The Exemplar of Edutainment: Tong Xiegeng’s Yizhi Puzzle and His Art of Integrating Learning with Play in Late Imperial China

Abstract

Tong Xiegeng’s 童叶庚 (1828–1899) yizhi puzzle (yizhitu 益智图) exemplifies a pioneering model of edutainment in late imperial China, seamlessly integrating intellectual cultivation, moral education, and aesthetic engagement within an interactive gameplay framework. Invented in 1862 as an evolution of the traditional Tangram, this 15-piece tangram puzzle transcended mere recreation by embedding classical poetry, historical narratives, and ethical maxims into its puzzle-solving mechanics. Through rigorous textual and visual analysis of the series of yizhi puzzle books, this study argues that the yizhi puzzle achieved edutainment synergy via three innovations: (1) universal accessibility appealing to children, elites, and even the imperial court; (2) multidimensional content design that merged cognitive challenges (e.g., character/poetry assembly) with Confucian moral tales and artistic creation; (3) text-image pedagogical synergy where abstract puzzle outcomes visualized literary texts, enabling embodied learning. Through a comprehensive analysis of Tong Xiegeng’s educational ideas in the series of yizhi puzzle books, this research illuminates the enduring significance of the yizhi puzzle. This exploration not only deepens our understanding of traditional Chinese educational toys but also highlights their potential in shaping modern pedagogical approaches. Furthermore, the series of yizhi puzzle books reflects Tong’s perspectives on children, childhood, children’s games, and toys as an ordinary intellectual of the late Qing Dynasty. This investigation contributes to the history of children’s games and toys and to the broader field of Chinese childhood studies.