Deng Zhong (邓忠)

Chinese. Name of a character featured in the Ming (明) dynasty novel Fengshen Yanyi, which translates to ‘Investiture of the Gods’. He is identified as the foremost among the four lords of Huanghua Shan (黃花山), i.e. ‘Mount Yellow Blossom’, figures who pledged their strength to the Shang dynasty during the Western Foothills campaign led personally by the Grand Old Master Wen Zhong (聞仲). In terms of appearance, Deng Zhong is described as having an indigo-coloured face, prominent buck teeth, and long crimson hair. He wields a golden mountain-splitting axe as his primary weapon. During his initial encounter with Wen Zhong, Deng Zhong was defeated and killed through the use of a golden prison illusion—a deceptive magical technique employed by Wen Zhong. However, following the subsequent cooperation of Deng Zhong's second brother, Xin Huan (辛環), Deng Zhong was revived and thereafter served as a loyal subordinate to Wen Zhong. As the campaign progressed and the Shang forces approached the Western Foothills, Deng Zhong was entrusted with delivering a letter to Jiang Ziya (姜子牙), the strategist and commander allied with the Zhou forces. Three days after this diplomatic gesture, hostilities commenced. In the ensuing battle, Deng Zhong engaged in personal combat with the defector-turned-Zhou-general Huang Feihu (黃飛虎), wielding his golden axe on the battlefield. He is eventually slain by one of Jiang Ziya’s immortals or disciples. After his death, he is deified by Jiang Ziya and appointed as one of the Er Shi Si Leibu Tianjun (二十四雷部天君), or ‘24 Heavenly Lords of the Thunder Division’, who are also called the Twenty-Four Cloud-Summoning, Rain-Aiding, Dharma-Protecting Heavenly Lords. In some versions, they evolve into the Thirty-Three Heavenly Lords or Thirty-Six Thunder Generals. In his deified form as Thunder General, he is referred to as Deng Tianjun (邓天君/鄧天君) and depicted as a celestial warrior with a fierce, avian appearance, with majestic wings, a beak-like mouth and clawed feet. His appearance is reminiscent of that of Leizhenzi (fig.). WATCH VIDEO (1) and (2), VIDEO (E1) and (E2). 回