For many people, cartoons embody their childhood memories. Characters like the Monkey King and the Black Cat Sherrif accompanied many of us through our formative years. (CNTV)

For many people, cartoons embody their childhood memories. Characters like the Monkey King and the Black Cat Sherrif accompanied many of us through our formative years. But how did these characters come into being and how were they presented on screen?

This is where all the familiar characters were born. Started in the 1960s, the Shanghai Animation Film Studio was a leading pioneer in China’s animation industry.

Although many of the workshops have now been replaced with computers, there remains a museum here dedicated to the history of China’s old-school animation.

Qian Jianping, director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio, said, "When making "The Monkey King", we went to the Forbidden City to design the Heavenly Palace for the film. So you can see architectural styles like the carved pillars in the film.

For me, to make a really great animation, you need to find inspiration in life. There are also traces of Chinese culture and customs in the film, like facial paintings in Peking opera, New Year’s paintings and Door God decorations."