Knowra Xu Zhonglin Xu Zhonglin Xu Zhonglin is the traditional author of Investiture of the Gods, a Chinese vernacular novel blending myth, religion, and the fall of the Shang dynasty. His identity and authorship remain uncertain.
Investiture of the Gods : A Chinese vernacular novel in which divine beings shape the transition from the Shang dynasty to the Zhou dynasty. Xu Zhonglin is traditionally credited with composing this novel, though the attribution is disputed.
Fengshen Yanyi : The Chinese title of Investiture of the Gods, literally meaning Romance of the Investiture of the Gods. This title identifies the work traditionally associated with Xu Zhonglin.
Jiang Ziya : A legendary strategist who assists King Wu of Zhou in overthrowing the Shang dynasty. He is the central human agent charged with carrying out the campaign and assigning divine offices.
Xu Zhonglin authorship debate : The scholarly question of whether Xu Zhonglin wrote, edited, or was merely associated with Investiture of the Gods. The novel’s attribution to Xu is traditional, but firm biographical evidence is lacking.
Nezha : A Chinese mythological warrior deity associated with youth, martial power, and protection. The novel’s portrayal helped make Nezha a prominent figure in later popular storytelling.
Ming dynasty : A Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644. The novel is generally associated with the late Ming literary world.
Chinese folk religion : A varied set of Chinese religious practices involving local deities, ancestors, ritual specialists, and communal rites. The novel’s divine ranks and ritual imagination draw on traditions associated with popular religion.
King Wu of Zhou : The Zhou ruler traditionally credited with defeating the Shang and founding Zhou authority. His campaign supplies the political goal around which the novel’s supernatural conflict unfolds.
Lu Xixing : A Ming-dynasty Taoist writer sometimes proposed as an alternative author of Investiture of the Gods. His proposed authorship illustrates how uncertain the novel’s attribution remains.
Taiyi Zhenren : A Taoist immortal who appears as Nezha’s teacher in Investiture of the Gods. His role links the novel’s divine hierarchy to enduring stories about Nezha.
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