A CHINESE ARTIST is suing Dreamworks in a Beijing court, demanding an apology from the Hollywood studio for the cartoon film Kung Fu Panda's depiction of China's national symbol.
Zhao Bandi is best known for using panda images in his art, including racy black-and-white clothes designs. The film, a tale about an overweight panda-cum-noodle-chef called Po who aspires to be a kung fu master, has broken box office records in China since it was first screened on June 20th.
The Chinese are hugely proud of kung fu and they also love their national symbol, the giant panda.
Dreamworks Animation has been widely praised for addressing these two big issues sensitively in Kung Fu Panda. Zhao, who likes to carry a stuffed toy panda around with him, says the fact that Po's father in the film is a duck is an insult to all Chinese, and also the panda's eyes are green, which is an evil colour.
"Designing the panda with green eyes is a conspiracy. A panda with green eyes has the feeling of evil . . . we would never use green eyes to describe a kind-hearted figure. So I ask them to open their creative meeting records of this film and explain why the green eyes?
"Next, why is the panda's father a duck? Many foreigners think the giant panda is not just China's symbol, but also the Chinese people's symbol. Drawing the father of the giant panda as a duck is an insult to the Chinese people. In a few years' time, I'm worried some young Chinese people will think their ancestor is Donald Duck," said Zhao.
His earlier calls for a boycott of the film because it could upset victims of the Sichuan earthquake prompted the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, which controls the entertainment business, to delay its release in the earthquake zone. However, there was an immediate response online calling for the film to be released.
Zhao said he was not seeking any money, he just wants an apology from the film makers. Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court has formally accepted his lawsuit.