Reading 1938’s The Five Chinese Brothers - A Controversial Gem

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"Dad, do you know what is my favorite book?" 

Cover of *The Five Chinese Brothers*

I was surprised. Did I hear well? 
 
A favorite book?

Wow, among hundreds and hundreds of books, my little boy has a favorite?

And he never told me about it.

I wanted to know.
 
Not just a good book. 
 
Not even “Can we read it again tonight.”
 
No. A favorite.
 
The word hung in the air.
 
Favorite.

And what made me blink twice is that  we never really talked about favorite books before.
 
It never came up. Yet here it was. Out of the blue. And I HAD to know which one.

 

The five identical Chinese brothers sit in a row by the sea

I would never have guessed his choice. A book originally published in 1938. 

Two Readings. That’s all.

We read it only twice.

Once six months ago. Once last week.

That’s it.

No endless rereads like Goodnight Moon. No daily demands like Caps for Sale.

Two reads.

One brother stands by the sea with his bucket and fish

Yet it burrowed into his heart and stayed.

Makes me wonder how many other “forgotten” books have secretly planted seeds in my twins?

Just shows how little we actually know about our kids.
The Reveal

“Which one?” I asked, half curious, half terrified.

He dashed off to the bookshelf. Stood on tiptoe. Fingers fumbling.

Pulled out a thin, worn copy.

And turned to me with that grin.

The Five Chinese Brothers.

What?

That one?

Are you serious?

Not the new glossy books. Not the rhyming Dr. Seuss. Not the ones with sparkly covers.

THIS.

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The old folktale with strange drawings and a plot that made me scratch my head the first time I read it. yes, its an old folktale, but adapted for American audiences by Claire Huchet Bishop and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. 

However, there is a story behind the story. The real reason why I bought this picture book was that I had shelved the entire fantastic tale somewhere in the back of my mind. It was traveling stealthily in the back of my mind for decades. 

I remembered it from my days in middle school, while I was rummaging through the Escola Americana de Brasilia library - a school that I attended for four years. The library was my sanctuary and I just loved spending every free moment there. 

One brother stretches his legs all the way to the bottom of the sea.

One book that just captivated me in 6th grade was The Five Chinese Brothers. Why? I do not know. It was simplistic, it was incredible, it was bold and it was shocking and it was reassuring at the same time. Plus it was a fast read. Speedy. 

I just would see the book, read it, drop it and come back to it after a year. With a certain fascination - having forgotten the details. Nut knowing that there was something in it that was unique. 

I always wanted to come back to the part where one brother just casually swallows an ENTIRE sea. Talk about super powers! 

Essentially this is a Chinese folklore version of the The Avengers, but anonymous super-heroes.  
The Story (if you forgot)

Here’s the quick and dirty:

Five brothers. All identical. You can’t tell them apart.

But each one has a gift.

One can swallow the entire sea.
One has an iron neck.
One can stretch his legs for miles.
One can’t be burned.
One cannot drown.

A boy dies. One brother is accused. Death sentence.

BUT.

Every time they try to kill him, a different brother takes his place.

Execution by beheading? The iron neck survives.
Burn him at the stake? Fireproof brother yawns.
Throw him into the sea? The one who can’t drown floats back up.

On and on.

The third brother is thrown overboard into the sea

Until the authorities give up.

The brothers go free. 

Why did my boy choose it?

That was the million-dollar question for me.

Why THIS book?

I didn’t expect it.

I didn’t even think it was a big hit in our house.

But kids have radar. 

One Chinese brother swallows the entire sea.

They have a radar for injustice.

They can FEEL the thrill of a close escape.

They FEEL family protecting each other.

And they remember it.

We adults think they pick favorites because of flashy illustrations or funny rhymes.

Wrong.

They pick them because the story means something. Even if they can’t put it into words.

My Reaction After Buying the Book 

Confession time.

When I first reread The Five Chinese Brothers … I didn’t like it as much. Yes, it seemed a bit simplistic and I can't say I could not notice the racial stereotypes. The lumping of Chinese physiognomies into one external phenotype. 

This was all visible as an adult. However, it did have a purpose in the story - as the individual imprisoned Chinese brothers were released each night and replaced by the next one. So, they had to look the same, as people mistook them for each other.  

I even thought: “Maybe this is one of those old books that doesn’t age well.”

And then — my son told me it’s his FAVORITE.

Shame on me.

Shame on me for underestimating the power of story over style.

Kids don’t care if it’s “dated.”

They care if it hits them in the gut. 

What Kids Really Want

Let’s be honest.

Kids don’t want “safe.”

They want stakes. They want drama. They want tension. They want to feel the fear of execution … and the relief when it’s avoided.

Over and over.

They want justice.

They want family sticking together.

The five brothers and their mother together

And they want to believe deep down that no matter what happens, someone will step in and save them.

Isn’t that what every child hopes for? 

Editions Matter (Yes, I’ll Go There)

Okay, let’s nerd out for a second.

Are there more versions of the folk tale? Yes I’ve seen a few editions of this classic Chinese yarn. Most of them came out after we purchased this edition. 

Some of the new ones are cleaner, some with brighter colors, some more sensitively written. But the magic of the folk tale isn’t in the illustrations here.

It’s in the tension between the words and the unexpected plot twists. 

The reader is taken to the brink and back. Many times, page after page. 

You NEED that space where your child’s imagination fills in the possible consequences of mistakes … the flames … the ocean.

That’s why the classic edition with Kurt Wiese’s illustrations still works.

It leaves the right gaps.

A Lesson for Me

That evening, after he went to bed, I sat thinking. I thought I was the one guiding his reading journey.

But no. My twins are guiding me. They are telling me every day - often without saying it explicitly - what matters to them.

Two reads. That’s all it took.

And he crowned it his favorite.

Parents, listen closely.

Don’t assume you know which books will matter.

Don’t assume that the shiny new ones will win.

Sometimes it’s the old folktale with funny drawings.

Sometimes it’s the book you almost dismissed.

Sometimes it’s The Five Chinese Brothers.

And if you’re lucky your child will turn to you and whisper:

“Dad, do you know what is my favorite book?”

And your world will stop.

Times evolve, so do we, and so do books

"What's dangerous is not to evolve"
Jeff Bezos

 

Fortunately, there are options for families that do not wish to show this book to their young ones. I bought "the five brothers" 15 years ago, but times have changed. 

Several more culturally sensitive versions of this traditional Chinese folk tale are also available for families and kids. 

 

One of the new versions that is critically acclaimed is called The Seven Chinese Brothers. 

This new approach to the tale was written by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. 

Another option is The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker and illustrated by Grace Lin. This is another interesting spin on the folk tale. 

This version is about seven close Chinese sisters who lived together and covered for each other. 

One day the seventh baby sister is snatched by a hungry dragon, and the six other sisters use their own talents to save her.

I have not looked at the two picture book alternatives - The Seven Chinese Brothers and The Seven Chinese Sisters.

So I will refrain from recommending them, as I always want first-hand exposure. 

I included them for your information and at the end of this post there are also some further resources. 

These resources, with links, are for parents who are keen to learn more about the current status and debate around The Five Chinese Brothers. 

Practical Takeaway

Don't underestimate the books that you read only a few times. Or the ones that your child read just once. 

 

Yes, they may have read it just once or twice, put back on the shelf, and seemingly forgotten about them. 

 

Keep in mind that you or your son or daughter may carry them deep inside because the story touched something you couldn’t see. 

That’s why we read aloud. 

 

Not just for today, but for one's own growth. Including debating the contents of books when we see them in a new light. 

 

 

Further resources for parents (opens in new window – not affiliate links):

• School Library Journal – Fuse #8 n’ Kate: A librarian’s deep discussion (with podcast) on why the book is debated today
• James Preller interview with Phoebe Yeh: A Chinese-American editor’s perspective on authentic retellings
• Diverse BookFinder – “Not All Representation Is Good”: Plain-language guidance for discussing older books with stereotypes
• Publishers Weekly – market/representation context: Mentions this title as an example; why visuals matter to today’s families
• Illustrator background – Kurt Wiese (Bookology profile): Career overview and notable books; useful context for the art

  

 

Where to buy

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