Came across a handful of mesmerizing vintage Chinese animated shows and shorts today.
This short is A Deer of Nine Colors, produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio in 1981, and directed by Qian Jiajun (who also co-directed The Cowherd’s Flute) and Dai Tielang.
The plot is based on a fresco painting (one of many) in the caves of Dunhuang, which adapted the Ruru Jataka (early Buddhist tale of the golden deer).
I wasn’t able to find an English subbed version, but the original story may help for those who aren’t Mandarin speakers/listeners. Either way, it’s well worth a watch if only for the visual experience alone!
