The “Demon” Boy: Why Western Perceptions of Ne Zha Might Be Wrong

There’s been a lot of talk online recently about a Chinese animated film that’s breaking records as the most viewed in China. Merely days after its premiere on January 29, 2025, it surpassed the $1 billion mark in ticket sales. And it doesn’t stop there. Before I say more about the film itself and why we’re dealing with a phenomenon, let me address a grievance that bothers me – someone trying to bring China closer, yet raised in our culture.

The main character, Ne Zha, is referred to in English-language Chinese media, aimed at the Western world, as a ‘demon’. This is a result of the Chinese completely misunderstanding our culture, where the word ‘demon’ has clearly negative connotations. As a result, such a portrayal of the film’s hero could distort its reception in the West, where many might wonder what China’s aim is in promoting a demon. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but I remember the discussions in our country related to books, to mention just the more recent example like “Harry Potter,” where the public was busy debating whether the book humanizes evil. If the appearance of Ne Zha in our China is also meant to provoke such a debate (and trust me – you’ll read about this soon – such a debate will take place), it’s a certain kind of disservice to the film.

So, if Ne Zha isn’t about a demon, what is it about? It’s a story of universal truths, universal no matter where you are. About family, self-discovery, friendship. It’s also a story about responsibility. It loosely connects to the Chinese novel “Investiture of the Gods” (封神演义, Fengshen Yanyi). Let’s start with the title because I bet many of you (no shame in it – it’s not an everyday word) don’t know what ‘investiture’ means. Investiture is a formal ceremony of conferring a title or elevating someone to a position. In the novel, the main characters are elevated to the status of gods through their actions. These characters are still present in Chinese folklore. Indeed, you can still find temples dedicated to these figures. The film’s main character, Ne Zha, is still revered in China as a deity protecting children and a patron of warriors. He is known for his fight against evil spirits, in which he uses a cosmic ring and a fiery wheel.

Let’s return to Ne Zha’s character. He is associated with many legends and is particularly fascinating in Chinese mythology. The most well-known one concerns his birth. It’s said that Ne Zha’s mother, Lady Yin, was pregnant for 3 years and 6 months, only to give birth to … a meatball. This meatball was then cut by her husband, Li Jing, from which Ne Zha, already a small boy, emerged. A bit macabre from our point of view, but legends have their own rules.

There’s another legend about Ne Zha’s battle with Ao Bing, the son of the Dragon King of the East Sea. Ne Zha killed Ao Bing, thus incurring the wrath of the Dragon Kings. To save his family from revenge, Ne Zha committed suicide, only to be later resurrected by his teacher, Taiyi Zhenren. This legend differs in how it portrays the relationship between Ne Zha and Ao Bing compared to the 2025 film – in the film, they complement each other as friends who fight side by side. Particularly significant is one of the last scenes in the film, where Ao Bing bids farewell to his father, the Dragon King, to return to Earth to his friend Ne Zha.

The novel “Investiture of the Gods” (Fengshen Yanyi) is a classic Chinese novel carrying many messages and values still sought in literature today. It’s a story about justice and morality (and that moral behavior is rewarded), about loyalty and duty (which fits into Confucian values), and it’s a story of transformation and the chance to rectify one’s mistakes. Thus, at its core, it’s a tale of the battle between good and evil, hence my irritation when I see Ne Zha portrayed as a demon – he is, after all, a positive character, and the film does not aim to relativize or show us what we do in the West, where we humanize and justify Evil. Ne Zha is not a ‘demon’ in our Judeo-Christian understanding.

If you get the chance to go see this film in the cinema – I recommend it wholeheartedly. At the same time, if you haven’t read the novel, be aware that the film is loosely based on the book. Maybe it will encourage you to read it and see how far the director allowed himself to deviate from the original story.

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The author of “The Investiture of the Gods” (封神演义, Fengshen Yanyi) is Xu Zhonglin (许仲琳), although some sources attribute the authorship to Lu Xixing (陆西星). The book was written during the Ming dynasty, in the 16th century. Problems with clearly identifying the author are related to the fact that it was passed on orally for a long time.