Nezha: From Myth to Cultural Icon

Nezha transcended his origins as a Buddhist deity to emerge as a rebellious， anti-patriarchal hero in popular culture

從印度護法到中式魔童，哪吒如何成為一代人的反叛偶像？

Soon after its release on Chinese New Year’s Day， the animated film Ne Zha 2 became a sensation， adored by both critics and audiences. It has grossed over 14 billion yuan （more than 2 billion US dollars） as of writing， surpassing Inside Out 2 as the all-time highest-grossing animated film in the world.

The film’s success has ignited competition among local tourism departments across China to claim itself as the legendary child god’s hometown， with contenders ranging from Tianjin on the Bohai Sea in the northeastern part of the country to Yibin by the Yangtze River in southwestern Sichuan， all hoping to boost travel. But who exactly gets to claim Nezha？

As one of the most beloved Chinese mythological figures， Nezha has been worshiped in Buddhism， Daoism， and folk traditions for centuries. His prototype lies in Buddhism， which made its way to ancient China during the first century BCE. Scholars believe that Nezha （哪吒）， or an earlier version， Nazha （那吒）， was a shortened translation of “Nalakuvara （那羅鳩婆），” son of King Vaishravana， in the epic poem on the life of Buddha， Buddhacarita.

According to various Buddhist texts， he was a Dharma-protecting deity tasked with eliminating obstacles for sentient beings and subduing evil spirits. He was depicted as fierce-looking， often having three heads and six （or eight） arms. He usually holds Dharma instruments such as halberds or pagodas， symbolizing his great power and spiritual abilities.

As Buddhism flourished during the long years of the Tang （618 – 907） and the Song （960 – 1279） dynasties， religious stories featuring Nezha boomed， blending with local folk traditions and making him a household name. In these localized versions of the Nezha legends， his father， King Vaishravana， came to be known as the “Pagoda-Bearing King （托塔天王），” depicted clad in general’s armor and holding both a sword and a magical pagoda. He was even associated with a particular historical figure， the fierce Tang-dynasty general Li Jing （李靖）. Nezha， as his third son， became known as “The Third Prince （三太子）.” It was also during this time that the mythological figure began to be portrayed as a child.

One of the most enduring aspects of the Nezha legend is his role as the defiant son， locked in a battle of wills with his austere father—a dynamic that lends the character much of his allure， particularly in a culture where filial piety has long been upheld as a paramount virtue. In contemporary readings， Nezha has even emerged as an emblem of resistance against patriarchy.

This plot originates from Zen Buddhist scriptures of the Song dynasty， where Nezha is depicted as a devout Buddhist who worships the Buddha instead of his own father. Born as a mortal， he returns his flesh to his mother and his bones to his father， before revealing his true nature as a Buddhist immortal.

By this time， Nezha worship had spread widely， even making its way into Daoism. In a 13th-century collection of popular deities from various religions， he is listed as a member of the Jade Emperor’s court， the supreme deity in Daoism. He is described as a giant with eight arms， whose roar could summon rainfall from the clouds and cause the universe to tremble. Sent by the Jade Emperor to battle demons in the mortal world， Nezha reincarnated as the son of General Li Jing.

Many modern-day stories about Nezha are based on two great Ming dynasty （1368 – 1644） novels：" Journey to the West （《西游記》） and Investiture of the Gods （《封神演義》）.

In Journey to the West， Nezha first serves as an adversary to the protagonist Monkey King in his uproar in Heaven， but later assists the pilgrims in defeating demons and monsters in their journey to seek Buddhist scriptures in ancient India.

In the later work Investiture of the Gods， Nezha takes center stage as one of the main characters. Fighting alongside his father and two brothers， he aids the benevolent King Zhou in defeating the tyrant， King Shang.

Both novels feature a key event in Nezha’s life， now known as “Nezha’s Havoc in the Sea （哪吒鬧海），” detailing his path to becoming an immortal. （The animated Ne Zha series takes its main plot from this event.）

In the story， Nezha goes to the East Sea to cleanse himself， but his unusual powers disturb the Dragon King and his son in the Crystal Palace at the bottom of the ocean. A series of misunderstandings and hot tempers on both sides leads to Nezha not only killing the Dragon Prince but also extracting his sinews to fashion a belt. The furious Dragon King vows revenge on Nezha and his family. To protect his parents， Nezha sacrifices his life to settle the debt. He is later resurrected （with the help of the Buddha in Journey to the West， but a Daoist master in Investiture of the Gods）， his new body made from lotus roots， and he gains divine powers.

Despite this， his strict father， General Li Jing， still does not forgive him. Nezha， considering their father-son relationship terminated， turns against Li Jing. The two fight until the Buddha/Daoist master intervenes to resolve the feud.

Today， Nezha worship continues to thrive in various parts of China， though the deity is associated with different divine duties. For example， in Jiangyou， Sichuan province， the god is revered for his ability to cure diseases and eliminate plagues. According to the Jiangyou County Records from the 17th and 18th centuries： “Whenever a household faced a difficult illness， people would seek his [Nezha’s] help.” Nezha’s capacity for recuperation is not surprising—after all， he returned to life from death.

In coastal areas， Nezha is often believed to have the power to suppress the waters， which no doubt stems from his havoc in the sea. Locals pray to the god for favorable weather and smooth sailing. In Dajiang town， Taishan city， Guangdong province， a celebration of Nezha’s birthday is held during the third lunar month. The community conducts sacrificial rites， parades， dragon and lion dances， and other activities to seek blessings from the deity.

In Fujian and Taiwan， Nezha is worshipped as a guardian deity in charge of eliminating evil and protecting the good. In Zhangzhou， Fujian， people celebrate Nezha’s birthday on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month by playing drums and other traditional music. They also carry a sculpture of him across a bonfire barefoot， praying for peace. In Taiwan， there are more than 370 Nezha temples across the island. Nezha is called “The Third Prince” or “Marshal of the Central Altar （中壇元帥），” and his image is that of a majestic warrior.

Nezha transcends his origins as a mere religious figure， having carved a place for himself in modern popular culture. The first film featuring Nezha can be dated back to 1928—the black-and-white silent film The Birth of Nezha， directed by Li Zeyuan. The film tells the story of the child Nezha and his journey from conflict to reconciliation with his father， Li Jing.

Since then， the image of Nezha has been continuously adapted and interpreted in movies， TV dramas， and animated films， with more than 30 notable adaptations. Now， with the resounding success of Ne Zha 2， the character’s narrative has once again been reimagined. Given the enduring allure and adaptability of Nezha’s story， however， we can be certain that we haven’t seen the final chapter in his ever-evolving saga.

A stone carving of Nezha from the early 20th century at Youguo Temple on Mount Wutai， Shanxi province， closely resembles the child god’s image commonly seen in contemporary media （VCG）

A painting depicting Nezha’s battle with the Monkey King from"Journey to the West"in the Long Corridor of the Summer Palace in Beijing （VCG）

Nezha， depicted as a fierce guardian deity， is enshrined in Fengxia Zugong， a Daoist temple in Zhangzhou， Fujian province （VCG）