11 h 7 minAudiobook4 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if the stranger at the inn belongs to a world you cannot see?
The Chinese Fairy Book, gathered by Richard Wilhelm, brings together tales from China's oral and written traditions. Fox spirits, ghosts and immortals share the world with poor scholars, clever youths and officials who are less wise than they think. A traveller stops at an inn; a student reads in an empty house. The ordinary moment opens onto something strange.
The collection moves from spirits living beside people to dragon kings ruling rivers, lakes and seas. Kindness and cleverness matter: generosity, honesty or loyalty can bring unexpected help, while wit gives a humble youth a way to face stronger rivals. These short, plainly told stories move quickly, leaving their lessons for you to discover rather than spelling everything out.
What you’ll discover
- Spirits close to home Follow familiar paths where a chance meeting may bring help or harm.
- The fox spirit's disguises Meet a shape-changing being who may appear as a lovely woman or an old man.
- Rulers of hidden realms Encounter dragon kings who command rain and flood, and mountain sages who offer lessons.
- Wit against strength Watch humble young people rely on cleverness when their rivals hold wealth or power.
- Small tales, quiet lessons Discover brief stories where strange events invite you to think about kindness and loyalty.
Who will love it
For readers who love folk tales, myths and bedtime stories, and anyone curious about Chinese beliefs. It also suits families reading aloud, with fox spirits, dragons and clever youths to meet.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Spirits live next door to people
- Dragons and immortals rule the hidden realms
- Kindness and cleverness are rewarded
- Short tales told in a plain voice
Who’s who
- The fox spiritA shape-changing being who may appear as a lovely woman or an old man and can bring help or harm.
- The poor scholarA young student with little money but a sound heart, often tested by strange visitors.
- The dragon kingA ruler of rivers and seas who commands rain and may reward or punish those who cross his path.
- The immortalA sage of the mountains who has won long life and sometimes offers gifts or lessons to humans.
- The clever youthA humble young person who relies on wit to overcome stronger or richer rivals.
Formats and delivery
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- Large-print eBook
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- Audiobook
- 11 h 7 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 4 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Read and hear The Chinese Fairy Book in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
The Chinese Fairy Book
by Richard Wilhelm (editor) · 1914
Fox spirits, dragons and strange visitors test ordinary people, putting kindness, wit and loyalty at stake.
Medium level10–20 hours to read25 languages
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In short
The Chinese Fairy Book gathers tales from the oral and written traditions of China into one volume for readers who know little of that world. It was put together by Richard Wilhelm, a German scholar who lived in China for many years and knew its language, its classics and its village stories well.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Spirits live next door to people
In these tales the line between the human world and the spirit world is thin. A traveller can stop at an inn, a student can read late in an empty house, and a farmer can walk home at dusk, and any of them may meet a being who is not what it seems. Fox spirits are among the best known. They can take the shape of a beautiful woman or a gentle old man, and they may bring help or trouble.
The tales do not treat this as frightening or silly. It is simply how the world works. People respond with caution, courtesy and sometimes bravery, and the way they treat a stranger often decides how the story goes.
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What is The Chinese Fairy Book about?
It is a collection of Chinese folk tales that feature fox spirits, dragons, immortals, ghosts and ordinary people. The stories show how kindness, cleverness and loyalty are rewarded, and how the human and spirit worlds meet.
Who was Richard Wilhelm?
Richard Wilhelm was a German sinologist and missionary who lived in China for many years. He is best known for his version of the I Ching and for gathering Chinese folk tales for Western readers.
Are the tales in The Chinese Fairy Book true stories?
No, they are folk tales and legends, drawn from oral and written Chinese tradition over many centuries. They show beliefs, values and ways of telling stories rather than recording real events.
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