A little upset? Extremely annoyed? These days many Chinese people would see the funny side and laugh with self-deprecating humor.

But just two decades ago, when the class struggle was rampant in China, caricatures could be the cause of much embarrassment.

Today, cartoonists are helping Chinese people reclaim what has long been a part of their daily life and their ethnic character - their sense of humor.

There has been a transformation in the role of the Chinese cartoon: from promoting awareness of the class struggle to an effective means of social criticism and lighthearted enjoyment.

This can be best seen in an ongoing exhibition of contemporary Chinese cartoons at the China National Art Museum in Beijing.

The show features more than 200 works by 163 practising cartoonists from veterans Ding Cong, Fang Cheng and Hua Junwu to younger artists such as Zheng Xinyao, Zhang Yaoning and Cui Yubing. Organized by the Cartoon Art Commission under the Chinese Artists' Association and Korla Evening News in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, the show will run until Wednesday.

"This is the third time we have held a national exhibition of cartoons since 1988. We expect it to be a thorough retrospective and an opportunity to promote cartoon art in current China," said commission director and renowned cartoonist Wang Fuyang.

"What impressed us most when selecting the works from about 3,500 entrees was their great diversity in both theme and artistic style," Wang said, noting this signals the coming of age for Chinese cartoon art.

Rather than being used as propaganda against enemies, many pictures in this exhibition satirize social phenomena such as corruption, pollution, the destruction of natural resources, and moral decline.

"Inner Decision" by Cui Yubing from Hebei Province was one of the seven award-winning cartoons in this year's exhibition. In the picture, four hands - representing four "family members" of a government official - raise from one sleeve in support of a decision. It derides those government officials who misuse power for their personal interest, ignoring the opinions of the public.

Shaanxi cartoonist Feng Junyun, in his award-winning "Boat Trackers on the Yellow River," depicts people pulling a large boat on logs cut from mountainsides along the dry Yellow River. It criticizes the uncontrolled wood-felling along the river that results in heavy loss of water and land resources.

Many other works in the exhibition, however, are noticeable simply for being entertaining.

Wu Jianjun from Beijing was rewarded for his series of caricatures of Chinese celebrities such as entertainers Ma Ji and Ma Sanli.

The work "Ma Ji" exaggerates the face of the cross-talk comic, evoking the performer's humorous, warm-hearted and outspoken personality.

Some cartoons on show touch upon hot topics, such as the Internet, indicating the artists' desire to cover every new trend of Chinese society.

Chinese cartoonists are becoming more computer-friendly and many have begun to use computers in drawing their cartoons.

Other artists are returning to traditional tools and techniques applied in Chinese ink painting to add a distinctive Chinese flavor.

According to Zhang Yaoning, another organizer, 30 to 50 works will be selected from this exhibition for another show to be held early next year in the United States.

"We hope that Chinese cartoons will cross the cultural, ideological and language barriers to be eventually understood by more people around the world," he said.

(China Daily 12/04/2000)