I've been looking into eastern style fantasy lately and have begun to notice very common themes.
Mostly things relating to human emotions and the effect these have on nature. Monsters seem to usually be humans, animals, objects, or substances that have become polluted with human desire, regret, anger, guilt, or some other negative emotion. Monsters in this sense are more pitiable than their western counterparts. In this sense human nature and emotion is the detriment to social order.
In contrast Western fantasy tends to focus on human conquest of nature. Nature is depicted as openly hostile toward human existence and it is up to man to conquer, subjugate, or out right destroy the natural born monsters that would harm humanity.
My knowledge on both is limited however, mostly due to the fact I'm a westerner reading eastern text through a western lens and the fact that much of traditional western folklore has become heavily distorted because of Christian messages being added to stories that predate the death and resurrection of Christ.
I'd like to discuss common themes and aspects of western and eastern fantasy and folklore, more specifically how they differ and ways to differentiate them and make them unique and authentic. What happens when you have westerner try and write eastern fantasy and vice/versa.