ABSTRACT

The hundreds, perhaps thousands, of rhymes in the Chinese canon are an Aladdin's cave of literary treasure, deserving of a wider audience and updated translation. The rhymes, some nonsensical, some poignant, some harshly realistic, constitute an important body of literature: a traditional canon that underpins later learning of classical poetry and literature. Chinese rhymes are often composed from a point of view that condones, if not supports, the Confucian family system that places the female and the young in inferior positions in the hierarchy, a point of view transmitted by the vicarious author. Chinese rhymes are, naturally, peopled by boys as well as girls. In the Chinese rhymes, the status and treatment of women and children is laid bare, and the translator can choose, or not choose, to reflect realistically the narratives of the rhymes.