Explore Ancient Chinese Myths!: With 25 Great Projects
By Anita Yasuda and Tom Casteel
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About this ebook
In Explore Ancient Chinese Myths! With 25 Projects, readers ages 7 to 10 soar on a journey through ancient China to learn about history, geography, science, and art through stories that have been told and retold for thousands of years. They learn the tales of past heroes and wise kings, brave goddesses and gods who brought riches, rain, and immortality. Then there are the gods who taught people how to live by sharing their knowledge of agriculture, writing, music, and math. The myths and legends told by the ancient Chinese that have survived into modern times showcase the ingenuity and passion that this culture has applied to problem solving and cultural expression.
Through the 25 hands-on projects, kids will have fun and gain a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese myths. Projects include making mooncakes, writing in Chinese, designing a New Year’s story board game, and observing the stars. Exploring myths and legends is also a way to discover how ancient China is still impacting the world today through inventions such as fireworks, silk, paper, and printing. In addition, kids will be invited to think about how Chinese culture is similar or different from their life today. By combining social studies and literature with activities, fun facts, jokes, and cartoons, Explore Ancient Chinese Myths offers the opportunity to discover Ancient China through myths and legends.
Anita Yasuda
Anita Yasuda is the author of more than one hundred books for children. She lives with her family and her dog in Huntington Beach, California.
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Explore Ancient Chinese Myths! - Anita Yasuda
More ancient civilization titles in the Explore Your World! Series
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Nomad Press
A division of Nomad Communications
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Copyright © 2017 by Nomad Press. All rights reserved.
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ISBN Softcover: 978-1-61930-611-0
ISBN Hardcover: 978-1-61930-607-3
Educational Consultant, Marla Conn
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CONTENTS
Timeline
Introduction
Let’s Explore Chinese Myths!
Chapter 1
The Land and People of China
Chapter 2
Teachers and Traditions
Chapter 3
Deities and Daily Life
Chapter 4
Arts, Music, and Festivals
Chapter 5
Inventions and Influence
Glossary * Resources
Essential Questions * Index
Interested in primary sources? Look for this icon.
Use a smartphone or tablet app to scan the QR code and explore more! You can find a list of URLs on the Resources page.
If the QR code doesn’t work, try searching the Internet with the Keyword Prompts to find other helpful sources.
KEYWORD PROMPTS
TIMELINE
Historians divide Chinese history into blocks. These blocks are called dynasties. A dynasty is named after the ruling family.
C. 2070 TO 1600 BCE XIA DYNASTY
A man called Yu is said to have controlled a great flood.
1600 TO 1050 BCE SHANG DYNASTY
Chinese writing develops.
1046 TO 256 BCE ZHOU DYNASTY
The philosophies of Daoism and Confucianism begin.
475 TO 221 BCE WARRING STATES PERIOD
Qin Shihuang starts the Chinese empire.
206 BCE TO 220 CE HAN DYNASTY
Buddhism reaches China.
220 TO 265 THREE KINGDOMS
Construction of long canals makes travel easier.
265 TO 618 PERIOD OF DISUNION
The Chinese experience innovations in poetry, calligraphy, and other arts.
618 TO 907 TANG DYNASTY
The golden age of art and learning begins.
907 TO 960 FIVE DYNASTIES PERIOD
Printing is done with wooden blocks.
960 TO 1279 SONG DYNASTY
Poetry, science, and mathematics flourish.
1279 TO 1368 YUAN DYNASTY
Mongol ruler Kublai Khan founds the Yuan dynasty.
1368 TO 1644 MING DYNASTY
The important novel, Journey to the West, is written.
1644 TO 1911 QING DYNASTY
Under the last imperial dynasty in China, the empire of the Manchus grows to include areas of Central Asia, Tibet, and Siberia.
1912
The Republic of China replaces the last dynasty.
1949
The Republic of China is defeated by the communist People’s Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War and retreats to Taiwan. The Communist Party establishes the People’s Republic of China in Beijing.
Note that many early dates are approximate.
INTRODUCTION
LET’S EXPLORE CHINESE MYTHS!
Storytelling is an important part of Chinese culture. People have been telling and listening to stories for thousands of years. The ancient Chinese told stories for the same reasons people do today. Stories are a way for people to learn about their history, and telling stories is fun!
Originally, stories were spoken out loud. Each time a story was told, it changed slightly, because the storyteller was telling it from memory.
WORDS TO KNOW
culture: the way of life, including beliefs and customs, of a group of people.
BCE: put after a date, BCE stands for Before Common Era and counts years down to zero. CE stands for Common Era and counts years up from zero. This book was published in 2017 CE.
myth: a story about make-believe creatures that ancient people believed were true.
legend: a story set in the past that may or may not have really happened.
fable: a short story that often contains a moral, or lesson.
supernatural: beings, objects, or events that cannot be explained by science.
ancestor: someone from your family or culture who lived before you.
epic: a long poem that tells of the deeds of a legendary hero.
Around the fifth century BCE, the Chinese began to write their stories down. These stories included myths, legends, and fables.
MYTHS, LEGENDS, AND FABLES
Myths are stories about supernatural beings. These stories tell of gods and goddesses, ghosts, and ancestors.
One Chinese myth tells about the Monkey King, who was born from a stone egg. The Monkey King became the greatest warrior on Earth.
Once, he turned every hair on his body into a mini fighting monkey! After jumping into heaven, he went on more amazing adventures with his friends Pigsy, Water Monster, and the boy monk.
Monkey and his friends are characters from a book called Journey to the West. The story was published by the writer Wu Cheng’en (1500–1580). Cheng’en’s work describes the epic adventures of the Monkey King and his friends.
WORDS TO KNOW
sacrifice: the killing of a person or animal as an offering to a god.
offering: something that is given to worship a god.
Myths also try to explain the natural world. The natural world is all around you. It is the air you breathe and the water you drink. Myths often answer questions about the weather, seasons, and how the world was made. One famous Chinese myth, called Tang the Conqueror, tells of a time when it did not rain for five years.
Legends are stories from the past. Some legends are about acts of strength and bravery. They tell of heroes who accomplish difficult tasks. Supernatural creatures, such as ghosts, demons, and dragons, often appear in legends.
DID YOU KNOW?
Professional storytelling was popular in ancient Chinese cities. Storytellers performed