365 Night Riddles

Author: Lu Bing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Children are not satisfied with simply knowing "what is this" or "what is that"; they also enjoy verifying "what is this" and "what is that" through their own thinking. This is the reason why riddles captivate children. Riddles are short and simple, yet they vividly depict the characteristics of things—those most striking to children—with just a few dozen words, using vivid imagery and clever metaphors. This not onlys children's ability to associate, reason, and generalize but also develops their artistic imagination. This is education, but it is carried out in joy and yields results effortlessly. A major feature of Chinese riddles is their use of poetic forms. Some are even odes to objects, though the titles are omitted. Riddles written for children are composed in the form of children's songs, brief and catchy, easy to recite, as they also serve an aesthetic purpose alongside their educational value.