Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Ma Liang who lived in a small village in ancient China. Ma Liang was a kind-hearted and talented artist who loved to paint. However, he did not have any paintbrushes or colors to create his artwork. All he had was a wooden stick. One day, while Ma Liang was wandering near the river, he came across an old man who seemed lost. Ma Liang offered to help the old man find his way home.
Ma liang magic paintbrush
A Brush with magic
An animated musical
Music by Xiang Gao
Lyrics by Joyce Hill Stoner
Book and original novel by William J. Brooke
based on the Chinese folktale “The magic paintbrush of Ma Liang”
Action takes place in a village of China during the Song Dynasty [960-1279 C.E.]
Poor villagers find a little boy floating down the river in a basket, with no possessions but a paint brush. Named Liang, as he grows he learns that the things he paints with his brush can come to life, although none of the earthbound villagers care about his beautiful, impractical creations. One of the most impractical of these is Monk-Li, the half-man half-monkey who will be Liang’s sometimes-helpful, sometimes-disastrous sidekick throughout the story. Liang meets the Court Painter as he travels through the countryside and falls in love with a painting he assumes incorrectly to be of the Princess rather than merely her attendant, Lotus. Liang now wants to go to the Court to become rich and famous and meet the Princess. Liang meets Lotus later and thinks she looks vaguely familiar. She tells him she is fleeing from the evil Emperor, who wants her to become his 100 th concubine, and he reveals he paints things that come to life. Although they are attracted to each other, neither believes the other’s stories. Before they can reach a better understanding, Lotus is captured by a Guardsman and taken back to Court.
Filled now with greed and dreams of success, Liang finishes a self-portrait which comes to life as Jiang, his evil twin brother. Jiang teases him, causing Liang to doubt his own talents and abilities. The village is threatened by a torrential rain and flood, but Liang saves the day by painting sky rockets and blowing up a mountainside to make a dam. The villagers are briefly appreciative, then get back to their lives. The Emperor hears about Liang and his paintbrush from the Guardsman who had re-captured Lotus, and decrees that Liang be brought to Court. When Liang is carried off, Jiang hurries to Court on his own.
At Court, Liang is commanded by the wicked Emperor and his greedy daughter, the Princess, to paint them mounds of gold and instruments of cruel torture. Liang objects, but Jiang appears and insists he can do it. Confused, the Emperor orders both to be thrown into prison. Liang realizes he must rescue Lotus and stop her marriage to the Emperor. After the Emperor threatens his whole village, Liang saves the villagers once again by releasing a dragon he had painted earlier from its cave enclosure.
After using the dragon to disrupt the marriage, Liang, Lotus, and Monk-Li are happily leaving Court together, thinking they are safe, but the Guardsmen, the Emperor, the Princess, and Jiang are all chasing them. Liang paints a large wooden ship for his group to sail away in, and then—just in time—big waves. Monk-Li loses the brush overboard. Liang must choose between saving the brush and saving Monk-Li. Lotus is horrified when it looks like Liang will choose to save the brush, but in the end Liang saves Monk-Li. Jiang finds the brush and tries painting lightning, storms, and waves to destroy Liang’s boat. As Jiang’s boat is tossed wildly, the impatient Emperor insists he paint gold for him. Filled with his evil thoughts, Jiang paints what the Emperor requests, but the mounds of gold become a serpent that devours the Emperor. After a moment of shock, the Princess realizes she is now the Empress, and she is delighted to rule; she and Jiang plot to destroy Liang. Meanwhile, on the other ship, Monk-Li is tired of magic brush debates, so he uses his own tail as a brush to try to paint a banana to eat. It remains resolutely flat on the deck. Liang happily grabs up Monk-Li’s tail and finishes the banana. Liang realizes he no longer needs the actual brush as the magic is inside him. Lotus and Liang realize that they need nothing but each other.
Jiang and the Empress are on the boat Jiang has painted, but are sinking; Jiang attempts to paint an island, but it turns out to be the head of a monster, which gulps their ship down whole. Liang suggests they go back to help the villagers, whether they know they need it or not; Lotus and Monk-Li happily agree.
As the ship sails into the sunset that Liang paints for that purpose, a blot suddenly appears on the sky; the visual animation and audio freeze. The frame of the picture pulls back and we see the hand of the artist-animator who has created all that we have just seen. The hand holds a brush, and we hear “Any of us may have a brush with magic; be ready and use it well.”
The Magic Paintbrush
Once upon a time, there was a young man called Ma Liang. He was poor and kind and liked drawing so much that he drew pictures everywhere. One night, he dreamed that an old man gave him a magic paintbrush and asked him to use it to help poor people. When he woke up, he found the magic paintbrush on his desk.
From that day on, he used the paintbrush whenever poor people needed help. When he saw that people had no water to use in the fields, he drew a river and the river came to life. People could bring water from the river to the field to help their crops grow. When he saw the hard working farmers struggling to feed their families, he drew more food for them to eat. Soon, many people knew about the magic paintbrush and were very grateful to Ma Liang.
But in the village, there lived a rich man who was mean and decided to steal the paintbrush from the young man so that he could use it to become even richer. So he sent his servants to Ma Liang's home to steal the magic paintbrush.
Once he had the paintbrush, he felt very happy and he invited his friends to come to his home so that he could show them his new possession. He drew a lot of pictures, but none of them would come to life for him. He was very angry that the paintbrush would not work for him so he sent for Ma Liang.
He said to the young man, "If you draw some pictures for me and bring them to life, I will set you free."
Ma Liang did not want to help such a bad man, but he had an idea.
He said to the bad man, "What would you like me to draw?"
The rich man said, "I want a golden mountain. I will go there to gather gold."
But the young man drew a sea first.
The rich man was angry and said," Why did you draw a sea? I want a golden mountain. Draw it quickly!"
So the young man drew a golden mountain which was far away from the sea.
The rich man said, "Draw a big ship quickly. I want to go there to gather gold."
The young man smiled quietly and drew a big ship. The rich man jumped into the ship and set off to find the gold but when the ship sailed to the middle of the sea, Ma Liang drew a large wave which destroyed the ship and the rich man was never seen in the village again.
After that, the young man lived with his family happily and used the magic paintbrush to help the poor people as the old man had asked him to do and the magic paintbrush was known and loved by everyone.
Ma Liang offered to help the old man find his way home. The old man was grateful and decided to reward the boy's kindness. He gave Ma Liang a magical paintbrush, saying, "With this brush, whatever you paint will come to life.
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The Magic Paintbrush – Chinese Fairy Tale
“The Magic Paintbrush” is a Chinese fairy tale that portrays the dream of the magical potential of human beings and the value of true art.
Once upon a time, there lived a young boy named Ma Liang. Unfortunately, both his parents had died early, so he had to support himself by chopping wood and cutting grass. Despite his difficult life, Ma Liang had a passion for painting. Unfortunately, he was so poor that he couldn’t afford to buy a paintbrush.
One day, Ma Liang walked past a school and saw a teacher painting with a brush. Without hesitation, he walked into the classroom and asked the teacher, “I want to learn painting. Can I borrow a paintbrush from you?”
The teacher sneered at the shabby boy and replied, “What? A poor kid like you wants to learn to paint? You must be daydreaming! Get out of my sight!”
Ma Liang quietly walked away, his heart filled with disappointment. However, he remained composed and calm. In his mind, he thought, “I just don’t believe a poor child is not good enough to learn painting.”
From that day on, the boy made up his mind to learn to paint by himself. Whenever he chopped wood in the forest, he would draw a bird in the sand with a branch. When he was cutting grass by the river, he would dip a grass reed in water and trace a fish on the rocks.
At night, when he returned to the cave that he called home, he would use a stick of charcoal to sketch on the wall everything he had drawn during the day. Ma Liang practiced day after day, never missing a single one. He drew everywhere he went using anything he could find. If he wasn’t actually drawing something, he was drawing it in his mind. Every inch of his cave wall was covered with paintings.
Despite not having a paintbrush, Ma Liang had developed some amazing skills. When he drew a hen on the ground of his village entrance, eagles hovered above. When he drew a black wolf at the back of the mountain, cows and sheep stayed away in fear.
“It would be great to have a paintbrush,” Ma Liang said to himself every day.
Ma Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
One night, while painting, Ma Liang fell asleep and dreamed of an old man with a long white beard who gave him a magic paintbrush. When he woke up, Ma Liang found himself still holding the brush. He tested it out by drawing a bird that came to life and flew away. Excited by its power, Ma Liang went on to paint a fish that swam away in a river he drew.
Ma Liang knew that he had been given a special gift, and he decided to use it for good. Every day, he painted things to help the people in his village, such as a cow for a family that needed one, a stone mill for those who wanted one, and a waterwheel for those who didn’t have one.
Word of Ma Liang’s magic paintbrush spread quickly, and it eventually reached the ears of a wealthy landlord who lived nearby. The landlord was greedy and wanted to use Ma Liang’s brush for his own selfish purposes.
He sent two of his bodyguards to bring Ma Liang to him and ordered him to draw gold coins and ingots. But Ma Liang refused, even when the landlord threatened him. In a fit of anger, the landlord had Ma Liang locked in a stable with no food or water, hoping to break his spirit.
But the magic paintbrush came to Ma Liang’s rescue once again. Using it, he drew a fire and a feast of piping-hot Chinese pancakes and stew. When the landlord’s men saw the food and fire, they knew that Ma Liang had used the brush, and the landlord became even more furious.
He ordered his henchmen to kill Ma Liang and seize the brush. However, when they burst into the stable, Ma Liang had disappeared. He had used the brush to draw a ladder and escape over the eastern wall. The landlord and his men tried to follow, but the ladder vanished, and they fell to the ground.
Ma Liang had the last laugh as he rode away on a white horse that he had drawn with the magic paintbrush. But the landlord and his men were not far behind, chasing him with swords drawn. Ma Liang calmly drew a bow and arrow with the brush and shot the landlord in the throat, killing him instantly. Ma Liang then galloped away and eventually arrived in the next village, safe and sound.
The Fairy Tale of The Magic Paintbrush
After several days of riding, Ma Liang arrived at the next village and decided to start a new life there. He began selling his paintings on the street, but he was careful not to paint any animals that could come to life, as he feared the consequences.
However, one day, he accidentally dropped a drop of ink on a white crane he had painted, and to his amazement, the crane came to life and flew away. This caused a commotion in the village, and soon everyone heard about the boy with the magic paintbrush.
The local officials reported this strange happening to the emperor, who ordered Ma Liang to appear before him. Reluctantly, Ma Liang was escorted to the emperor’s palace by his guards, but he had heard stories of the emperor’s cruelty towards the common people and felt great resentment towards him.
When the emperor ordered Ma Liang to draw a dragon, he drew a big house-lizard instead, and when the emperor demanded a phoenix, Ma Liang painted a crow. The two creatures fought each other, causing chaos in the palace hall.
Enraged, the emperor ordered his guards to take away Ma Liang’s magic paintbrush and throw him in prison. Ma Liang was devastated, and he realized that he had been foolish to disobey the emperor. He regretted his actions and hoped for a chance to redeem himself.
With the magic paintbrush now in his hands, the emperor couldn’t wait to use it. He drew one mountain made of gold after another until he had painted a whole range of mountains. However, as he stepped back to admire his work, he was shocked to find that the mountains were just piles of rocks. Suddenly, the rocks tumbled down, nearly crushing the emperor’s feet.
Undeterred, the emperor tried again, this time painting gold bricks one by one. But he soon grew impatient with the small size of the bricks and drew a long, giant brick that filled the entire wall. Before he could finish, however, the painting came to life in the form of a huge python.
The emperor’s bodyguards quickly sprang into action, saving him from the man-eating creature just in time. Despite his fear, the emperor was determined to get what he wanted from the magic paintbrush. So he made a deal with Ma Liang, promising to set him free and even make him a prince if he would agree to use the brush to paint what the emperor wanted.
The Story of “The Magic Paintbrush”
Ma Liang pretended to agree and the emperor gave him back the magic paintbrush. The young painter then drew a blue ocean that shone like an endless jade mirror. The emperor was not happy, demanding that Ma Liang draw a money tree that would drop gold coins when shaken.
Ma Liang drew an island in the middle of the ocean and on the island, a tall and big tree. “Isn’t that the money tree you wanted?” he asked the emperor.
The emperor laughed and asked Ma Liang to draw a boat so they could shake the money tree. So Ma Liang drew a big wooden boat and the emperor and his guards boarded it.
As the boat started out slowly towards the island, the emperor demanded that Ma Liang make it go faster. So Ma Liang sketched a few broad strokes in the air and immediately huge gusts of wind started blowing, propelling the boat forward.
The emperor wanted even more speed, so Ma Liang added more strokes to the wind. The boat masts caught the wind fully, and the wooden boat sailed ahead at full speed. However, the waves were getting bigger and bigger, and the boat was being tossed about in the choppy waters.
Despite the emperor’s frightened cries to stop, Ma Liang continued to add more wind. Soon, the waves became many feet high, slamming into the boat and drenching everyone on board.
“Stop drawing! The boat is sinking…” The emperor’s hysterical voice was drowned by the roaring waves and the shouts of panic on board the boat.
He demanded that Ma Liang stop drawing as the boat began to sink, but Ma Liang pretended not to see and continued to draw. His magic paintbrush whipped up a thunderstorm, and walls of waves smashed into the ship amidst horrific thunder and lightning. The waves grew even more violent, until they finally broke the boat and sank it.
After the emperor’s death, the story of Ma Liang and the magic paintbrush spread far and wide. But no one knew where Ma Liang went. Some said he returned to his hometown, while others claimed he travelled far and wide, using his magic paintbrush to help the poor wherever he went.
The Story of “The Magic Paintbrush”
– Chinese Fairy Tale –
" Ma Liang couldn't believe his luck. Eager to test the brush's power, he quickly went back to his tiny hut. With trembling hands and an excited heart, Ma Liang dipped the paintbrush into a bowl of ink and began to paint on a piece of paper. To his amazement, as he painted strokes of a little bird, the bird came to life and flew away! Word of Ma Liang's magical paintbrush spread throughout the village, and soon people from far and wide came to witness its incredible power. They brought all sorts of requests for the boy, asking him to paint things like gold, food, and even palaces. Ma Liang, however, knew that using the paintbrush for selfish desires would have consequences, so he politely declined these requests. Instead, Ma Liang decided to use the paintbrush to help the poor and bring happiness to the villagers. He painted fields full of crops for farmers, trees with ripe fruits for hungry children, and clean water streams for those who didn't have access to fresh water. Ma Liang felt immense joy as he saw the happiness he brought to his community. However, there were some who were jealous of Ma Liang's abilities and sought to exploit them for their own gain. The jealous village leader stole the magical paintbrush from Ma Liang and tried to use it for his selfish desires. But to his surprise, the stolen paintbrush did not work for the village leader. Frustrated and angered, the village leader tried to destroy the brush, but it disappeared in a puff of smoke. The old man who had given the brush to Ma Liang appeared before the village leader and scolded him for his greed and selfishness. The old man told Ma Liang that he was chosen to possess the magic paintbrush because of his pure heart and selflessness. From that day forward, Ma Liang continued to use his artistic talent to bring happiness and prosperity to his village. His kind and humble nature touched the hearts of many, and his magical paintbrush became a symbol of hope and love. Through his remarkable adventures, Ma Liang learned the importance of using his abilities for the greater good and the value of selflessness..
Reviews for "Ma Liang and the magic of creating your own reality"
1. John - 2 stars - I found "Ma liang magic paintbrush" to be quite underwhelming. While the concept of a magic paintbrush sounded intriguing, the execution fell flat for me. The story lacked depth and failed to capture my interest. The characters were one-dimensional and I didn't feel any connection to them. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I really didn't enjoy "Ma liang magic paintbrush" at all. The plot felt predictable and unoriginal, and there were no surprises or twists to keep me engaged. The writing style was also lackluster, with a lack of descriptive language or vivid imagery. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unrealistic. I struggled to finish this book and was left feeling unsatisfied.
3. Michael - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Ma liang magic paintbrush" but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The story seemed promising, but the pacing was off, and it felt rushed at certain points. The character development was weak, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Overall, I found this book to be mediocre and forgettable.
4. Emily - 1 star - "Ma liang magic paintbrush" was a complete disappointment for me. The plot was incredibly predictable, and the story lacked any originality or depth. The writing style was subpar and failed to engage me as a reader. The pacing was also slow, and I found myself losing interest quickly. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting and unique read.