First published in 1922, &quot;Myths and Legends of China&quot; is a fascinating and comprehensive collection of Chinese myths and legends in which Edward Theodore Chalmers Werner drew upon material readily available to him as a member of the Chinese government&#39;s&#39; Historiographical Bureau in Beijing.&nbsp;<br /><br />A former barrister and British consul in Foochow, Werner presents a wealth of information illuminating the ideas and beliefs that governed the daily lives of the Chinese people long before the revolutions of the 20th century. Offering a provocative glimpse into a world dominated by traditional rules of etiquette and inhabited by demons, dragon-gods, and spirits, the volume opens with an introductory chapter on the origins of the Chinese people. In succeeding chapters, Mr. Werner&#39;s readable, well-illustrated text considers the gods of China and myths of stars, thunder, lightning, wind and rain; of water and fire; of epidemics, medicine, and exorcism; as well as tales about the goddess of mercy, the guardian of the gate of heaven, accounts of how the Monkey became a god, and much more.<br /><br />(<i>Source: simonandschuster.com</i>)