A favorite among friends

The Seven Chinese Brothers (or perhaps a predecessor that I am still trying to locate about five Chinese brothers) appears to have made a positive impression upon both my spouse and a close friend. Is this true for you, too? Margaret Mahy's retelling of this tall-tale casts the first Emperor of Qin (her text uses Ch'in Shih Huang) as the antagonist against seven brothers. The brothers, each of whom possesses a marvelous ability (such as keen eyesight, unbreakable iron bones, or immense tears that could flood an empire), come to the aid of conscripted laborers working to repair the Great Wall of China. Fearing a challenge to his power, the tyrannical emperor attempts to put the brothers, three of whom substitute sequentially for each other, to death. In the end, the brothers united in their affection for one another overcome tyranny. Jean and Mou-sien Tseng's excellent illustrations show a sensitive appreciation for drama, as they capture the brothers' deep emotional concerns as well as their courageous escapades. In addition, the Tsengs' reveal a more than passing knowledge of Chinese painting. The lovely spring landscape refers to Tao Qian's poem, "Peach Blossom Spring," which tells of a fisherman's chance encounter with a utopian village. The enraged Emperor of Qin calls to mind the famous painting of Thirteen Emperors in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts collection. While it's possible to criticize the book for implying that all Chinese men look alike or for omitting altogether  Chinese women, nevertheless the story succeeds in generating wonder and amazement and respect for the exercise of strength in combination with compassion, courage, and cooperation.

Margaret Mahy (author) and Jean and Mou-sien Tseng (illustrators)
The Seven Chinese Brothers
Scholastic, 1990