The Origin Of Chinese Deities
China is a country with a long history and rich resources of national culture. The Origin Of Chinese Deities traces Chinaīs ancient history is the root of modern Chinese culture.It is audible,visible and touchable. Through the ages, unique traditions have exerted an influence on the Chinese peopleīs thinking and behavior. Stories about gods,ghosts,fairies and spirits have emerged in the course of social progress. This shows that China has developed its own national tradition in creating gods since ancient times. With abundant historical materials and exhaustive studies over many years, the author provides a vivid and interesting account of the twenty-nine widely known and revered gods who influenced the lives of the Chinese people for many centuries. They include the Bodhisattva guanyin,a goddess who helps the needy and relieves the distressed; Zhong Kui, a hero in vanquishing ghosts and demons; Kitchen God, who is in charge of blessing the mortal; King of Hell, sovereign of the ghost world; Jade Emperor, the highest ruler in Heaven;and Jiang Taigong, who is responsible for granting titles to gods. Why and how are they enshrined and worshipped by the masses and even by the rulers? This book gives the answers scientifically and objectively,thus presenting one aspect of the Chinese popular culture. This is helpful in the understanding of peopleīs religious beliefs, and of archaeology, history, sociology, psychology, and folk literature. 
A Taoist Classic Chuang-Tzu
Professor Fung Yu-lan is a distinguished contemporary Chinese philosopher. Chuang-tzu is the textbook he used to teach a course on Chuang Tzu in the Beijing Chinese Language School during the 1920īs. The book (A Taoist Classic Chuang-Tzu) originally contained the translation of the first seven chapters of the Chuang-tzu and an article entitled "Some Characteristics of the Philosophy of Kuo Hsiang"appeared as an appendix.Chapter Ten,"The Third Phase of Taoism: Chuang Tzu," of Fung Yu-lanīs A Short History of Chinese Philosophy is included as another appendix in the present edition. The Chuang--tzu,one of Chinaīs most important Taoist works,forms a connecting link between the preceding Book of Lao Tzu and the following Book of Huai Nan Tzu.It brims with ideas by means of images, shedding light on philosophy through the aid of fables.As the seven chapters are consistent in both style and thought,they were obviously written by Chuang-Tzu himself,while some of the other chapters of the original Chuang-tzu were written by scholars of later periods or of other schools. Therefore,Chuang Tzuīs philosophical thought is well presented in those seven chapters,while the ideas of the other chapters were incorporated in the translatorīs notes.Therefore,the present volume represents ideas discussed in the thirty-three chapters in the original Chuang-tzu. Professor Fung has,in his translatorīs notes,made a comparative study between Western philosophical thought and that of Chuang Tzu with a view to helping readers grasp the core of Chuang Tzuīs writings.
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