The information age

The boy didn't tell his father in person about his intention to drop out of school but, instead, added his father's micro blog account in his message to catch his attention.

Feng has impressed many readers with his knowledge. In addition to musing about Einstein and Mo Yan, Feng also left incisive comments on current affairs, including China's crisis of confidence in charity and the popularity of dating and job-hunting reality TV shows in the country that reflect the difficulties Chinese face in relationships and employment.

His online postings reveal he's a military enthusiast, who's well-versed in the different generations of China's carrier-borne fighter planes. Many were also surprised to read the 10-year-old's analysis of the differences between Obama and Romney.

"I've acquired all the extra knowledge from the Internet. Schoolteachers didn't teach us that. They're busy feeding us what's in the textbooks," Feng says.

"Teachers think we kids know little about things like the US presidential election. But, in fact, many of my friends and I learned about it online."

The inquisitive student usually turns to the Internet, rather than to his teachers, for answers to questions that pop up when he reads textbooks.

He once embarrassed his Chinese teacher by asking why some dinosaurs had feathers.

"The teacher didn't know the answer. I searched for it on the Internet on my own, afterward," Feng recalls.

"The Web satisfies my curiosity better than school."