ID: 674
Date: 1900s - 1970s
Title: Ching Chong Chinaman
Gender: Male and Female 
Classification: Taunt 
Rhyme: 

Ching Chong Chinaman velly, velly sad,
He afraid that the trade,
Velly, velly, bad.
No e joke e,
Broke e broke e
Shut e  up e shop e 
Ching Chong Chinaman chop chop chop.

(Dunedin, 1940-1950s)

--

Ching Chong Chinaman,
Muchy, muchy la,
Two kai niania,
Lai, kai, la.

(Wairoa, 1970s)

--

Ching Chong Chinaman
Bought a toy doll.
Washed it, dyed it,
Then he caught a cold.
Sent for the doctor,
Doctor couldn't come,
Because he had a pimple,
On his tum, tum, tum.

(NZ, 1900 (Sutton-Smith, 1959:94))

--

Ching Chong Chinaman,
Born in a jar,
Christened in a teapot,
Ha, ha, ha.
A cabbage, a carrotie,
Turnie up the lettucie.

(NZ, 1900 (Sutton-Smith, 1959:95))

--
 
Background Info: Recalled by grandmother (Maori). Directed to Chinese in Dunedin during WWII years. (Personal informant)

==

Comment in Factor, 1988:107, 144, regarding origins in1887.

==

See also Sutton Smith, 1972:128:

Ching Chong Chinaman
Born in a jar.
Christened in a teapot,
Ha, ha, ha!
A cabbage, a carrotie,
Turnie up the lettucie.

==

Variations in Turner, 1978:112 include:

Ching Chong Chinaman,
Bought a penny doll;
He washed it, he dressed it,
He called it Millie Moll.
He rang for the doctor,
The doctor couldn't come
Because he had a pain in his tum, tum, tum.

(Queensland, 1930)

Ching Chong Chinaman,
Velly, velly sad,
Allee gleene peaches
Go velly bad.

(G McInnes, "The Road to Gundagai", 1965:239 - Melbourne, 1920s)

==

Bolton, 1888:116, reports a counting-out rhyme from Oregon beginning:

Ching Chong Chinaman, 
How do you sell your fish?
Ching Chong Chinaman,
Six bits a dish..

(Cited in Turner, 1969:87)

==

Sutton-Smith, 1959:9, describes how in pre- 1920s "adults, particularly foreigners, were also regarded as legitimate targets for children's pranks and teasing rhymes..Unlike insults directed towards other foreigners, which were mainly of an aggressive and physical kind (throwing stones onto roofs, letting the air out of tires, jeering, and catcalling), insults to Orientals were often of a symbolic nature. For example, one spat through crossed fingers and then rubbed the spittle into the ground with one's foot. This insult would, it was said, bring down dire Oriental vengeance if performed in the presence of the local greengrocer. (Wellington, 1920). Alternatively, one threw one's cap on the ground, and then, clasping the hands in front and bowing the head, trotted round it on tiptoe in the shuffling manner which was supposed to characterize the Chinaman's gait (Wellington, 1910)."

==
 
Keywords: racist, Chinese, nonsense 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 2 
Incidence: 4