Animated blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' sparks travel fever across China

By Hoai Anh February 17, 2025 | 08:27 pm PT

People wait as a screen displays a scene from the animated film "Ne Zha 2" at a movie theater in Beijing on Feb. 16, 2025. Photo by AFP

"Ne Zha 2", a Chinese animated blockbuster about a young deity's adventures which has shattered multiple box office records, has fueled a surge in tourism to attractions linked to the mythological origins of its story.

The number of visitors to the Cuiping Mountain scenic area in Sichuan Province, home to Nezha Palace built in 1991, has significantly increased since the Chinese New Year holiday in late January, according to Global Times.

Following the holiday, the Nezha Palace recorded a peak daily visitor count of approximately 8,000, with an average of 4,000 visitors per day, a spokesperson for the site said.

From Feb. 1 to 15, the palace welcomed a total of 65,000 visitors, nearly three times the number recorded during the same period last year.

Interest in Ne Zha-related destinations has also surged.

In the week leading up to Feb. 6, online searches for locations such as Yibin and Jiangyou in Sichuan skyrocketed, with Yibin seeing a 225% increase and Jiangyou experiencing a 453% rise, according to data from China-based travel platform Fliggy.

Ne Zha, also known as Nezha the Crown Prince, is a revered deity in Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion. After becoming a deity, he was granted the title "Third Lotus Prince."

He is often depicted soaring through the sky on his Wind Fire Wheels, wielding a fire-tipped spear in his right hand, with the Universe Ring around his body and the Red Armillary Sash draped over his shoulders.

"Ne Zha 2", a sequel to the 2019 hit "Ne Zha", follows the young deity and his friend Aobing to new challenges and trials.

The film was released in theaters across China on Jan. 29, coinciding with the first day of the Lunar New Year.

By Feb. 17, it had entered the global top 10 box office rankings, amassing 12.05 billion yuan (US$1.66 billion), according to China's ticketing platform Dengta, Yicai Global reported.

Beyond Sichuan, the film's cultural impact has extended to Chengdu, where the Ne Zha statue on Jiaozi Avenue has become a popular tourist attraction, drawing crowds eager to take photos, CGTN reported.

The phenomenon has also reached Tianjin, where Ne Zha-themed locations have become major tourist hotspots, according to Xinhua.