Meet your Chinese animated heroes at this exhibition

What did Sun Wukong look like before he wielded his legendary Golden Cudgel? How many expressions and designs did Ne Zha go through before reaching the screen? And what happens when heroes from classic Chinese stories move from hand-drawn sketches into films, games, toys and contemporary design?

Traces of Starry Heroes: A Special Exhibition of Heroic Narratives in Chinese Animation is on view across Halls 4, 5 and 6 of Zhejiang Art Museum from July 10 to September 6. Nearly 600 physical and digital exhibits trace the journey of China’s animated heroes from paper sketches to screen, and into today’s pop culture, across four sections.

You may already know Sun Wukong and Ne Zha through films, games or social media. And the figures of the Three Kingdoms may also feel familiar to fans of Chinese literature, cinema and gaming.

Here, these well-known characters appear in versions created across different decades. Sun Wukong of Havoc in Heaven, the young hero of Ne Zha Conquers the Dragon King, and the characters of the recent film Three Kingdoms: The Beginning show how each generation has given “the hero” a new face.

The finished characters may already be familiar, but some of the exhibition’s real treasures are the materials created before they reached the screen. Original sketches, facial-expression studies, storyboards and animation cels show how a character slowly took shape from a few lines on paper to a living figure with movement, emotion and personality.

Take a closer look at Ne Zha’s expression studies: a slight change in the eyes or mouth creates a completely different mood. Follow the storyboard wall, and you can see how a scene was planned long before it began to move.

Some young visitors even bring sketchbooks and sit down to sketch alongside the exhibits, studying the characters’ lines and poses up close.

After exploring the sketches and storyboards, step into the small screening room and see the finished characters in motion. For many Chinese visitors, the experience may bring back childhood memories. For international audiences, it offers an easy first encounter with some of China’s best-known animated classics.

The exhibition does not stop with classic films. Ne Zha appears as collectible figures, while the little boar demon from Nobody steps out of the screen as a designer toy. Familiar characters continue to take on new forms through toys, cultural creative products and contemporary design.

This is where the “trendy” side of the exhibition comes into view. These stories are not simply preserved as memories of the past--they are still being redesigned, shared and discovered by new generations.

⏰ Dates & opening hours: Jul 10 to Sept 6, 2026. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00-17:00; last admission at 16:30. Closed on Mondays, except public holidays.

Location: Halls 4, 5 and 6, Zhejiang Art Museum, 138 Nanshan Road, Hangzhou

Highlights: Nearly 600 physical and digital exhibits across four sections, including original sketches, animation cels, historical documents and classic animation materials

Admissions: Admission is free. No advance reservation is required for individual visitors, and a valid ID must be presented upon entry. Group visits must be booked in advance through the official WeChat account of Zhejiang Art Museum.

Source: Hangzhoufeel