The Mythographist

The Butterfly Lovers, Part 1

Forbidden love, gender bending, deception, vows, humor, heartbreak, mystical transformations — while I can’t say that every great story has to have these four elements, they’re certainly prevalent in a lot of the stories we hold in high regard in the West, from Shakespeare to Bugs Bunny. Of course, these elements aren’t bound by culture; they’re part of the human experience, and this week, we’ll look at another of China’s Four Great Folktales, which just so happens to feature all of these: the story of Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo. In my experience, it’s one of the most beloved and frequently referenced stories in China, with all the suspense and drama you could hope for. Join me, Jaer Christie, as I explore the hidden stories that shape the world on The Mythographist: Myths of Mainland China.   _______________________   Written, narrated, and produced by Jaer Christie Research by Jaer Christie & Elena Tung   Music: "The Night" and "Dancing Abroad" by Shaoqing Luna Li - https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music [https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music] License CC BY 4.0 - https://filmmusic.io/standard-license [https://filmmusic.io/standard-license]   "An Autumn Moon Over the Han Palace" and "High Mountains, Running Rivers" from the collection The Essence of Famous Chinese Folk Music, used under CC fair use

Lady Meng Jiang

Even if you don’t know anything else about China, if you’re listening to this podcast, you’ve most likely heard of the Great Wall. It’s often cited as one of the wonders of the world, and not without reason — it is genuinely a marvel of human workmanship. Like any structure of this scale, though, the Great Wall’s construction was not without human cost, and this echoes through the pages of history and cultural memory. Today, we’ll look at a widely-known story that tells of one woman’s relationship with the Great Wall — one of China’s Four Great Folktales. Join me, Jaer Christie, as I explore the hidden stories that shape the world on The Mythographist: Myths of Mainland China.   _______________________   Written, narrated, and produced by Jaer Christie Research by Jaer Christie & Elena Tung   Music: "Dancing Abroad" by Shaoqing Luna Li - https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music [https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music] License CC BY 4.0 - https://filmmusic.io/standard-license [https://filmmusic.io/standard-license]   "River Water," "Lament at Chang Gate," and "Lament" from the collection The Essence of Famous Chinese Folk Music, used under CC fair use.

Qu Yuan's Last Poem

This coming week, people all across Mainland China celebrate Duanwu, a holiday known here in the West as Dragon Boat Festival. They eat zongzi — little pyramid-shaped snacks made of glutinous rice, stuffed with something sweet or savory and wrapped in bamboo leaves. But the origin of this holiday is a little bit darker than the tasty food might lead you to believe. Last week, we looked at Questions of Heaven, a poem that seems to be one royal advisor’s expression of frustration of with his king, who appeared intent on sabotaging himself and the nation he was supposed to be ruling. This week, we hear the rest of that story, the widely-held origin of the holiday, and of the traditional snack zongzi. Join me, Jaer Christie, as I explore the hidden legends that shape the world on The Mythographist: Myths of Mainland China. ___________________ Written, narrated, and produced by Jaer Christie Research by Jaer Christie & Elena Tung   Music: "Dancing Abroad" & "The Night" by Shaoqing Luna Li - https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music [https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music] License CC BY 4.0 - https://filmmusic.io/standard-license [https://filmmusic.io/standard-license]   "Birdsong in the Tranquil Valley," "Almond Blossom in the Sky," and "Lament at Chang Gate" from the collection The Essence of Famous Chinese Folk Music, used under CC fair use.

Questions of Heaven

Today, we’re looking at the story behind a poem. But don’t skip this episode just yet, because this Chinese poem from two thousand years ago is unique — and uniquely relevant to this podcast — in that it tells us about the myths and legends that were important to the poet’s audience, in a very particular style, for a very particular purpose. And the way it does that — well, you’ll hear all about it. Join me, Jaer Christie, as I explore the hidden legends that shape the world on The Mythographist: Myths of Mainland China. ___________________ Click here for a translation of Tianwen, by kind permission of the translator [https://atangpoetfromnairobi.com/2018/01/17/heavenly-questions/] ____________________ Written, narrated, and produced by Jaer Christie Research by Jaer Christie & Elena Tung   Music: "Dancing Abroad" & "The Night" by Shaoqing Luna Li - https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music [https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music] License CC BY 4.0 - https://filmmusic.io/standard-license [https://filmmusic.io/standard-license]   "Lament" and "The Autumn Moon on a Placid Lake" from the collection The Essence of Famous Chinese Folk Music, used under CC fair use.

Yu the Great Stops the Flood

Last week, we witnessed Gun, along with his friends the tortoise and the swallow, steal xirang, a magical living soil, from the heavenly realms in order to stop a cataclysmic flood — only to be struck down by the Supreme Divinity, along with all they worked to build. This week, the second half of the story: the struggle for survival against the unforgiving elements, continued by Yu as he works to control the waters. Join me, Jaer Christie, as I explore the hidden legends that shape the world on The Mythographist: Myths of Mainland China.   _______________________________   Written, narrated, and produced by Jaer Christie Research by Jaer Christie & Elena Tung   Music: "Dancing Abroad" & "The Night" by Shaoqing Luna Li - https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music [https://filmmusic.io/u/sqluna/music] License CC BY 4.0 - https://filmmusic.io/standard-license [https://filmmusic.io/standard-license]   "Guangling Song" and "An Autumn Moon Over the Han Palace" from the collection The Essence of Famous Chinese Folk Music, used under CC fair use.