What if China’s most rebellious deity wasn’t just a figure from ancient legend, but a living pulse in one of its boldest cities? In early 2025, when Ne Zha: The Devil’s Birth stormed the global box office and soared to become the highest-grossing animated film in history, Ne Zha — a fiery, fate-defying demigod — thundered back into the cultural spotlight. But for those in the know, the myth has always had a hometown: Tianjin.
This port city in northeastern China doesn’t just remember Ne Zha — it lives him. In Tianjin, travelers can walk Ne Zha’s path, eat his story, and feel the thrill of his legacy brought to life through art and imagination.
For those unfamiliar with the figure, Ne Zha is an iconic character in Chinese mythology — a defiant protector born into conflict, armed with a cosmic ring, a red armillary ribbon, and wind-fire wheels that blaze beneath his feet. Often seen as a symbol of youthful rebellion and determination, the teenage warrior battles corrupt powers and challenges fate itself.
Tianjin’s Chentangzhuang Village
In Investiture of the Gods, a classic Ming dynasty novel of gods and demons, Chentang Pass — depicted as a military outpost guarding the eastern frontier — marks the start of Ne Zha’s journey. While many believe the setting to be fictional, Tianjin’s Chentangzhuang Village in Hexi District offers intriguing parallels that suggest a real-world link to the myth.
The Haihe River, historically described as the convergence of nine rivers, winds its way through Tianjin before flowing into the Bohai Sea — mirroring the mythological “Nine-Bend River” that leads to the East Sea. In Chentangzhuang, the village often associated with Chentang Pass, this geographic echo is layered with local memory. Longtime residents recall a Ne Zha statue once housed beneath the eaves of a temple, and excavations nearby have uncovered bluestone slabs and pagoda foundations believed to be connected to the residence of Li Jing, the figure portrayed in the myth as Ne Zha’s father.
With a WildChina local guide, visitors can hear these memories firsthand and even embark on a privately arranged cruise along the Haihe River — traversing the same waters Ne Zha was once said to stir. This story is so rooted in local consciousness that in 2012, “Ne Zha Stirring the Sea” was officially inscribed as part of Tianjin’s Hexi District intangible cultural heritage.
Dialect and dishes tell Ne Zha’s story
In Ne Zha: The Devil’s Birth, Tianjin comes through in more than just geography. The villagers of Chentang Pass speak in the city’s local dialect. Characters like street food vendor “Octopus Brother” crack jokes only locals could write, while Ne Zha’s famous declaration — “I am the master of my own fate” — lands with extra punch in the sharp, fast-paced rhythm of Jinwei (Tianjin speech). This distinct dialect, long tied to Tianjin’s comedic traditions and no-nonsense spirit, mirrors Ne Zha’s own defiance.
The film’s scenes include a lotus root powder stall — a nod to Ne Zha’s symbolic rebirth from a lotus flower — and sizzling squid snacks, referencing his mythical battle with the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. These aren’t just cinematic flourishes; they reflect flavors found in Chentangzhuang today. With a WildChina local guide leading the way, travelers can explore the very markets that inspired these scenes — sampling snacks with symbolic roots while uncovering the stories behind them.
Along the way, guides will introduce travelers to Guifaxiang (桂发祥), a time-honored Tianjin snack brand that crafts mahua (twisted fried dough) in the shape of Ne Zha’s red armillary ribbon — turning everyday food into tributes to legend. Even dish names in local restaurants, like “Red Armillary Seaweed Salad,” draw from Ne Zha’s iconography, blending culinary creativity with cultural memory.
Tianjin’s Ancient Culture Street
At Tianjin’s Ancient Culture Street, traditional crafts keep Ne Zha’s image alive in thoughtful ways. Clay Figurine Zhang artisans sculpt him mid-battle, preserving both folk artistry and storytelling traditions. Nearby, Yangliuqing woodblock prints capture him dashing across the skies on wind-fire wheels. With WildChina local guides, travelers can go beyond the shopfronts — meeting master artisans in their studios for quiet conversations about how Ne Zha’s image has evolved across generations.
“Ne Zha Town”
A short trip from Chentangzhuang leads to “Ne Zha Town” — a cultural project that reimagines mythology through the lens of urban renewal. Built on the site of a former radio factory, the space blends old and new: wind-fire wheel sculptures animate former industrial courtyards, and Ne Zha-themed figures appear as symbols reinterpreted for the present.
Visitors can collect Ne Zha-themed ID cards marked with Hexi District’s code — a playful nod to local pride — or pose beside reimagined versions of the deity, such as firefighter Ne Zha equipped with a hose-ring and flame-fighting gear. These reinterpretations invite reflection on how myth can evolve alongside a city’s changing identity.
Even Tianjin’s fire brigade has adopted Ne Zha as its emblem. His legendary tools have been recast in the language of rescue and protection, and his spirit of unyielding action is channeled through real-world service.
Ne Zha Cultural Festival
To see Tianjin in celebration mode, visit during the Ne Zha Cultural Festival (March–April), timed to honor the deity’s traditional birthday in the lunar calendar. Chentangzhuang transforms with performances, storytelling sessions and hands-on exhibitions. WildChina travelers can experience the festival from the inside and engage with the people who keep the legend alive year after year.
As night falls on the Haihe River and the Tianjin Eye shimmers in its reflection, one line from the film feels especially fitting: “If heaven denies me, I’ll overturn this universe.” In Tianjin, that defiance isn’t destruction — it’s reinvention.
To bring Ne Zha’s story to life, get in touch with our travel designers and plan a journey in the footsteps of the lotus-born rebel who still ignites a city.
By Gu Qing and Gabrielle Keepfer
