Spring of the Butterflies and Other Folktales of China's Minority Peoples

by He Liyi, Neil Philip (Editor), Li Zhao (Illustrator)

A collection of fourteen tales from the Tibetan, Thai, Uighur, Bai, and other non-Chinese people living in China.

Genres: Folklore

144 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 1986

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Spring of Butterflies, Liyi He collects fourteen tales from his home province of Yunnan in an all-ages collection, beautifully illustrated by Li Zhao and Pan Aiqing . The tales are well-told and entertaining, and I was happy to find independent, wise, and adventurous women throughout. I was also pleased Neil Philip, the UK editor, was transparent on his degree of involvement both in his introduction and the endnotes, providing at least some information on changes made to Liyi He's original English translation. The endnotes also provide information on the tales' cultural origins and sources, indispensable to those of us who want to track down more about a particular story.

[Csenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting collection. I appreciated the introduction to the person who collected and translated these tales. The translator's notes tend to take away from the charm with snarky comment on the translation, but the tales themselves are gorgeous. Definitely an important collection, featuring ethnic minorities from China individually, instead of just grouping them incorrectly all under "Chinese." Great book!

[Sarah Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read folktales from the non-dominant ethnic groups in China.

[Gena Lott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming little book about the beliefs of other peoples. A fun book for learning about other cultures

[e v e · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*