Ne Zha, The Best Chinese Folklore Animation in 2019

 

The Folklore Behind Chinese Animation Ne Zha

Movie Background

The film "Ne Zha" is adjusted from Chinese mythology. It tells the story that Ne Zha was born as a devil but grew into a world hero while he fought against his fate. The film was in-cinema on July 26, 2019, in Mainland China. The box office has hit more than 729 billion US dollars.

Trailer

The Choas Pearl

The story starts with a Chaos Pearl formed from the essence of earth. Yuanshi Tianzun (Tianzun) is unable to stabilize The Pearl or Hunyuanzhu and therefore splits The Pearl into two parts: the Spirit Pearl which represents the good and the Demon Orb which carries the bad. The Demon Orb, according to Yuanshi Tianzun's plan, should be destroyed by lightning after 3 years. 

Birth of Ne Zha

Tianzun dispatches his trainees, Taiyi Zhenren (Zhenren) and Shen Gongbao, to reincarnate the Spirit Pearl as the third son of Li Jing who protects the people for years against the wild beasts and savages. However, Shen Gongbao conspires with The Dragon King to steal the Spirit Pearl to reincarnate as The Dragon King's son, Ao Bing. On the other hand, Li Jing's son, named Ne Zha, is born with the influence of the Demon Orb.

Ne Zha, due to the Demon Orb' effect, though receiving guidance from his master Zhenren, becomes extremely naughty and eventually violent. Slowly, citizens are afraid of him and his peers keep a distance from him at all times. There are times in which citizens vote and persuade his father to exile him. No one, except his parents and Zhenren, believes that he is not born evil and can possibly turn good.

Ao Bing, on the other hand, is born with a good heart after the Spirit Pearl. He follows Shen Gongbao to learn fighting tactics and therefore does exactly as told by Shen Gongbao.

The Curse And The Love

Ne Zha is fated to die when he turns 3 years old because the Demon Orb has to be destroyed. His father, after realizing this from Zhenren, visits Tianzun. He wants to trade his life for Ne Zha's, "a life for a life". He kept the deal as a secret. But Shen Gongbao reveals it to Nezha to further traumatize Ne Zha.

Aginst The Destiny

Shen Gongbao knows that if his deceit is revealed to his master Tianzun, he will be published heavily. He thus instructs Ao Bing to bury the town with an iceberg so that no witness is left behind. Ne Zha is touched by his father's love. He fights against Ao Bing to protect his parents and the town, but he loses the upper hand at the beginning. Ne Zha knows his death is coming soon but he refuses to succumb. He believes that he should live his life and his fate should not be pre-arranged by anyone else. He wins the fight in the end and saves the entire town.