Xie Hou Yu – A Chinese “Game of Riddles”

Xiē hòu yǔ歇后语 isa two-part enigmaticfolk simile, that starts off with a basic statement and finishes with a twist. They are humorous and witty sayings froma variety of sources: Chinese mythologies, superstitions, religious and common beliefs, even everyday life.

The first recorded use of the termxie hou yu(literally:asaying with the latter part suspended)occurred in 898BCEduring the Tang Dynasty,as evidenced byZheng Qing in the famous chronicle history bookOld Tang Poems. The first part of axi...