'The Growth of Manhua in China: an Overview'

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De Masi, V; Chen, C C (2010). The Growth of Manhua in China: An Overview. CMO Newsletter, (6):7-10. Postprint available at: http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich. University of Zurich http://www.zora.uzh.ch Zurich Open Repository and Archive Originally published at: De Masi, V; Chen, C C (2010). The Growth of Manhua in China: An Overview. CMO Newsletter, (6):7-10.

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Year: 2010

The Growth of Manhua in China: An Overview

De Masi, V; Chen, C C

De Masi, V; Chen, C C (2010). The Growth of Manhua in China: An Overview. CMO Newsletter, (6):7-10. Postprint available at: http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich. http://www.zora.uzh.ch

Originally published at: De Masi, V; Chen, C C (2010). The Growth of Manhua in China: An Overview. CMO Newsletter, (6):7-10. The Growth of Manhua in China: An Overview Chwen Chwen Chen, China Media Observatory, USI, Lugano, Switzerland. Vincenzo De Masi, Zurich University Seminar für Filmwissenschaft, Réseau Cinéma and USI, Switzerland.

To interpret this article cor- ment and mass demonstrations rectly it is important to note that against imperialism and foreigners the word manhua is used in China in the early 1900s. These events to refer not only to cartoons and inspired the creation in 1900 of a comics published in China but also comic called ‘Shoot pig cut sheep to translations of Japanese works pictures’ (shezhu zhanyan tu), and, in general, to comics in the where, by playing with Chinese Chinese language. On the contrary, characters and sounds, ‘pig’ indi- the Japanese word manga (from cated the Christian God and ‘sheep’ which manhua takes its name and stood for the Christians. From an style) is used only for comics pro- aesthetic point of view, this comic duced in Japan. In any case, the is relevant in the history of Chinese word manhua has now been ad- manhua as it combines folk pic- opted also in Japan. tures with more traditional Chinese The development of Chinese pictorial elements (Fig. 2). manhua has been closely bound to the main historical and political events that have shaped Chi- na’s history. According to some authors, manhua was born in the years straddling the 19th and 20th centuries, roughly between 1867 and 1927 (e.g. Wong, 2002). In- deed, 1867 saw the creation in Hong Kong of the first Chinese satirical comic magazine called ‘The China Punch’: this magazine was in English and the style was that of the modern manhua while the stories were political satires full of Fig. 2 - Shezu zhanyan tu, 1900 humor and pictures (Fig. 1). Manhua appeared for the first time in a Shanghai newspaper in 1903; after this more and more newspapers in other important Chi- nese cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou began to publish comics and comic magazines. The main aim of these was to criticize and highlight the weaknesses of the Qing dynasty and, after 1911, of the Republican government. One of the most important comic Fig. 1 - The China Punch, 1867 magazine was ‘The Journal of Cur- rent Pictorial’, created in 1905 by Although there were other kinds a revolutionary group called the of comics circulating in this period, “Chinese Alliance” that depicted an the satirical manhua was the most emblematic history (Fig. 3). Be- important as it marked the birth of cause of its political nature, this China’s modern manhua which de- magazine was banned on mainland veloped along with the bourgeois China two years after its creation democratic revolutionary move- but it continued to be published in

7 Hong Kong for some years until it published 17 magazines for around had to shut down because of the 15 years, was established, lead- continuous pressure exerted by ing to more coherent and system- the Qing government on the Brit- atic growth of the cartoon sector. ish Colonial government. In 1912, The Association was important in with the fall of the Qing dynasty the history of Chinese manhua as it contributed to the cohesion of the loosely organized group of art- ists. One year later the ‘Shanghai Sketch’, the first Chinese manhua magazine in the Chinese language, was created. It is interesting to note that the ‘Shanghai Sketch’ was largely influenced by Western comic works such as ‘Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday’ (Gilbert Daziel, 1884) and ‘The Yellow Kid’ (Richard Outcault, 1896): for example, the Chinese works ‘Mr. Wang’ by Yeh Qianyu and Fig. 3 - The Journal of Current Picto- ‘Dr. Reform’ by Lu Shaofei had a rial, 1905 similar design to the Western comics. The importance of Shanghai as a creative center of manhua also and the founding of the Republican influenced Hong Kong’s cartoonists government in China, the “Chinese of that time as they created comic Alliance” began publishing again characters inspired by Shanghai- on mainland China and created based authors. the magazine ‘The True Record’ The publication of manhua (Zhenxiang Huabao) in Shanghai. continued even with the outbreak However, this magazine was soon of the Sino-Japanese war in 1937 banned by the Provisional Presi- and, two years later, of World War dent of the Republic of China, Yuan II, as well as during the civil war Shikai, because it criticized the new between Communists and Nation- Republic of China government. alists after the end of the war. Dur- Although a number of com- ing this period of conflict, the focus ics and comic authors began to of the content and themes of most emerge and become familiar names manhua was on the war and politi- with the public in this period, it was cal events. only in 1925 that the word manhua A number of scholars hold was used for the first time in asso- that the 1950s marked a revival of ciation with Chinese comics, when manhua in China (e.g. Lent, 2001; Feng Zi-Kai used it for a collection Wong, 2002). Indeed, the new called ‘Zi-Kai manhua’. More note- political and social phase China worthily, manhua gained increas- entered with the founding of the ing importance with the rise of the People’s Republic of China in Octo- Communist Party of China (CPC) - ber 1949 offered opportunities for founded in 1921 - as a propaganda new ideas and inspiration for comic tool for Party activities and events authors. 1950 saw the creation of aimed at workers and peasants a comic monthly called ‘Manhua’, throughout China. which contributed to enhancing From the late 1920s to mid the creativity and quality of comic 1930s, considered the golden age works in China and cultivated tal- of manhua in China, Shanghai be- ented young people in this field. came the most active comic pro- During the Cultural Revolution duction center in China: in 1927 (1966-1976) manhua became a Manhua hui, China’s first cartoon tool of propaganda and education and comic arts organization, which

8 in the hands of the Chinese gov- on sex. ernment because of the very sim- Nonetheless, the cultural, so- ple language and repetition it used, cial and economic implications of making it easy to promote and dis- having China’s own animation and seminate also in the furthest flung comic sector was clear to Chinese and poorest areas of mainland Chi- leaders, above all in view of Chi- na. na stepping onto the global stage The launch of the reforms in through membership of the World 1979 opened up a new phase for Trade Organization in December comics in China. On one hand, the 2001. The official recognition came CPC’s official organ the ‘People’s in October 2000 during CPC’s 15th Daily’ began to publish a series Congress and, one year later, ani- of satirical and humoristic comic mation and comic arts were made works, followed by other major na- an eligible sector for government tional dailies and specialized comic funds in the 10th Five-Year Plan.1 magazines in the following years In 2008 the Ministry of Culture and research and conferences launched a project which allocated flourished throughout the country; a total of RMB7 million (€748,190) on the other hand, an impressive to the promotion of 101 publica- inflow of foreign comics, above all tions. This investment was dou- the Japanese manga - with well- bled one year later, with 108 comic known titles such as ‘Doraemon’, works receiving funds and adopting ‘Dragon Ball’, and ‘Saint Seiya’ - a more advanced industrial strate- dominated the market for a long gy (Shanghai Daily, 2010); indeed, time. The manga had a huge influ- the manhua authors and stories ence on Chinese manhua and its were chosen for their creativity and development in the following years their sales potential. not only in terms of design and The Ministry of Culture has content but also as regards the or- also encouraged the exploitation of ganization and the market of comic merchandising (gadgets, clothes, works. toys, etc.) because comics and ani- In order to limit the “Japanese mation on their own are not profit- invasion”, in 1995 the Chinese gov- able: in fact, in developed markets ernment made a first attempt to such as Japan and the US, comics launch its domestic comic and ani- and animation are sold with their mation sector by promoting pro- side-products to create a profitable duction with the first official pack- “industrial chain”, says Professor age supporting the sector, but this Chen Shaofeng, deputy director of strategy failed because the funds the Peking University Institute for were handed out without conduct- Cultural Industries. ing any kind of market or target Thanks to the government’s research. Another explanation for support and better targeted publi- this failure was the commonly held cation and marketing strategies, in opinion - still advanced by some - the last five years newmanhua and that animation and comic arts are animation production companies minor arts. Indeed, in the eyes of have been set up and more than 20 mainland China’s government and provinces consider it a new indus- the public, comics have always trial sector which needs support. been considered products for chil- Some cities like Beijing, Shanghai, dren, used most commonly for Guangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, propaganda and educational pur- Dalian and, above all, Shenzhen poses. This in part explains why, 1 Animation, Comic and Game (ACG) although the Chinese manhua have have been recognized as “creative cultural in- begun to reach readers throughout dustries” in the State Council’s “Plan to develop the culture industry” (wenhua chanye zhenxing the world, the creativity of the au- guihua) dated July 2009 as a key sector to be thors has been limited by the taboo developed and to be promoted abroad under the framework of the ‘go out’ (zouchuqu) strategy. 9 have created new manhua and an- relationships with companies based imation production studios, grant- in Hong Kong with a view to creat- ing the sector preferential policies. ing a common front not only against Today more than 200 universities the manga, but also against the offer masters courses in animation Korean manhwa and the American and comics. comics. A successful example is the animation and comics production company Summer Zoo which, thanks to the funds from the Minis- try of Culture, has launched a new References team comprising 30 famous cartoonists and six authors. In just a China Daily (2009), “Animation becomes short time the company published big business - and not just for children”, Oc- 20 manhua with a circulation of tober 21, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ 500,000 copies of which ‘Little Pig- bizchina/2009-12/21/content_9205462. htm. Accessed on October 29, 2010. gy’s Time Machine’ and ‘Traveling with Ruffle’ are the most success- Lent, John A. (2001), Illustrating Asia: ful. In addition, 10 serials produced Comics, Humor Magazines, and Pic- by Summer Zoo are published in ture Books. University of Hawaii Press. the major comic magazines in Chi- na (Shanghai Daily, 2010). Shanghai Daily (2010), “Comic In particular, two series of com- book culture gets a boost”, Septem- ics produced by Summer Zoo have ber 9, http://news.cultural-china. reaped much success even in Ja- com/20100909150247.html?PHPSES pan, the homeland of the manga: SID=7ba33317674e668e003f5754bfb ‘Zibuyu’, and ‘Confucius Did Not 77a39. Accessed on October 23, 2010. Say’. These manhua are published by Tokyo-based Shueisha Publish- Tan, Ling and Yin, Juan (2009), Dongman ch- ing Co. Ltd, one of the largest pro- anye [The Industry of Animation and Com- ics], Chengdu: Sichuan University Press. duction and distribution companies of Japanese cartoons and manga. Xinhua (2010), “Cartoon industry re- There are also cases of ex- builds with dreams”, August 15, http:// ploitation of the popularity of ani- english.cntv.cn/20100815/102412. mation TV series and movies to shtml. Accessed on October 15, 2010. launch manhua series for children. Wong W. S. (2002), Hong Kong comics: a For instance, after the resounding history of manhua, Princeton Architectural success of ‘Big Big Wolf and pleas- Press, New York. ant sheep’ as an animation TV series first, and on the Internet and Zhongguo manhua, http://www.chicul- at the cinema later, a new series ture.net/20504/html/d01/20504d01. of manhua based on this title has html. Accessed on November 25, 2010. been launched recently with children as the main target. According to the Ministry of Vincenzo De Masi is a PhD student at Culture, China now has around Zurich University Seminar für Filmwis- 10,000 companies located be- senschaft, at the Réseau Cinéma and tween Beijing and Shenzhen which at the Università della Svizzera italiana produce cartoons and comics and (USI), Lugano, Switzerland. For con- employ more than 200,000 peo- tacts: [email protected] ple. To foster the development of the national animation and comics industry the Chinese government has declared “war on the Japanese invasion” in an ironic way, urging the Chinese studios to forge close