History Literature / FengshenYanyi

-->3. The Rebellion of King Wu of Zhou. It's at this point that the main action of the novel picks up, the majority of the story takes place, and the motivations for the myriad of characters begins to interweave. Of special note is Jiang Ziya's job, as dictated by his master, who's own orders were dictated by the [[TopGod Jade Emperor]] himself: first, to ensure that the Shang Dynasty falls and the Zhou Dynasty rises; second, to cultivate those listed on the eponymous "Fengshen Bang," or "List of Gods-To-Be" to become the numerous Gods of the Celestial Bureaucracy.

In 2019 and 2020, it received a pair animated film adaptations called ''Animation/NeZha'' and ''Animation/JiangZiya''.

In 2019 and 2020, it received a pair animated film adaptations called ''Animation/NeZha'' and ''Jiang Ziya''.

* BigBadDuumvirate: King Zhou and his consort Daji.

* DividedForPublication: Most English versions (what few exist) split the work into 2 parts

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: [[http://www.poisonpie.com/words/others/somewhat/creation/text/characters.html This page makes a list of them, and the creator the page even goes so far as to say it's]] [[GoneMadFromTheRevelation not even CLOSE to being a complete listing - just enough for your average reader to keep track of the important characters]].

* DeathByOriginStory: Nezha. He was quite the precocious herculean brat, and ended up ticking off one of the Four Dragon Kings, Ao Guang along with accidentally killing one of Lady Rock's disciples and unintentionally maiming another, which led to Nezha's master killing Lady Rock in order to protect Nezha. When the Jade Emperor caught wind of the mess Nezha was making, he was set to punish Nezha's parents, but Nezha [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath brutally hacked himself to pieces]] in front of the Jade Emperor and Ao Guang as recompense, thus sparing his parents...

* DisproportionateRetribution: Though [[{{Jerkass}} King Zhou]] was already destined to be the last of the Shang Dynasty, he was by no means the cruel or vindictive leader he became later. Rather, he became that way largely because of the intervention of the Mother Goddess of humanity, Nu Wa, who sent a [[{{Kitsune}} Huli-Jing]] to seduce and corrupt Zhou and cause his downfall much sooner than intended. His crime? [[ConstructionCatcalls Remarking at how "hot" she was in her temple.]] [[SubvertedTrope Some adaptations have him follow up that statement with wishing that she would become one of his concubines, which was what really ticked her off]].

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Oh so very, very many... [[http://www.poisonpie.com/words/others/somewhat/creation/text/characters.html this page makes a list of them, and the creator the page even goes so far as to say it's]] [[GoneMadFromTheRevelation not even CLOSE to being a complete listing - just enough for your average reader to keep track of the important characters]].

* DisproportionateRetribution: Oh, ye GODS, yes. Though [[{{Jerkass}} King Zhou]] was already destined to be the last of the Shang Dynasty, he was by no means the cruel or vindictive leader he became later. Rather, he became that way largely because of the intervention of the Mother Goddess of humanity, Nu Wa, who sent a [[{{Kitsune}} Huli-Jing]] to seduce and corrupt Zhou and cause his downfall much sooner than intended. His crime? [[ConstructionCatcalls Remarking at how "hot" she was in her temple.]] [[SubvertedTrope Some adaptations have him follow up that statement with wishing that she would become one of his concubines, which was what really ticked her off]].

* DisproportionateRetribution: Oh, ye GODS, yes. Though [[{{Jerkass}} King Zhou]] was already destined to be the last of the Shang Dynasty, he was by no means the cruel or vindictive leader he became later. Rather, he became that way largely because of the intervention of the Goddess, Nu Wa, who sent a [[{{Kitsune}} Huli-Jing]] to seduce and corrupt Zhou and cause his downfall much sooner than intended. His crime? [[ConstructionCatcalls Remarking at how "hot" she was in her temple]].

-->2. The births of heroes, especially Li Nezha. During this time we also see the arrival of the novel's central-most figure, [[TheGoodChancellor Jiang]] [[BadassGrandpa Ziya]] - a 72-year-old Taoist Mystic; that being said, 72 is not that old for a Taoist Mystic, and as such he's usually portrayed in his early-to-mid twenties.

-->3. The Rebellion of King Wu of Zhou. It's at this point that the main action of the novel picks up, the majority of the story takes place, and the motivations for the myriad of characters begins to interweave. Of special not is Jiang Ziya's job, as dictated by his master, who's own orders were dictated by the [[TopGod Jade Emperor]] himself: first, to ensure that the Shang Dynasty falls and the Zhou Dynasty rises; second, to cultivate those listed on the eponymous "Fengshen Bang," or "List of Gods-To-Be" to become the numerous Gods of the Celestial Bureaucracy.

* DeathByOriginStory: Nezha. He was quite the precocious herculean brat, and ended up ticking off one of the Four Dragon Kings, Ao Guang (something [[Literature/JourneyToTheWest Sun Wukong]] [[TheWorfEffect would ALSO do]] [[CurbStompBattle in spectacular fashion]] nearly 1000 years later]], along with accidentally killing one of Lady Rock's disciples and unintentionally maiming another, which led to Nezha's master killing Lady Rock in order to protect Nezha. When the Jade Emperor caught wind of the mess Nezha was making, he was set to punish Nezha's parents, but Nezha [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath brutally hacked himself to pieces]] in front of the Jade Emperor and Ao Guang as recompense, thus sparing his parents...

Variously titled ''Fengshen Yanyi'' or ''Fengshen Bang'' in Chinese, ''Hoshin Engi'' in Japanese, and ''Investiture of the Gods'' or ''Creation of the Gods '' in English, this novel is a heavily mythologized account of the overthrow of the Shang Dynasty by the Zhou Dynasty in the 11th Century BC. Also, just like ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'' and ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'', [[DoorStopper it contains 100 chapters]].

-->3. The Rebellion of King Wu of Zhou. It's at this point that the main action of the novel picks up, the majority of the story takes place, and the motivations for the myriad of characters begins to interweave. Of special not is Jiang Ziya's job, as dictated by his master, who's own orders were dictated by the JadeEmperor himself: first, to ensure that the Shang Dynasty falls and the Zhou Dynasty rises; second, to cultivate those listed on the eponymous "Fengshen Bang," or "List of Gods-To-Be" to become the numerous Gods of the Celestial Bureaucracy.

-->2. The births of heroes, especially [[{{Badass}} Li Nezha]]. During this time we also see the arrival of the novel's central-most figure, [[TheGoodChancellor Jiang]] [[BadassGrandpa Ziya]] - a 72-year-old Taoist Mystic; that being said, 72 is not that old for a Taoist Mystic, and as such he's usually portrayed in his early-to-mid twenties.

** BackFromTheDead: ... however, Nezha's master constructed a new body for Nezha's soul out of sacred lotuses, which ended up [[MidSeasonUpgrade being even more powerful than his original flesh-and-blood body]].

** To elaborate, Nu Wa's divine wrath involved: the murder of an innocent girl (Su Daji) and replacing her with Nu Wa's Huli-Jing servant; said Huli-Jing then kept the King so preoccupied with - ahem - [[CoitusUninterruptus "personal" affairs]] that the general matters of state (which apparently he was decent with beforehand) began to be ignored; said Huli-Jing then convinced the Zhou to sentence over a dozen of his ministers, dukes, generals, his wife, and own family, to variously-horrid forms of torturous death, despite the fact that their only real "crimes" were criticizing the king; finally, the entire war, which cost thousands upon thousands of innocent soldiers' lives, on both sides of the conflict. All because Nu Wa didn't like that Zhou made lewd comments about her.
*** When a great Taoist mystic divined what was going on with the King's new consort (the fox in disguise), he wrote a poem explaining all on a pillar in the city square for all to see. A learned scholar, Yuanxian, then deciphered the poem and figured out what was going on, as well. He presented his findings to the [[OnlySaneMan Prime Minister, Shang Rong]], who presented the findings to the King, in order to protect the king and the Dynasty. The King's response was to [[IdiotBall ask his consort if she really was an evil fox-spirit]]. She said "no," of course, and said that Yuanxian is guilty of treason for deciphering the poem, and should be put to death.
*** Following this immediately, Mei Bo, the chief executioner, stopped the execution and asked what was going on. When Shang Rong explained things, Mei Bo decried the King for believing a consort over a long-loyal subject who merely translated what someone else wrote. The fox then said that Mei Bo was treasonous, and convinced the king to have him be '''melted alive''' on a searing brass column for his actions.
** It should be mentioned that once Zhou was on a roll with executions, he started ordering them with greater frequency, and for ever-less egregious affronts. [[YouHaveFailedMe Apparently even failing him ONCE was enough to put your life in serious jeopardy]].

* {{Badass}} Very, very many, but Nezha and Jiang Ziya take the cake.
** Nezha is more a HotBlooded Badass (both figuratively and [[PlayingWithFire literally]]
** Jiang Ziya is more a BadassBookworm

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Just as [[TheIliad The Trojan War PROBABLY didn't involve the actual sons and daughters of gods, or the gods themselves directly in some instances]], it's safe to say that several dozen Taoist deities PROBABLY didn't take part in the Zhou Rebellion, especially as commanders of legions under King Wu himself.

* DeathByOriginStory: Nezha. He was quite the precocious herculean brat, and ended up ticking off one of the Four Dragon Kings, Ao Guang (something [[JourneyToTheWest Sun Wukong]] [[TheWorfEffect would ALSO do]] [[CurbStompBattle in spectacular fashion]] nearly 1000 years later]], along with accidentally killing one of Lady Rock's disciples and unintentionally maiming another, which led to Nezha's master killing Lady Rock in order to protect Nezha. When the Jade Emperor caught wind of the mess Nezha was making, he was set to punish Nezha's parents, but Nezha [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath brutally hacked himself to pieces]] in front of the Jade Emperor and Ao Guang as recompense, thus sparing his parents...

* MoralEventHorizon: If it wasn't King Zhou's use of the Burning Pillar on Mei Bo for simply criticizing Zhou's readiness to kill a long-time loyal servant and scholar over an interpretation of a poem someone else wrote, it was definitely his bloody execution of his wife, Queen Jiang.

Sometimes referred to as the Fifth (or Sixth) of the [[http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Classical_Novels Four Great Novels of Classical Chinese Literature]]; the other four being ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'', ''Literature/DreamOfTheRedChamber'', and ''Literature/WaterMargin'' (''Literature/JinPingMei'' being in contention for the Fifth, despite being HotterAndSexier UpToEleven).

Variously titled Fengshen Yanyi or Fengshen Bang in Chinese, Hoshin Engi in Japanese, and Investiture Of The Gods or Creation Of The Gods in English, this novel is roughly equivalent to TheIliad in the West in scope, feel, presentation, and importance. It is a heavily mythologized account of the overthrow of the Shang Dynasty by the Zhou Dynasty in the 11th Century BC - ironically, about the same time that TheIliad was occurring, as well. Oh, also, just like RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms and JourneyToTheWest, [[DoorStopper it contains 100 chapters]].

-->1. The birth and rise to power of King Zhou of Shang, his ever-growing corruption which brings about the ire of a goddess, and finally his complete StartOfDarkness wherein he orders the executions of ministers, generals, and even his own sons, in such quick succession as to make GeorgeRRMartin salivate.

As one can expect from a story as large as this, the Fengshen Yanyi contains [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters far too many heroes and side characters to count]]. It also contains some of the most nuanced back-and-forth betrayals, executions, and skulduggery this side of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', and demonstrates that RuleNumberOne of GOT - "Don't Get Attached" - is OlderThanFeudalism.

Sometimes referred to as the Fifth (or Sixth) of the [[http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Classical_Novels Four Great Novels of Classical Chinese Literature]]; the other four being ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'', ''Literature/DreamOfTheRedChamber'', and ''Literature/WaterMargin'' (The Plum in the Golden Vase being in contention for the Fifth, despite being HotterAndSexier UpToEleven).

As one can expect from a story as large as this, the FengshenYanyi contains [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters far too many heroes and side characters to count]]. It also contains some of the most nuanced back-and-forth betrayals, executions, and skulduggery this side of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', and demonstrates that RuleNumberOne of GOT - "Don't Get Attached" - is OlderThanFeudalism.