Remembering the famous couples in the Chinese animation industry, Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao, who strive for excellence and beauty

The "Beauty Seeking Beauty and Striving for Excellence" memorial service for animation artists Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao, sponsored by the China Animation Society, Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Shanghai Film Co., Ltd., and Beijing Film Academy, and organized by the Shanghai Film Association and Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio Co., Ltd., was held on September 15th at the Shanghai Cultural Activity Center.

On December 26, 2022, Yan Dingxian passed away. Lin Wenxiao passed away on June 7th this year. At the memorial service, a commemorative video introduced the audience to the artistic world of Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao.

Strict Constitution

Lin Wenxiao

Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao are famous couples in the Chinese animation industry, as well as important participants and witnesses in the Chinese animation industry. After graduating from Beijing Film Academy in 1953, they were responsible for the original artwork of milestone animated works in the history of Chinese animation, such as "The Proud General", "Little Tadpole Looking for Mom", and "The Heavenly Palace". Later, they served as directors and created excellent works such as "The Golden Monkey Subdues the Demon", "Shuke and Beta", and "Deer Woman". Lin Wenxiao's independently directed "Snowy Children" touched the childhood of countless people.

Snowy child

Golden Monkey Subdues Demons

Goodbye, Snow Child

Make a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace

Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao not only have exquisite skills, but also provide careful guidance to younger generations, encouraging young animators to boldly try. Yan Dingxian's rigor and meticulousness, as well as Lin Wenxiao's gentleness and delicacy, are vividly portrayed in their works. In 1988, during Yan Dingxian's tenure as the director, he represented the American Film Studio in hosting the first Shanghai International Animation Film Festival, making important contributions to the exchange of film culture between China and foreign countries. In 2012, in order to better inherit and promote Chinese culture through animation, and inject new vitality into classic works, the 3D version of "Da Nao Tian Gong" was released, with Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao serving as the art consultants for the film. At the beginning of incubation, both of them participated in the animated film "New Snow Children" being created by the Meiying Studio and provided their opinions on the story and art.

From glamorous youth to gray haired individuals, cartoons are their lifelong ideals and beliefs. They constantly innovate and break through in one film after another, witnessing and participating in many "firsts" of Chinese animation: the first color animated feature film, the first ink animated feature film, the first wide screen animated feature film... Their created animation images have distinct personalities, and the director's animation style is diverse, integrating "truth, goodness, and beauty" into their animation works, leaving beautiful childhood memories for generation after generation, and making great contributions to Chinese art films, the "Chinese animation school", and Chinese national animation.

Chang Guangxi

Chang Guangxi, former director and animator of Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio, recalled sixty years of being both a teacher and a friend with Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao. After graduation, Chang Guangxi joined the production team of "Riot the Heavenly Palace" in the American Film Studio, and was assigned to the original painting team of Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao. Under their "preaching, helping and teaching", he took the first step in the American film animation career. Since then, he has also had tacit cooperation in films such as "Little sisters of Grassland Heroes", "Nezha Riot the Sea", "Snow Children", and "Clip Saves the Deer". "Today we pay tribute to teachers Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao, in order to learn from their spirit of dedication and artistic style. Young animators will surely inherit their last wishes, move forward bravely, pass on the torch, and continue the glory of Chinese animated films."

Zhao Yun, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Shanghai Film Association, and Du Liang, member of the Party Committee of Shanghai Film Group and Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio Co., Ltd., presented souvenirs to Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao's family member Yan Qing. Yan Qing gifted the Sun Wukong painting personally painted by Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao to the Meiying Studio, and expressed his heartfelt feelings, "This painting was created by them in the early 1990s and has been hanging in our living room. They worked hard in the Meiying Studio for a lifetime, and this painting is like returning home, continuing to return to the Meiying Studio."

Dialogue session

In the theme dialogue segment, Huang Yong, Vice Dean of the School of Animation at Beijing Film Academy, served as the host, along with Yan Qing, Li Jianping, Dean of the School of Animation at Beijing Film Academy, Fan Madi, an old artist from Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio, Hua Yi, former Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio, and Chen Bo, Deputy Director of Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio, to reminisce about Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao's artistic career of still caring about the development of the animation industry from studying, working to retirement.

Zhou Keqin is speaking

During the conversation, Zhou Keqin, former director and animator of Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio, was deeply moved at the guest table. He recalled that Yan Dingxian had a spirit of bold exploration and continuous progress, and had vigorously developed the production of series films to promote exchanges between China and foreign animation; Lin Wenxiao is an outstanding representative of female original art designers and directors in China, and almost every shot is a textbook level example of Chinese animation. "Today, as we reminisce about the two elders, we should learn from their spirit, strive for excellence in animation creation, and continuously produce new and excellent works with Chinese school characteristics."

At the end of the event, two classic works co created by Yan Dingxian and Lin Wenxiao were screened, including fragments of "The Heavenly Palace" and the entire film of "The Snowy Child", to pay tribute to the animation artists in this way.