Guling (derogatory)

Guling (lit. 'yellow-ling', sometimes pronounced /yulling/; plural: gulingar) is a Swedish more or less derogatory term for indigenous East Asians and Southeast Asians.^[1][2][3]

Classic petty racist kids-caricature of a "guling", featuring yellow skin, slanted eyes, buck teeth, and an Asian conical hat

The concept has its roots in older racial biology, where Asians were given the skin color yellow, also called the yellow race (compare the red race for Indians). The association was spread, among other things, by the notion that Asians threatened to outcompete the Western world, something called the "Yellow Peril". A comparison was made with the coolies, who were considered industrious, disciplined, and well-organized, and who could displace white workers.^[4]

Racist caricatures of "gulingar" are usually given yellow skin, slanted eyes, buck teeth, and an Asian conical hat, sometimes even a "Chinese mustache" (Fu Manchu moustache). Buck teeth as a caricature element dates back to at least World War II and were used in American propaganda to make Japanese people look stupid in order to undermine the intelligence of the "Japanese race".^[5]

See also

• Ang mo
• Chinaman
• Ching chong
• Chink
• Coolie
• Gook
• Gweilo
• Jap
• Moke (slang)
• Shina (word)