The Legend of Nezha


During the Shang dynasty, there was a tyrant known as Emperor Zhou. He was a heartless and brutal tyrant. The Heavenly Jade Emperor thus summon the High Priest of Kunlun Mountain, Master Jiang Zi Ya down to earth to punish this tyrant Emperor and to appoint a new Emperor to bring peace to the mortal world. Thus creating the Zhou dynasty. Among the many faithful Generals that assisted Master Jiang Zi Ya is Central Camp Commander Nezha, who is outstanding. He (Nezha) was the main force to Jiang Zi Ya’s mission.

The legendary birth of Nezha:

In the village known as Chen Tang Guan, there’s a Field Marshal named Li Jing [李靖]. He had two sons, elder son named Jinzha and second son named Muzha. Jinzha’s master is the High Priest of Wu Long Shan [五龙山] and Muzha’s master is the High Priest of Jiu Guan Shan [九宫山]. Soon Li Jing’s wife was pregnant again. But she conceived for more than three years and six months already but unable to give birth!

One night, she dreamt an old man wearing a Taoist priest robe walking into her private chamber. She was very annoyed with this stranger intruding into her chamber without her permission and shouted at him “Hi! This is my private chamber you rude priest. Get out of here quickly!”. Surprisingly, the priest was not angry but smilingly said: “Madam, please let me rest here.” Madam Li Jing can’t help but laughed and saw this old priest placing a bundle onto her blossom. She was so startled that she woke immediately. She was covered with cold sweat! She felt her stomach in great pain and realized that she’s in labour. She shouted for help. General Li Jing was the first to arrive, realizing that his third son have arrived. He waited impatiently in the main hall for the good news (In those days, man are not allow into the room when a child is born). Soon, two female attendants rushed out shouting. “Bad News! Bad News! Madam have give birth to a demon! Li Jing was so startled and frightened that his face turned white. He immediately draw his sword that was hanging on the wall and rushes into Madam chamber. On entering the chamber, he saw the room filled with a thick reddish smoke and a very strong pleasant pageant smell of incenses. On the floor there was a huge ball of human flesh was bouncing wildly. Li Jing immediately attack it and strike it with his sword. It bounced off and Li Jing gives chase. The ‘ball’ bounced all round Li Jing like having a game with him. Li Jing chase and chased till he stopped with total exhaustion and out of breath. The ‘ball’ then stopped at one corner of the chamber. While resting (and having recovered his breath), Li Jing took aim and suddenly strike the ball and cutting it into half. In the middle of it a small child jumped out. Thick red aroma smoke filled the whole room again. Bright red light radiated from the small child and filled the whole room. When Li Jing saw this lovable and cute chubby child, he couldn’t help but pick him up and carry him in his arm. Li Jing noticed that the child have a golden bracelet on one arm and a red cloth covering his abdomen. This golden bracelet is known as ‘Gan Kun Guan’[乾坤圈] and the red cloth is the magical cloth known as ‘Hun Tian Ling’[混天绫], a thousand years treasure of Jing Shan Mountain.

The more Li Jing looked at this lovely, chubby and cute little child, the more he couldn’t bring himself to kill ‘it’. He bring it forward to Madam Li to have a look. Everyone in the Li household was so pleased and happy to see this new arrival.

On the next morning, there was a visitor arrived to seek permission to meet up with Li Jing. This ‘visitor’ is non other than the High Priest of Jing Shan mountain, ‘Tai Yi Zhen Ren’[太乙真人], coming to offer his congradulations.

Tai Yi Zhen Ren asked Li Jing : ‘Have you named your third son?’. Li Jing answered ‘No’. Tai Yi Zhen Ren laughed and said, ‘Since you have not named him yet, can I have him as my disciple? Li Jing agreed immediately. Tai Yi Zhen Ren then said: ‘Since your first son is named Jinzha and the second is named Muzha … then we shall name him Nezha.’ After said this, he laughed happily and walk out of the house. A strong wind blew and he just disappeared into the thin air!

Part II : Nezha create havoc in the Dragon King’ocean.

Soon Nezha was 7 year old. This summer was extremely hot, thus Nezha asked his mum permission to go out. Madam Li agreed but insisted that an attendant tagged along to protect him. Madam Li also makes Nezha promised to behave and not to create any trouble. Happily, Nezha went out for a walk.

That day, it was so hot that it’s hard to walk any further. The attendant saw a huge tree ahead and suggested that they rest there for a while. While resting under the huge tree, Nezha took off this cloth to cool down.

Suddenly. He saw a river nearby. He said: It would be wonderful if I could go for a swim! Before he realized it, he have completed took off all this clothing and was running towards the river.

Once in the water, he took off his 'du-tuo' (the abdomen covering), the red magical cloth (Hun Tian Ling) to cleanse his whole body. Unknown to him, this river is known as the Jiu Wan He (九湾河), which feed into the main palace of the Eastern Ocean Dragon King 's crystal palace. Nezha’s Hun Tian Ling is a celestial treasure. The river water turned red immediately and unknowingly to Nezha, his playful act is causing great tremors in the Eastern Dragon King palace.

The Eastern Dragon King’s name is ‘Ao Guan’. Ai Guan immediately ordered his General, Li Liang (who is on patrol duty) to surface and find out what is happening.

When Li Liang saw Nezha, he shouted at him : Hi! What are you doing with this cloth that is turning the river water red and creating havoc to our Crystal Palace (of the Eastern Dragon King)?

Nezha replied: You, demonic creature! Who are you talking to? Li Liang was very angry. He immediately jumped on shore and attacked Nezha. Nezha was equally quick, he avoids the strike and throws the golden bracelet (the magical Gan Kun Guan) at this demon, hitting his head and immediately killed it.

Nezha then continue enjoining himself and continued cleansing with his magical red cloth.

A patrolling sea soldier quickly reported what had happened to the Dragon King Ao Guan. Ao Guan was so furious that he decided to surface and find out who is this troublemaker. But before he could set off, this third prince ‘Ao Bing’[敖丙] appeared and said: Your Highness, let me go find out first. Ao Bing then left with a huge troop of Dragon King army to challenge Nezha.

At moment, Nezha was still having a whale of the time enjoying and playing with his magical red cloth. He saw a huge wave approaching. Nezha was afraid and said: I’m the third son of General Li Jing, Li Nezha! We have no feud why you coming to fight me?

Ao Bing shouted: You little creature! You dared to kill my duty officer Li Liang. I came to take revenge and attacked Nezha immediately.

At this moment, Nezha remembered he promised his mother not to create any trouble, so he just avoided all the blows and didn’t counter attack. Unfortunately, Ao Bing see this as a weakness and through that Nezha is afraid and attacked Nezha with greater force. One strike nearly hit Nezha. In self-defense, Nezha have no choice but to use his magical red cloth to protect himself. He spread it and the magic red cloth immediately enlarged and covered Ao Bing, capturing him. Nezha placed his magical ring (Gan Kuan Guan) on Ao Bing’s head, thus revealing his true form, a golden baby dragon!

Nezha thought: How nice if I extracted all this baby dragon veins and present it to father Li Jing. He must be very pleased. Nezha immediately extracted all this baby dragon’s veins and happily brought it home.

Those interested in other Parts of the Nezha stories can pm me.
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