ABOUT THE BOOKS
關於書籍
A Cultural Journey
for Global Audiences
The fandom and quantity of Chinese animation have grown significantly and are expected to continue increasing in the years to come. Asa result, Chinese animation will appear more frequently on cinema and television screens both within China and internationally. However,because Chinese animation often incorporates historical narratives and aesthetics unfamiliar to non-Chinese audiences, understanding itsunique features is essential to fully appreciate this culturally rich medium.
This academic project, Chinese Animation, is divided into two volumes, covering the period from 1922 to 1989, primarily focusing on the productions of the Shanghai Animation Film Studio (SAFS). Both volumes provide extensive information necessary to understand and value the short and feature-length films discussed.
The first volume, Religion, Philosophy and Aesthetics, offers a meticulous exploration of traditional Chinese culture. It examines how religious, philosophical, and aesthetic influences have shaped Chinese animation. A key focus of this volume is the Chinese ink-wash painting style, analyzing its distinctive visual representation and how it has been adapted into the medium of animation.
The second volume, Revolutionary Aspects, investigates the revolutionary and political elementsin Chinese animation. It traces the rise of revolutionary aesthetics during the Great Leap Forward Campaign and their peak during the Cultural Revolution, a time when revolutionary realism and romanticism dominated highly political and propagandistic films. AfterMao Ze’dong’s death, revolutionary realism’s influence declined, giving way to more nuanced and subtle narratives that replaced the earlier radical communist content.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
關於作者
An Exploration of Art, Animation, and Education
Herr Thomas Paul Thesen is an author, illustrator, and artist (www.thomasthesen.art) with over two decades of experience in art and animation. His career includes work with leading studios such as Pixar, DreamWorks, and Sprite Animation. In addition to his professional practice, he has taught extensively at universities worldwide, delivering modules and workshops on composition, storytelling, image-making, and visual design principles. Herr Thesen is also the author of several books on composition in animation and character design, offering insights into the foundations of visual narrative and the creative process.
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This first volume of Chinese Animation explores the meaningful impact of Chinese religion, philosophy, and aesthetics on 20th-century animation in China. It establishes a foundation in traditional Chinese art, design and intellectual concepts to analyse animated films and features. The focus is on the ink-wash painting style, its artistic evolution, spiritual significance, and the transformation of natural energies (qi 气) into painted images, concepts that have profoundly shaped China’s cinematic animation. The films that receive specific attention are Where is Mama? (1960), The Cowherd’s Flute (1961) and Feelings of Mountains and Waters (1988).
Available as hard-
cover, softcover, or
e-book.
cover, softcover, or
e-book.
Available soon
The second volume of Chinese Animation, Revolutionary Aspects, offers a thorough investigation into the revolutionary elements of Chinese animation. It traces their emergence during the Great Leap Forward Campaign and their peak during the Cultural Revolution. This was a period when revolutionary realism and romanticism prominently featured in highly political and propagandistic films often driven by disturbing narratives. After the death of Mao Ze’dong, the aesthetic of revolutionary realism waned, giving way to more nuanced narratives that replaced the earlier radical communist content. Various films receive special attention, like Dr Gu’s New Discovery (1958), The Pigeon (1960), The Rooster Crows at Midnight (1965), Red Army Bridge (1964), Heroic Little Sisters of the Grasslands (1965), Little Sentinel of the East China Sea (1973), and many more.
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