Personal Library -- Journey to the West (1-4)

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: ▼Complete Content ▼Sandalwood Aroma ▼Compact and Portable ▼Original Illustrations ▼Easy to Carry
The Journey to the West primarily depicts the story of Sun Wukong protecting Tang Monk on his quest to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures from the Western Heaven, enduring ninety-nine and nine difficulties. The pilgrimage of Tang Monk was a real historical event. Approximately thirteen hundred years ago, in the first year of the Zhenguan era (627), the young monk Xuanzang, aged only twenty-five, left the capital Chang'an and journeyed alone to India (Tianzhu) for studies. After departing from Chang'an, he passed through Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, overcoming numerous hardships before finally reaching India. There, he studied for over two years and delivered a lecture at a major Buddhist scholastic debate, earning praise. In the nineteenth year of the Zhenguan era (645), Xuanzang returned to Chang'an, bringing back 657 Buddhist scriptures. His journey to the West spanned nineteen years and tens of thousands of miles, a legendary long march that caused a sensation at the time. Later, Xuanzang dictated his travels to his disciple Bianji, who compiled them into the Great Tang Records of the Western Regions in twelve volumes. However, this book mainly described the history, geography, and transportation of the countries along the way, with little narrative. It was his disciples Huili and Yancong who wrote the Biography of the Venerable Monk Tripitaka of the Great Tang, adding many mythical elements to Xuanzang's experiences. From then on, the story of Tang Monk's pilgrimage began to spread widely among the people. During the Southern Song Dynasty, there was The Poetic Tales of the Great Tang Monk Seeking the Scriptures, while in the Jin Dynasty, there were The Great Tang Monk and The Peach Blossom Banquet in the palace drama, and in the Yuan Dynasty, there were Wu Changling's The Great Tang Monk's Journey to the West and an anonymous The God Erlang Locks Sun Wukong. All these laid the foundation for the creation of The Journey to the West. Wu Cheng'en, based on folk legends, tales, and operas, underwent arduous re-creation to complete this great literary masterpiece that takes pride in the Chinese nation.
The entire Journey to the West consists of one hundred chapters, which can be broadly divided into three parts. From the beginning to the eighth chapter, it primarily tells the story of Sun Wukong's birth, apprenticeship, and rebellion in Heaven. This is the most exciting part of the book, with Sun Wukong causing chaos in Heaven and Earth, fully showcasing his rebellious spirit. From the eighth to the twelfth chapter, it focuses on Tang Monk's origins and the reasons for his pilgrimage. From the thirteenth to the last chapter, it mainly describes Tang Monk's journey to the West, where he later recruits Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing as his disciples, facing ninety-nine and nine difficulties before finally retrieving the true scriptures and achieving enlightenment.
The Journey to the West presents a vibrant and colorful world of gods and demons, leaving readers in awe of the author's rich and bold imagination. However, every literary work reflects a certain aspect of social life, and The Journey to the West, as an outstanding representative of fantasy novels, is no exception. As Lu Xun pointed out in A Brief History of Chinese Fiction, The Journey to the West "satirizes and teases the contemporary world, exaggerating and describing it." He also said, "The author has a talent for humor, so even when describing fantastical events, he often mixes in witty remarks, making gods and demons relatable and spirits wise." Indeed, through the fantastical world of The Journey to the West, we can see the reflection of real society everywhere. For example, in the creation of Sun Wukong's character, the author embodies his ideals. Sun Wukong's indomitable struggle, his fearless spirit in wielding the golden-banded staff to sweep away all demons and monsters, reflects the people's aspirations and desires. He represents a force of justice, embodying the people's belief in overcoming all difficulties. Similarly, the demons encountered on the journey are either transformations of natural disasters or symbols of evil forces. Their greed, cruelty, cunning, and treachery are also characteristics of the dark forces in feudal society. Moreover, even the Heavenly Palace ruled by the Jade Emperor and the Western Paradise governed by the Buddha are deeply colored by the hues of human society.
The author's attitude toward the highest rulers of feudal society is also worth noting. In The Journey to the West, it is difficult to find a competent emperor. As for the ignorant and incompetent Jade Emperor, the king of the country of Cheji who favors demons, and the king of the country of Biqiu who uses children's hearts as medicine, they are either tyrants or autocrats. The portrayal of these characters, even if done casually, carries strong realistic significance.
The Journey to the West not only has profound ideological content but also achieves remarkable artistic success. With its rich and extraordinary imagination, vivid and plots, lifelike characters, and humorous language, it constructs a unique artistic palace of The Journey to the West. However, I believe the greatest artistic achievement of The Journey to the West lies in the successful creation of the immortal artistic figures of Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie.
Sun Wukong is the protagonist of The Journey to the West, an extraordinary hero. He possesses boundless abilities, fearless of heaven or earth, and has an indomitable rebellious spirit. He has the grandeur of a great hero but also the flaw of enjoying flattery. He is witty, brave, and playful. His greatest characteristic is his courage to fight. He dares to challenge the supreme and invincible Jade Emperor, earning the title of "Great Sage Equal to Heaven." He dares to fight against demons and monsters, never missing a demon with his fiery eyes and golden pupils, and never showing mercy to demons under the golden-banded staff. He dares to fight against all difficulties, never retreating or bowing his head. This is Sun Wukong, a dazzling mythological hero.
As for Zhu Bajie, his abilities are far inferior to Sun Wukong, and he is far from being a glorious and noble figure. Yet, this character is also portrayed very well. Zhu Bajie is a comedic figure, simple-minded, strong, and brave enough to fight against demons and monsters, serving as Sun Wukong's reliable assistant. However, he is full of flaws, such as his love for food, petty greed, lust for women, fear of difficulties, and his tendency to give up halfway, always thinking of the wife in Gaogao Village. Sometimes he lies, but his clumsy mouth and slow wit make it hard for him to convince anyone. He also occasionally provokes Tang Monk to recite the tightening spell, making Sun Wukong suffer. He even hides some private money, stuffing it into his ear. His flaws are numerous, reflecting the vices of a petty owner. The author's criticism of Zhu Bajie's shortcomings is severe but well-intentioned. He is not a completely negated character, so people do not dislike Zhu Bajie but rather find him quite relatable and endearing.
Tang Monk's character is also well-written but inferior to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie. Sha Wujing is even more lacking in distinct personality traits, which cannot be helped but be a shortcoming of The Journey to the West. Despite this, the artistic achievements of The Journey to the West remain astonishing. Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, with their, stand as an immortal artistic monument in the history of Chinese literature.