A poster for Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (1979), also by the studio, when it screened in the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. [Photo by ZHANG HENGWEI/CHINA NEWS SERVICE]

At the dawn of reforming

One of the most successful adaptations is the animated movie Nezha Conquers the Dragon King released in 1979 when China was at a turning point at the start of the reform and opening-up.

The animated film, produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, was China's first large-scale, color, wide-screen feature film. It won numerous awards both domestically and internationally and has become a cherished memory for a generation. Many film critics, such as the late Zhong Dianfei, acknowledged the film as a feat, which "restructured mythical stories in the modern context, and implied the spirit of reform and innovation". The film's artistic style, including its ink-wash backgrounds and opera-inspired action design, represented a great achievement in the localization of Chinese animation.

The movie paints Nezha as a tragic and rebellious character. In the story, the four dragon kings cause chaos, putting the people at risk, while the Yaksha abducts young boys and girls. When the four dragon kings lead a massive army to flood Chentang Pass, Nezha wants to retaliate, but his father intervenes and confiscates Nezha's magical weapons. He finally sacrifices his life to save the people of Chentang Pass, also displaying his rebellion against destiny and patriarchy.

For Lu Shihan, a micro-blogger with more than 3.5 million followers on Sina Weibo, in this 1979 film, the dragon kings symbolize decaying feudal rule, while Li Jing represents a feudal family. Nezha, the revolutionary young hero, breaks away from his conservative family and disrupts the old ways of the East Sea, Lu writes in a recent post, adding that this narrative is a clear depiction of revolution, akin to the experiences of many revolutionaries of past generations.