Alfonso Wong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alfonso Wong |
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| Born | 27 May 1923 Tianjin, Republic of China |
| Died | 1 January 2017 (aged 93) California, United States |
| Nationality | Hong Konger |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist |
| Pseudonym(s) | Wong Chak (王澤), Alphonso Wong |
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Notable works
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Old Master Q series |
Alfonso Wong (Chinese: 王家禧; Mandarin Pinyin: Wáng Jiāxǐ; Jyutping: wong4 gaa1 hei1; born May 27, 1923 – died January 1, 2017), also known by his pen name Wong Chak, was a famous Hong Kong comic artist. He created Old Master Q, one of the most popular and long-running comic strips in Asia.
Contents
About Alfonso Wong
Early Life and Moving to Hong Kong
Alfonso Wong was born in Tianjin, which was part of the Republic of China at the time. He studied Western art at Fu Jen Catholic University and finished his studies in 1944.
In 1956, Wong moved to British Hong Kong. There, he drew pictures for Bibles for a French Catholic group. He also became the art editor for a Hong Kong Catholic magazine called Lok Fung Pao (simplified Chinese: 乐峰报; traditional Chinese: 樂峰報; Mandarin Pinyin: Lè Fēng Bào; Jyutping: lok6 fung1 bou3).
Creating Old Master Q
Wong became very well known in 1961 when he created his comic series, Old Master Q. This comic became super popular in Hong Kong and across Asia. It was one of the most important comics during the time Hong Kong was under British rule.
The comic was special because it showed the everyday lives and feelings of people in a funny, exaggerated way. It talked about topics that other comics usually avoided. Old Master Q stayed popular for over 40 years, even with many other comics competing against it.
Later Years and Legacy
Old Master Q was so popular that it was made into movies, cartoons, and other stories, even after Wong retired. He moved to the United States and stopped drawing the comic in the mid-1990s.
The Hong Kong Arts Centre held an exhibition about Wong's work. They called his comics "a shared memory" for Chinese-speaking people all over the world. Some of Wong's original drawings have even been shown at famous art auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's.
Personal Life
Alfonso Wong was ambidextrous, which means he could draw with both hands! He especially loved drawing fish. He used his oldest son's name, Wong Chak (traditional Chinese: 王澤; simplified Chinese: 王泽; Mandarin Pinyin: Wáng Zé; Jyutping: wong4 zaak6), as his pen name. In 1995, he passed the comic series on to his son.
Alfonso Wong passed away on January 1, 2017, at the age of 93.
