Distinguished Chinese animation designer Jiao Yesong died from illness on 27 January, aged 91.
Jiao worked as designer, director and screenwriter for animated cartoons during his time at the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. Throughout his life, he participated in the making of over 20 Chinese animated cartoons, with many landmark creations. Before he died, he donated all his manuscripts to the studio.
He was one of the pioneers in developing Chinese ink-wash animation, which first appeared in the early 1960s. “Tadpoles Searching for Mother” was China’s first ink-wash animation film and Jiao designed the cartoon images in it. The film received the “Best Animated Film”prize at the First Hundred Flower Awards in 1962 as well as winning five international prizes, including the Honorary Award at Cannes International Film Festival in 1964.
“Tadpoles Searching for Mother”drawn by Jiao Yesong. /Photo via Shanghai Animation Film Studio’s Weibo
Mr. Jiao was also the animation designer for another famous ink-wash animation film “Cowherd’s Flute.” It was awarded the Golden Prize at the Odense International Fairy Tale Film Festival in Denmark in 1979.
His wife Yang Suying is an animation designer as well.