Manhua is the Chinese word for comics, used for comics created in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Modern manhua are usually published digitally in full colour, often as vertical-scrolling chapters, and they are best known for cultivation, martial arts and fantasy stories adapted from Chinese web novels.
If you already read manga or manhwa, manhua will feel familiar in places and refreshingly different in others. This guide explains where the word comes from, how the medium developed and what to expect when you start reading manhua on the MyReadingManga homepage and in our library.
Key Takeaways
- Manhua means comics or cartoons in Chinese and shares its characters with manga and manhwa.
- The modern use of the word is linked to the artist Feng Zikai, who borrowed the Japanese term manga.
- Today’s manhua are mostly digital, full colour and frequently vertical-scrolling.
- Cultivation, wuxia, urban fantasy and historical romance are the best-known genres.
Where the Word Manhua Comes From
Manhua, manga and manhwa are written with the same characters, pronounced differently in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. According to the Association for Chinese Animation Studies’ literature review on manhua studies, the term can be translated as cartoon or caricature, and its original sense was close to “casual paintings”.
The same review notes that modern Chinese cartoon art adopted manhua as a unified name only after the artist Feng Zikai borrowed the Japanese word manga. Feng’s gentle, sketch-like drawings fit that “casual painting” meaning well, and he is remembered as one of the most important early Chinese cartoonists.
A Short History of Chinese Comics
Chinese comics have taken many forms over the past century. Each left its mark on what manhua looks like today:
- Newspaper and magazine cartoons. Early twentieth-century manhua were often single-panel cartoons, including social and political satire.
- Lianhuanhua. Small, pocket-sized picture-story books, usually with one illustration and a caption per page, were hugely popular for decades.
- Hong Kong comics. Hong Kong developed a strong tradition of action and martial arts comics with dramatic, detailed art.
- Taiwanese comics. Taiwan’s comics scene grew alongside a large readership for translated Japanese manga.
- Digital manhua. Since the rise of smartphones, most new manhua are created for screens, in full colour and often in a vertical layout.
The vertical format itself came from Korea. The Victoria and Albert Museum’s brief history of webtoons describes webtoons as digital comics that originated in South Korea and are read by scrolling down on a computer or smartphone. Chinese digital comics adopted much of that reading experience while keeping their own storytelling traditions.
Manhua vs Manga vs Manhwa
| Feature | Manhua (China) | Manga (Japan) | Manhwa (Korea) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical format today | Digital, often vertical scroll | Magazine chapters and print volumes | Digital webtoon, vertical scroll |
| Colour | Usually full colour | Usually black and white | Usually full colour |
| Print reading direction | Varies by region and publisher | Right to left | Left to right |
| Signature genres | Cultivation, wuxia, urban fantasy | Shonen action, seinen, shojo | Murim, regression, romance fantasy |
| Common source material | Chinese web novels | Original manga, light novels | Korean web novels |
For a fuller breakdown, see our comparison of manga vs manhwa vs manhua.
Popular Manhua Genres
These are the genres you will meet most often when you browse manhua on MyReadingManga.
Cultivation (Xianxia and Xuanhuan)
Cultivation stories follow characters who train their bodies and spirits to grow stronger, climbing through ranked realms toward immortality. Expect sects, elders, spiritual energy, alchemy and fierce rivalries. The genre has its own vocabulary, so our cultivation manhua terms glossary is worth keeping open in another tab.
Wuxia
Wuxia focuses on martial artists in a more grounded historical world, with themes of honour, loyalty and justice. It is closely related to Korean murim stories, and readers who enjoy one usually enjoy the other. The martial arts genre is a good place to explore both.
Urban Fantasy and Systems
These stories place supernatural powers or game-like “systems” in modern Chinese cities. A seemingly ordinary hero gains a mysterious ability and rises quickly, often with plenty of comedy along the way.
Historical and Palace Romance
Set in imperial courts or noble households, these manhua mix romance with political intrigue, scheming relatives and, frequently, a heroine who has been reborn or transported from the modern world.
Tips for Reading Manhua
A few small habits make manhua easier to enjoy, especially at the start:
- Remember name order. Chinese names put the family name first, so “Lin Feng” belongs to the Lin family.
- Learn a handful of terms. Words like qi, dantian and sect master appear constantly in cultivation stories.
- Expect long series. Many manhua adapted from web novels run for a very long time.
- Read in portrait mode. Vertical chapters are designed for phones held upright.
On MyReadingManga, manhua chapters scroll from top to bottom as intended, and the full series library lets you browse alongside manga and manhwa. Our manhua section collects more guides like this one, and if you want to compare Korean equivalents, head over to the manhwa guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word manhua mean?
Manhua is the Chinese word for comics or cartoons. It is written with the same characters as the Japanese word manga and the Korean word manhwa. Its original sense was close to “casual paintings”, and the modern meaning spread through the work of the artist Feng Zikai, who borrowed the Japanese word manga.
Is manhua read left to right or right to left?
Modern digital manhua are usually read from top to bottom by scrolling down a vertical strip. Printed manhua vary: some read left to right like Western books, while others, especially older editions from Hong Kong and Taiwan, follow the right-to-left order familiar from Japanese manga. If you already read webtoons, digital manhua will feel natural.
What is the difference between manhua and manhwa?
Manhua comes from China, while manhwa comes from South Korea. Both are now mostly digital and full colour, and both often use vertical scrolling. The biggest differences lie in genre and culture: manhua is known for cultivation and wuxia, while manhwa is known for murim, regression and romance fantasy stories.
Why are so many manhua about cultivation?
Cultivation is hugely popular in Chinese web novels, which are a major source for manhua adaptations. The genre draws on Chinese folklore, martial arts fiction and ideas from Daoist tradition about refining the body and spirit. Its clear power progression also suits long, regularly updated digital series that keep readers coming back.
