On Tuesday afternoon, March 11, 2025, the College of International Education organized a Chinese language salon centered on the film appreciation of Ne Zha. The event ignited new life in traditional Chinese culture and deepened cultural resonance between Chinese and international students by introducing the Chinese traditional mythological story Investiture of the Gods, the classic novel Fengshen Yanyi, and the creative background of the box-office hit film Ne Zha.
The film Ne Zha is adapted from the Ming Dynasty supernatural novel Fengshen Yanyi. Written by Xu Zhonglin during the Ming Dynasty, Fengshen Yanyi uses the transition between the Shang and Zhou dynasties as its backdrop, recounting the story of Jiang Ziya assisting King Wu of Zhou in overthrowing the Shang dynasty and ultimately completing the task of conferring divinity. The entire book blends historical fiction with fantasy, creating classic characters such as Ne Zha and Yang Jian.
During the event, the College of International Education not only introduced the background of the novel but also provided a detailed explanation of the film's production background, including director Jiaozi's personal story, analyses of key characters, and a summary of the main plot. The international students enthusiastically learned popular lines from the film.
This Chinese language salon, with its core concept of "classic tradition reimagined", used aesthetic education as its entry point. Through film appreciation, it introduced new expressions of Eastern aesthetics and traditional culture, achieving the construction of a new cross-cultural education paradigm and promoting intercultural exchange between China and other countries.
Written by: Zhang Ruyi
Photograph by: Zhang Ruyi
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
