Connecting reading culture: Discovering old children's games

In 2022, the book “Children’s Games in the North” translated from the French version by Ngo Quy Son was published by The Gioi Publishing House. The book is considered one of the first studies on folk games of children in the North in the early 20th century.

“Children’s Games in the North” publishes research documents collected from 1940 and 1941. In which, children’s games are systematized specifically by author Ngo Quy Son such as: Games related to physical movement; games using sticks; games using pebbles, playing marbles, playing kites; games of chance and searching; other entertainment games; magic games; games using words; bullying and mocking games and nursery rhymes.

Cover of the book "Children's Games in Tonkin".

In the book, researcher Ngo Quy Son mainly surveys and describes popular games in sequential structure from start to finish, time, space, and players. For example, in the game "Dragon Snake", the author writes: "One child plays the role of a doctor. This child sits in a place relatively high above the ground. Five other children line up one after another, each child clinging to the waist of the other, forming a long line, called a dragon snake. The child at the head of the line leads the whole line closer to the doctor, then the two sides ask and answer questions". The games, rhymes, proverbs, and nursery rhymes are described in detail, providing clear location names and different versions. For example, in the game "Nu na nu nong", the author notes: "Boys, girls. Play together or separately. All year round. Popular". In addition, the author also suggests some other versions of the game such as in Ha Dong, Bac Ninh for readers to compare.

Along with detailed descriptions, the book also has illustrations and colorful diagrams that vividly guide how to play each specific game. Readers can understand and visualize how to play and how to use the items to participate in the games of ancient children. It is the imagination through images and language that helps readers to immerse themselves in the world of carefree, innocent games that once existed in ancient village life.

Through “Children’s Games in the North”, readers can understand to some extent the customs and traditions in culture and folk activities of a communal nature that are conveyed and preserved through children’s games. As author Ngo Quy Son has concluded: “If a little girl throws a certain number of pebbles into the air and catches them with the back of her hand, then throws them into the air and catches them with her palm, then it is not only a child’s entertainment but also the first impression of the work of winnowing rice”. Many games also seem to be a convention for training children when they enter an older age with more mature activities and thinking.

Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, the community and collective nature of children's games are no longer as before. Therefore, most of the games described in the book such as "Giàn con sàng", "Đạo nhạc", "Rội hến" ... have lost their popularity, even no longer exist. In that context, in addition to being identified as an ethnographic research work, the book "Children's Games in Bắc Kỳ" by author Ngô Quý Sơn contributes to bringing useful information and experiences to readers when they relive games that have been forgotten over time.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/sach/ket-noi-van-hoa-doc-kham-pha-tro-choi-tre-em-ngay-xua-730291

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