Cartoon cat conquers the book world
Cartoonist Liang Kedong's works are sometimes called frivolous. And he's happy about that.
"I'll be very satisfied if my works make readers laugh," he says at his company in Beijing.
"Chinese people are facing great pressure. I hope to reduce that."
Liang, who's known as Bai Cha (white tea) online, is celebrated for his picture books, especially those about a fat, bossy, black-and-white cat named Wu Huang (your majesty), a stocky pug called Ba Zhahei and their owner, an unnamed young man.
The characters resemble Jim Davis' comic strip Garfield, featuring Garfield, the cat, his owner, Jon Arbuckle, and Jon's dog, Odie.
Cute images, witty remarks and interesting plots made Liang's first two books big successes.
They've sold nearly 3 million copies.
The third book was released recently. The theme is articulated by the cat: "I love you dearly but show it through condescension."
Like Garfield, Wu Huang is street-smart and sassy, yet ultimately kindhearted and insightful.
He always squints at and bullies Ba Zhahei, the innocent, dim-witted dog who eats everything, and the young man, who's also a cartoonist.
The cat stands atop the pyramid of "contempt", and the dog is at the bottom.
