Mangasia: Fables and Folklore

Explore some of the myths, legends, fables and folklore that inspire manga around Asia.

Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics at Villa Reale di Monza, Italy (2018/2018) by Barbican CentreBarbican Centre

Every culture has myths, legends, fables, and folklore that contain truths of perennial relevance. These stories are often reinterpreted as they are handed down from one generation to the next.

Kaavad, installation photo from Mangasia at Villa Reale di Monza, Italy (2018/2018) by Mangilal MistriBarbican Centre

Across Asia, these tales continue to be transmitted, not only through accessible modern comics, but also using traditional forms of storytelling such as scrolls and ‘kaavads’, which often combine wordless sequential visuals with verbal performance. Such practices can be considered early ancestors on the family tree of sequential storytelling.

Kaavad, installation photo from Mangasia at Villa Reale di Monza, Italy (2018/2018) by Mangilal MistriBarbican Centre

The Kavaad

The Kaavad is an intricately painted portable shrine; traditional Kaavads - known as Marwari - have ten doors. The artisan craft that goes into making Kaavads is undertaken by skilled carpenters called Basayati suthars and their customers are the storytellers, known as Kavaadiya Bhats. Stories told by Bhats would largely be based on the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the Puranas but also would be tailored to fit one’s family and context. There now remains very few makers as with cultural and lifestyle shifts towards film and TV, there are no longer as many storytellers and Kaavads have been foregone.  

Cover image for Wajang Purwa (1956/1959) by S. ArdisomaBarbican Centre

Wajang Purwa 

The two greatest Sanskrit tales of Hinduism, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, are ancient epic poems about Krishna and Rama, avatars of the deity Vishnu, whose stories have been retold in traditional Indian arts down the centuries. Multi-volume versions of the Hindu epics in comics form were also published in Indonesia. 

Cover image for Wajang Purwa (1956/1959) by S. ArdisomaBarbican Centre

The Grand Legend Ramayana (2015/2015) by Is YuniartoBarbican Centre

For many, comics are the means by which they are first exposed to the key ideas and figures of Hinduism, Buddhism and the region’s other belief systems.

Garudayana (2009/2009) by Is YuniartoBarbican Centre

Cartoonists have also played a vital role in keeping alive their nation’s fables and folktales, often being inspired by the exploits of more-or-less fictional heroes and anti-heroes from the past.

Muniya turns into his full demonic form (Sakkai Muniyai Vol 1, Chapter 7) (2019/2019) by PapadamnBarbican Centre

Many other Asian artists, including women – who remain underrepresented – continue to bring fresh perspectives to these deep-rooted classics. 

In Sri Lankan folklore demons are depicted with a fiery head, pointy ears, fangs and Gokkola (tender leaves of a coconut plant). Deeply rooted within many stories, supernatural beings are considered either demonic (evil, mischievous and coati) or godly (kind, helpful and righteous)

Cartoons of Journey to the West (1945/1958) by Zhang GuangyuBarbican Centre

Journey to the West

Of China’s great classical novels, Journey to the West has attracted the most interpretations into comics – including the well-known manga Dragon Ball – partly thanks to the daring, defiant Monkey. 

Cartoons of Journey to the West, Zhang Guangyu, 1945/1958, From the collection of: Barbican Centre
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These beautiful artworks were too controversial to be published when first created; although they were briefly exhibited, they did not appear together in book form until 1958. 

Cartoons of Journey to the West, Zhang Guangyu, 1945/1958, From the collection of: Barbican Centre
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Its principal source is the historical journey of Xuanzang, a Chinese monk born in AD 602, who travelled to India to bring home the Buddhist scriptures. A Chinese emperor gave him the honorary title of ‘Tripitaka’ – Sanskrit for ‘three baskets’, in which the original teachings were stored – and this is the name the monk goes by in the novel. 

Cartoons of Journey to the West, Zhang Guangyu, 1945/1958, From the collection of: Barbican Centre
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Over the centuries, Tripitaka’s exploits became embellished and increasingly outlandish, as he was joined by two supernatural companions: Sun Wu-k’ung the Monkey King and the pig Zhu Bajie.  

Cartoons of Journey to the West, Zhang Guangyu, 1945/1958, From the collection of: Barbican Centre
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As the story evolved, the monkey quickly side lined the monk. Sun Wu-k’ung's own spiritual journey came to demonstrate how his impetuosity, tempered by the Taoist powers he masters, is only made complete once he acquires the compassion of Buddhism. 

Credits: Story

Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics is a Barbican International Enterprises exhibition, curated by Paul Gravett, touring globally. Mangasia presents a vivid journey through the art of Comics and visual storytelling across Asia. From its historical roots to the most recent digital innovations, the exhibition looks to popular Japanese ‘Manga’ and beyond, highlighting key creators, characters and publications.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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