Chinese Bestiary: Legendary Creatures of the Middle Kingdom

The deeds of Hou Yi, the famed dragons, keepers of secret knowledge, and sowers of unrest—this Chinese bestiary invites you into a space where myth intertwines with history, religious beliefs, and tradition. From Sun Wukong to the four zodiac symbols, on the pages of the book the creatures that are still present today come alive in festivals, rituals, and cultural signs of the Middle Kingdom.
Chinese mythology is populated with astonishing creatures and outstanding heroes. Here, deities, monsters, and spirits command the elements, uphold the order of the world, or—on the contrary—embody destructive chaos. Folktales, fears, and hopes have taken shape in the most diverse beings and spread among humankind.
“Chinese Bestiary” shows how myth connects the past and faith: legendary rulers become progenitors and lawmakers, monsters turn into symbols of natural disasters and moral trials, and ancient storylines continue to resonate in the celebrations, rites, and cultural images of modern China.