Ronald Chu, the Cartoonist

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"Uptown Singles" by Ronald Chu [Photo Source: www.sina.com]

People who have read the comic strips by Ronald Chu unexceptionally admire his talent: his incisive language, acrimonious expression along with the humorous content and the concise style. China's Champion today will introduce to you the renowned cartoonist, Ronald Chu from Taiwan.

Female: "I like Ronald Chu's 'Uptown Singles'."
Male: "I fancy 'Battle Domestica'."
Female: "I think marriage maniac in 'Uptown Singles' is rather silly and cute. She is persistent as well. I feel we have a lot in common."
Male: "Men in 'Battle Domestica' are pathetic, while women are man-eating. There are many people like that in the world today."

About women, he said the only thing certain about them is their uncertainty; as for marriage, he said marriage is an optimistic woman marrying an optimistic man, and both end up as pessimists. This is Ronald Chu, one of the most commercially successful cartoonists in China.

Chu's cartons focus on the lives of urban men and women, for he thinks the city is the gathering place of people. And when people come together, they do many absurd things.

"Uptown Singles" is a collection that has appeared in numerous periodicals. It features the adventure of four single girls searching for love in the big city. The work recently inspired a TV soap opera series.

Male: "Would you please marry me?"
Female: "Yes, I would. Of course I would."
Male: "Why don't you ask me why I want to marry you?"
Female: "I think it's safer to ask after we get married."

There are many reasons accounting for the success of Ronald Chu, for example, his insightful observation of social life and revealing characterization.

There are people who say that Chu's books are not benevolent. Some even call him a crackpot dedicated to overthrowing love and criticizing marriage through cartoons.

A few years ago, a friend of Ronald gave him an expensive dog as a gift, which he politely declined. The reason was simple: he was afraid that his own dog at home, which was ugly and old, would get jealous.

India's great thinker Mohatma Gandhi said the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated.

Some western philosopher also remarked that if you do not know hatred, it means that you have never loved.

We have every reason to believe that the sarcasm in Ronald Chu's works, although may seem excessive, is good-willed in nature.

Here is another excerption from "Uptown Girls".

Female1: "I have a friend who got divorced only after being married for one month."
Female 2: "A friend of mine divorced on the second day."
Female 3: "That's nothing! My friend registered in the morning and split in the afternoon."
Female 4: "My friend has been married for 20 years."
All together: "Terrible!"

Cynical, sharp yet funny, this conversation is characteristic of Chu's style. But who can imagine a person who enjoys making fun of love and marriage so much would fall in love? Love at first sight followed by a flash marriage, all happened to him. In 1988, when Ronald Chu was 28, he met 34 year-old Feng Delun, then the chief editor of the United Press in Taiwan. He was stunned by her beauty from the first moment.

"I felt we had known each other for a long time. And it took only a couple of months before we decided to get married."

Chu was a special kid when he was little. He is a victim of learning handicap. Autistic and self-contemptuous, he was the black sheep of the family. That's why when he had a child of his own, he felt nervous and helpless.

"But later on, when my child learned to communicate with me, I started to find that the kid is really fun. The affection between my son and me was cultivated rather than inherent."

The birth of his son gradually changed Chu's perspective towards life as well as towards his work.

In "Absolute Child", the most recent work by Ronald Chu, he describes as such: many people may still remember that when they were young, they often dreamt of flying. That's the world of children where there is only imagination but no boundaries. Children seem to have wings that enable them to play above the cloud.

Father: "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. You can only make progress by asking questions. All the inventors    and scientists like asking questions since their childhood. I am expecting your questions at any time."
Son: "My father wants me to become a 'problem child'."

The book "Absolute Child" reveals the little kid inside Ronald Chu. Indeed, everyone has a child inside. And we hope everyone can keep the innocence of a child. （CRIENGLISH.com）