Ten Brothers

Ten Brothers is a Chinese legend known to be written around the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644). It has been told and spun off in various adaptations and remains popular since it is one of the oldest Chinese legends to feature characters in a superhero fashion.

Story
The more modern version of the story has a couple swallow ten pearls and give birth to ten brothers. Each one of the ten brothers possesses a different supernatural power, though they develop their powers as the story progresses. At the end, the brothers battle some form of an antagonist and they only win when working in unity.

However, if the ten brothers come into contact with limestone, their powers disappear and they become helpless.

Characters
The number of brothers varies among Chinese ethnicities. The Yi people have nine brothers, the Zhuang people have eight brothers, the Han people have five brothers and the Li people have 10 brothers.


 * 1st and Oldest Brother Ah Dai - Capable of seeing miles away with his binocular eyes, sometimes identified as Mazu's guardian Qianliyan
 * 2nd Brother Ah Yi - Capable of hearing miles away, sometimes identified as Mazu's guardian Shunfeng'er
 * 3rd Brother Ah Sam - Has Herculean strength.
 * 4th Brother Ah See - Has the ability to stretch and is invincible.
 * 5th Brother Ah Ng - Capable of flying.
 * 6th Brother Ah Luk - Has a solid impenetrable head and is the smartest.
 * 7th Brother Ah Chi - Can grow in height.
 * 8th Brother Ah Ba - Capable of tunneling underground.
 * 9th Brother Ah Kow - Has a huge mouth that can blow wind and shout loudly.
 * 10th and Youngest Brother Ah Sup - Can cry a river; also can heal any illnesses if he cries on people.

Film
The story has been adapted many times in Asian movies and TV series, most notably in China and Hong Kong:


 * The Liu Brothers, 1953 Soviet cartoon
 * Ten Brothers, 1959 Hong Kong black and white film by director Wui Ng
 * Ten Brothers vs. the Sea Monster (十兄弟怒海除魔), 1960 film
 * Ten Brothers, 1985 series by ATV
 * Ten Brothers, 1995 Hong Kong film by director Lee Lik-Chi
 * Ten Brothers, 2007 series by TVB

Literary

 * The Five Chinese Brothers, 1938 American book by Claire Huchet Bishop, illustrated by Kurt Wiese
 * Seven Chinese Brothers, 1990 children's picture book by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng
 * The Five Queer Brothers. a transcription of a Chinese version by Western missionary Adele M. Fielde