Duan Chengshi facts for kids
Duan Chengshi (died 863) was a famous Chinese poet who lived during the Tang dynasty. He came from a very important and wealthy family in China. His father was a high official, which meant Duan Chengshi could get important jobs without having to take difficult government exams. He was friends with other well-known poets like Li Shangyin and Wen Tingyun.
Duan Chengshi is most famous around the world for writing an early version of the story of Cinderella. This story is called Ye Xian.
Contents
The Story of Ye Xian
Duan Chengshi wrote the story of Ye Xian in 853. It appeared in his book called Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang. He published this book shortly after he finished working as a governor in a city in China.
How the Story Began
Many people believe that Ye Xian was a traditional folktale that people told each other for a long time before Duan Chengshi wrote it down. It was a story shared by ordinary people.
Cinderella's Connection
Some people even think that the famous French author Charles Perrault, who wrote the version of Cinderella we know today, might have been inspired by Duan Chengshi's story. He might have changed it a little and given it a new name.
Duan Chengshi's Other Writings
Duan Chengshi also wrote about trade in his books. In a work from 863 AD, he described the trade of valuable goods like ivory and ambergris from a place called Bobali. Today, Bobali is believed to be Berbera in Somaliland, which is in East Africa. This shows that people in China knew about distant lands and their products even a long time ago.
