A View of the Definition, Origination and Development of the Term ‘Chinese School of Animation’

This article clarifies the definition of ‘Chinese School of Animation’ and chronologically traces this term’s origination and development. The rise of the term ‘Chinese School’ was inspired by the Zagreb School of Animation. Chinese scholars generally define the Chinese School as a set of internationally award-winning films based on the collectivist discourse, which canonizes Chinese meishu films. The connotation of the Chinese School has kept changing in different times of China’s history, and the prevalence and decline of this term in Chinese animation studies are closely related to China’s cultural policies, nationwide nationalist thoughts, economic systems and its animation industry.