Sanmao (comics)

Sanmao (Chinese: 三毛; pinyin: 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.

Sanmao
三毛
Sanmao
Author(s)Zhang Leping
Launch date1935
Genre(s)manhua, pantomime comic, gag-a-day

The name Sanmao means "three hairs" in Chinese or "thirty cents" (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
Sanmao in a 1948 Shanghai newspaper. He is a street acrobat in this segment. The poster on the electricity pole reads "Celebrate Fourth of April Children's Day."

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.[1] The character has also been portrayed as living through some of the most important periods in Chinese history and during futuristic space explorations.

Story

The comic takes place mainly during the 1930s and early 1940s and is set in Old Shanghai in its "golden era". Sanmao lived mostly in misery and stark poverty against a backdrop of war, colonization, and inflation.

Adaptations

The character made his first appearance in comics and was later adapted into different formats.[2]

Chinese Name English Name Year Type Location Studio
三毛欢乐派2006Online gameChina
三毛流浪记Wanderings of Sanmao2006CartoonChina
Thailand		Shanghai Animation Film Studio
三毛从军记2005Stage TheatreChina
虚拟导游三毛20053DChina
三毛救孤记2004MovieChina
三毛太空漫游2000TheatricalHong Kong
三毛新传1999TV Soap SeriesChina
三毛流浪记Adventures of Sanmao1997Stage TheatreHong Kong
三毛流浪记Adventures of Sanmao1996
1998		TV Soap SeriesChina
Thailand		Shanghai Film Studio
三毛从军记1992MovieChina
三毛流浪记Adventures of Sanmao1990DramaChina
三毛流浪记Adventures of Sanmao1984CartoonChina
三毛学生意1958MovieChina
三毛流浪记Adventures of Sanmao1958Puppet FilmChina
三毛流浪记The Adventures of Sanmao the Waif1949Live-action filmChinaKunlun Film Company

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.[3]
  • Cunningham, Maura. "Sanmao Learns from Lei Feng", blog 5 March 2013.[4]

Influence
  • The renowned Taiwanese writer Chen Mao Ping (1943–91) chose "San Mao" as her pen name out of her deep sympathy for the lonely, homeless boy.
  • The Hong Kong movie star Sammo Hung Kam-Bo was given the name Sammo because of his supposed resemblance to Sanmao.

References
  1. China Daily. "China Daily Archived 2007-02-05 at the Wayback Machine." "Sanmao Chinas favorite son turns 70." Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
  2. Sanmao Official Website. "Sanmao." "Production Listing." Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
  3. "Sanmao Saturday: Introducing Zhang Leping and His Sanmao the Orphan Comics". 30 August 2014.
  4. mauracunningham (5 March 2013). "Sanmao Learns from Lei Feng".
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