View source for Sanmao (comics)

{{Short description|Chinese manhua character}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox comic strip
|title= Sanmao<br>{{nobold|三毛}}
|image= [[Image:Sanmaopic.jpg|200px]]
|caption= Sanmao
|author= [[Zhang Leping]]
|url= 
|rss= 
|atom= 
|status= 
|first= 1935
|last= 
|syndicate= 
|publisher= 
|genre= [[manhua]], [[pantomime comics|pantomime comic]], [[gag-a-day]]
|rating= 
}}

'''Sanmao''' ({{zh|c=三毛|p=Sānmáo}}) is a [[manhua]] character created by [[Zhang Leping]] in 1935. He is one of the world's longest running cartoon characters and remains a landmark as one of the most famous and beloved fictional characters in China today.

The name Sanmao means "three hairs" in [[Chinese language|Chinese]] or "three [[Yuan_(currency)|mao]]" (a reference to his poverty). While the character has undergone a number of transitions over time, he has always been drawn with the trademark three strands of hair, which implies malnutrition as a result of poverty.

==History==
[[File:Shanghai 2007 Special Olympics Mascot (cropped).jpg|thumb|A statue of Sanmao in Shanghai honoring his role as the mascot of the [[2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games]]]]
Most Chinese comic books prior to Sanmao featured adults and the Sanmao stories were also unusual in that they lacked dialogue and could therefore be classified as [[pantomime comics]]. When Zhang Leping created the manhua comic series, his main goal was to dramatize the confusion brought about to society by the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]. He wanted to express his concern for the young victims of the war, particularly the orphans living on the streets. Most of the changes in the characters would come after World War II during the liberation in 1949.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

Sanmao's image has evolved throughout time and in some modern continuation of the comics, he is depicted as a healthy, normal student.<ref>China Daily. "[http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/28/content_464182_4.htm China Daily] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205063513/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/28/content_464182_4.htm |date=2007-02-05 }}." "Sanmao Chinas favorite son turns 70." Retrieved on 2007-01-09.</ref> The character has also been portrayed as living through some of the most important periods in Chinese history and during futuristic space explorations.

Sanmao was chosen as the [[List of Olympic mascots|mascot]] of the [[2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games]], which were held in [[Shanghai]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mascot of 2007 Special Games Launched -- china.org.cn |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/211124.htm |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=www.china.org.cn}}</ref>

==Adaptations==
[[File:三毛流浪记 1958.webm|thumb|''Adventures of Sanmao'', 1958 animated film]]
The character made his first appearance in [[comic]]s and was later adapted into different formats.<ref>Sanmao Official Website. "[http://www.sanmao.com.cn/world/dimension/movie14.html Sanmao]." "Production Listing." Retrieved on 2007-01-09.</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! width=15% | Chinese title
! width=20% class="unsortable" | English title
! width=7% | Year
! width=20% class="unsortable" | Type
! width=10% class="unsortable" | Location
! width=15% | Studio
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛欢乐派}} || || 2006 || Online game || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''[[Wanderings of Sanmao]]'' || 2006 || Cartoon || China<br>Thailand || [[Shanghai Animation Film Studio]]
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛从军记}} || || 2005 || Stage production || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|虚拟导游三毛}} || || 2005 || 3D || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛救孤记}} || || 2004 || Film || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛太空漫游}} || || 2000 || Theatrical || [[Hong Kong]]
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛新传}} || || 1999 || TV series || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''Adventures of Sanmao'' || 1997 || Stage production || Hong Kong
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''Adventures of Sanmao'' || 1996<br>1998 || TV series || China<br>Thailand  || [[Shanghai Film Studio]]
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛从军记}} || ''[[San Mao Joins the Army]]'' || 1992 || Film || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''Adventures of Sanmao'' || 1990 || Drama || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''Adventures of Sanmao'' || 1984 || Cartoon || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛学生意}} || || 1958 || Film || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''Adventures of Sanmao'' || 1958 || Animated film || China
|-
| {{lang|zh-cn|三毛流浪记}} || ''[[The Adventures of Sanmao the Waif]]'' || 1949 || Live-action film || China || [[Kunlun Film Company]]
|-
|}

== Influence and legacy ==
* The renowned Taiwanese writer [[Chen Mao Ping]] (1943–91) chose "Sanmao" as her pen name in reference to the character.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mo |first=Weimin |last2=Shen |first2=Wenju |date=2006-09-01 |title=Sanmao, the Vagrant: Homeless Children of Yesterday and Today |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10583-006-9012-6 |journal=Children's Literature in Education |language=en |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=267–285 |doi=10.1007/s10583-006-9012-6 |issn=1573-1693}}</ref>
* The Hong Kong movie star [[Sammo Hung Kam-Bo]] was given the name Sammo because of his supposed resemblance to Sanmao.<ref>[https://www.baozimh.com/ 漫畫]</ref>
== Further reading ==
*Farquhar, Mary Ann. "Sanmao: Classic Cartoons and Chinese Popular Culture" In ''Asian Popular Culture'' edited by John A. Lent (1995).
*Cunningham, Maura. "Sanmao Saturday: Introducing [[Zhang Leping]] and His Sanmao the Orphan Comics", blog 30 Aug 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mauracunningham.org/2014/08/30/sanmao-saturday-introducing-zhang-leping-and-his-sanmao-the-orphan-comics/|title=Sanmao Saturday: Introducing Zhang Leping and His Sanmao the Orphan Comics|date=30 August 2014|publisher=}}</ref>
*Cunningham, Maura. "Sanmao Learns from [[Lei Feng]]", blog 5 March 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mauracunningham.org/2013/03/05/sanmao-learns-from-lei-feng/|title=Sanmao Learns from Lei Feng|last=mauracunningham|date=5 March 2013|publisher=}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/28/content_464182.htm "Sanmao, China's favorite son turns 70"] - ''[[China Daily]]''
*[http://www.sanmao.com.cn/ Sanmao website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060413181835/http://www.sanmao.tv/ Official Sanmao website]
*[http://asiaobscura.com/2011/07/chinas-all-time-favorite-and-all-time-darkest-comic-book-sanmao.html Sammao comic strips, photos, movie clips and history] AsiaObscura.com

[[Category:Child characters in comics]]
[[Category:Comics about children]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1935]]
[[Category:Fictional beggars]]
[[Category:Fictional buskers]]
[[Category:Fictional child soldiers]]
[[Category:Fictional Chinese people]]
[[Category:Fictional homeless people]]
[[Category:Male characters in animated television series]]
[[Category:Male characters in comics]]
[[Category:Manhua adapted into films]]
[[Category:Manhua adapted into television series]]
[[Category:Manhua titles]]
[[Category:Orphan characters in comics]]