China Tells How the World Began (Asian Folktales Retold) - Tapa dura

Two Chinese folktales are presented in 'China Tells How The World Began'; one about how the ancient God created heaven and earth with his body, and the other explaining how the years were named after animals.

Born in China, Kurita came to Japan as a teen-ager with her family. She made new friends by retelling the stories of her childhood. Listeners were delighted, and a book soon followed. Her verbal rhythm is preserved in the print version. Matsutani has written many books, including "Taro the Dragon Boy" (winner of the international Hans Christian Anderson Award). Collaborating with storytellers, her folktales survive print to convey the excitement of their original oral tradition. After studying art in Korea, Mitsukuri became familiar with Phillipine, Chinese, Nepalese and other Asian cultures, travelling and sketching extensively. She has illustrated several folktale collections for children.