Hong Kong Comics: Ngau-chai by Wong Sze-ma

A Classic Father & Son Comic Strip From the 1970s

Aug 19, 2009

Wong Sze-ma's lovingly crafted comic strip about a boy and his father is a nostalgic look at parenting and life in Hong Kong

Wong Sze-ma first published the Ngau-chai comic strips in the 1970s for a Hong Kong daily newspaper, but readers today still enjoy the touching relationship between the little boy named Ngau-chai and his father. The simple line drawings and memorable characters (a kid with a head the size of a beach ball? Definitely memorable) portray both the happiness and struggles that parents face when raising a child.

When Ngau-chai made his first appearance in Wong Sze-ma's first series of comic strips, Father and Ms. (printed in the Hong Kong newspaper, the Ming Pao Daily News), he, like his mother, was a side character who made only the occasional appearance. Father and Ms. focused on gags featuring Father and one of his colleagues (Ms.), and was published as a standalone comic book in 1968. Although Wong's drawing style would change slighty over the next twenty years, the character design was basically set at this point, as well as the comic strip's format: a four-panel, 2 by 2 grid of black and white drawings with little or no text.

Ngau-chai (which literally means "cow boy") soon stole the spotlight, and readers were eager to see more of the little boy and his dad. In 1971, another set of comic strips was published, under the title of Father and Son. Another series, Father, Ngau-chai, and Ms., was published starting in 1972, followed by My Boy in 1980. By this time, Wong had shifted the focus completely to the endearing relationship between Ngau-chai and his father; other characters, including Ngau-chai's mother and, to a lesser extent, Ms., continued to appear from time to time, but Ngau-chai and Father had become the main draw.

Starting in 1982, a collection of these comic strips was published under the title Ngau-chai until Wong's death in 1983. After his passing, a new set of comic books was released, the Ngau-chai Collection; this 41-volume compilation used comic strips from all of Wong's Ngau-chai series.

About Hong Kong Cartoonist Wong Sze-ma

Wong Sze-ma was born in Macau in 1940 as Wong Wing-hing. He attended primary and secondary school in Macau, and then in Guangdong, China; here, he also studied fine art before returning to his native Macau in 1957, where he worked as a teacher.

In 1961, Wong moved to Hong Kong, where he moonlighted as a cartoonist. He began drawing comics for the Ming Pao Daily News in 1965. Ngau-chai was partially inspired by Wong's own relationship with his three sons; their personalities and Wong's experiences as a parent are reflected in Ngau-chai's various adventures.

in 1983, at the age of 43, Wong passed away due to cancer. Although he was most noted for his Ngau-chai comic strips, Wong was also the creator of Debussy and Gorgeous Susan, both of which were published posthumously.

Themes: Father and Son Relationships, Life in Hong Kong

By far, the overarching theme of Wong's Ngau-chai comics is the love between a father and his child. Each comic strip usually depicts an ordinary moment in Ngau-chai and his father's life: doing homework, playing in the park, fishing, eating dinner, being disciplined, going to the doctor, and so on. Through it all, Father's devotion to his son is evident, as is Ngau-chai's loyalty and love for his father.

The other constant in Wong's comics is the reality of life in 1970s Hong Kong. Ngau-chai and his family live in a typical Hong Kong apartment building of the time, and issues of urban life are apparent in their story. (One of Father's favourite pastimes seems to be telling Ngau-chai about fighting off burglars and muggers.)

The Ngau-chai comic strips are a charming collection of father and son moments, full of nostalgic Hong Kong memories. Although it was written in the '60s and '70s for children who are now grown, these comic strips are still relevant today. As Wong Sze-ma once wrote in an artist's note, "Yesterday, Ngau-chai was me. Today, Ngau-chai is my children. Tomorrow, Ngau-chai is my children's children."

More About Hong Kong Comics

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The copyright of the article Hong Kong Comics: Ngau-chai by Wong Sze-ma in Classic Comics is owned by Liane Tsui. Permission to republish Hong Kong Comics: Ngau-chai by Wong Sze-ma in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.