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The Chinese term "manhua" is used commonly in Hong Kong as equivalent to "cartoons" and "comics" in English. It includes satire and caricature works, political and editorial cartoons, and all other genres usually referred to as either cartoons or comics. In Hong Kong, "manhua" shares the common meanings of cartoons and comics as employed in the West, representing
a narrative in the form of a sequence of pictures -usually, but not always, with text. In length it can be anything from a single image upwards, with some strips containing thousands . . . a publication in booklet, tabloid, magazine or book form that includes as a major feature the presence of one or more strips. (Sabin, Adult Comics 5)
The term manhua in Hong Kong today also includes "lianhuantu," a traditional Chinese term usually referring to more traditional picture books featuring a sequence of Chinese line art drawings and telling stories with characters in traditional costume. As these traditional stories have evolved toward martial arts and kung-fu stories, the term "lianhuantu" has also shifted to refer to these new generic developments. Today, "manhua" is the general term for all cartoons and comics including "lianhuantu" in Hong Kong.
As is generally true in East Asian societies, manhua constitutes one of the most popular reading materials in Hong Kong (Bolton and Hutton). Although Hong Kong's population is only about 7 million, estimated annual retail sales for manhua publications in 1990 alone were approximately HK $17.9 million (U.S. $2.3 million) (Choi 561). The Hong Kong manhua market is divided into two main market shares, the local manhua produced by local artists, and the sub-licensed Chinese version of Japanese manga (comics). As in other East Asian societies such as South Korea and Taiwan, Japanese manga also dominate Hong Kong's manhua readership (Lent). However, the local manhua of Hong Kong shares cultural values and details with their readers, elements that cannot be found in Japanese manga. Hong Kong manhua is a cultural product and one of the important forms of popular culture as are most cartoons and comics all over the world. Manhua have very rich contents to study but discussion of manhua in Hong Kong is often limited to criticism focused on controversial elements such as their extensive use...