"Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees, look at these" is a racistplayground chant in the United States used to mock children of Asian origin.
One rendering of the chant gives it as "Chinese/Japanese/Dirty Knees/Look at these Chinese Japanese/Dirty Knees".[1] A 2005 Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century, mentioning it among "fifty well-known jingles, jump-rope rhymes, and singsong parodies that we kids chanted", lists it as "'Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees / Look at these.' (Point to your tits.)"[2]
Many Asian Americans recalled being taunted or bullied with this chant in their youth in the 20th century.[3][4] Children who sang it would sometimes pull their eyes into slits to make clear the object of their contempt.[5]Gregory B. Lee, writing that "many a Chinese immigrant child over the past 100 years has had to endure" the chant, notes that "[t]he allusion to dirt in this ditty is not aleatory", linking it to the stereotype of unclean "Orientals".[6]
In 2020, the film Monster Hunter caused an uproar on Chinese social media because of what was seen as a reference to the chant. In a scene, MC Jin's character jokingly asks: "Look at my knees!", and to the question "What kind of knees are these?", he replies: "Chi-knees!". The film was removed from circulation, and Chinese authorities censored references to it online.[7]
References
^Xing, Jun (1998). Asian America Through the Lens: History, Representations, and Identities. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. p. 162. ISBN0-7619-9175-1. OCLC 39051806.
^Mansour, David (2005). From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 262. ISBN978-0-7407-9307-3. OCLC 776997651.
^Zaloom, Shafia (2003). "Dirty Knees". In Kane, Pearl Rock; Orsini, Alfonso J. (eds.). The Colors of Excellence: Hiring and Keeping Teachers of Color in Independent Schools. New York: Teachers College Press. p. 26. ISBN0-8077-4282-1. OCLC 53093570.
^Lee, Gregory B. (2003). Chinas Unlimited: Making the Imaginaries of China and Chineseness. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. p. 45. ISBN0-8248-2680-9. OCLC 51722034.
^Davis, Rebecca (December 5, 2020). "'Monster Hunter' Pulled From Chinese Cinemas Over Scene Said to Be Racial Slur". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
January 20, 2023
chinese, japanese, dirty, knees, look, these, racist, playground, chant, united, states, used, mock, children, asian, origin, rendering, chant, gives, chinese, japanese, dirty, knees, look, these, chinese, japanese, dirty, knees, 2005, culture, encyclopedia, l. Chinese Japanese dirty knees look at these is a racist playground chant in the United States used to mock children of Asian origin One rendering of the chant gives it as Chinese Japanese Dirty Knees Look at these Chinese Japanese Dirty Knees 1 A 2005 Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century mentioning it among fifty well known jingles jump rope rhymes and singsong parodies that we kids chanted lists it as Chinese Japanese dirty knees Look at these Point to your tits 2 Many Asian Americans recalled being taunted or bullied with this chant in their youth in the 20th century 3 4 Children who sang it would sometimes pull their eyes into slits to make clear the object of their contempt 5 Gregory B Lee writing that many a Chinese immigrant child over the past 100 years has had to endure the chant notes that t he allusion to dirt in this ditty is not aleatory linking it to the stereotype of unclean Orientals 6 In 2020 the film Monster Hunter caused an uproar on Chinese social media because of what was seen as a reference to the chant In a scene MC Jin s character jokingly asks Look at my knees and to the question What kind of knees are these he replies Chi knees The film was removed from circulation and Chinese authorities censored references to it online 7 References Edit Xing Jun 1998 Asian America Through the Lens History Representations and Identities Walnut Creek CA AltaMira Press p 162 ISBN 0 7619 9175 1 OCLC 39051806 Mansour David 2005 From Abba to Zoom A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century Kansas City MO Andrews McMeel Publishing p 262 ISBN 978 0 7407 9307 3 OCLC 776997651 Zaloom Shafia 2003 Dirty Knees In Kane Pearl Rock Orsini Alfonso J eds The Colors of Excellence Hiring and Keeping Teachers of Color in Independent Schools New York Teachers College Press p 26 ISBN 0 8077 4282 1 OCLC 53093570 Pusey Shirley Budd 2005 Emily Adoption Reunion Stories Phoenix AZ Acacia Publishing p 143 ISBN 0 9762224 5 0 OCLC 61362752 Rhee Michelle 2013 Chapter 1 Radical Fighting to Put Students First New York Harper ISBN 978 0 06 220400 4 OCLC 825116527 Lee Gregory B 2003 Chinas Unlimited Making the Imaginaries of China and Chineseness Honolulu University of Hawai i Press p 45 ISBN 0 8248 2680 9 OCLC 51722034 Davis Rebecca December 5 2020 Monster Hunter Pulled From Chinese Cinemas Over Scene Said to Be Racial Slur Variety Retrieved December 5 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chinese Japanese dirty knees amp oldid 1133568518, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
