Yibin's Cuiping District awarded home of Ne Zha culture

Cuiping district of Yibin, Sichuan province was awarded the "hometown of culture concerning Ne Zha" by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association on Aug 23. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Cuiping district of Yibin, Sichuan province was awarded the "hometown of culture concerning Ne Zha" by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association on Aug 23 at an awarding ceremony held in the district.

Ne Zha is a famous boy-god in Chinese mythology. Ticket sales for Ne Zha, a recently released domestic animated film, had reached 4.31 billion yuan ($603.66 million) by Aug 23, exceeding that of Avengers: Endgame.

"There can't be a hometown of Ne Zha, since it is just a fictional mythical figure," said Shama Layi, vice chairman of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association. However, he said that the culture concerning Ne Zha has a long history in China, and Cuiping district is the place where such culture is best preserved and has the highest participation from local people.

Tan Jihe, a historian and president of the Sichuan Provincial Association of History, speaks at a seminar on Ne Zha culture held on Aug 23 in Cuiping district of Yibin, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Tan Jihe, a historian and president of the Sichuan Provincial Association of History, said at a seminar on Ne Zha culture held right after the awarding ceremony that Cuiping district has more than 20 real scenes and many oral folktales on Ne Zha culture, which supports it to be named as the "hometown of culture concerning Ne Zha."

The district claims to have numerous locations closely tied with Ne Zha. For example, it contains an ancient town that used to be named Chentangguan, which is Ne Zha's fictional birthplace, as well as Ne Zha Cave, which they say is a place that plays a prominent role in his story.

Local officials said the Cuiping district has been striving to push forward the study and explanation, protection and revitalization, education and popularization, innovation and development, as well as cooperation and exchange of Ne Zha culture in recent years.

"The awarding ceremony marks a new start for the inheritance and development of Ne Zha culture in Cuiping district," said the officials.

Qi Hehui, a professor of literature studies at Southwest University for Nationalities, speaks at a seminar on Ne Zha culture held on Aug 23 in Cuiping district of Yibin, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Tan suggests that Yibin excavates the cultural connotation behind the oral folktales, and thus help develop Ne Zha culture.

Qi Hehui, a professor of literature studies at Southwest University for Nationalities, suggests that the local government better develop Ne Zha culture through the protection and reconstruction of the real scenes related to Ne Zha culture.

A tour route on Ne Zha culture was also released at the ceremony by the local government.