The story of Jinzha

Jinzha was the eldest son of Li Jing, commander of Chentang Pass. He left home as a boy and entered the gate of Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun at the Yunxiao Cave on Mount Wulong. The mountain was quiet; he bound up his hair, wore yellow, and cultivated under his master for years.

When Jiang Ziya was chased to Mount Wulong by the four sages of Jiulong Island and Wang Mo drew his sword to kill Wenshu, Jinzha sprang out from behind his master and met Wang Mo below the mountain.

The two blades passed several times, and then Wenshu raised the Dragon-Binding Stake. Three golden rings caught Wang Mo by the neck, the waist and the feet and bound him upright to the post, and Jinzha struck at once and took his head.

Jinzha then came to Western Qi and joined Jiang Ziya’s command. After Zhang Guifang’s defeat, at a council in the chancellor’s residence he urged Jiang Ziya to press the advantage, and the Zhou army struck the Shang camp while it was still in confusion.

When the Three Xiao set out the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation outside Western Qi to avenge Zhao Gongming, Jinzha went out and raised the stake; Yunxiao lifted the Hunyuan Golden Dipper and with a single gesture took the treasure and drew Jinzha into the formation.

Only after Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun had broken the Yellow River Formation did Jinzha get free with Nezha, Muzha, Yang Jian and the others and return to the Zhou lines.

Lü Yue sent his disciple Zhou Xin and others to carry plague into Western Qi. Jinzha, going out of the city, ran into Zhou Xin and fought him with drawn sword; Zhou Xin turned and struck his plague chime again and again, and Jinzha soon fell ill with headache and fever and stumbled back into the city.

The soldiers and people of Western Qi lay sick for days, until Yang Jian brought back the elixir and herbs granted by Shennong from the Fire Cloud Cave. Jinzha took the medicine and revived, and when the plague in the city had cleared he returned to Jiang Ziya’s tent for orders.

When Lü Yue later broke into Western Qi in person, Jinzha, Muzha, Huang Tianhua and others rushed out of the residence together. Jinzha raised the Dragon-Binding Stake into the air; Lü Yue urged his golden-eyed camel away to escape, and Muzha’s Wugou sword took off one of his arms from the side.

After the Zhou army moved east, Jinzha marched with the disciples through Tong Pass and the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation to Mengjin. The Marquis of the East, Jiang Wenhuan, had long failed to take Youhun Pass, and Jiang Ziya sent Jinzha and Muzha to help him.

The brothers went into the pass by earth-travelling, called themselves Sun De and Xu Ren, hermits of Penglai, and won the trust of the commander Dou Rong. Jinzha also fought Jiang Wenhuan before the lines in a staged duel, chased him an arrow’s flight, and agreed to act from within at the second watch.

At the second watch drum, torches lit inside and outside the pass together. In the confusion Jinzha raised the Dragon-Binding Stake and bound Dou Rong; Muzha killed the Lady of the Earth, Jiang Wenhuan led the lords’ troops into the pass, and Youhun Pass went over to Zhou.

After Chaoge fell, Jinzha did not enter the Investiture List. He took his leave of King Wu with his father Li Jing, his brothers Muzha and Nezha, and Yang Jian, Weihu and Lei Zhenzi, and later attained sainthood in the body.