Journey to the West (Gift)

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The story of The Journey to the West is very familiar to people. Among its most exciting chapters, such as Sun Wukong's rebellion in Heaven, Zhu Bajie's marriage at High Old Village, the battle against the White Bone Demon, and borrowing the Plantain Fan, are household names, known to all. For hundreds of years, it has attracted generation after generation with its strong artistic charm, making it one of the most beloved classical novels in Chinese history. The Journey to the West primarily depicts the story of Sun Wukong protecting Tang Monk on his journey westward to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures, enduring ninety-nine and eighty-one trials. The journey of Tang Monk to retrieve the scriptures was a real historical event. Approximately 1,300 years ago, in the first year of the Zhenguan era (627), the young monk Xuanzang, only 25 years old, left the capital Chang'an and traveled alone to India (Tianzhu) to study. After departing from Chang'an, he passed through Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, overcoming numerous difficulties and finally reaching India. There, he studied for over two years and was honored as the main speaker at a major Buddhist scholastic debate. In the 19th year of the Zhenguan era (645), Xuanzang returned to Chang'an, bringing back 657 Buddhist scriptures. His journey to the West lasted nineteen years and covered tens of thousands of miles, a legendary long march that caused a sensation at the time. Later, Xuanzang dictated his travels to the West, which were compiled by his disciple Bianji into the Record of the Western Journey to the West in the Great Tang Dynasty (Twelve Volumes). However, this book mainly described the history, geography, and transportation of the countries he passed through and contained little narrative. Later, his disciples Huili and Yancong wrote the Biography of the Venerable Monk Xuanzang of the Great Tang's Daci'en Temple, which added many mythical elements to Xuanzang's experiences. From then on, the story of Tang Monk's journey to the West began to spread widely among the people. During the Southern Song Dynasty, there was The Poetic Dialogue of Tang Monk's Journey to the West, and in the Jin Dynasty, there were Tang Monk and The Peach Blossom Banquet in the court drama. In the Yuan Dynasty, there were Wu Changling's Tang Monk's Journey to the West to the Western Heaven 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 Shaoyang 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 13th year of the Hongzhi era and the early Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1500–1510) and died around the 10th year of the Wanli era (1582). Wu Cheng'en's great-grandfather and grandfather were scholars who served as instructors and educators 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 in character and loved reading and discussing current affairs, which naturally had a significant influence on Wu Cheng'en. Wu Cheng'en was very intelligent from a young age and entered school early, achieving early success and fame in his hometown. The 16th 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 the stroke of a pen." However, Wu Cheng'en's life was not smooth after 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 the Jixian (a minor post) in the Jing Wangfu. Wu Cheng'en began writing The Journey to the West in his middle age, or perhaps later, though 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 existing Collected Works of Master Shaoyang (Four Volumes) include one volume of poetry and three volumes of prose, compiled by Qiu Du after Wu Cheng'en's death. The entire Journey to the West consists of 100 chapters, which can be divided into three major parts. From the beginning to the eighth chapter is the first part, primarily describing Sun Wukong's birth, his apprenticeship, and his rebellion in Heaven. This is the most exciting part of the book, filled with chaos and excitement as Sun Wukong travels, fully showcasing his rebellious nature. The eighth to the twelfth chapters form the second part, mainly detailing Tang Monk's origins and the reasons for his journey to retrieve the scriptures. The thirteenth chapter to the last chapter is the third part, focusing on Tang Monk's journey to the West, where he later adopts Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing as his disciples, faces ninety-nine and eighty-one 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 artistic imagination. However, every work of literature reflects a certain aspect of social life, and as an outstanding representative of fantasy novels, 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 contemporary social customs, adding exaggerated 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 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 of 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 journey to retrieve the scriptures 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 country who favors demons, and the king of the Biqiu country who wants to use children's hearts and livers as medicine, they are either tyrants or autocrats. These portrayals, even if casual, are deeply meaningful in reality. The Journey to the West not only has profound ideological content but also achieves remarkable artistic success. With its rich and extraordinary artistic imagination, vivid and storylines, 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 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 most outstanding characteristic is his courage to fight. He dares to challenge the supreme and omnipotent 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-banded staff, and shows no mercy to them under the 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-minded, strong, and brave enough to fight against demons and monsters, serving as Sun Wukong's right-hand man. However, he is full of flaws, such as his love for food, petty greed, lust for women, fear of difficulties, and often wanting to give up. He is always thinking about the wife in High Old 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 golden-banded scripture, making Sun Wukong suffer. He even hides some private money, stuffing it in his ear. His flaws are 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 Monk'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, stand as an immortal artistic monument in the history of Chinese literature.