序言

　　《話說中國故事》系列叢書由《寓言哲理故事》《民風民俗故事》《民間傳說

　　故事》《神話傳說故事》《傳統(tǒng)美德故事》和《經(jīng)典歷史故事》六本書組成。每

　　本書都配以生動傳神的插圖和簡明流暢的英文譯文。本系列叢書旨在使具有不

　　同語言文化背景的讀者共享中華傳統(tǒng)文化之美，體會中華傳統(tǒng)文化之博大精

　　深。叢書受眾廣泛，不僅包括中小學生，還包括國內(nèi)外對中華傳統(tǒng)文化感興趣

　　的各個年齡層次的讀者，也包括用于教育輔導孩子學習傳統(tǒng)文化和英語的各類

　　家長，屬于傳統(tǒng)文化普及讀物，適合信息時代的社會快節(jié)奏。這套圖文并茂的

　　雙語經(jīng)典系列叢書既適合對中華傳統(tǒng)文化感興趣的外國人，也適合想向國際友

　　人傳播中華傳統(tǒng)文化的中華兒女閱讀、賞析與傳播。

　　《寓言哲理故事》不僅題材豐富、詞語洗練、意象生動，而且寓意深刻。其

　　中杰出的代表是莊子寓言故事�！吨腥A寓言哲理故事》將深奧的哲理寄托在故事之中，通過浪漫而夸張的藝術手法，闡述天人合一、自然無為的哲學思想。中國古代哲學思辨故事雖淺顯易懂卻蘊意深刻，讓人讀之難忘，嚼之有味。像《邯鄲學步》《螳臂當車》《望洋興嘆》《掩耳盜鈴》等寓言故事已然婦孺皆知，

　　耳熟能詳。

　　《民風民俗故事》包括了中華傳統(tǒng)的時節(jié)時令的來歷，如《年》《臘八粥》，

　　以及民風民俗趣談如《財神》《月下老人》《紅雙喜》等，也精選了部分與民俗

　　相關的在民間流傳甚廣的民間故事。由眾多民族組成的中華大家庭決定了其風

　　俗習慣的多樣性，書中精選了比較有代表性的各民族各地區(qū)的民風民俗故事，體

　　現(xiàn)了中華民族共同恪守的行為模式和風俗習慣，是了解中華風俗習慣的切入口。

　　《民間傳說故事》屬于口頭文學范疇，是世界民間文化的重要組成部分。民

　　間故事以口耳相傳的方式在民眾中世代傳承，綿延不絕。民間故事內(nèi)容廣泛，

　　情節(jié)動人，具有鮮明的時代性、地方性和民族性。民間故事與民風民俗一樣，

　　其傳承力極強，有些民間故事如《孟姜女哭長城》《木蘭從軍》《姜太公釣魚》《白蛇傳》等在華夏大地上已然達到家喻戶曉的程度。其中為著名的愛情故事《梁山伯與祝英臺》深受中外讀者的喜愛。

　　《神話傳說故事》描寫的時間范圍往往是所謂盤古開天辟地的史前時代。神

　　話故事的話題多圍繞人與自然之間的關系，如《女媧補天》《夸父追日》《精衛(wèi)

　　填海》等。神話故事的典型人物往往被描述成神仙或半神仙式的英雄。神話故

　　事雖然是超自然的神話傳奇，但很多故事有具體的發(fā)生地點和發(fā)生年代，故事

　　的主人公也經(jīng)常是真實的人物，如《斑竹淚》《沉香救母》《神農(nóng)炎帝》等。

　　《傳統(tǒng)美德故事》收集的人物故事代表中華民族傳統(tǒng)的美好品行：勤勞勇

　　敢、敬老愛幼、黽勉好學、剛直廉潔、真誠守信等，如《囊螢夜讀》《孟母三

　　遷》《岳母刺字》《張良拜師》《管鮑之交》等膾炙人口的故事。中國自古以來被

　　稱為文明古國，禮儀之邦。五千年的文明積淀，形成了高尚的道德準則、完

　　整的禮儀規(guī)范和優(yōu)秀的傳統(tǒng)美德。讀者閱讀這些精選的傳統(tǒng)美德故事，感悟人

　　生中應具有的真善美品質，激勵自己塑造完美人格，進而傳承中華民族特有的

　　傳統(tǒng)美德。

　　《經(jīng)典歷史故事》精選出中國歷史上真實發(fā)生的、有時空穿透力的經(jīng)典

　　歷史故事，如《荊軻刺秦王》《焚書坑儒》《虎門銷煙》等。還精選了在民間流

　　傳甚廣的中國古圣先賢們精忠報國、文韜武略、清正廉潔以及他們的一些奇聞

　　逸事，如《大禹治水》《蘇武牧羊》《王安石變法》等。這些故事體現(xiàn)了善良的

　　中國百姓對清官廉政的渴望和對太平盛世、美好生活的向往。通過經(jīng)典歷史故

　　事感悟歷史風塵，以史為鏡重塑中華兒女之驕傲與尊嚴。

　　002

　　中華傳統(tǒng)文化匯集了華夏豐富的精神財富，承載著中華民族的大智慧，呈

　　現(xiàn)了中華五千年的輝煌文明，并作為世代傳襲的人文精神、社會習俗、價值觀念等文化遺產(chǎn)滲透在每個中國人的血脈之中。本書所選的經(jīng)典故事從不同的角度將這些文化遺產(chǎn)呈現(xiàn)給讀者，使讀者體會到中華傳統(tǒng)文化的博大精深，感悟人生的智慧、生命的真諦，同時在領略中華傳統(tǒng)文化的韻味中提高雙語賞讀能力。

　　任秀樺北京無為齋2017年7月12日

　　ClassicTalesandStories ofChina

　　Preface

　　Classic Tales and Stories of China iscomposedof sixbooks, Stories of Chinese Fables,Stories of Chinese Folk Tradition and Customs,Stories of Chinese Folk Tales, Stories of Chinese Myths and Legends, Stories of Chinese Traditional Virtues and Stories of Chinese Historical Events. All the six books are matched with vivid illustrations and plain English translations. Classic Tales and Stories of China will have a wide readership, including Chinese readers from kindergarten to college, foreign readers of different levels who are interested in Chinese culture and Chinese parentswhoeducatetheirchildren tolearntraditionalculture.Theseillustratedbooks belong to the popular literature of traditional culture which tries to keep up with the fastpaceofsocietyintheinformationage.Theywillhelpreadersofdifferentcultural backgroundstosharethe essential beauty of thetraditional Chinese culturalheritage. The lovely and interesting stories will quench both the thirst of foreigners who are interested in traditional Chinese culture, and the Chinese youngsters who enjoy the topicoftraditionalChinesecultureinabilingualmanner.

　　Stories of Chinese Fables often uses exaggerated and imaginary means, as well

　　as distinct and lively language, to convey moral truth and embody the philosophy of life.Theoutstandingrepresentatives areZhuangzi?sfables. Stories of Chinese Fables setsforththemysteriousanddeepphilosophyofNon-action andtheHarmony ofHumansandNature inaromanticandexaggeratedartisticstyle.Italsoexplains the secret essence of philosophical thinking on life with simple and vivid stories, which enables people to savor the unique taste of the stories while they gain enlightenment and moral truth. Fables likeA Walking Learner in Handan, A Mantis Blocked a Chariot, A Sigh of the River and Plugging the Ears While Stealing have beenwidelyknownbymostChinesefamilies.

　　Stories of Chinese Folk Tradition and Customs includes Chinese traditional seasonal themes, such as Nian, Laba Porridge, and anecdotal stories of folk customs suchas The God of Wealth, Matchmaker Yuelao, Red Double Happiness and so on. It also introduces some related widespread folk stories. China is composed of many nationalities and ethnic groups with diversities of customs and habits. This book selects representative folklore stories which embody patterns of behavior and customs of various nationalities in China. Stories of Chinese Folk Tradition and Customs isarealelementarycourseinChinesetraditionalculture.

　　Stories of Chinese Folk Tales belongs to the category of oral literature. Chinese folk tales and legends are regarded as an invaluable treasure in international folk literature. They have been passed down from generation to generation with their extremely rich oral style. Chinese folk tales, with extensive contents and impressive plots,areoftenbasedonrealChinesehistory.Theydemonstrateadistinctcharacterof

　　epoch, locality and nationality. Some famous Chinese folk tales have been

　　widespread in China through the ages, like Lady Meng Jiang Wailed at the Great Wall, Mulan Joined the Army, Jiang Taigong ? s Fishing, and Lady White Snake. Among the most favorite tales of love, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is the most treasuredbyreadersdomesticandabroad.

　　Stories of Chinese Myths and Legends selects the most famous ancient Chinese myth stories, which often deal with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes of remote antiquity. These stories center around the relationship between humans and nature,such as Nv Wa Saved the Sky, Kua Fu Chased the Sun,and Jingwei Filled the EastSea.Theprotagonistsinmythsareoftendescribedasimmortalsorhalf-immortals. Even though there are supernatural facts in myths, the characters, times, and locales of the stories are often true in existence, like A Bamboo with Spots of Tears, Chenxiang Saved His Mother andHoly Farmer King Yan andothers.

　　Stories of Chinese Traditional Virtues collects the classic stories, in which the characters represent the Chinese nation?s traditional virtues and values：being brave and hard-working, respecting the elderly and caring for children, being studious and diligent， being upright and trustworthy, etc. The typical stories include Reading by the Light of Bagged Fireflies, Three Moves by Mencius? Mother, Yue Fei?s Tattoo by His Mother, Zhang Liang Apprenticed to the Master, and The Friendship Between Guan and Bao. Sinceancienttimes,China has beenknown asthe country of ancient civilization, and the land of etiquette. The 5,000-year civilization has allowed China to form a noble moral code with complete etiquette norms and excellent traditional

　　virtues. The characters in these stories have set good examples for the later

　　generations. They inspire readers to shape their personality well and inherit the uniquetraditionalvirtuesoftheChinesenation.

　　Stories of Chinese Historical Events selects classical historical stories with the penetrating power of time and space. These events really happened in the history of China, such as Jing Ke Assassinated the King of Qin, Burning Books and Burying Confucian Scholars, Lin Zexu Burned Opium at Humen andothers.Italsointroduces themostpopularsagesofancientChinawiththeirexcellentcharacters,suchasloyalty, patriotism, honesty, uprightness and military expertise as in Da Yu Tamed the Flood, Su Wu Herded Sheep and The Reform of Wang Anshi.These stories reflect the desire of the Chinese people for righteous and incorruptible officials and a peaceful and prosperous life.The classic historical stories, enduring from generation to generation throughtheages,displaythe numerousandcomplicatedhistoricchanges,andpresent thebrilliantcivilizationoftheChinese overfivethousandyears.Chinesepeopleview history as a mirror, and lessons of the past as the teacher of the future. Readers can walk through the classic Chinese historical stories and reclaim the pride and dignity oftheirChineseancestors.

　　The Chinese traditional culture brings together the rich spiritual wealth of the Chinese, carries the great wisdom of the Chinese nation, presents the brilliant civilization of the Chinese over five thousand years, and pervades the blood of Chinese all over the world with a sense of kindred spirits, conventions and values. Classic Tales and Stories of China exudes the flavor of the Chinese nation, sparkleswith their wisdom and reflects the essential beauty and brilliance of Chinese culture. Readers not only can read the vivid tales with its implied greatness and profound traditionalChineseculture,butalsogaintheabilityofcross-culturalperception.

　　RenXiuhua

　　Non-ActionStudyBeijing

　　July12,2017