Celebrated Chinese animation designer Jiao Yesong died from illness on January 27, aged 91. His family waited to unveil his death due to the "special period" when the novel coronavirus hit many families, according to an obituary published on Shanghai Animation Film Studio's Weibo account on Monday.

Jiao worked as designer, director and screenwriter for animated cartoons during his time at the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. All through his life, he participated in the making of over 20 Chinese animated cartoons, with many landmark creations. Before he died, he donated all his manuscripts to the studio.

He was one of the pioneers in developing Chinese ink-wash animation, which first appeared in the early 1960s. Inspired by China's legendary painter Qi Baishi's water-ink painting, ink-wash animation is a breakthrough in the form of expression and aesthetic conception in the animated area.

"Tadpoles Searching for Mother" was China's first ink-wash animation film and Jiao designed the cartoon images in it. The film received the "Best Animated Film"prize at the First Hundred Flower Awards in 1962 as well as winning five international prizes, including the Honorary Award at Cannes International Film Festival in 1964.

Mr. Jiao was also the animation designer for another famous ink-wash animation film "Cowherd's Flute." It was awarded the Golden Prize at the Odense International Fairy Tale Film Festival in Denmark in 1979. 

His wife Yang Suying is an animation designer as well. Together they produced many classic animations, including "The Adventure of JiaoJiao," "Little White Pigeon" and "Mice Hold a Meeting."