ANCIENT CHINESE NURSERY RHYMES AND THEIR CULTURAL CONNOTATIONS

Nursery rhymes represent a distinctive cultural phenomenon with a longstanding history of circulation in China. Beyond their role in early childhood education, these rhymes have historically functioned as a vehicle for expressing public opinion on dynastic shifts and political events in ancient Chinese society, as well as a primary medium for imparting knowledge and moral values to children. This study explores the evolution of ancient Chinese nursery rhymes, uncovering the traditional ways of life, festival customs, and spiritual beliefs embedded within them. From a cultural perspective, nursery rhymes serve not only as linguistic tools for social learning but also as systematic reflections of regional and ethnic cultures at the linguistic level.