1
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-80589-047-8

Page: 406

Pub date: 31st August 2025

About the Book:

This book brings together creation stories, ancestral legends, and cosmological traditions from China’s fifty officially recognized ethnic groups. These diverse and powerful narratives, passed down through generations, offer insights into how communities across China have understood the origins of the world, nature, and humanity itself.

From the sky-splitting labor of Pan Gu to Nuwa’s restoration of the heavens, from flood myths to tales of the sun and moon, this collection captures the richness and variety of Chinese mythological imagination. Translated by Haotong Han, the volume preserves the distinctive voice of each tradition while making these stories accessible to today’s readers.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in mythology, cultural history, and the foundations of Chinese civilization. It is an essential contribution to our understanding of the world’s shared yet varied mythic heritage.

The Genesis of China's Fifty Nationalities

£75.00

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Han Haotong is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature and World Literature at Shaanxi Normal University, specializing in cross-cultural studies of mythology, media communication, and the development of cultural creative industries. With a multidisciplinary background spanning computer science (BSc, Zhejiang University City College) and artificial intelligence (Joint MSc, Heriot-Watt University & University of Edinburgh), he uniquely bridges technological innovation and humanistic inquiry.
As Director of the Chinese Civilization Exploration Centre at Xi’an Film Studio, Han has spearheaded documentary productions and heritage projects that reinterpret ancient narratives for contemporary audiences. His translation of Joseph Campbell’s The Masks of the Gods: Creative Mythology (Chinese edition) has been acclaimed for its scholarly rigor and accessibility. Han’s research on mytho-historical narratives and cultural industries is widely published in peer-reviewed journals, including CNKI-indexed platforms. He currently serves on the board of the Shaanxi Folk Artists Association and is an active member of the Literary Anthropology Association, fostering interdisciplinary dialogues between technology, tradition, and creative expression.
-The first English-language collection of myths and legends from all fifty officially recognised ethnic groups in China which is offering readers a deeper understanding of China’s cultural variety.

-Moves beyond traditional Han Chinese myths to highlight the diverse voices of China’s ethnic minorities, sharing stories passed down through generations.

-Organised into three sections: Creation Myths, Legends of Nature, and Floods and New Beginnings which is making it easy to explore and reference.

-Includes many rare stories never before published in English, translated from regional sources and folk accounts.

-Ideal for use in university courses, research, or personal reading, especially in areas like Chinese history, folklore, mythology, or cultural studies.

-A useful addition to libraries, museums, and cultural organisations interested in storytelling, heritage, and ethnic traditions.

-Offers interesting comparisons with other traditions such as Greek, Norse, African, or Indigenous myths, helping readers explore shared themes and unique worldviews.

-Brings together over 400 pages of stories, rich in detail and cultural meaning: valuable for students, scholars, and general readers alike.
Theme One: Creation Myths of Cultural Heroes
The Origin of the Nine Heavens
Pan Gu Ancestor is the Dragon's Child
Pan Gu Separates Heaven and Earth（Han）
Pan Gu Separates Heaven and Earth（Zhuang）
Gu Lao and Pan Gu
Why the Sky is Blue
Pan Gu Creates Heaven and Nuwa Mends Heaven
Nuwa Mending the Sky
Where did the sun, moon, and clouds in the sky come from?
The Origin of Cangjie Creating Characters
The Old Man and Old Woman of the World
Zhang Fuxi Patching Heaven
A Pei Guo Ben
Bu Luotuo
Likga Holds Up the Sky
Gao Jumong
Miluotuo
Ngong Creates Heaven and Earth
Zhang Gu Lao Creates the Sky, Li Guniang Creates the Earth
Jasaga's Creation
Ying Ba Creates Heaven and Earth
Mubupa Creating Heaven, Earth, and Humans
Huang Tian Ye and Huang Tian Mu Create Humans
Forefather Lien
Ning Guanwa Changes Heaven and Earth
Jia
usanshi and Yasansei
The Fire Creators
The Mother of Genesis Creates All Things
Princess Frog Vasilisa
The Legend of Darkness •The Sky Revolves and the Land is Vast (excerpt)
Earth Mother Biography
Theme Two: Natural Legends of the Origin of Everything
The Origin of the Earth
Heaven and Earth Unite
Origins of Heaven and Earth
Creation of Humans by Heavenly Gods
Origins of Heaven, Earth, and Humans
Where the Bull Holding up the Earth Stands
The Origin of Heaven and Earth (Excerpt from "Chamu")
Heavenly Creation
Clan Origins
Jiulong Myths
Creation of Heaven and Earth
Frog Creating Heaven and Earth
Busang Gaxi and Yasang Gaxai
Eya Shaya Creates Heaven and Earth
Mount Limu
Sigangli
The Origin of the Sun, Moon, and Stars
The Origin of Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon
The Moon and the Sun
Origin of All Things
Bushge Creates the Heavens, Bubimi Creates the Earth
Formation of the World
Enduri Creates Man
Soidi Lang's Creation of Humans
Creation of Heaven and Earth
The Story of the Gourd Descendants
Origin of Humanity
The Legend of Creating Humans and All Things with Clay
The Origin of the Mountain-Supporting Pillar
Stone Ancestor and Stone Descendant
Genesis (Nu Ethnic Group)
Creation Myth of the Ancestors
Sun Mother and Moon Father
Sea Dragon King Holds a Conference
The Origin of the Big Dipper
The Origin of the Oroqen People
Why Does the Sky Snow
The Story of Heaven and Earth
The Long Worm Siblings
Monkey Turns into Human
Theme Three: Apocalyptic Disasters and World Reconstruction
The Legend of the Flood
Apischa, The Flood, and the Ancestors of Humans
Fuxi Siblings
Brother and Sister Create Humanity
Creation of Heaven and Earth
Pan Gu King
The Legend of the Sun and Moon
Genesis (Jingpo)
The Moon and Nine Suns
Tuo Le Gega Ascends to Seek Rain
Genesis (Dulong)
Pan Brother and Gu Sister
Zhe Pama and Zhe Mima

The Genesis of China's Fifty Nationalities

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