Chinese Fairy Tales, Folk Tales and Fables
Read folk tales from China collected by R. Wilhelm, Norman Hinsdale Pitman and Andrew Lang. Jump to full list of Chinese folk tales.
About: China’s folklore is part of their country’s proud tradition, with hundreds of stories beloved by young and old. Many of the folk tales and fairy tales are used to teach certain admirable characteristics in individuals. These values include moderation, the value of promises, respect for one’s elders, why you should follow the ways of the culture, justice and injustice, and the power of wisdom. The tales shine light on the traditions and culture of China throughout all of its years. Some of the folk tales seek to answer questions about the world and are shaped by China’s philosophies.

“The crows come flying and form a bridge over which the Weaving Maiden crosses the silver river”. Illustration by George H. Hood from The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm, published 1921.
These types of tales are in presented in the folk tale collection The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm, an avid scholar of China. The book’s 74 tales feature a cross-section of China’s folklore, including tales of the gods, tales of magic, fairy tales, ghost stories and more. Other collections with a rich selection of Chinese folklore include A Chinese Wonder Book by Norman Hinsdale Pitman and Chinese Folk-Lore Tales, edited by Andrew Lang.
The folklore is influenced by the country’s religions such as the beliefs of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Like Japanese folklore, experts believe Chinese folk tales were influenced by West Asia and India. The animals in the folk tales often have human characteristics, and can speak, reason, and perform tasks in the same manner as humans.
Want more tales? Check out the Fairytalez book Chinese Tales: An Enchanting Collection of 24 Chinese Folk Tales and Fairy Tales, now available in Kindle and paperback. The Fairytalez Audio App also features Chinese stories in audiobook on Google Play and Apple devices.
- The Dragon After His Winter Sleep
- The Dragon-Princess
- The Disowned Princess
- The Dangerous Reward
- Dschang Liang
- Favorite of Fortune and the Child of Ill Luck
- The Fox and the Tiger
- The Fox and the Raven
- The Fire-God
- The Flower-Elves
- Fox-Fire
- The Flying Ogre
- The Frog Princess
- The Fairy Bonze
- The Four Dragons
- The Golden Beetle, Or Why the Dog Hates the Cat
- The Great Bell
- The Golden Nugget
- The Great Flood
- The Girl with the Horse's Head or the Silkworm Goddess
- The God of War
- The Ghost Who Was Foiled
- The Golden Cannister
- Giauna the Beautiful
- The God of the City
- The Golden Godmother: The Story of Poor Lucas
- How Footbinding Started
- How Greed for a Trifling Thing Led a Man to Lose a Great One
- How the Five Ancients Became Men
- Herd Boy and the Weaving Maiden
- Halos of the Saints
- Help in Need
- How the River God's Wedding was Broken Off
- How Molo Stole the Lovely Rose-Red
- The Heartless Husband
- King Mu of Dschou
- The King of Huai Nan
- The Kindly Magician
- The King of the Ants
- The Kingdom of the Ogres
- Kwang-Jui and The God Of The River
- The Mad Goose and the Tiger Forest
- The Man Who Would Not Scold
- The Magic Cask
- The Morning and the Evening Star
- The Miserly Farmer
- The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away
- The Mysterious Buddhist Robe
- The Princess Kwan-Yin
- The Phantom Vessel
- Preface
- The Panther
- The Punishment of Greed
- The Parasol of Contentment
- The Strange Tale of Doctor Dog
- Sky O'Dawn
- The Spirit of Wu-Lian Mountain
- The Spirits of the Yellow River
- The Sorcerer of the White Lotus Lodge
- Sam-Chung and the Water Demon
- The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarves
- The Talking Fish
- The Two Jugglers
- The Three Rhymsters
- The Tiger's Decoy
- The Three Ruling Gods
- The Two Scholars
- The Talking Silver Foxes
- The Three Evils
- How Three Heroes Came By Their Deaths Because of Two Peaches
- The Tragedy of the Yin Family
- The Wooden Tablet
- Women's Words Part Flesh and Blood
- Who Was the Sinner?
- Why Dog and Cat are Enemies
- The Widow Ho
- The Wonderful Man
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