Li Jing- Chinese GodDeity"Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King"
Also known as: Tuota Tianwang, Lǐ Jìng, 李靖, and 托塔天王
Titles & Epithets
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Description
Father of Nezha and commander of heaven's armies, Li Jing carries a miniature pagoda in his palm that can trap demons between its tiers. The Buddha gave him the pagoda to keep the peace between father and son after Nezha's death and resurrection.
Mythology & Lore
The Commander of Chentang Pass
Li Jing commanded Chentang Pass in the last years of the Shang dynasty. His three sons were each claimed by a different immortal master. The youngest, Nezha, was the one who brought ruin: at seven he killed a dragon prince and brought the wrath of all four Dragon Kings down on the garrison. Li Jing could not protect the boy from celestial justice. Nezha settled the matter himself, returning his flesh to his mother and his bones to his father.
Li Jing discovered that his wife had secretly built a temple for Nezha's spirit. He burned it to the ground.
The Pagoda
When Taiyi Zhenren rebuilt Nezha from lotus roots, the resurrected child turned his fury on the father who had destroyed his temple. Li Jing and Nezha became bitter enemies. Their conflict threatened to destabilize heaven until the Buddha intervened, placing the Exquisite Pagoda in Li Jing's hand, a weapon capable of subduing Nezha. The father could contain the son. The son had reason to defer.
They served together in heaven's armies after that, Li Jing as Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, Nezha as vanguard. In the Fengshen Yanyi they fought side by side for the Zhou cause. In Journey to the West they were among the celestial forces sent against Sun Wukong. The pagoda was always within reach.
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- Enemy of
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- Rules over