Anthology of Creation Mythology in South China, Vol. 2 (English-Chinese Edition): 10 Ethnic Groups & Their Creation Stories

Why do some ethnic groups in southern China say the world was born from an egg, while others describe a brother and sister who held up the sky with their own bodies? This book answers that question.

Anthology of Creation Mythology in South China (Vol. 2) gathers creation myths from ten ethnic minority groups: the Achang, Bulang, Wa, Dulong, Sui, Gelao, Dong, Bouyei, Mulao, and Gaoshan. Each group has its own story of how the world began — how Zhepama and Zhemima separated heaven and earth, how Gumiya created all living things, how Yayu pushed the sky upward. These stories read like fairy tales, but they carry centuries of understanding about the universe, nature, and humanity’s place within it-37.

What makes this book special is its bilingual format. Chinese and English texts are presented side by side, so you can read in either direction. Whether you are a Chinese learner improving your reading skills or an English speaker curious about China’s ethnic cultures, the mythological narratives make language practice feel natural rather than textbook-like. The English translation was completed by faculty from the School of Foreign Languages at South-Central Minzu University, as part of the “Chinese Southern Folk Literature Translation Series” — a project supported by China’s National Publication Foundation-35.

At 291 pages in a standard 16-format paperback, the book contains complete mythological texts from all ten groups. It is not an academic essay collection — it tells stories. You will read about gods creating humans, floods reshaping the world, and heroes struggling against nature. If you are looking for a bilingual book with real cultural depth — for yourself, for a friend interested in China, or for a classroom — this one earns its place on the shelf.