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: 978-1-80589-047-8Page: 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
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.
