Chinese culture for sale. Is Disney buying?
A prime example of ‘The Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf’ (喜羊羊灰太狼), this episode has been seen by over half a million Youku.com viewers.
“Live like the pleasant goat, and marry someone like the big big wolf.” That's one of China's most well-known catchphrases since the cartoon "The Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf" (喜羊羊灰太狼), the first domestically produced Chinese cartoon, was broadcast in 2005. The characters starring in nearly 600 episodes, broadcast by 65 TV stations, of curious-looking goats and wolves, made themselves household names across China and count children as well as their parents among their fans.
Chinese culture for sale
With cartoon powerhouse Disney still fresh in the news after the announcement of its Shanghai theme park, rumors are now swirling that the U.S.-based corporation is eyeing up "The Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf," triggering fresh exclamations of national pride by Chinese netizens.
An article posted on Tianya.cn about the rumor proposed two possible reasons behind Disney's alleged interest in the program: either Disney is threatened by the Chinese cartoon so they want to buy it and hide it, or Disney is trying to Americanize the Chinese kids.
The article outlines how much the cartoon and its franchise have grossed over the past few years, adding, "As Chinese, we are so proud of the cultural value of The Pleasant Goat. How can Disney possibly understand the Chinese culture behind the show?"
Although Disney has become more culturally sensitive in recent times, netizens still refer to the company’s 1998 version of the classic Chinese tale of Mulan as an example of how the company sells out Chinese culture. “[Mulan] even speaks like an American,” says Wo Shi Yu Men Ge, the poster and author of the Tianya.cn article. “Although buying "The Pleasant Goat" isn't a form of economic blockade, it is a form of cultural blockade. If the souls of our kids are invaded by America, what will China have left?”
Although many objections to the rumored sale of "The Pleasant Goat" to Disney have nationalistic overtones, some see this as a reason to develop China’s location animation industry. “We need more local culture, including local cartoons,” says Happyvxue on Alibaba's forum.
Netizen wxn198796 says, “Although Disney's cartoons are good, they're not as suitable for Chinese kids as our local cartoons.”
“I think it's sad news as this is only the start of Chinese cartoon as an industry," comments user Wen Zi Meng on Alibaba. "They should keep up the work.”
The economic model
However, not everyone in Chinese cyberspace makes the connection between this cartoon series and national art. A netizen nicknamed Hao Ren Nan De Bu Xiang Dang says, "The Pleasant Goat represents Chinese culture? Why can't I see that? Perhaps I'm not Chinese?”
Garylau99 thinks what Disney might do will be the result of market forces and it should have nothing to do with nationalism. “The cultural market should be open; closing it off would only make Chinese culture go backwards,” he says.
Although there’s still no comment from Disney on their interest in "The Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf", if it wasn’t on their radar before, we’re sure it must be now.
