He was born with magical and extraordinary talents. He was renowned for defying fate and formidable foes. He, whose name is Ne Zha, began as an ancient myth and has now become a modern hero.

Ne Zha’s Beginning

A well-known Chinese novel called The Investiture of Gods (封神演义), from the 16th Century, that was based on ancient tales, is where Ne Zha’s story originates. In the mythology text, they stated that Ne Zha was actually born to military commander Li Jing (李靖) following an extraordinarily lengthy three-year pregnancy. In modern versions, rather than being born normally, Ne Zha was born from a lotus blossom and was already very powerful.

An image of Ne Zha in Fengshen Yangyi

Ne Zha had a reputation for being a mischievous and defiant child. He opposed the Gods, engaged in many battles, and disobeyed authority. In the original tale, despite these traits, Ne Zha ultimately sacrifices himself to protect his family and people.

Ne Zha’s Powers & Cultural Symbolism

Ne Zha wielded the powers of fire and fought with many weapons. He rides on his flaming wheels, carries a cosmic ring and a fire-tipped spear.

• Rebellion/Defiance: Ne Zha often defied the gods, dragons, and fate itself. This symbolizes the struggle between societal standards versus personal opinions. Oftentimes, Ne Zha symbolizes challenging injustice.
• Filial Piety/Courage: Ne Zha sacrifices himself to save his family and people after an incident with the Dragon King. This symbolizes the culture of loyalty and moral duty to protect loved ones.
• Transformation/Rebirth: Ne Zha is reborn again from a lotus after his self-sacrifice. This symbolizes the idea that even after tragic events, one can return stronger and wiser.

Ne Zha’s story has a blend of Taoism and Buddhism. Some Taoist elements contain the Lotus flower, and he had a Taoist mentor in the original story. Some Buddhist elements contain the ideology of karma, rebirth, and filial piety.

Modern Adaptation: Ne Zha (2019 Animated Film)

The 2019 animated film of Ne Zha is a modern retelling of this ancient myth. In contrast to conventional depictions, the movie portrays Ne Zha as a youngster who was born with the demon spirit, leading to chaos within the world. Similarly, Ne Zha defies social norms, embraces his own path rather than giving up to his destiny.

Ne Zha 2019 Animated Film Cover Photo

New Meanings

The 2019 animated film directed by Jiaozi reimagines Ne Zha’s character, emphasizing themes of self-determination, resilience, and identity. Unlike how in the traditional narrative, Ne Zha was born to be a heroic figure. This reinterpretation of Ne Zha was able to captivate and resonate with audiences worldwide due to its universal themes and storyline. At the time, it became the highest-grossing animated film in China, surpassing Zootopia by Disney and Coco. Now they’ve released Ne Zha 2, which has surpassed $2 billion in worldwide revenue.

2019 Film Ne Zha’s Themes

1. Challenging Fate & Authority: Ne Zha struggles against the “curse” of being born with the demon spirit, which everyone deems will be his destiny. However, this film encourages asserting your own path and critiques prejudice and societal expectations. 
2. Individuality versus Social Pressure: Ne Zha faces prejudice from villagers and elders because he has a demonic origin. This mirrors the original story’s tension between filial piety, societal duty, and personal will but reframed as a modern struggle for identity and acceptance from society. 
3. Moral Lessons & Redemption: Ne ZHa’s journey focuses a lot on resilience and self-determination. Similar to the original storyline, in the 2019 film, Ne Zha dies and is given a chance to receive new physical bodies through the lotus. The ties into the Buddhist idea of purification, karma, and personal enlightenment. 
4. Symbolic Authority Figures: Ne Zha’s battles, though, are physical; they also symbolize standing up against injustice and societal pressures, redefining how the original myths critique of rules that misuse power.

Conclusion

With its contemporary retelling of an old Chinese tale, the 2019 animated feature Ne Zha emphasizes themes of resilience, identity, and self-determination. The film offers a new take on classic stories by recreating Nezha’s persona and journey, making them applicable to modern audiences. Its widespread popularity demonstrates how universally appealing tales are that delve into identity and societal pressures.