Feng Zikai and Children's Picture Books

Picture books are a unique genre in children's literature. It transcends or interprets child-related objects or ideas with a series of pictures, and collocated with a few words (or no words at all). The earliest children's picture book is believed to be Orbis Sensualium Pictus, published in 1658. This informative reading utilized a large number of pictures to interpret the meaning of words. The pictures therefore were no longer decorations or attachments to words; they complemented and cooperated with words. Even though it comprises individual pieces of text and image, its emphasis on visual elements and childhood is regarded to establish the basic of picture books. Now, this genre has been developed vibrantly in England during the nineteenth century, and has been vigorously growing in the USA during the twentieth century. Now it is apparent to have more profuse forms of expression.

When a wide range of creative works keep exceeding our imagination, childhood and the relation between text and images remain the most basic and important condition in children's picture books. Therefore, when we looked for a like-minded and symbolic figure in the cultural time and space without children's picture books, we immediately thought of Mr. Feng Zikai.

Feng Zikai is a renowned litterateur and painter. He often talked about children and painting, literature, music, art and life in his articles. For example, he discussed the relationship between words and images in “Painting and Literature,” “The Sketch of Literature,” and “Appreciating the Art of Cartoon.” He also explained how to create a more meaningful visual imaginative space with the combination of both. In “Discussing My Own Paintings,” “To My Children,” and “The Insights from Children” he comprehended and appreciated those child-only perspectives and thoughts by putting himself in their position.

His cartoon works faithfully presented his ideas. The Children's Painting Collection (or, “Children's Album” cartoon) shows children's creativity he observed and appreciated in daily life, such as “Getting an Apple” or “Looking at the Bottom of a Car.” He not only praised the innocence and loveliness of children, but also respected their views, nature, desires and emotion. Even when these collide with regulations in the adult world, they never flinch. For example, he titled cartoons about children splashing ink and squeezing toothpaste as “research” to mock “education” that adults reinforced on children. His “view of childhood” is much in line with modern children psychology and cognitive theories. His works reflects real childhood life. As far as text-image relationship is concerned, his combination of new illustrations with ancient poems is an interesting example. He attempted to expand the possibilities of words with funny illustrations which are fresher and more vigorous than the original meaning in text, such as “Where Eyes and Brows Beam,” and “Splish Splash Out of the Blinds.” There are many works in Children's Painting Collection with images conveying meanings untold in texts, such as “progress” and “level.” Some collaboration of text and image further develops broader meanings, like “The Love-like Abuse” or “Dawn and Dusk.” His works are characteristic of pictorial interpretation and are with visual and insightful meanings.

In 1937, an American editor, Frederic G. Melcher, made a donation to create an award for enhancing the status of children's picture books in the USA. Instead of leaving his own name, he named the award after the 19th-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, calling it the Randolph Caldecott Medal. This award is to establish the professional spirit, and is now worldly renowned. In 2008, the Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation created the first International Chinese Children's Picture Books Award in Hong Kong, and named the award after Feng Zikai. Their admirable motivation likewise makes us have brighter expectations in the publishing of Chinese children's picture books.

Ms. Sarah Chien-hua Ko (Critic of children's literature)