Journey to the West - (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The Journey to the West primarily depicts the story of Sun Wukong protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey westward to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures, enduring ninety-nine and nine difficulties. The pilgrimage of Tang Sanzang 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 for studies. After departing from Chang'an, he passed through Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, overcoming numerous hardships and finally reaching India. There, he studied for over two years and was honored as the main speaker at a grand Buddhist scholastic debate, receiving praise. In the nineteenth year of the Zhenguan era (645), Xuanzang returned to Chang'an, bringing back 657 Buddhist scriptures. This westward journey lasted nineteen years and covered tens of thousands of miles, a legendary long march that made a great impact. Later, Xuanzang dictated his travels, which were compiled by his disciple Bianji into The Great Tang Records of the Western Regions, a twelve-volume work. However, this book mainly described the history, geography, and transportation of the countries along the way, with little narrative. Later, his disciples Huili and Yancong wrote The Biography of the Venerable Monk Xuanzang of the Great Tang, which added many mythical elements to Xuanzang's experiences. From then on, the story of Tang Sanzang's pilgrimage began to spread widely among the people. During the Southern Song Dynasty, there was The Poetic Account of the Tang Monk's Journey to the West, and in the Jin Dynasty, there were The Tang Monk and The Peach Blossom Banquet in the court drama. In the Yuan Dynasty, there were Wu Changling's The Tang Monk's Journey to the West and an anonymous The God Erlang Locks Sun Wukong, all of which laid the foundation for the creation of The Journey to the West. Wu Cheng'en, styled Ruzhong and known as Sheyang Mountain Man, was a native of Shanyang in Huai'an Prefecture (now Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province). He was born around the years between the thirteenth year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty and the early Zhengde era (1500–1510) and died around the tenth year of the Wanli era (1582). Wu Cheng'en's great-grandfather and grandfather were scholars who served as instructors and preachers in county schools. However, by Wu Rui's generation, due to poverty, he was adopted into the Xu family and took over their business, becoming a small merchant. Despite this, the Wu family maintained its tradition of scholarship. It is said that Wu Rui, though a merchant, was upright and loved reading and discussing current affairs, which greatly influenced Wu Cheng'en. Wu Cheng'en was very intelligent from a young age, entered school early, achieved success in his youth, and was renowned in his hometown. The Sixteenth Volume of the Tianqi Huai'an Prefecture Gazetteer describes Wu Cheng'en as "quick-witted and knowledgeable, well-versed in books, and able to compose poetry and prose at a stroke." However, Wu Cheng'en's life became less smooth in adulthood. He faced repeated setbacks in the imperial examinations and only became a supplementary in his forties. In his fifties, he served as the county magistrate of Changxing County in Zhejiang and later as a Jixian in the Jing Wang Palace, a position of little responsibility similar to that of a county magistrate. Wu Cheng'en likely began writing The Journey to the West after middle age, though some believe it was completed in his later years. The exact time remains uncertain. In addition to The Journey to the West, he also wrote the long poem The Song of Erlang Searching for Mountains and The Legend of Yu Ding. The surviving Collected Works of Sheyang Mountain Man, four volumes including one of poetry and three of prose, were compiled by Qiu Du after Wu Cheng'en's death. The Journey to the West is a one-hundred-chapter work, which can be broadly divided into three parts. From the beginning to the eighth chapter is the first part, primarily describing Sun Wukong's birth, apprenticeship, and rebellion in Heaven. This is the most exciting part of the book, filled with chaos as Sun Wukong travels heaven and earth, fully showcasing his rebellious spirit. The eighth to the twelfth chapters form the second part, focusing on Tang Sanzang's origins and the reasons for his pilgrimage. The thirteenth chapter to the last chapter is the third part, detailing Tang Sanzang's journey westward, where he later acquires Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing as disciples, faces ninety-nine and nine trials, and finally retrieves the true scriptures, achieving enlightenment. The Journey to the West presents a dazzling and colorful world of gods and demons, leaving readers in awe of the author's rich and bold imagination. However, every piece of literature reflects a certain aspect of social life, and as an outstanding representative of fantasy fiction, The Journey to the West is no exception. As Lu Xun pointed out in A Brief History of Chinese Fiction, The Journey to the West "satirizes and teases the customs of the time, exaggerating the descriptions." He also said, "The author has a talent for humor, so even when describing fantastical events, he often mixes in witty remarks, making the gods and demons seem human and the spirits and monsters worldly." Indeed, through the imaginary world of gods and demons in 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 unyielding spirit, his fearless attitude in wielding the golden-banded staff to sweep away all demons and monsters, reflects the people's desires and aspirations. He represents a force of justice, showing the people's belief in overcoming all difficulties. He embodies a righteous power, demonstrating the people's unwavering confidence in victory. The demons and monsters encountered on the pilgrimage are either manifestations 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, the Heavenly Palace ruled by the Jade Emperor and the Western Paradise governed by the Buddha are heavily colored with 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 hard to find a competent emperor; as for the ignorant and incompetent Jade Emperor, the king of the Xu Chi Kingdom who favors demons, or the king of the Biqiu Kingdom who wants to use 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 and witty 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 is 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 and earth, and has an unyielding rebellious spirit. He has the demeanor of a great hero but also the flaw of enjoying flattery. He is clever, brave, and playful. His most outstanding characteristic is his courage to fight. He dares to challenge the supreme and revered 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 certainly no heroic figure. However, this character is also portrayed very well. Zhu Bajie is a comedic figure, simple and honest, strong, and brave in fighting against demons and monsters, serving as Sun Wukong's loyal assistant. However, he is full of flaws, such as his love for food, petty greed, and lust for women, his fear of difficulties, and his tendency to give up halfway, always thinking of the wife in Gaobao Village. Sometimes he lies but cannot express himself well due to his clumsy mouth and slow wit. He also occasionally provokes Tang Sanzang to recite the golden-banded scripture, making Sun Wukong suffer. He even hides some private money in his ear. His flaws are many, 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 real and endearing. Tang Sanzang's character is also well-written, but compared to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, he is somewhat inferior. Sha Wujing is even less distinct in character, which cannot be said to be a shortcoming of The Journey to the West. Despite this, the artistic achievements of The Journey to the West are still remarkable. Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, with their distinct personalities, stand as immortal artistic monuments in the history of Chinese literature.