Tong Meng Zhi Lu

Tong Meng Zhi Lu, known in English as The Road of Childhood, is a Chinese original net animation (ONA) released in the early 2020s. It was produced as part of a contemporary wave of domestic animation aimed at evoking nostalgia for the late twentieth-century youth experience in China. The project reflects a growing cultural interest in digital storytelling that explores the transition from traditional school life to the rapid modernization of the country.

The animation is characterized by a minimalist, warm aesthetic intended to highlight the emotional weight of simple childhood interactions rather than relying on complex spectacle. Its design language draws heavily from the regional visual culture of Chinese urban centers during the 1990s. The reception of the series has been largely positive among domestic audiences, who have praised its authentic depiction of sentimentality and its departure from standard high-fantasy tropes common in the broader ONA market.