Exploring Chinese folklore in popular culture: Big Fish and Begonia

New Directions in Folklore

by Megan Beckerich

With the American release of the new animated epic Big Fish and Begonia, let’s talk about Chinese folklore—specifically the magical women who frequent its legends.

A colorful display of magic.

Big Fish and Begonia tells the story of Chun, a young girl who comes from a mystical parallel spirit world and assumes the form of a red dolphin in the human world.  The film centers on her quest to resurrect the human boy who saved her life when she ventured into the human world and was ensnared in a fisherman’s net.

Historically, dolphins are associated with peace and prosperity in Chinese folklore. That belief comes from a particular legend, one that is linked to a specific breed of dolphin: the sadly critically endangered baiji.  The baiji legend tells of a young girl who is beset by a lecherous uncle and thrown into the river where she…

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Chinese Mythology: The Eight Immortals

Under the influence!

The Eight Immortals – Public Domain

The Eight Immortals

In Chinese mythology, the Eight Immortal were a legendary group of eight individual beings who had transcended the human state to become endowed with divine and supernatural attributes or powers.  Each immortal is endowed with a power that can give life or help their fight against evil.  Most of the Eight Immortals were born during either the Tang or Song dynasties and venerated by Taoists and became popular in Chinese culture.  This work is a brief introduction to the Eight Immortals who were; He Xiangu, Cao Guojiu, Li Tieguai, Lan Caihe, Lü Dongbin, Han Xiangzi, Zhang Guolao and Zhongli Quan and concludes with an observation about their popularity.

He Xiangu

He Xiangu was the only known female member of the Immortals.  While Lan Caihe, another Immortal, is often depicted dressed as a young girl, or sometimes a young boy, making…

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The origins of Tanabata festival in Japan

JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY & FOLKLORE

Tanabata, also known as the “Star festival”, takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, when the two star-crossed lovers, who are, incidentally according to legend, also the star deities Altair and Vega, usually separated from each other by the Milky way, and who are able to meet only at this time of the year. The festival can be celebrated on July 7th on either the Gregorian calendar or lunar one, depending on the region. This year, the lunar day falls on August 9th on the regular solar calendar. The festival event traditionally took place shortly after risshu or the beginning of autumn, which follows the end of the tsuyu rainy season.

Most Japanese are acquainted with the Tanabata story and festival from childhood, or from preschool classrooms where tanzaku (短冊)decorations are hung from a bamboo branches —  tanzaku are narrow strips of colorful…

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