Do you still remember the comic strips "Red Sun" and "Good Eight Couples on Nanjing Road"? These precious manuscripts made their debut in Shanghai Military | Historical Materials | Good Eight Companies on Nanjing Road
In 1960, a young painter came to the village of Menglianggu in Mengyin County, Shandong Province. He didn't rush to interview, but first followed the villagers to plant seedlings and water them. After finishing work, he returned to the farmhouse to listen to the villagers tell about their experiences of supporting the front and participating in the war. He also followed them up Menglianggu to understand the composition of the position and the situation of the battle at that time.
This young man is Wang Guanqing, who later became a famous painter. He completed four volumes of the comic book "Red Sun" based on his novel "Red Sun" and his experience of collecting wind in Menglianggu, which influenced several generations of Chinese people.
Today, on the eve of the "August 1st" Army Day, the "Ink and Soul of the Army - Wang Guanqing's Military Theme Works and Related Historical Materials Exhibition" was held in the new building of the Shanghai Archives. The exhibition showcases Wang Guanqing's military themed paintings and related archival historical materials over the past 70 years of his career, including several classic comic works such as "Red Sun", "From Slaves to Generals", "Lei Feng", and "Good Eight Companies on Nanjing Road".
Wang Guanqing, who is over nine years old, has a unique love for military themes. The exhibition showcases works on topics such as the Second Revolutionary War, the Anti Japanese War, the Liberation War, the Korean War, and the construction of the People's Army during peacetime. His classic comic works, such as "The Red Sun" and "From Slaves to Generals," are deeply loved by readers. Only four volumes of "The Red Sun" have been reprinted 19 times, with a total circulation of over 6 million copies. This time, not only is the original manuscript and 17 versions of the comic strip "Red Sun" publicly exhibited for the first time, but also some works of the "Red Sun" group painting are displayed. On the opening day of the exhibition, many viewers stopped in front of this group of works to appreciate.
The art works created by Wang Guanqing that reflect the stories of the Long March and the advanced deeds of Lei Feng and the "Eight Good Companies on Nanjing Road" are also the focus of this exhibition, including the original comic works of "Comrade Zhou Enlai on the Long March", the original comic works of "From Slave to General", the Chinese painting "Zhou Enlai Climbing Snowy Mountains on the Long March", "Warm Clouds and Cliffs in Jinsha Water", "Lei Feng" and "Lei Feng's Little Stories", and so on.
In addition, this exhibition also showcases many precious historical materials collected by archives and cultural heritage departments such as the Central Archives, the People's Liberation Army Archives, the Shanghai Archives, and the Lei Feng Memorial Hall in Fushun, Liaoning. It is understood that the exhibition will be held from July 28 to October 28, 2023, at the new building of the Shanghai Archives. Visitors can make an appointment to visit through the "Archives Spring and Autumn" WeChat account.
