Complete Journey to the West - (Illustrated Treasury) - (Complete Annotated Edition) - 4 Volumes

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The Journey to the West is a novel, and the main task of novel writing is to shape character images. Many characters appear in this novel. Due to the of the novel's theme, the characters in the book, except for a few like Tang Sanzang in the real world, are almost all supernatural and fantastical figures. These fantastical characters can be roughly divided into three categories: Buddhist, Taoist, and demonic. Specifically: the Buddhist heavens of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats; the Taoist world of immortals, including the Jade Emperor and the gods of the Lingxiao Palace, who are inspired by the emperors and officials of the human court; and then there are the various demons on the journey west. Demons include attendants and even mounts of deities from both Buddhist and Taoist worlds, as well as those born and raised locally with more complex origins. The Journey to the West has a three-part overall structure, plus an epilogue. The first part tells the origin of the actual protagonist, Sun Wukong. The second part explains the of Tang Sanzang's pilgrimage. The third part is the main body of the book, detailing the trials and tribulations Tang Sanzang faces on his journey west until he reaches the Lingyanshan Temple in the Thunder Monastery. The epilogue describes how the four disciples complete their pilgrimage and finally achieve enlightenment.