The Phenomenal Popularity of Ne Zha 2

Ne Zha 2 hit the cinema screens this Spring Festival to phenomenal domestic success. This has been attributed to many things, including some secret technophile organisation of allegedly nationalistic Chinese entrepreneurs spreading their hidden agenda. The actual reasons are probably a mix of high production quality, the right place, the right time and as often is the case, cultural appeal. Nothing less than an icon in China, the legendary figure of Ne Zha has always enjoyed much love throughout the history of his cultural evolution. In this article I guide you through this development and explore the factors behind the immense appeal of his latest reincarnation.

Nezha entered the Chinese pantheons during the Tang Dynasty with the spread of Buddhism, introduced into China in the previous centuries. Chinese Buddhist tales portray him as a deity sent to the mortal world to protect it against the rising number of yao. His legend evolved from the Song Dynasty, a tale of rage fights, heavenly judgements and gruelling atonement. Temples venerating him were found as late as the 1940s (if you’d like to learn more, you can read my book). In the contemporary times, he has been reborn in the modern temples of home and pocket entertainment. Most people in China will remember this figure from the 1979 Shanghai Animation classic Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (recently re-released), created in the style of the art of Dunhuang, a fitting tribute to the murals that his image first graced. Here he is the undaunted folk hero, taming the dragon kings who wreak havoc in the seas and bring disaster upon the lives of the inhabitants in the town by the shore.

More recently, Ne Zha has been, amongst other things, a punky teenager in computer games, and motor-bike riding, leather-clad rebel hero saving cyberpunk Donghai city from its evil water-controlling dragon crime lords in Light Chaser Animation’s New Gods: Nezha Reborn (2020). Although director Jiaozi’s two films were both New Year Movies slated for the children’s slots during in one of the busiest family cinema-going times, thus introducing Nezha to the country’s new generations, older audiences have clearly loved his reinterpretation. So why is Nezha’s legend able to keep on evolving? Like the Monkey King, he is one of the most powerful rebel deities that have filled China’s pantheons. The free spirit that refuses to be restrained has strong appeal in a society founded upon moderation and restraint. The edge Nezha has over Sun Wukong is his human life, where storylines involving relationships with parents and communities make him just that little bit more relatable. The theme of Rebirth, which is written into his existence, leaves his characterisation open to endless artistic reimagining.

Today’s lavish star-studded xianxia Cdramas that fans around the world go crazy for provides creators with plenty of inspiration. Presenting Nezha as the demon orb part of the Pearl of Chaos who grows up ostracised in human society makes his trademark angry and chaotic nature more understandable, a lot more than the original scriptural tale designed to teach temperance and filiality, or the supernatural child’s seemingly excessive anger in the 1979 version.  His sympathetic portrayal and friendship with Ao Bing, the dragon prince traditionally portrayed as his sworn enemy, reflects the altered perceptions of yao in contemporary Chinese lore, and the relativity between good and evil that lies at the heart of Chinese cosmic view, which underpins the terrible conspiracy uncovered at the end of the second film. Having these two sides in one body is the stuff of psychodrama, the kind that have fans binging whole series from Netflix. The traditional homosocial signifiers and danmei coding given to our heroes have meant that Chinese internet inundated with cp posts, tumbler and AOOO with shipping fan art.

I could go on. Suffice to say that Ne Zha 2 has captured the hearts of millions as an entertaining children’s movie with robust humour, a Y.A. about being different and learning that it’s OK, an adult story about breaking out from systems of oppression. With the changed world before them, we can look forward to more adventures from BFFs Ao Bing and Ne Zha. This is not the only work that’s in the pipeline. My Nezha and Transformers is a 52-episode JV between Allspark Animation and CCTV, featuring a young teen who loves both the god and the bots. He’s transported into an alternate universe where his dream comes true. The release was delayed due to the pandemic, with the trailer out August last year, we can look forward to an imminent release.

 


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