| Ao Bing | |
|---|---|
| Investiture of the Gods character | |
 A sculpture of Ao Bing as depicted in Ne Zha, located in the Chengdu Hi-tech Zone | |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias |
|
| Species | Chinese dragon |
| Gender | Male |
| Family | |
| Religion | Taoism, Buddhism |
| Home | East Sea |
Ao Bing (Chinese: 敖丙; pinyin: Áo Bǐng) is a character in classical Chinese works of arts, culture and East Asian Mythology, such as the Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi). He is a dragon prince and the third son of Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea.
In Fengshen Yanyi's various adaptations, He is often shown as arrogant, spoiled, and cruel, abusing his power as a dragon prince. In this specific version of the story, Ao Bing is a major antagonist in Nezha's story. In many of those narrative typically all of the Dragon King family characters are potraited as evil doers.
However, in the original texts of Fengshen Yanyi, Ao Bing has no detailed personality, he simply follows the orders of his elders, his responsibility as a Dragon prince, and through the events he was then accidentally or tragically killed by Nezha. Later reincarnated and promoted as the Huagai Xing Zun Star Lord, a Celestial Canopy (Also known as Star of Loneliness and Spiritual intellectual) in the heavens after his deification, incharge of controlling weather patterns.
In other ancient original tales and short stories, Ao Bing is potraited as a lonley but mischievous child who is longing for friends, often sneaking out of the underwater palace to play.[1][2] In one of the tales, Ao Bing is called Xiao Loong "Little Dragon" by Nezha, he is the only friend of Nezha when both are toddlers.
In Journey to the West, Huagai Star becomes friends with Sun Wukong.[3]
In many other old tales, including the modern portrayal of Ao Bing as a compassionate friend or soul-mate[4][5] to Nezha, even when he occasionally opposes him—especially in the hugely successful 2019 film Ne Zha and its 2025 sequel—represents a significant departure from his Fengshen Yanyi depictions and adopting his other original characteristic features.[6]
Origins
The third son of the Eastern Sea Dragon King was first mentioned in the Complete Tale of Avalokiteśvara and the Southern Seas, a Ming dynasty novel. In one of the chapters focused on his eight-year-old sister Longnü attaining enlightenment, in the chapter he had turned himself into a fish, sneaking out of the sea-palace to swim but accidentally captured by a fisherman and sold in the market, later he was saved by Guanyin(Avalokiteśvara) and his disciple Sudhana(Red boy).[1][7] Further ancient mention of him before this is still unknown. In the earliest mention of the Dragon King Sāgara(Ao Guang), only the daughter is mentioned in the Buddhist texts of the Lotus Sutra-Devadatta.[8]
Before the Ming dynasty novel, there is a Tang or Song dynasty myth of "The Eight Immortals Cross the sea", in one of the tales the two older brothers of Ao Bing is mentioned as MoJie(Ao Jia) and LongDu(Ao Yi) who were killed by the immortals.[9][10] In some other works such as one of the variation of the Legends of the White Snake, the Green Snake character, Xiao Qing is later revealed to be lost daughter of Ao Guang[11], making her Ao Bing's possible half sister.
The Dragon Kings did not have the family surname "Ao" until centuries later in the work of classical arts (Main article Dragon King). The name "Ao Bing" for the third son of the Eastern sea Dragon King first appeared in Fengshen Yanyi.
In Journey to the West, Huagai Xing(Ao Bing) is a rougue immortal, also the disciple of the Flame King Buddha of Light (Houyan Wang Guangfo). A conflict occurs between Huagai and SunWukong but the situation is soon resolved and both became good friends. Huagai is considered to be one of the 81 difficulties SunWukong had to overcome, a plan completely calculated by the Heavenly court.[3]
In Fengshen Yanyi
The third son of Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, Ao Bing lives in the Crystal Palace with his brothers, Ao Jia and Ao Yi. Both of them are older than him. Ao Bing was originally revered as a rain god who would bestow the rain at his command upon any individual in need, but, as time passed, his father became corrupt, and soon the people were living in fear of the stormy malevolence of Ao Guang and his three sons. After the divine child-hero Nezha had slain the yaksha Li Gen and been seen creating tremors that threatened to destroy the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King, Ao Bing set out (with his father's consent) to confront Nezha, riding upon a great green beast and accompanied by his father's troops.[12][13]
Ao Bing duly confronted Nezha and met with a most uncouth reception, prompting him to bellow in rage "You self-righteous cur! Li Gen was sent to us by the Jade Emperor of Heaven himself and yet, in your madness and insolence, you killed him without remorse. Defend yourself, you dog!" Hero and dragon prince wasted no more breath in words, but flung themselves instead into furious combat, Ao Bing wielding his mighty silver spear and Nezha his death-dealing magic scarf. After the exchange of many bitter blows, Nezha was finally able to overcome his adversary by unleashing a blazing fireball at him from his magic scarf and then trampling his head underfoot before he could recover from the blow. In his death agony, Ao Bing was forced to reveal his true (dragon) form and he died burning inwardly with hatred for his youthful opponent.[14][15]
After the Shang dynasty's defeat, when Jiang Ziya conferred god titles, he was appointed as the god of Huagai Xing (華蓋星) based on the 28 star Constellations Mansions. He is one of the characters who have been sealed twice as a god in the Registry of Gods, followed by his subordinate, the yaksha Li Gen.
Folklores
According to folklore, when Nezha caused havoc in the East Sea, he used the Universe Ring (Qiankun Quan) to kill the blue-white dragon, Ao Bing. Later, the immortal Taiyi Zhenren revived the Ao Bing using tendon-relaxing vines and white pine bark. After coming back to life, the Ao Bing retreated underground, built another palace, and continued cultivating until he attained enlightenment and ascended to the heavens. This miraculous cave was left behind, and people named the White Dragon’s cultivation palace "White Dragon Palace." White Dragon Palace is now a tourist destination that combines mountains, water, and caves into a scenic attraction. It is located in Hancheng, 18 kilometers west of Jiangyou. Its most distinctive features are its primitive, natural, and ancient charm. Stretching 1.2 kilometers in length, the cave is divided into both water and dry sections.[16]
Worship
In Taoist traditions and folk beliefs, Ao Bing is worshiped as a folk deity and enshrined in some temples dedicated to the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. The Sihai Longwang Temple in Batu Pahat enshrines a 12-foot-tall statue of Ao Bing.[17]
In popular culture
Film
- Ao Bing appears as a major character in the animated films Ne Zha (2019) and Ne Zha 2 (2025), voiced by Han Mo in Chinese and Aleks Le in English. The films, loosely based on Investiture of the Gods, depict Ao Bing as friendlier than in prior depictions, and he becomes friends with the title character. Both films broke numerous box-office records upon their initial releases, with Ne Zha 2 in particular becoming the highest-grossing film of all time in China, the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, and the fifth highest-grossing movie of all time.[18][19]
Video games
- In the 2022 mobile game Dislyte, the character "Long Mian" is chosen as Ao Bing's "avatar", blessed with his powers.
References
- Investiture of the Gods Chapter 12 pages 141 - 143
- 1 2 "Guan Yin - Bodhisattva/ Goddess of Compassion". www.nationsonline.org. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ↑ "Nezha". Mythopedia. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
- 1 2 Journey to the West
- ↑ "Lotus-Dragon Couple (Oubing CP) Nezha x Aobing". 大众电影 BIG SCREEN. 080.
- ↑ "Psychological & Emotional Alchemy in Nezha 2". 大众电影 BIGSCREEN. April release – via taobao.com.
- ↑ "A hero of our times". chinadailyhk.
- ↑ Personal Salvation and Filial Piety: Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her Acolytes. University of Hawaii Press. 2008-02-20. ISBN 978-0-8248-3215-5.
- ↑ In the “Devadatta” (twelfth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. nichirenlibrary.org
- ↑ "Mythology: 八仙过海 - The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea". Chinese Reading Practice. 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ↑ Stories And Myths Of Eight Immortals, Archive.org(PDF)
- ↑ 青网王目雨. "《新白娘子传奇》杀青 于朦胧鞠婧祎古典飘逸美_娱乐频道_中国青年网". fun.youth.cn. Archived from the original on 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ↑ Chinese Mythology A To Z. Jeremy Roberts. January 2004. ISBN 9781438119908.
- ↑ Chew, Katherine Liang; Chew, Felix S. (2002). Tales of the Teahouse Retold: Investiture of the Gods. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-25419-4.
- ↑ Bane, Theresa (2016). Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-9505-4.
- ↑ Sangren, Paul Steven (1997). Myth, gender, and subjectivity. The Program for Research of Intellectual-Cultural History, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Tsing Hua University.
- ↑ 白龙宫_江油市人民政府. www.jiangyou.gov.cn.
- ↑ 推出系列祈福项目 “龙”转乾坤好运来. 中國報 China Press (in Chinese (China)). 30 January 2024.
- ↑ Amidi, Amid (August 16, 2019). "American Audiences Don't Have To Wait Long To See The Chinese Blockbuster Ne Zha In Theaters". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
Some of the records it has already set: the highest-grossing Chinese animated feature of all-time, the highest-grossing non-U.S. animated feature of all-time, the third-highest grossing Chinese film of all-time, the highest-grossing animated IMAX feature in China, and the second highest-grossing local language IMAX feature in China.
- ↑ Murray, Conor (9 July 2025). "English Version Of 'Ne Zha 2'—Biggest Box Office Hit Of 2025—Will Hit U.S. Theaters In August". Forbes. Retrieved 19 August 2025.