The Five Chinese Brothers

I guess there is controversy over this title because of the depictions of the Asian characters as all looking alike. There is a problem with the idea of a major plot point being that all the Chinese brothers look alike (considering it's a racist presumption that all Asians look alike, or whatever). Also, if I'm correct in assuming it's based off "The Seven Chinese Brothers," in that folk tale (the variations I've read, anyway) all the brothers look different. So to have changed the story so they all look alike is odd. And probably racist.

But anyway, I gather the story is one that a lot of people read as kids, so it's somewhat of a classic. But I hadn't read it and therefore don't have any particular emotional attachment to it. It's got show more a lot of the violent folklore/fairy tale tropes that make modern readers uncomfortable (i.e. being burned at the stake and other modes of execution attempted). I liked the idea of trying to swallow the ocean in order to catch fish. But other than that, I remain pretty firmly unimpressed. I didn't think it's logical that a judge would allow the various brothers to go home each time a method of execution failed. Also why would they try to suffocate someone with whipped cream? (I've never given any thought to this method of execution but it seems relatively uncommon!) show less

Not a cozy picture book to snuggle up on the couch with, this shocking fable of long ago tells the story of five Chinese brothers who band together to take advantage of their striking physical similarities and bizarre talents to save the life of one of the eccentric brothers. Sometimes upsetting and even gruesome this inventive story portrays the brothers’ tag-team effort to save the life of the unjustly accused brother. Despite (or maybe because of) the grisly topic, this classic book has been a favorite of young children since its original publication in 1938. Young readers are consistently fascinated by each brother’s narrow escape and delighted as the brothers cleverly exhibit a sequence of death-defying feats. The show more attention-grabbing pen and ink drawings, floating in the white space of the page, supplement the grim text with humorous cartoon images of the brothers’ outlandish exploits. The black and white images (highlighted with yellow) have been criticized for portraying all Chinese people the same. It’s the five brothers’ amazing escapes that children will focus their attention on, making this “blast from the past” an imaginative and fun read aloud book for children in kindergarten through third grade. show less

This is a strange story about five identical brothers with special powers who outwit an executioner. It is apparently a Chinese folk tale, but except for the brothers being referred to as "The Chinese Brothers" every single time they're mentioned, there's nothing particularly Chinese about it. But I guess in 1938 (when it was published) China was sufficiently "alien" to make references to its culture a required feature whenever possible. The drawings are caricatures - everyone has a queue hairstyle (which ended some 15 years before this book) and round cap and robes - but I don't know if I'd necessarily label the book as racist. Perhaps the next reader will have more thoughts on the matter.

In China lived five brothers, each in appearance exactly like the others. Each, too, had a special ability: the first could swallow the sea; the second had an iron neck; the third could stretch his legs very far; the fourth couldn't be burned; and the fifth could hold his breath indefinitely. When a young boy is drowned while collecting shells from the sea bed after the first brother had drunk up the sea, the first brother is sentenced to be killed. However, his brothers' special talents may be just what is needed to save him.

The Five Chinese Brothers is a picture book, written by Claire Huchet Bishop and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. I enjoyed it greatly as a child, though, looking back on it as an adult, there are some problems with show more it.

The problem is with the illustrations. They are lovely and entertaining, but they are also sadly stereotypical of Chinese people. I'd hesitate to call them racist, but they certainly reflect the time the were published, back in 1938. The Chinese people in general, and not merely the identical brothers, are all drawn as being essentially identical, with yellow skin, closed eyes, and hands together in their sleeves. Usual, I suppose, for the time, though such illustrations would be fairly offensive today--the book would probably not be published.

I understand that there's a more recent retelling of the story by Margaret Mahy, with illustrations by Mou-Sien Tseng, called The Seven Chinese Brothers, which may lack these problems and so be preferable, but I've not read it, so I can't comment.

Even with its problems, The Five Chinese Brothers is a great book. If it should, perhaps, be read by parents together with their children, in order to ensure an appropriate understanding that the book doesn't accurately represent Chinese people, well, that's not so bad--children's books are usually best read by parents and children together, anyway. show less

I enjoyed the idea of this book but I did not like how it was illustrated. First, this book presents many stereotypes from the beginning. The front page shows the five Chinese brothers and every one of them looks exactly the same. Also, they are all yellow, which is another stereotype made up to degrade the Asian culture. The book is about five Chinese brothers who each have a special strength to them. One can stretch his legs as long as he wants. The other brother can't be burned while another brother has a iron neck. Finally, one can swallow the sea and the last brother could hold his breath for however long he wanted. The idea of the book is very interesting and children love this book I am sure because I too enjoyed the idea that show more went behind it, however the stereotypes presented in this book are far too insulting to ever want to read this to any class I have. I am giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I enjoyed the supernatural part of the story but I did not like the racism it presented. show less

This story have been around since 1936. It is based on a passed down folk tale. It has been banned for “racist, and stereotypical” depiction of Chinese people through the illustrations. One thing to remember is that this is a product of 1936 where usually no more than 4 colors were used in printing. Even if the illustrations were redone today, I think parents would still want this book banned. The story is of 5 brothers who each go to be executed but survive. Yep. The townspeople try to cut off someone’s head, tries to burn someone alive, try to drown them, etc. But that is not why this book was banned. I loved everything about this. It is such a classic, and unlike modern fairy tales has not been “cleaned” up for an audience. show more It has been left in its original form, and I think that makes it that much more special. show less

Interested and wanting to know of all the fuss and offensive issues behind The Five Chinese Brothers I read the book in a couple of different ways. First I read the book with the text and pictures (as most people would read a book). Secondly, I read the book with only the text and I also read the book with no text by only looking at the pictures.
The story is great, clever, and funny. I can see why a young child would laugh laugh laugh through the story, the notion of getting into trouble and finding a way to get out of trouble and to "out smart" the others.
The pictures do play an important roll in the story, are the brothers all the same looking because they are quintuplets or because they all look the same due to the fact that they show more are forefingers. The brothers had to look the same to be able to pull of the trickery that they did, to escape death.
The depiction of the brothers yellow skin, traditional Chinese hats with pigtails, and slanted eyes, is that blatant racism or stereotyping to help the reader in 1938.
Not just the depiction of the characters in the story some may take offense to some of the content in the story, death of a child and the repeated tries of the death penalty.
Sure this book is not for everyone, I enjoyed the story, it was clever and funny. The picture of the brother "stretching" to keep his head above the water was my favorite.
Ages 4-5 and up

Bishop, Claire H, and Kurt Wiese. The Five Chinese Brothers. New York: Coward-McCann, 1938.

Travers, P L, and Mary Shepard. Mary Poppins. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co, 1934. show less