From Nobody to Great Hero:The Evolution and Eastern Transmission of Nezha's Image
Nezha is a well-known character in various forms of narrative literature,and film and television works in China.In fact,the prototype of Nezha can be traced back to India,and his origin is closely related to the image of Vaisravana in Hindu mythology.In early"Vedic"literature,Vaisravana was often used to refer to Kubera,identified as the king of the Rakshasas.With the deepening integration of Aryan culture and Dravidian culture,the status of Vaisravana significantly rose.Through adaptations and shaping in the two epics and various"Puranas",Vaisravana did not only acquire comprehensive biographical narrative but also gained the status of a god of wealth and a regional guardian deity.His son,Narakubara,also appeared in the Brahminical pantheon.Subsequently,the legends of Vaisravana and Narakubara were absorbed by Buddhism,particularly Tantric Buddhism and evolving into the worship of father-son(or grandfather-grandson)Vaisravana,one of the Heavenly Kings.During the Tang Dynasty,with the eastward spread of Tantric Buddhism,the Vaisravana worship reached its peak in China.Nezha,as the descendant of Vaisravana,began to attract attention.From the late Tang and Song Dynasties,the Vaisravana worship merged with the folk belief in Li Jing,a heroic figure of the early Tang Dynasty.The story of Nezha gradually moved from religious literature to secular literature,and after the Southern Song Dynasty integrated elements of Taoism.By the Yuan and Ming Dynasties,Nezha's image essentially took shape and become popularized.This was largely due to literary works such as Journey to the West and The Investiture of the Gods,which refined and expanded his appearance,background,and weapons.Nezha's image has been passed down to this day and become a familiar young hero widely revered and worshipped in places such as Sichuan and Taiwan.
NezhaVaisravana WorshipHindu CultureBuddhist CultureCultureChinese Folk Culture
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