Alfonso Wong
Encyclopedia
Alfonso Wong is a popular Hong Kong
manhua
artist
. In 1962, using his eldest son's name "Wong Chak" as a pen-name, he created one of the longest running comic strip
Old Master Q
. He is also referred to as "Alphonso Wong".
, China
. He studied Western art at Fu Jen Catholic University
and was finished with school by 1944. In 1960 he resided permanently in Hong Kong
. He was responsible for drawings in bibles for a French
Catholic
missionary there. He also became the art editor for a Hong Kong
Catholic
magazine, Le Feng .
. The comic was one of the most influential piece of work in the pre-1997 days in Hong Kong before it was transferred back to China
. It voiced the opinions of the citizens in an exaggerated comical sense that was able to bypass political censorship. From integration with mainlanders to the education gap, there were no limitations in the sensitive subjects being used to accompany his stories. The comic became legendary for maintaining popularity for over 40 years against endless competition with other HK manhua and Japanese
manga
. Later adaptations into movies, Chinese animation
and other works of fiction continued well after his retirement. In 1974 he immigrated to the United States
, and retired by the 1980s.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
manhua
Manhua
Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. In 1962, using his eldest son's name "Wong Chak" as a pen-name, he created one of the longest running comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Old Master Q
Old Master Q
Old Master Q is a popular Chinese manhua created by Alfonso Wong. The cartoon first appeared in the newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong in 1962, and later serialized in 1964...
. He is also referred to as "Alphonso Wong".
Early history
Wong was born in TianjinTianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He studied Western art at Fu Jen Catholic University
Fu Jen Catholic University
Fu Jen Catholic University is a co-educational Catholic university located in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, Republic of China...
and was finished with school by 1944. In 1960 he resided permanently in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. He was responsible for drawings in bibles for a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
missionary there. He also became the art editor for a Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
magazine, Le Feng .
Achievements
His career would begin in 1962, when he became the primary author for Old Master QOld Master Q
Old Master Q is a popular Chinese manhua created by Alfonso Wong. The cartoon first appeared in the newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong in 1962, and later serialized in 1964...
. The comic was one of the most influential piece of work in the pre-1997 days in Hong Kong before it was transferred back to China
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
. It voiced the opinions of the citizens in an exaggerated comical sense that was able to bypass political censorship. From integration with mainlanders to the education gap, there were no limitations in the sensitive subjects being used to accompany his stories. The comic became legendary for maintaining popularity for over 40 years against endless competition with other HK manhua and Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. Later adaptations into movies, Chinese animation
Chinese animation
Chinese animation or Manhua Anime, in narrow sense, refers to animations that are made in China. In broad sense, it may refers to animations that are made in any Chinese speaking countries such as People's Republic of China , Republic of China , Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.- History :The...
and other works of fiction continued well after his retirement. In 1974 he immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and retired by the 1980s.