The Teen Hero of Chinese Mythology, n zh !





Nezha(n zh), a legendary anti-authority figure as well-known in China as the Monkey King, Nezha n zh zh m tng jing shhas earned rave reviews and is rated higher than Monkey King: Hero is Back. It is also Chinas first 3D animated feature film released in IMAX format.

It took Yang Yu, the films director and screenwriter, two years to refine the script of Nezha, and the film was in production for three years. It is the most complex animated production ever made in China.


Nezha has more than 1,300 special effects shots, and it took over 20 Chinese special-effects studios, employing more than 1,600 people, to realize the films fairy tale setting, the mysterious Dragon Kings palace, and a stunning fight between fire and water. One spectacular scene alone took two months to complete


The film is loosely based on the Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods(fng shn bng). In the novel Nezha is born during the Shang dynasty shng di (circa 1600BC to 1050BC),he is the third son of garrison commander General Li Jingl jng, and is famous for fighting against the Dragon Kinglng wng. Finally, he chose to commit suicide in order to save his home.


Yang made up his mind to produce an animated film on the theme of breaking stereotypes and reversing fate. Yang chose as his vehicle Nezha, the epitome of the rebellious but righteous youth.

This not the first film to make Nezha its protagonist. This year is the 40th anniversary of the release of Chinas first widescreen colour animation, Prince Nezhas Triumph Against Dragon King (n zh no hi) in 1979. One of the best films produced by Shanghai Animation Film StudioShng hi mi sh din yng zh pin chng, it was the first Chinese animated film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.


In 2003, Chinese Central Television broadcast an animated series, The Legend of Nezha (n zh chun q) and the lively, cheerful and righteous teen hero character of Nezha resonates strongly with Chinas Generation Z. 

In the past, Nezha was known for his fight against patriarchy and autocracy. In Yangs film he is fighting prejudice: Nezha is hated, feared and shunned as the reincarnation of a devil. But Nezha believes his fate is not predetermined and that he can choose to be a demon or a god.

Another character, the Dragon Kings third son Aobingo bngis the mirror image of Nezhas personality. Though born as a god, he almost destroys Nezhas mythical birthplace, Chentang Pass, in a selfish quest to revive his familys fortunes.

The villains of the original tale have been written out of this film, and there are no bad or good characters. Dragon King and his son Aobing are also victims of fate, and another character, Shen Gong-bao, a villain in the original novel, also suffers from injustice.

I used to suffer from a lot of prejudice after changing my career, says Yang. Since then, I have thought about making an animation to encourage young people to persist with their dreams and change their own fate.


The director, 39, was studying pharmacy when he decided to become an animator. People close to him didnt believe he could make a career out of this, and he had a hard time finding animation work. He overcame these obstacles, however, and his future was assured when a short animated film on which he worked for three years, See Through, won more than 20 domestic and overseas awards.





What other Chinese heroes do you know?



Supervisor: Crystal Huang


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