Shen Gongbao (申公豹) is a major character featured within the famed classic Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods.[1] Shen Gongbao is a disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun, Jiang Ziya's junior fellow apprentice.[2]
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| Shen Gongbao | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 申公豹 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 申公豹 | ||||||
| |||||||
Background
editThe earliest source of the character Shen Gongbao is in the novel Fengshen Yanyi, but according to some scientific theses from the 2000s in China, the portrayal of Shen Gongbao may have originated from the practice of tiger worship in Jinan that existed long before the appearance of the novel Fengsheng Yanyi.[3]
In Fengshen Yanyi, Shen Gongbao is good at communication, persuasion, and magic arts in general. He first appeared in Chapter 37 and nearly convinced Jiang Ziya to burn the Investiture through a display of his Taoist sorcery, which allowed him to stay alive even after cutting off his head. The Old Man of the South Pole thwarted his plot by commanding the White Crane Boy (白鹤童子) to turn into a crane and snatch his head away. Upon learning that Shen Gongbao would die if his head was not returned to his body in time, Jiang Ziya pleaded for his life, and he was spared.[4] Later, Shen Gongbao left Kunlun Mountain to assist King Zhou of Shang to battle the forces of King Wu of Zhou. Still holding a grudge against Jiang Ziya, he convinced many Jie Taoists to join the war in opposition of the Zhou army.
Finally, Shen Gongbao was arrested by his master Yuanshi Tianzun. Shen Gongbao was appointed as the General of East Sea (Chinese: 东海分水将军) in the end. The General of East Sea is one of the gods who manage the East China Sea.[5][6]
In classical Chinese artwork, Shen Gongbao is frequently depicted as a deity riding a white-foreheaded tiger (白額虎), holding a treasure sword (寶劍) in one hand and a celestial pearl (開天珠) in the other, both possessing the ability to subdue demons. In contrast, in Chinese opera, Shen Gongbao is often portrayed as a deity riding a black panther, with a dark, flowing beard, while one hand is raised high and the other is poised for action.
Film and television
editChinese television
edit| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Investiture of the Gods | 封神榜 | Lei Changxi | [7] |
| 1999 | The Legend of Ne Zha | 莲花童子哪咤 | Chen Tianwen | [8] |
| 2001 | Gods of Honour | 封神榜 | Joseph Lee Kwok Lun | [9] |
| 2006 | The Legend and the Hero | 封神榜之凤鸣岐山 | Miao Haizhong | [10] |
| 2009 | The Legend and the Hero 2 | 封神榜之武王伐紂 | ||
| 2014 | The Investiture of the Gods | 封神英雄榜 | Zhang Mingming | [11] |
| 2015 | The Investiture of the Gods II | 封神英雄 | ||
| 2019 | Investiture Of the Gods | 封神演義 (2019年電視劇) | Hai Yitian |
Chinese film
edit| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | League of Gods | 3D封神榜 | Louis Koo | |
| 2019 | Nezha | 哪吒之魔童降世 | Yang Wei | Voice |
| 2020 | Jiang Ziya | 姜子牙 | Tutehameng | Voice |
| 2022 | New Gods: Yang Jian | 新神榜：杨戬 | Yi Zhao[12] | Voice |
| 2022 | Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms | 封神第一部：朝歌风云 | Xia Yu |
Japanese television
edit| Title | Japanese Title | Role Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fengshen Yanyi | 封神演義 | Jun'ichi Kanemaru | |
| Fengshen Yanyi | 封神演義 | Haruhiko Jō | |
| Fengshen Yanyi | 封神演義 | Akira Ishida | |
| Fengshen Yanyi | 封神演義 | Kenyu Horiuchi |
References
edit- ^ Xu Zhonglin (2012-12-01). 《封神演义》 (in Chinese). Nanchang: Jiangxi Arts Publishing House. ISBN 9787548018544.
- ^ Xu Zhonglin (2010-01-01). 《封神演义》 (in Chinese). Changchun: Changchun Publishing House. ISBN 9787544510806.
- ^ Xu Zhonglin (1 January 2010). 《封神演义》 (in Chinese). Changchun: Changchun Publishing House. ISBN 9787544510806.
- ^ "封神演義 : 姜子牙一上崑崙 - 中國哲學書電子化計劃". ctext.org (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2024-09-15.
- ^ Xu Zhonglin (2013-04-01). 《封神演义》 (in Chinese). Beijing: Huaxia Publishing House. ISBN 9787508074986.
- ^ Service, British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring (1985). Summary of World Broadcasts: The Far East. Part III. Monitoring Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ 揭秘90版《封神榜》主演生存现状 (in Chinese). 163.com. 2013.
- ^ "⓿⓿ Legends of Nezha (1999) - Singapore - Film Cast - Chinese Movie".
- ^ 陈浩民版《封神榜之忠义乾坤》李国麟扮演申公豹 (in Chinese). 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
- ^ 苗海忠助阵《女神捕》 申公豹转型逍遥侯 (in Chinese). Sina. 2009.
- ^ 申公豹张明明客户端聊《封神榜》 (in Chinese). Sohu. 2014.
- ^ Daniels, Robert (19 January 2023). "'New Gods: Yang Jian' Review: 'Cowboy Bebop' Without the Bop". The New York Times.