Illustration: Luo Xuan/GT

I was genuinely surprised to learn of a new publishing trend in the US and the UK. Apparently, coloring books for adults are all the rage, so much so that they have been occupying several of the top 10 places on bestseller lists in both countries.

It seems that filling in pictures has now become an activity for adults as well as children. Is this part of a worldwide trend for adults to pursue hobbies that were previously considered appropriate only for kids, such as reading comics, watching Harry Potter movies and playing computer games?

Users - I can't really call them readers - of the new wave of adult coloring books say that the activity helps them with stress relief and relaxation. There is also a trend for people to post their filled-in creations online for others to admire.

In China, I've noticed that there doesn't seem to be such a clear divide between leisure time activities considered suitable for children and adults. My adult students often talk about "playing" with their friends, for example, and I frequently see graduate students in Beijing skipping rope together.

So is there any problem with adults doing things normally associated with children?

In some ways, no, because it probably indicates that they are still full of youthful energy and enthusiasm.

On the other hand, it may be symptomatic of what some see as the creeping infantilization of grown-ups. For example, cinemas are now full of superhero movies targeted at young adults, which 40 years ago would have been seen as childish.

In Japan, I saw businessmen reading comic books on trains. In Europe I have seen young adults playing with Frisbees and skateboards.

I guess the equivalent in China is when old people fly kites or play with spinning tops and diabolo sticks in the park. These are activities which in the West are usually associated with children.

Perhaps it's best just to leave everybody to whatever hobbies they choose to pursue, without critiquing.

Yet since modern science suggests that as we get older we need to give our brains greater stimulation, it may be wiser for adults to find hobbies that require more sophisticated mental work, such as doing crosswords or learning languages. Keeping the adult brain working at its optimal level may be crucial to avoiding the diseases of old age, such as Alzheimer's, which now plague the developed world.

To this end, can I suggest an excellent alternative to coloring books for adults, and one which also has its origins in Chinese history and culture? I am referring, if you haven't guessed, to calligraphy.

Chinese calligraphy requires not only mental effort but also physical dexterity. It involves mastering delicate brush strokes, while at the same time trying to express one's personality through unique interpretation of the characters. For Westerners, there is also the added incentive of trying to understand what the characters say, and learning how they are pronounced.

Calligraphy can be done with a small brush and ink on paper, and it can also be done with a large brush and water on pavements. I have seen many Chinese people practising their characters in this way in Beijing's parks.

To my mind, this would be a worthwhile and mentally stimulating alternative to simply coloring in pictures with crayons like children.

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.