The Long Museum collects a large number of precious manuscripts such as comic strips and illustrations. On the basis of improving the collection of documents, they will be presented one by one in the form of special exhibitions. This special exhibition exhibits 29 original illustrations of "The Cock Crows at Midnight" drawn by Yang Yongqing. This version is an early classic version with a huge circulation. It was first published by China Children's Publishing House in 1963 and became a classic in the hearts of a generation.

In the early days of liberation, "The Cock Crows at Midnight" was a story about the class struggle between the landlord and the long-time worker under the social background of class struggle. It was adapted into an art film in 1964. The image of Zhou Papi has since become a household name.

Summary of the Story

The story took place in a small village in the 1940s. Gao Yubao, a 10-year-old naughty boy had to work in the house of the stingy landlord Zhou Papi due to his poverty. Zhou Papi wanted to deduct the wages of the permanent workers, so he spent lots of time thinking about a method. The battle between the landlord and the permanent workers began. Zhou Papi’s chicken were different. They screamed everyday before dawn, so the permanent worker who has just fallen asleep has to drag his tired body before going down to work. Yubao and other workers felt weird. Finally, Yubao accidently discovered a mystery, and the show started…

About the Artist

Yang Yongqing (1928-2011), used to be the art editor of China Children's Publishing House and the director of the Children's Art Committee of China Artists Association. He created a large number of illustrations, Chinese paintings, prints, children's picture books, etc. throughout his life.