Yeh Hsien – a Chinese Cinderella

Description

This Cinderella story, the oldest known version of the famous fairy tale, originates from China. Instead of a fairy godmother, a magical red fish grants Yeh-hsien her dearest wish – to go to the Spring Festival. When Yeh-hsien loses her slipper, the king searches all over the land looking for the woman who fits the tiny golden shoe…

This Chinese version of the Cinderella story is an excellent example of how traditional tales are often replicated across different languages and cultures. Yeh-hsien provides a platform for discussing the variations between legends from different parts of world, and for studying the fairy tale tradition more widely.