Gods and demons fiction, or shenmo fiction, is a subgenre of Chinese fantasy fiction revolving around the deities, immortals, demons and monsters of Chinese mythology. The term shenmo xiaoshuo, literally gods and demons novel, was coined in the early twentieth century by the writer and literary historian Lu Xun, and the genre's representative works include the novels Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods.
Facts
Place of OriginChina, first appearing as a genre of vernacular fiction in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). 1 Notable ExampleJourney to the West, considered by Chinese literary critics the chef-d'oeuvre of shenmo novels. 1 Defining TraitDraws its plot elements of magic and alchemy from Chinese mythology and religion, particularly Taoism and Buddhism, then popular among Ming intellectuals. 1 Connections
Sources
1. Shenmo Fiction (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, first sentence
Shenmo first appeared in the Ming dynasty as a genre of vernacular fiction, a style of writing based on spoken Chinese rather than Classical Chinese.
History section, second sentence
Plot elements like the use of magic and alchemy were derived from Chinese mythology and religion, including Taoism and Buddhism, popular among Ming intellectuals.
lead section, third sentence
Representative works of shenmo fiction include the novels Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods.
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