Performers dress as characters from The Smurfs in a parade on the Southern Song Imperial Street in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, during the 13th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival in 2017. The city will host this year's festival from April 26 to May 1. [Photo/xinhua]

Hangzhou will soon host this year's China International Cartoon and Animation Festival, an annual event that has become the largest of its kind in the country.

With rapeseed flowers blooming in vast fields and mountains covered by lush trees, the village of Xiajiang in East China's Zhejiang province looks like an exquisite scroll eulogizing the beauty of spring in the eyes of cartoonist Murong Yindao.

But the artist, who shot to fame with his iconic comic puppet Daodao (knife), met with a pleasant surprise during his visit there on March 24.

A young girl from a local elementary school cautiously presented him with a cup of green tea, a traditional ceremony in China to establish a master-apprentice relationship.

Two other top Chinese cartoonists joined the ceremony to accept two other apprentices, which acted as a warm-up event to promote the upcoming 14th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival.

The ceremony also marked the launch of a government-backed project to promote cartoon and animation culture in the province's rural areas.

As a frequent participant in the festival, the leading one of its kind in China, Murong says he has seen it change quite substantially over the past decade.

"The festival is becoming more relevant to local people. I always believe the best comic works come from life and should return to life," he says.

"The festival is also a precious opportunity for local fans to see prestigious animators from around the world," adds Murong.

As one of the largest festivals for fans of animation, the event will be held from April 26 to May 1 in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang.

And the event has attracted a large number of participants from 85 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic.

"The annual festival is now the largest and most popular exposition about cartoon and animation in China," says Zhuo Chao, secretary general of the festival committee.

Last year, the festival attracted more than 15 million visitors, around 1.5 times the residential population of Hangzhou. Besides, the contracts and intentions for cooperation signed during the festival had an estimated total value of 128.5 billion yuan ($20.4 billion).

"The 14th event will be at a higher-level, more international and more fun," says Zhuo.

Lee Unkrich, the US director of this year's Oscar-winning best animated feature award, Coco, will take part in the festival, and will be joined by other creators behind Loving Vincent and Blade Runner 2049.