The Monkey King: A Mischievous Hero
In the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West," Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, is a powerful and cunning hero who leads his companions on a journey from China to India in search of sacred scriptures. With his incredible strength and agility, he often gets into humorous misadventures that both entertain and teach valuable lessons.
The Eight Immortals: Symbols of Longevity and Prosperity
These eight immortal beings are revered in Chinese mythology for their wisdom, courage, and selflessness. Each immortal has a unique story behind them, representing different virtues such as longevity, prosperity, martial arts prowess, or culinary expertise. They are often depicted together in art and literature symbolizing good fortune.
Nüwa: The Goddess of Creation
Nüwa is an ancient goddess who created humans after her brother's death using clay from various mountains around China's Mount Kunlun. She then brought life to these figures with her magic breaths before setting out to repair the sky after it was broken by two demons' fight.
Yue Fei: The Patriot General
Yue Fei was a Song Dynasty general renowned for his bravery against foreign invaders during times when China faced great turmoil due to invasions from neighboring countries like Jurchen-led Jin dynasty forces in northern China.
Chang'e & Chang'e-5 Mission: The Celestial Rabbit Goddess & Lunar Exploration
In Chinese folklore Chang'e is known as the Moon Goddess of Immortality who lives on the moon with her companion Yutu (Jade Rabbit). According to legend she accidentally drank an elixir meant for immortality while trying it out which caused her ascension into lunar heaven where she became its ruler over time.
China recently launched its most ambitious lunar mission yet - Chang'e 5 - named after this celestial figure; aiming at returning samples back home while marking another milestone towards deep space exploration for humanity.
Both stories intertwine science fiction elements with cultural legends thus making this fascinating subject matter perfect fit within our list of '100 Classic Chinese Mythology Stories'.