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Ting’s Chinese Folktale Type Index

Nai-tung Ting’s A Type Index of Chinese Folktales (1978) brings together material from oral tradition and major works of non-religious classical literature.

The title specifies a selected corpus. This reference should not be treated as a complete catalogue of Chinese myths, religions or narrative traditions.

Scope and reference practice

China · Tale types. The notes on recording evidence are editorial guidance for future use on this website.

Ting’s Chinese Folktale Type Index: Scope and reference practice
ReferenceExplanation
Oral tradition Identify the collection and version behind an entry, including locality, language and collection date where available.
Classical literature Record the literary work and passage separately from any oral counterpart; the medium and documentary history matter.
Type references Preserve Ting’s designation and the edition consulted. Check any proposed relationship to another type index explicitly.

Using this reference

Compare plots and episode sequences in the texts. A shared title or character is only a starting point, especially where translation or literary adaptation has altered the narrative.

The links below identify the published reference or its official catalogue. This page provides an introduction; it does not reproduce the full index or assign classifications to narratives.

Each heading has a stable link for citation and future cross-referencing. Narrative associations will follow later analysis.

Sources and further reading

Ting, Nai-tung. A Type Index of Chinese Folktales: In the Oral Tradition and Major Works of Non-Religious Classical Literature. FF Communications 223. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 1978.

The explanations are concise editorial summaries. Published identifiers are distinguished from this page’s reference headings and suggested recording practices.