A city dedicated to promoting and developing a specific industry should have some trump cards up its sleeve. And Hangzhou, in its efforts to be considered the "capital of cartoons and animation," has trump cards in the fact that a number of established cartoonists and animators - including renowned Taiwan cartoonist Cai Zhizhong and Hong Kong cartoonist Tony Wong Yuk-Long - are now calling this city their home.

Cai is best known for his graphic works on Chinese philosophy and history, most notably Laozi, Liezi, and Zhuangzi. Currently, he spends part of his time in Hangzhou, either working at Zhijiang Phoenix Creative International or at his villa, nestled in the picturesque Xixi Wetland.

Meanwhile, Wong rents a 1,000-square-meter studio in Yuhang District and is working on a series of Hangzhou cartoons expected to go on sale this year.

Shanghai Daily talks to them and meets or profiles several other Hangzhou-based cartoonists.



Cai Zhizhong

Taiwan cartoonist

Cai, 64, has made his work accessible and popular through the use of plain language and graphics.

Many of his earlier works contain elements of political satire, while others are purely comic - such as his well-known work, "The Drunken Swordsman."

Cai's books have been well received by the public and have been translated into dozens of languages, including English.

Since 2009, invited by local government, he has lived and worked in the city. "I was born in Taiwan, but maybe I will die in Hangzhou," Cai said.

He now lives in a villa allotted by local government, and his neighbors include Yang Lan, a Chinese businesswoman and talk show hostess, Sally Wu, News anchor of Hong Kong Phoenix TV and Stan Lai, a celebrated playwright and theater director.

Cai is in Hangzhou to promote the animation and cartoon industry, which the local government foresees developing into an industry with an annual output of 10 million yuan.

"Despite being a cultural industry, it also needs people to produce goods that meet market demands," said Cai. "For the rest of my life I will promote the animation and cartoon industry."

He is currently working on an animation project about Western art history and a 3D animation work.



Tony Wong Yuk-Long

Hong Kong cartoonist, publisher and actor

Tony Wong Yuk-Long is a Hong Kong-based manga artist, publisher and actor who wrote and created many cartoon series about Chinese kung fu, such as "Little Rascals" and "Weapons of the Gods."

For his contribution and influence on a generation of artists in the industry, he is regarded as the "Godfather of Hong Kong comics" or "Hong Kong's King of Comics."

But now, Wong has turned to Hangzhou, where he established Yuk-Long Cartoon and Animation Company, and spends one third of his time in the city.

"The scenery and culture of the city help me create, which is part of the reason why I came," said Wong. "Also, the support for the cartoon and animation industry from local government impressed me."

His company is to create an animation series based on Hangzhou culture, while Wong himself is also working on a cartoon series about legendary Hangzhou figures.

So far he has finished "Legend of Jigong", a Hangzhou monk known for his wild and eccentric behavior while maintaining his compassionate nature, and "Legend of Qiu Jin," a Hangzhou-based Chinese revolutionary, feminist and writer.

The whole series that also includes "White Snake" and "Liangzhu Culture" is expected to be on sale by the end of the year.

But only one work deals with warlike subjects.

"Maybe I've become softer since I came to scenic Hangzhou," he said. "This series covers various types of style and hopefully readers can experience different aspects of the city."

Wong has participated in CICAF since 2006, and he has said "the location, the forum standard and the scale of the festival is the best in the world."

Wong also noted that an increasing number of cartoonists from Chinese mainland have formed their own styles, rather than copying Japanese artists. The percentage has increased from 10 to 30 percent in past five years, he believes.



Ruan Junting

Cartoonist, teacher of Cartoons at the China Academy of Art

Ruan is a local illustrator and cartoonist who issued her first work "The Eye of Moon Night" when she was 17. She is also a sand painter who performed in opening ceremony of CICAF last year.

The cartoonist is famed for her pure, clean and romantic manga with traditional elements. Recently, she has been finishing a cartoon book "Moon Tanka," which is set to go on sale in June.

Her main comic works include "Ethereal Wings," "Midnight Inks," "Silent Rainbow," "Art of the Wired," "Bliss Express: Illustrating Happiness." Among them, "Ethereal Wings" was the first color comic book with original drawings published in China.

Born and raised in Hangzhou, Ruan is an independent artist more than a commercial artist, as is her husband Siu Hak, a Hong Kong cartoonist who now shuttles between Hong Kong and Hangzhou.

"Artists need to observe the world independently, and then initiate people to observe the world independently," said Ruan.

"Independent artists need people and government support, otherwise they switch jobs," added Siu.

The couple believes a purely artistic path is appealing to more and more young people, including their students and fans.

"I have a feeling that in China more creative manga artists producing deeper, more profound manga are coming, and I am waiting," said Ruan.



Xia Da

Cartoonist

Xia Da is a cartoonist as renowned for her girl-like appearance as her delicate cartoons. The creator of famous comic "Zi Bu Yu" - literally meaning "keep silence" - 31-year-old Hangzhou resident Xia hails from Hunan Province.

She began drawing cartoons and publishing her work when still at high school, and has built a reputation home and aboard in recent years. Xia was appointed image ambassador for the 2010 CICAF.

"Zi Bu Yu" was awarded the gold medal in the 5th Golden Dragon Award - a leading prize for Chinese cartoons - in 2008.

In 2009, this work was strongly recommended by Shigeki Yukio, the chief editor of the largest publisher in Japan, Shueisha Inc, and Matsui Eimoto, the noted Japanese cartoonist. As a result it was able to land on Japanese cartoon market published in "Ultra Jump," a well-known and influential Japanese cartoon magazinet.

Xia did not gain too much publicity during the time when "Zi Bu Yu" was published in Ultra Jump but became Japanese cartoon fans' favorite artist after pictures of her were posted online. Two months ago, Xia published her latest work "Chang Ge Xing," which has sold 500,000 copies to date.