To Give Chinese Children "a Memorable China":the Trend of Chinese Indigenous Picture Books

Abstract

The development of Chinese indigenous picture books is stimulated as well as pressured by foreign picture books which have dominated Chinese market of picture books since the end of the 20th century. Some Chinese artists began to seek the way of nationalization of picture books to give young children “a memorable China”. This nationalization refers to both national subject materials and traditional style of painting in picture books. Chinese indigenous picture books with the pursuit of nationalization are full of Chinese cultural spirits and aesthetic flavor in order to construct a “Chinese style” in the minds of both native and international readers. However, there are several problems in tensions between some important elements: culture and child-mind, tradition and modernity, words and pictures. Chinese indigenous picture books need to deal with these tensions appropriately and to improve the way of nationalization from diverse dimensions.