Ne Zha transcended his origins as a Buddhist deity to emerge as a rebellious, anti-patriarchal hero in popular culture
Soon after its release on Chinese New Year’s Day, the animated film Ne Zha 2 (《哪吒 2》) became a sensation, adored by both critics and audiences. It has grossed nearly 14 billion yuan (more than 1.9 billion US dollars), recently 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 Ne Zha?
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Ne Zha: From Myth to Cultural Icon is a story from our issue, “Youthful Nostalgia.” To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine.
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