Illustrations of Fengshen Yanyi from an edition of the novel featuring commentary by
Zhong Xing (1574-1625) (book one)
The Investiture of the Gods, also known as Fengshen Yanyi (
Chinese: 封神演義;
pinyin: Fēngshén Yǎnyì), is a 16th-century Chinese novel and one of the major
vernacular Chinese works in the
gods and demons (shenmo) genre written during the
Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The novel is considered to be one of China's great vernacular fictions and has a significant influence on
Chinese and
Japanese popular culture.[1] In
Chinese folk religion, several characters from the novel are revered and worshiped as deities. These characters hold a significant place in the religious beliefs and practices of Chinese culture. Their stories and attributes have captivated the imaginations of believers, leading to their deification. The worship of these characters from Fengshen Yanyi serves as a testament to the deep connection between literature, mythology, and Chinese folk religion.[2] It has been adapted in various forms, including television series,
manhua,
manga, and video games.
Translations
Xu Zhonglin (1992) [1550s]. Creation of the Gods. Translated by Gu Zhizhong. Beijing: New World Press.
ISBN780005134X.
Xu Zhonglin (2002) [1550s]. Tales of the Teahouse Retold: Investiture of the Gods. Translated by Katherine Liang Chew. Lincoln, NE: Writers Club Press.
ISBN9780595254194. This is an abridged translation containing only the first 46 chapters out of 100.
The book was also translated to Dutch as Feng Shen: De Verheffing tot Goden by
Nio Joe Lan (
Jakarta, 1940).
Warriors Orochi, a video game series produced by
Koei. It features three characters from the novel –
Daji (called Da Ji in the game),
Nezha, and
Jiang Ziya (called Taigong Wang in the game) – as playable characters.[19]
Chronicles of the God's Order, an ongoing Hong Kong manhua.
^Thompson, Jason (July 3, 2012). Manga: The Complete Guide (Kindle).
Del Rey Books. pp. 383–384.
ISBN978-0-345-53944-1. Ryu Fujisaki's Hoshin Engi (1996), a sci-fi/fantasy title with all the nonstop slugfests and occasional comedy associated with Weekly Shônen Jump, was based on Tsutomu Ano's fantasy novels, which were in turn based on the ancient Chinese novel Fengshen Yangyi ("Creation of the Gods"). Fusing fantasy, history, martial arts battles, and science fiction, Hoshin Engi represents the new wave of fantasy manga that resist categorization into a single genre.