From the preface:
â The chief literary sources of Chinese myths are the Li tai shĂȘn hsien tâung chien, in thirty-two volumes, the ShĂȘn hsien lieh chuan, in eight volumes, the FĂȘng shĂȘn yen i, in eight volumes, and the Sou shĂȘn chi, in ten volumes. In writing the following pages I have translated or paraphrased largely from these works. I have also consulted and at times quoted from the excellent volumes on Chinese Superstitions by PĂšre Henri DorĂ©, comprised in the valuable series VariĂ©tĂ©s Sinologiques, published by the Catholic Mission Press at Shanghai. The native works contained in the Ss? Kâu ChâĂŒan Shu, one of the few public libraries in Peking, have proved useful for purposes of reference. My heartiest thanks are due to my good friend Mr Mu HsĂŒeh-hsĂŒn, a scholar of wide learning and generous disposition, for having kindly allowed me to use his very large and useful library of Chinese books. The late Dr G.E. Morrison also, until he sold it to a Japanese baron, was good enough to let me consult his extensive collection of foreign works relating to China whenever I wished, but owing to the fact that so very little work has been done in Chinese mythology by Western writers I found it better in dealing with this subject to go direct to the original Chinese texts. I am indebted to Professor H.A. Giles, and to his publishers, Messrs Kelly and Walsh, Shanghai, for permission to reprint from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio the fox legends given in Chapter XV.
This is, so far as I know, the only monograph on Chinese mythology in any non-Chinese language. Nor do the native works include any scientific analysis or philosophical treatment of their myths.â
