[New Year Chronicle] The painter is the painter, the farmer is the farmer, the Sichuan farmer, the "small cartoon" draws the "Da Mingtang"
[Commentary] Speaking of the story of a farmer cartoonist, Cheng Longxiang, Zigongrong County, Sichuan, it is very interesting.
Cheng Longxiang, a farmer who loves painting and self-taught, not only painted a good life by himself, but also led a group of farmers to paint the "Da Ming Tang".
Approaching the Spring Festival, in the Farmers Comic Gallery in Shuangshi Town, Rong County, Cheng Longxiang is creating comics about the New Year with members of the Farmers Comic Association.
After the creation of these works, they will be given to local villagers as New Year gifts.
As the leader of peasant cartoonists in Rong County, Zigong, Cheng Longxiang's brushes have been mentioned for 39 years.
He has more than 3,000 works published in more than 100 newspapers across the country, and 5 works have been selected for the Belgium and Japan International Comic Contest.
Cheng Longxiang has liked painting since he was a child.
In 1982, he attended the Rongxian Cultural Center to participate in the farmers cartoon training class.
At that time, the newspaper "Satire and Humor" subscribed by the Cultural Center left a deep impression on him and made him understand and like comics.
From then on, he worked while creating, and often published his works in local newspapers.
[Concurrent] Cheng Longxiang, President of Rongxian Farmers Cartoon Association
The conditions at that time were very poor. I had to do farm work (in the daytime). I went back to put down the farm tools at noon. I immediately picked up the painting I drew and ran to the post office to send the manuscript. Sometimes it rained and I wore a cloak. (Conditions) are very hard, but I love drawing and can publish in (newspapers), so I still give me a little comfort. I think (this) is a good thing.
[Explanation] During the training, Cheng Longxiang also met many painting enthusiasts.
Under the influence of Cheng Longxiang, they also began to learn comics.
From imitating comics in newspapers to creating by yourself.
The daily life in the village and the confusion of the common people have become the material for their comic creation.
Among the works he created, the comic work "One More Action" made Cheng Longxiang feel particularly profound.
[Concurrent] Cheng Longxiang, President of Rongxian Farmers Cartoon Association
(At that time) I drew a response to (farmers) paying public food. Because I saw too many links, I drew a satirical cartoon called "One more move", and then it was published by the "Rural Daily".
At that time, the government leaders saw this (work) and felt that there were too many links in the payment of public food, and they improved this bad image in time.
[Explanation] With the continuous improvement of his skills, his works have been adopted by newspapers and magazines and have had a positive impact.
In 1986, Cheng Longxiang founded the "Peasant Cartoon Group of Shuangshi Town, Rong County" in Sichuan Province, and more and more villagers came to learn painting.
In 2014, the Rongxian Cartoon Group was officially registered as the "Rongxian Farmers' Cartoon Association". Under the leadership of Cheng Longxiang, the Rongxian Farmer's Cartoon Creation Team has grown stronger.
[Concurrent] Cheng Longxiang, President of Rongxian Farmers Cartoon Association
The current comic team has 54 registered authors, the oldest is 82 years old, and the youngest is eight or nine years old.
Our comic works cover a wide range of fields, such as core values, twenty-four solar terms, and the characteristics of our Zigong, and news about major events in the country will also (become) our comic subjects.
[Explanation] Today, members of the Comic Association have published more than 4,500 works, of which more than 80 have won awards.
In order to attract and cultivate lovers of comics, they also carry out comics training in many local primary and secondary schools.
Mo Xiuying, a “post-80s” who worked in Guangzhou, returned to her hometown in 2018. After learning about the development of the comics association in her hometown, she started to learn comic creation with Cheng Longxiang, who likes to draw.
Mo Xiuying also has his own views on the development of farmer cartoons.
[Concurrent] Mo Xiuying, member of Rongxian Farmers Cartoon Association
I personally think that these works of ours are very primitive, so I want to transform them into a market economy, such as applying them to some of our local agricultural products, and helping them make illustrations of products, designs, and packaging, and expand Open some of our thinking, and in the future, our (farmer cartoons) can go higher and farther.
[Explanation] In 2008, Shuangshi Town, Rongxian County was named the "Hometown of Chinese Folk Culture and Art".
In December 2013, "Rongxian Farmer Cartoon" became a municipal intangible cultural heritage.
The comic museum established in 2019 has become a local tourist check-in place.
Today's Shuangshi Town is a well-known "comic town", and comics full of rustic flavor can be seen everywhere on the walls of the village and in public facilities.
[Concurrent] Cheng Longxiang, President of Rongxian Farmers Cartoon Association
In the next development plan, we mainly combine local cultural and tourism integration to actively develop our farmer cartoons so that more people can understand our farmer cartoons.
Liu Gang and He Meikun report from Zigong, Sichuan
Editor in charge: [Li Yuxin]