Old China Through the Eyes of a Storyteller

by Julie Moss Herrera

Overview

An American storyteller’s immersion In the Chinese folktale tradition

“Having traveled on the same People to People Ambassador journey to China with Julie, I have seen Julie's anthology from inception to fruition. It is a masterful, engaging, informative and scholarly addition to our understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, particularly storytelling and folk traditions, from ancient days to today. Practicing storytellers will especially appreciate her tips for telling and context clues at the end of each story.”
                --Judith Heineman, storyteller, producer and Illinois Humanities Road Scholar

      

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935166856
Publisher:	Parkhurst Brothers Publishers Inc
Publication date:	08/28/2012
Edition description:	1
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 6.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Julie Moss Herrera, a professional storyteller with residences in Colorado and Florida, has maintained a special interest in the culture of China since childhood, in part because of a medical missionary to China who visited in her childhood home annually.  This book is a result of her participation in an International Ambassador program in 2008, a program that took her and otherAmerican  storytellers into Chinese oral traditional communities both rural and urban. ? 

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

Preface 13

The Snipe and the Mussel (Clam) 19

A fable about compromise in the face of adversity

The Tiger 21

A 2300 year old story from the Strategies of the Warring States

The Thousand Li Horse 25

A fable which explains how to collect many fine things or how to find the best advisors

The Man Who Pretended He Could Play Reed Pipes 31

A fable from Han Fei Tzu which tells about the futility of pretending to be who you are not

It Is Worth a Thousand Li Feather 35

A story about an old Chinese proverb

A Blessing or a Curse? 39

The story behind a commonly used Chinese idiom or chengyu

Tuiqiao - Push or Knock 43

An ancient Chinese story about weighing one's words

Longevity 47

A story about wisdom which comes with old age

The Young Head of the Household 51

A riddle story

Weaving Fair Lady and Water Buffalo Boy or The Magpie Bridge 57

A star story and a love story about Qi Xi, the Chinese Valentine's Day, a day for lovers

Butterfly Lovers 63

A love story that although earlier in origin is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet

Tears that Crumbled the Great Wall 69

A love story of great sacrifice and devotion that explains in part how the Great Wall was built

The Legend of The White Snake (Su-Zheng) 79

A complex love story that has changed over the years and become a popular opera

Across the Bridge Rice Noodles or Guo Qiao Mi Xian 87

Adapted by Judith Heineman from a story about the origin of the renowned savory dish from Kunming

A Storied Past 93

A brief history of storytelling from Ancient China through modern times

Map of China 108

Glossary of Pinyin Terms 109

Bibliographic References 119

Editorial Reviews

“Julie Herrera is just the right person to release this new collection of Chinese folktales. Her own sincere delivery of stories makes you feel as if you are a child listening to mom or grandma telling a favorite tale over and over. May her stories warm your heart as you read this wonderful book.”

storyteller and children's author Dr. Mike Lockett

“I like the stories so much! They reminded me of childhood times sitting down in an afternoon listening to wonderful stories from adults.”

Huang Sky

“How beautifully Julie has presented the flavor of our storytelling journey to China and our new friends met along the way! I am charmed how she related what we were told with such sincere feeling. The storytelling tips are so helpful. Readers will be inspired to use her folktales, adding props and music of their own.”

Puppeteer Barb Yostie Ashley

“Julie Herrera's collection of Chinese folktales brings back the sights and sounds of our wonderful storytelling trip to China. The lively tales offer a rich variety of telling styles and plots in a can't-wait-to-tell-that-myself format. The storytelling tips were helpful and really made me imagine how the telling would bring the tales to life. The background material in the preface and notes that accompany each tale are informative and deepen one's appreciation for the tales.”

storyteller and fellow traveler to China Elizabeth Overmeyer

“Herrera's grasp of the elegantly simple voice of contemporary Chinese storytelling enhances the universal essence of these traditional stories and demonstrates their place in modern everyday life in China.

Sheila Harris