THE EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL OF ILLUSTRATION IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: RUSSIAN AND CHINESE APPROACHES

Abstract

The article explores the pedagogical functions of illustration in children’s literature from the perspectives of Russian and Chinese scholarship. Its purpose is to analyze approaches to the pedagogical interpretation of illustration and to identify both shared and culture-specific features of the two traditions. The methodological framework combines comparative analysis with concepts of visual literacy, multimodality, and activity-based pedagogy, alongside an examination of the works of leading Russian and Chinese illustrators. Illustration is conceptualized as an independent didactic resource that performs emotional-value, aesthetic, cultural, and cognitive functions. The study establishes that both national schools aim to cultivate cultural identity and foster empathy, yet pursue these objectives through distinct visual vocabularies and figurative strategies. Particular attention is devoted to comparing the artistic techniques of Ivan Bilibin, Evgeny Charushin, Nikolai Cordovsky, Gennady Spirin, and Tatyana Mavrina with those of their Chinese counterparts. The findings have practical relevance for the integration of illustration into primary school curricula and the design of cross-cultural educational initiatives.