Journey to the West, Volume 1: English

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1995-01-01
Features: Journey to the West is a mythological novel based on many centuries of popular tradition. It was probably put into its present form in the 16th century by Wu Cheng'en (1500-82). This lively fantasy relates the amazing adventures of the priest Sanzang as he travels west in search of Buddhist sutras with his three disciples, their reverent and capable Monkey, greedy Pig, and Friar Sand. The opening chapters recount the earlier exploits of Monkey, culminating in his rebellion against Heaven. We then learn how Sanzang became a monk and was sent on his pilgrimage by the Tang emperor who had escaped death with the help of an Underworld official. The main story, the journey, takes the priest through all kinds of entertaining trials and tribulations, mainly at the hands of monsters and spirits who want to eat him. Only the courage and powers of his disciples, especially Monkey, save him from death. Monkey is the hero of the fantasy, and the reader will soon learn why he has long been loved in China. Will the pilgrims reach the Vulture Peak and obtain the scriptures? The answer will only be found at the end of the 100-chapter novel. The story is as full of imagination as Monkey is of magic, and packed with incident and down-to-earth humor. The illustrations are from a 19th-century Chinese edition. This is the first of the three volumes of the novel. Jacket drawing by: Wei Wei
Excerpt: Journey to the West begins when sand and inanimate things vanished from the world, for this reason it was called Chaos. Another 5,400 years later, Phase XII was drawing to a close and a new cycle was about to begin. As Phase 1 of the new era approached, gradually there was light. As Shao Yong said, "When the winter solstice is at the midpoint of Phase 1, the heart of Heaven does not move. Where the Positive first appears, nothing has yet come to life." At this time, Heaven first had a foundation. 5,400 years later, in the middle of Phase 1, the light and the pure rose upwards, and sun, moon, stars, and constellations were created. These were called the Pour Images. Hence the saying that Heaven began in 1. Another 5,400 years later, when Phase 1 was nearing its end and Phase II was imminent, things gradually solidified. As the Book of Changes says, "Great is the Positive; far-reaching is the Negative. All things are endowed and born in accordance with Heaven." This was when the earth began to congeal. After 5,400 more years came the height of Phase II, when the heavy and impure solidified, and water, fire, mountains, stone, and Earth came into being. These five were called the Five Movers. Therefore it is said that the Earth was created in Phase II. After another 5,400 years, at the end of Phase II and the beginning of Phase III, living beings were created. In the words of the Book of the Calendar: "The essence of the sky came down and the essence of the earth went up. Heaven and Earth intermingled, and all creatures were born." Then Heaven was bright and Earth was fresh, and the Positive intermingled with the Negative. 5,400 years later, when Phase III was at its height, men, birds, and beasts were created. Thus the Three Primaries—Heaven, Earth, and Man—now had their set places. Therefore it is said that man was created in Phase III. Moved by Pan Gu's creation, the Three Emperors put the world in order and the Five Rulers laid down the moral code.
Chapter 1: The world was then divided into four great continents: the Eastern Continent of Superior Body, the Western Continent of Cattle-gift, the Southern Continent of Jambu, and the Northern Continent of Kuru. This book deals only with the Eastern Continent of Superior Body. Beyond the east there is a country called Aolai. This country is next to an ocean, and in the middle of the ocean is a famous island called the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. This mountain is the ancestral chain of the Ten Continents, the origin of the Three Islands; it was formed when the clear and impure were separated and the Enormous Vagueness was divided. It is a truly splendid mountain, and there are verses to prove it:
It stills the ocean with its might,
It awes the desolate sea to calm.
It stills the ocean with its might:
Tides wash its silver slopes and fish swim into its caves.
It awes the jade sea to calm:
Amid the snowy breakers the sea-serpent rises from the deep.
It rises high in the corner of the world where Fire and Wood meet;
Its summit towers above the Eastern Sea.
Red cliffs and strange rocks;
Beetling crags and jagged peaks.
On the red cliffs phoenixes sing in pairs;
Lonely corns lie before the beetling crags.
The cry of peasants is heard upon the peaks;
In caves the dragons come and go.
There are flowers of jade and strange plants that wither;
Miraculous birds and black cranes in the trees.
There are flowers of jade and strange plants that wither not;
Green pine and blue cypress ever in leaf,
Magic peaches always in fruit.
Clouds gather around the tall bamboo.