Journey to the West (Upper and Lower)

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-06-05
Features: The Journey to the West primarily depicts the story of Sun Wukong protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West 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), a young monk named Xuanzang, aged only twenty-five, left the capital Chang'an and traveled alone to India (Tianzhu) for studies. After departing from Chang'an, he passed through Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, overcoming numerous hardships and finally reached India. There, he studied for over two years and was praised as the main speaker at a grand Buddhist scholastic debate. In the nineteenth year of the Zhenguan era (645), Xuanzang returned to Chang'an, bringing back 657 Buddhist scriptures. His journey to the West lasted nineteen years, covering tens of thousands of miles, and was 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, a twelve-volume work. However, this book mainly described the history, geography, and transportation of the countries he visited and contained little narrative. It was later his disciples Huili and Yancong who wrote the Biography of the Venerable Monk Xuanzang of the Great Tang's Daxing Temple, adding many mythical elements to Xuanzang's life. 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 Great Tang Monk's Journey to the West; in the Jin Dynasty, there were Tang Sanzang and The Peach Blossom Banquet in the court drama; and in the Yuan Dynasty, there were Wu Changling's Tang Sanzang'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 tales, stories, and dramas, underwent arduous re-creation to complete this great literary masterpiece that brought pride to the Chinese nation.
Wu Cheng'en, styled Ruzhong, styled Sheyang Mountain Man, was a native of Shanyang in Huai'an Prefecture (now Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province). He was born between the thirteenth year of the Hongzhi era and the early Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1500–1510) and died around the tenth year of the Wanli era (1582). Both his great-grandfather and grandfather were scholars who served as instructors and preachers in county schools. However, by the time of his father Wu Rui, 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 in character 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 Tianqi Gazetteer of Huai'an Prefecture, Volume 16, describes Wu Cheng'en as "bright and witty, knowledgeable in all books, able to compose poetry and prose at a stroke." However, Wu Cheng'en's life was not 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 Jishi in the Jing Wangfu, a position similar to that of a county magistrate but with little actual responsibility. Wu Cheng'en likely began writing The Journey to the West after middle age, though some believe it was written in his later years. 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 existing 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 that, structurally, can be divided into three parts. From the beginning to the eighth chapter is the first part, mainly describing Sun Wukong's birth, his apprenticeship, and his rebellion in Heaven. This is the most exciting part of the book, filled with chaos as Sun Wukong travels, fully showcasing his rebellious nature. The second part, from the eighth to the twelfth chapter, mainly tells the story of Tang Sanzang's origins and the reasons for his pilgrimage. The third part, from the thirteenth chapter to the end, focuses on Tang Sanzang's journey to the West, where he eventually collects the true scriptures and achieves enlightenment after being tested by ninety-nine and nine difficulties. The Journey to the West presents a dazzling and colorful world of gods and demons, leaving people in awe of the author's rich and bold artistic imagination. However, every work 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 and depicting them." He also said, "The author has a talent for comedy, so even when describing fantastical events, he often mixes in humorous remarks, making the gods and demons have human emotions and the spirits understand worldly affairs." 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's ideals are embodied. Sun Wukong's indomitable spirit, his fearless attitude in wielding the golden headband staff to sweep away all demons and monsters, reflects the people's desires and aspirations. He represents a force of justice and demonstrates the people's belief in overcoming all difficulties. The demons and monsters encountered on the journey to the West 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 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 hard to find a competent emperor; as for the ignorant and incompetent Jade Emperor, the king of Xu Chi who favored demons, and the king of Biqiu who wanted to use children's hearts as medicine, they are either incompetent or tyrannical rulers. The portrayal of these characters, even if seemingly casual, carries strong realistic significance.
The Journey to the West not only has profound ideological content but also achieves great artistic success. With its rich and unique artistic imagination, vivid and storylines, lifelike characters, and humorous language, it constructs a distinctive 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, fears neither heaven nor earth, and has an indomitable spirit of rebellion. He has the demeanor of a great hero but also the flaw of enjoying flattery. He is clever, brave, and playful. His greatest characteristic is his courage to fight. He dares to challenge the supreme and revered Jade Emperor, earning the name "Great Sage Equal to Heaven." He dares to fight against demons and monsters, never missing a demon with his fiery eyes and golden staff, and never showing mercy to them under the staff of the golden headband. 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. However, this character is also portrayed very well. Zhu Bajie is a comedic figure, simple-minded and honest, strong, and brave in fighting against demons and monsters, serving as Sun Wukong's reliable assistant. Yet, he is full of flaws, such as his love for food, his tendency to take small advantages, his obsession with women, his fear of difficulties, and his frequent desire to give up. He often thinks of the wife from Gaozhuang. Sometimes he lies, but his clumsy mouth and slow wit make it hard for him to speak convincingly. He also occasionally provokes Tang Sanzang to recite the spell of the golden headband to make Sun Wukong suffer. He even hides some private money in his ear. His flaws are indeed many, reflecting the vices of a petty owner. The author's criticism of Zhu Bajie's flaws is severe but well-intentioned. He is not a completely negated character, so people do not dislike Zhu Bajie; instead, they find him quite real and lovable. Tang Sanzang's character is also well-written, but compared to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, he is somewhat inferior. Sha Wujing is even more lacking in distinct personality traits, 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, have established an immortal artistic monument in the history of Chinese literature.
The Journey to the West primarily depicts the story of Sun Wukong protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West 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), a young monk named Xuanzang, aged only twenty-five, left the capital Chang'an and traveled alone to India (Tianzhu) for studies. After departing from Chang'an, he passed through Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, overcoming numerous hardships and finally reached India. There, he studied for over two years and was praised as the main speaker at a grand Buddhist scholastic debate. In the nineteenth year of the Zhenguan era (645), Xuanzang returned to Chang'an, bringing back 657 Buddhist scriptures. His journey to the West lasted nineteen years, covering tens of thousands of miles, and was 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, a twelve-volume work. However, this book mainly described the history, geography, and transportation of the countries he visited and contained little narrative. It was later his disciples Huili and Yancong who wrote the Biography of the Venerable Monk Xuanzang of the Great Tang's Daxing Temple, adding many mythical elements to Xuanzang's life. 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 Great Tang Monk's Journey to the West; in the Jin Dynasty, there were Tang Sanzang and The Peach Blossom Banquet in the court drama; and in the Yuan Dynasty, there were Wu Changling's Tang Sanzang'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 tales, stories, and dramas, underwent arduous re-creation to complete this great literary masterpiece that brought pride to the Chinese nation.
Wu Cheng'en, styled Ruzhong, styled Sheyang Mountain Man, was a native of Shanyang in Huai'an Prefecture (now Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province). He was born between the thirteenth year of the Hongzhi era and the early Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1500–1510) and died around the tenth year of the Wanli era (1582). Both his great-grandfather and grandfather were scholars who served as instructors and preachers in county schools. However, by the time of his father Wu Rui, 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 in character 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 Tianqi Gazetteer of Huai'an Prefecture, Volume 16, describes Wu Cheng'en as "bright and witty, knowledgeable in all books, able to compose poetry and prose at a stroke." However, Wu Cheng'en's life was not 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 Jishi in the Jing Wangfu, a position similar to that of a county magistrate but with little actual responsibility. Wu Cheng'en likely began writing The Journey to the West after middle age, though some believe it was written in his later years. 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 existing 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 that, structurally, can be divided into three parts. From the beginning to the eighth chapter is the first part, mainly describing Sun Wukong's birth, his apprenticeship, and his rebellion in Heaven. This is the most exciting part of the book, filled with chaos as Sun Wukong travels, fully showcasing his rebellious nature. The second part, from the eighth to the twelfth chapter, mainly tells the story of Tang Sanzang's origins and the reasons for his pilgrimage. The third part, from the thirteenth chapter to the end, focuses on Tang Sanzang's journey to the West, where he eventually collects the true scriptures and achieves enlightenment after being tested by ninety-nine and nine difficulties. The Journey to the West presents a dazzling and colorful world of gods and demons, leaving people in awe of the author's rich and bold artistic imagination. However, every work 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 and depicting them." He also said, "The author has a talent for comedy, so even when describing fantastical events, he often mixes in humorous remarks, making the gods and demons have human emotions and the spirits understand worldly affairs." 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's ideals are embodied. Sun Wukong's indomitable spirit, his fearless attitude in wielding the golden headband staff to sweep away all demons and monsters, reflects the people's desires and aspirations. He represents a force of justice and demonstrates the people's belief in overcoming all difficulties. The demons and monsters encountered on the journey to the West 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 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 hard to find a competent emperor; as for the ignorant and incompetent Jade Emperor, the king of Xu Chi who favored demons, and the king of Biqiu who wanted to use children's hearts as medicine, they are either incompetent or tyrannical rulers. The portrayal of these characters, even if seemingly casual, carries strong realistic significance.
The Journey to the West not only has profound ideological content but also achieves great artistic success. With its rich and unique artistic imagination, vivid and storylines, lifelike characters, and humorous language, it constructs a distinctive 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, fears neither heaven nor earth, and has an indomitable spirit of rebellion. He has the demeanor of a great hero but also the flaw of enjoying flattery. He is clever, brave, and playful. His greatest characteristic is his courage to fight. He dares to challenge the supreme and revered Jade Emperor, earning the name "Great Sage Equal to Heaven." He dares to fight against demons and monsters, never missing a demon with his fiery eyes and golden staff, and never showing mercy to them under the staff of the golden headband. 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. However, this character is also portrayed very well. Zhu Bajie is a comedic figure, simple-minded and honest, strong, and brave in fighting against demons and monsters, serving as Sun Wukong's reliable assistant. Yet, he is full of flaws, such as his love for food, his tendency to take small advantages, his obsession with women, his fear of difficulties, and his frequent desire to give up. He often thinks of the wife from Gaozhuang. Sometimes he lies, but his clumsy mouth and slow wit make it hard for him to speak convincingly. He also occasionally provokes Tang Sanzang to recite the spell of the golden headband to make Sun Wukong suffer. He even hides some private money in his ear. His flaws are indeed many, reflecting the vices of a petty owner. The author's criticism of Zhu Bajie's flaws is severe but well-intentioned. He is not a completely negated character, so people do not dislike Zhu Bajie; instead, they find him quite real and lovable. Tang Sanzang's character is also well-written, but compared to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, he is somewhat inferior. Sha Wujing is even more lacking in distinct personality traits, 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, have established an immortal artistic monument in the history of Chinese literature.