![]() ![]() It is the intention of this paper to discuss authenticity issues regarding Chinese folktale picture books. While it is commendable that teachers include Chinese literature in multicultural education curriculum, current situations in Chinese children's picture books pose important questions that demand much attention. These problems have frequently led to serious misrepresentations of Chinese culture in many Chinese American picture books. Other problems are caused by an overlook of the artistic and cultural conventions in illustration. Some problems come from cultural insensitivity and/or the European sense of superiority, resulting in inaccurate or blatantly distorted images of Chinese and Chinese culture that fit mainstream stereotypes. There is a serious lack of different picture book genres among the existing publications.Īs a native of China fully exposed to Chinese culture and customs, I am astonished to find so many flaws in picture books about Chinese culture and its people, especially in folktales. Among the 73 books in his survey, 51 books were American published versions of Chinese folktales (1994). Mingshi Cai, in his study of Chinese and Chinese American children's picture books published in the United States, pointed out this astonishing fact. Furthermore, the majority of picture books available with Chinese protagonists are folktales (Cai, 1994). Indeed, folktales are most effective in communicating the values and traditions held dear to a certain culture, and they also portray the images of the people and their ways of life. Many consider that folktales are effective and positive in helping young children acquire knowledge about other people's culture (Aoki, 1992). Three and a half decades later, although situations have improved, cultural authenticity in children's literature remains a pressing issue that deserves careful examination.Ĭhinese folktales are frequently used for multicultural education projects on China and/or Chinese Americans in many elementary classrooms. The majority of these books are racist and extremely misleading (1976). Among the 66 books published, most of them are about Chinese and Japanese Americans. In 1976, the Asian American Children's Book Project, under the Council on Interracial Books for Children, conducted a study about books with Asian or Asian Americans as their main characters. Chinese American children's picture books, likewise, can be used to serve the purpose of acquainting young children with the historical, cultural, and social aspects of Chinese American people. Children's literature has great capacity for changing children's perspectives and their understandings of cultures and experiences other than their own (Bishop, 1997, 1992). The growing awareness and interest in cultural diversity has ushered in an increasing number of multicultural children's publications, including Chinese and Chinese American children's books. The author also provides cautions and suggestions for the educators who are interested in using Chinese children's books in their multicultural curriculum. Some major Chinese cultural and artistic conventions are discussed by critiquing the works of two most prominent Chinese folktale picture book artists. ![]() This article explores issues surrounding cultural authenticity in Chinese folktale picture books.
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