This paper is a phased research achievement of the 2026 Wuxi Philosophy and Social Sciences Key Project “Research on the Modern Transformation of Zhang Guangyu’s IP Characters and Urban Promotion Strategies in Wuxi” (Project No. WXSK26-C-128).
Abstract
Zhang Guangyu created all classic figures for the animated film The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven. Yet for a very long time, his personal contributions were ignored, as most people only recognized the whole team behind the animation. This paper explores the source of his unique design style and defines his core creative logic as “integrated innovation”—he blended various cultural art elements and reshaped them into an original visual system. His design language draws strength from three sources: Chinese folk arts, Western modern art, and his decades-long cross-media design experience. The combination forms a complete visual system full of symbolic meaning, balanced composition, and decorative beauty. All characters in the animation, especially Sun Wukong, perfectly demonstrate how to transform traditional aesthetics into visuals suitable for modern animation works. Based on Zhang’s mature design ideas, this paper puts forward the “Zhang Guangyu Creative Model”, including three actionable steps: locking core cultural values, reinterpreting traditional visual elements, and building a unified visual world. This model offers clear guidance for creators developing animation IPs rooted in traditional culture nowadays.
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How to cite this paper
The Re-creation of the Father of the Monkey King: Contemporary Transformation of Character Aesthetics in The Monkey King and the Possibilities of IP Derivation
How to cite this paper: Xianqi Meng. (2026) The Re-creation of the Father of the Monkey King: Contemporary Transformation of Character Aesthetics in The Monkey King and the Possibilities of IP Derivation. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 10(8), 995-999.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.08.022