Published in January 1936, the year
鲁迅 died, it gathers eight stories written between 1922 and 1935. Each retells an old myth or legend, from
女娲 making people and mending the sky in
补天 to
伯夷 and
叔齐 starving on a mountain rather than eat the grain of Zhou in
采薇, and the avenger's tale
铸剑.