Collection of Chinese Folktales, chief-edited by Zhong Jingwen, is a reflection of the overall current states of oral folktales in China. The works selected in this book are loyal records of the excellent folktales spread among different ethnic minorities or regions. These works are characterized by vivid national characteristics and outstanding art values and are artistic gems for appreciation and collection. At the same time, they have high academic value and constitute precious materials for the research of folk literature and its relevant disciplines. Collection of Chinese Folktales is a comprehensive encyclopedia of the diverse kinds of oral folktales works among different ethnic communities of China. It is one of the most outstanding hallmarks of folklore and is a bright jewel of the treasure-trove of world cultures.

Collection of Chinese Folktales covers diverse subjects and styles of oral literature, among which there are myths, legends and various tales including animal tales, imaginary tales, life tales, and folk jokes. It consists of 30 volumes with over 45,000,000 words, each of which is about 1.5 million words with a large number of colored illustrations.

Collection of Chinese Folktales has been published 23 volumes and is to be completed by 2005.

  Myths

Myths are the main literature form of mankind in prehistory, and people's "unconscious" artistic creations. There are many myths kept in the ancient Chinese classics such as Zhuangzi, Haifeizi, Biography of Motianzi, Chuci, and Shanhaijing. To this day, there have still been a lot of oral narrative myths popular among all ethnic groups in China.

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  Folk Legends

Folk legends, an aesthetically valuable form of literature combining fictional imagination and realistic description on the basis of historical facts, widely spread in China. Chinese folk legends include figure legends and local customs and lifestyles.

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  Folktales

Chinese story-telling dates back to over 2,000 years ago and it is still popular nowadays. It is an important mass entertainment, which sometimes is called "Telling ancient stories", "Telling making-up stories", "Giving Longmenzhen" (Chatting) or "Expounding the text of Buddhism".

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