Sanmao (comics)

Sanmao (Template:Zh) 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 or "three 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

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.

Sanmao's image has evolved throughout time and in some modern continuation of the comics, he is depicted as a healthy, normal student. 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 mascot of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, which were held in Shanghai.

Adaptations

File:三毛流浪记 1958.webm The character made his first appearance in comics and was later adapted into different formats.

Chinese title	English title	Year	Type	Location	Studio
Template:Lang		2006	Online game	China
Template:Lang	Wanderings of Sanmao	2006	Cartoon	China Thailand	Shanghai Animation Film Studio
Template:Lang		2005	Stage production	China
Template:Lang		2005	3D	China
Template:Lang		2004	Film	China
Template:Lang		2000	Theatrical	Hong Kong
Template:Lang		1999	TV series	China
Template:Lang	Adventures of Sanmao	1997	Stage production	Hong Kong
Template:Lang	Adventures of Sanmao	1996 1998	TV series	China Thailand	Shanghai Film Studio
Template:Lang	San Mao Joins the Army	1992	Film	China
Template:Lang	Adventures of Sanmao	1990	Drama	China
Template:Lang	Adventures of Sanmao	1984	Cartoon	China
Template:Lang		1958	Film	China
Template:Lang	Adventures of Sanmao	1958	Animated film	China
Template:Lang	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.
• The Hong Kong movie star Sammo Hung Kam-Bo was given the name Sammo because of his supposed resemblance to Sanmao.

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.
• Cunningham, Maura. "Sanmao Learns from Lei Feng", blog 5 March 2013.

External links

• "Sanmao, China's favorite son turns 70" - China Daily
• Sanmao website
• Official Sanmao website
• Sammao comic strips, photos, movie clips and history AsiaObscura.com