Journey to the West
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| Author | Wú Chéng'ēn |
|---|---|
| Original title | 西遊記 |
| Translator | many |
| Country | China |
| Language | Chinese |
| Publisher | many |
| Released | 1590s |
| Media type | Print () |
| ISBN | ISBN |
Journey to the West (Traditional Chinese: 西遊記; Simplified Chinese: 西游记; Hanyu Pinyin: Xīyóu-jì; Wade-Giles: Hsiyu-chi) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Originally published anonymously in the 1590s during the Ming Dynasty, and even though no direct evidence of its authorship survives, it is ascribed to the scholar Wú Chéng'ēn since the 20th century.
The work is also known as Monkey from the title of a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley.
The novel is a fictionalized account of the legends around the Buddhist monk Xuánzàng's pilgrimage to India during the Táng dynasty in order to obtain Buddhist religious texts called sutras. The Bodhisattva Guānyīn, on instruction from the Buddha, gives this task to the monk and his three protectors in the form of disciples — namely Sūn Wùkōng, Zhū Bājiè and Shā Wùjìng — together with a dragon prince who acts as Xuánzàng's horse mount. These four characters have agreed to help Xuánzàng as an atonement for past sins.
Some scholars propose that the book is a work of satire on the effeteness of the Chinese government at the time. Journey to the West has a strong background in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and value systems; the pantheon of Taoist and Buddhist deities is still reflective of Chinese folk religious beliefs today.
Part of the novel's enduring popularity comes from the fact that it works on multiple levels: it is a first-rate adventure story, a dispenser of spiritual insight, and an extended allegory in which the group of pilgrims journeying toward India stands for the individual journeying toward enlightenment.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
The novel comprises 100 chapters. The opening sections of the novel recount the earlier exploits of Sūn Wùkōng, a monkey born from stone who learns the art of fighting and secrets of immortality, and through guile and force makes a name for himself as the Qítiān Dàshèng (Simplified Chinese: 齐天大圣; Traditional Chinese: 齊天大聖), or "Great Sage Equal to Heaven". His powers grow to match the forces of all of the Eastern (Taoist) deities, and the prologue culminates in Sūn's rebellion against Heaven, during a time when he garnered a post in the celestial bureacracy. Hubris proves his downfall when the Buddha manages to trap him under a mountain for five hundred years.
Dismayed that "the land of the South knows only greed, hedonism, promiscuity, and sins", the Buddha instructs the Bodhisattva Guānyīn to search Táng China for someone to take the Buddhist sutras of "transcendence and persuasion for good will" back to the East. Part of the story here also relates to how Xuánzàng becomes a monk (as well as revealing his past life as the "Golden Cicada" and comes about being sent on this pilgrimage by the Emperor Táng Tàizōng, who previously escaped death with the help of an underworld official).
The Bodhisattva finds four willing disciples for the monk along the way, who agree to help Xuánzàng in order to atone for their sins in their past lives.
- Sūn Wùkōng (Simplified Chinese: 孙悟空; Traditional Chinese: 孫悟空), or Monkey, previously "Great Sage Equal to Heaven", trapped by Buddha for rebelling against Heaven.
- Zhū Bājiè (Simplified Chinese: 猪八戒; Traditional Chinese: 豬八戒), sometimes translated as Pigsy, or Pig, was previously Marshal Tīan Péng (Chinese: 天蓬), commander of the Heavenly Naval forces, banished to the mortal realm for flirting with the Princess of the Moon Chang'e;
- The river-monster Shā Wùjìng (Simplified Chinese: 沙悟净; Traditional Chinese: 沙悟淨), also translated as Friar Sand or Sandy, was previously Great General who Folds the Curtain, banished to the mortal realm for dropping (and shattering) a crystal goblet of the Heavenly Queen Mother.
- The third prince of the Dragon-King, Yùlóng Sāntàizǐ (Simplified Chinese: 玉龙三太子; Traditional Chinese: 玉龍三太子) was sentenced to death for setting fire to his father's great pearl. He was saved by Guānyīn from execution to stay and wait for his call of duty. He was later turned into a horse for Xuánzàng.
Throughout the journey, these four brave travelers have to fend off attacks on their master and teacher Xuánzàng from various monsters and calamities.
It is strongly suggested that most of these calamities are engineered by fate and/or the Buddha, as, while the monsters who attack are vast in power and many in number, no real harm ever comes to the four travelers. Indeed, towards the end of the book there is a scene where the Buddha literally commands the fulfillment of the last disaster, because Xuánzàng is one short of the eighty-one disasters he needs to attain Buddhahood.
The pilgrimage takes an arduous fourteen years to complete, after which each traveler is promoted to higher posts in the bureaucracy of the heavens, with Sūn Wùkōng and Xuánzàng achieving Buddhahood. Bājiè promoted to an altar cleanser (ie. eater of offerings at altars), and Wùjìng promoted to an arhat status. The dragon is made a Naga.
[edit] Historical context
The classic tale of the Journey to the West was based on real events. The real journey to the west took place during the Tang Dynasty. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xī'ān, Shǎnxī Province, China, was both the starting and ending point of this epic journey. The statue of Xuánzàng can be seen near the right of this panorama. Xuánzàng reached India after he experienced innumerable trials and hardships, of course without the help of the mighty disciples of the novel. Xuánzàng then lived in India for more than a decade, studying at Nalanda University and learning classics of Buddhism and Indian culture. Later he returned to China, bringing with him copies of many classic Buddhism texts, which contributed significantly to the promotion of Buddhism in China.
Fictionalized stories of Xuánzàng's journey were in existence long before Journey to the West was written. In these versions, dating as far back as Southern Song, a monkey character was already a primary protagonist. It is believed that these legends began forming from Xuánzàng's accounts of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god from the ancient Ramayana epic. During the Yuan Dynasty and early Ming, elements of the Monkey legend can already be seen.
[edit] Main characters
[edit] Tripitaka or Xuánzàng
Xuánzàng (or Táng-Sānzàng, meaning "Táng-dynasty monk" — Sānzàng or "Three Baskets", referring to the Tripitaka, was a traditional honorific for a Buddhist monk) is the Buddhist monk who set out to India to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures for China. He is called Tripitaka in many English versions of the story. Although he is helpless when it comes to defending himself, the bodhisattva Guānyīn helps by finding him powerful disciples (Sūn Wùkōng, Zhū Bājiè, and Shā Wùjìng) who aid and protect him on his journey. In return, the disciples will receive enlightenment and forgiveness for their sins once the journey is done. Along the way, they help the local inhabitants by defeating various monsters. The fact that most of the monsters and demons are trying to obtain immortality by eating Xuánzàng's flesh provides much of the plot in the story.
[edit] Monkey or Sūn Wùkōng
Sūn Wùkōng is the name given to this character by his teacher, Patriarch Subodhi, and means "the one who has Achieved the Perfect Comprehension of the Extinction of both Emptiness and non-Emptiness"; he is called Monkey King or simply Monkey in English.
He was born a monkey, out of a rock in that had been dormant for ages in Bloom Mountains. He first distinguished himself by bravely entering the Cave of Water Curtains (pinyin:Shuǐlián-dòng ) at the Mountains of Flowers and Fruits (Huāguǒ-shān); for this feat, his monkey tribe gave him the title of Měi-hóuwáng ("handsome monkey-king"). Later, he started making trouble in Heaven and defeated an army of 100,000 celestial soldiers, led by the Four Heavenly Kings, Erlang Shen, and Nezha. Eventually, the Jade Emperor appealed to Buddha, who subdued and trapped Wukong under a mountain. He was only saved when Xuanzang came by him on his pilgrimage and accepted him as a disciple.
His primary weapon is the rúyì-jīngū-bàng ("will-following golden-banded staff"), which he can shrink down to the size of a needle and keep behind his ear, as well as expand it to gigantic proportions (hence the "will-following" part of the name). The staff, originally a pillar supporting the undersea palace of the East Sea Dragon King, weighs 13,500 pounds, which he pulled out of its support and swung with ease. The Dragon King, not wanting him to cause any trouble, also gave him a suit of golden armor. These gifts, combined with his devouring of the peaches of immortality and three jars of immortality pills while in Heaven, plus his ordeal in an eight-trigram furnace (which gave him a steel-hard body and fiery golden eyes), makes Wukong the strongest member by far of the pilgrimage. Besides these abilities, he can also pull hairs from his body and blow on them to transform them into whatever he wishes (usually clones of himself to gain a numerical advantage in battle). Although he has mastered seventy-two methods of transformations, it does not mean that he is restricted to seventy-two different forms. He can also do a jīndǒuyún ("cloud somersault"), enabling him to travel vast distances in a single leap. Wukong uses his talents to fight demons and play pranks. However, his behavior is checked by a band placed around his head by Guanyin, which cannot be removed by Wukong himself until the journey's end. Xuanzang can tighten this band by chanting the Tightening-Crown spell (taught to him by Guanyin) whenever he needs to chastise him.
Wukong's child-like playfulness is a huge contrast to his cunning mind. This, coupled with his acrobatic skills, makes him a likeable hero, though not necessarily a good role model. His antics present a lighter side in what proposes to be a long and dangerous trip into the unknown.
[edit] Pigsy or Zhū Bājiè
Zhū Bājiè ("Pig of the Eight Prohibitions") is also known as Zhū Wùnéng ("Pig Awakened to Power"), and given the name Pigsy or Pig in English.
Once an immortal who was the Tiānpéng-yuánshuǎi ("Field Marshal Tianpeng") of 80,000 soldiers of the Milky Way, during a celebration of gods, he drank too much and attempted to flirt with Cháng'é, the beautiful moon goddess, resulting in his banishment into the mortal world. He was supposed to be reborn as a human, but ended up in the womb of a sow due to an error at the Reincarnation Wheel, which turned him into a half-man half-pig monster. Staying within Yúnzhan-dòng ("cloud-pathway cave"), he was commissioned by Guanyin to accompany Xuanzang to India and given the new name Zhu Wuneng.
However, Wuneng's desire for women led him to Gao Village, where he posed as a normal being and took a wife. Later, when the villagers discovered that he was a monster, Wuneng hid the girl away. At this point, Xuanzang and Wukong arrived at Gao Village and helped subdue him. Renamed Zhu Bajie by Xuanzang, he consequently joined the pilgrimage to the West.
His weapon of choice is the jiǔchǐdīngpá ("nine-tooth iron rake"). He is also capable of thirty-six transformations (as compared to Wukong's seventy-two), and can travel on clouds, but not as fast as Wukong. However, Bajie is noted for his fighting skills in the water, which he used to combat Sha Wujing, who later joined them on the journey.
[edit] Sandy or Shā Wùjìng
Shā Wùjìng (literally meaning "Sand Awakened to Purity"), given the name Friar Sand or Sandy (a rather feminine name) in English, was once the Curtain Raising General, who stood in attendance by the imperial chariot in the Hall of Miraculous Mist. He was exiled to the mortal world and made to look like a monster because he accidentally smashed a crystal goblet belonging to the Heavenly Queen Mother during the Peach Banquet. The now-hideous immortal took up residence in the Flowing Sands River, terrorizing the surrounding villages and travelers trying to cross the river. However, he was subdued by Sūn Wùkōng and Zhū Bājiè when the Sānzàng party came across him. They consequently took him in to be a part of the pilgrimage to the West.
Shā Wùjìng's weapon is the yuèyáchǎn ("Crescent-Moon-Shovel" or "Monk's Spade"). Aside from that, he knows eighteen transformations and is highly effective in water combat, but is agreed upon as the weakest of the three disciples.
Shā Wùjìng is known to be the most obedient, logical, and polite of the three disciples, and always takes care of his master, seldom engaging in the bickeries of his fellow-disciples. Ever reliable, he carries the luggage for the travellers. Perhaps this is why he is sometimes seen as a minor character; the lack of any particular perks confers the lack of distinguishing and/or redeeming characteristics.
[edit] List of Demons
There are many demons in the story. They are listed below:
- Black-Bear-Demon (pinyin: Hēixióngguǐ)
- Yellow Wind Demon (Huáng Fung Guǐ)
- Zhen Yuan Holy Man
- White-Bone-Demon (pinyin: Báigǔjīng)
- Yellow Robe Demon (pinyin: Huángpáoguǐ)
- Gold-Horn and Silver-Horn (pinyin: Jīnjiǎo and Yínjiǎo)
- Red-Child a.k.a. Holy Baby King (pinyin: Hóng-hái'ér; Japanese: Kōgaiji)
- Tiger Power, Deer Power and Goat (or Antelope) Power
- Black River Dragon Demon (Hēi Shui Hé Yuan Lóng Guǐ)
- Carp Demon (Li Yu Jīng)
- Green-Ox-Demon (pinyin: Qīngniújīng)
- Scorpion-Demon (pinyin: Xiēzijīng)
- Six Ear Monkey Demon a.k.a Fake Sun Wukong
- Ox-Demon-King (pinyin: Niúmówáng; Japanese: Gyūmaō)
- Demon Woman (Luo Cha Nǚ)
- Jade-Faced Princess (pinyin: Yùmiàn-gōngzhǔ; Japanese: Gyokumen-kōshū)
- Boa Demon (Hong She Jīng)
- Nine-Headed Worm Demon (Jiǔ Tou Fu Ma)
- Seven-Spider-Demons (pinyin: Zhīzhū-jīng)
- Hundred-Eyed Taoist (Bǎi Yan Mo Jun)
- Green Lion Demon (pinyin: Qīngshījīng)
- White-Elephant-Demon (pinyin: Báixiàngjīng)
- Falcon Demon (Peng Jīng)
- Bikku Country Minister a.k.a Deer Demon
- Gold-Nosed, White Mouse Demon (Lao Shu Jīng)
[edit] Notable English-language translations
- Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China (1942), an abridged translation by Arthur Waley. For many years, the best translation available in English; it only translates thirty out of the hundred chapters. (Penguin reprint ISBN 0-14-044111-5)
- Journey to the West, a complete translation by W.J.F. Jenner published by the Foreign Languages Press in Beijing 1955 (three volumes; 1982/1984 edition: ISBN 0-8351-1003-6, ISBN 0-8351-1193-8, ISBN 0-8351-1364-7)
- The Journey to the West (1977-1983), a complete translation in four volumes by Anthony C. Yu.
University of Chicago Press: HC ISBN 0-226-97145-7, ISBN 0-226-97146-5, ISBN 0-226-97147-3, ISBN 0-226-97148-1; PB ISBN 0-226-97150-3, ISBN 0-226-97151-1; ISBN 0-226-97153-8; ISBN 0-226-97154-6. This translation has good reviews, but is much more costly than Jenner's.
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
[edit] Live action TV
- Monkey – the well-known 1970s Japanese television series based on Journey to the West translated into English by the BBC
- Saiyūki – 2006 Japanese television series starring the SMAP star Shingo Katori.
- Journey to the West – a Chinese 1986 live action series and some other adaptations.
- Journey to the West – A two-part television series produced by Hong Kong studio, TVB.
- The Monkey King – SciFi Channel's TV adaptation of this legend, also called The Lost Empire
[edit] Manga and anime
- Monkey Magic - an animated retelling of the legend.
- Dragon Ball - Japanese manga and anime series loosely inspired by Journey to the West
- Havoc in Heaven (also known as Uproar in Heaven) - original animation from China.
- Alakazam the Great - one of the first anime films produced by Toei Animation, a retelling of first part of the story based on the characters designed by Osamu Tezuka.
- Shinzo - anime loosely based on Journey to the West
- Gensōmaden Saiyūki - manga and anime series inspired by the legend. Follow-up series include Saiyūki Reload and Saiyūki Reload Gunlock.
- Monkey Typhoon - manga and anime series based on the Journey to the West saga, following a futuristic steampunk-retelling of the legend.
- Patalliro Saiyuki - a BL series in both anime & manga formats with the Patalliro cast playing out the Zaiyuji storyline with a yaoi twist.
- The Monkey King - a gruesome manga inspired by the tale.
- Ranma 1/2 - pastiches of the characters appear throughout the manga and movies.
- Love Hina - the characters put on a play based on the story in one episode {anime episode 16}.
- Starzinger - an animated science fiction version of the story
- XIN - an American comic mini-series produced by Anarchy Studio.
- American Born Chinese - an American graphic novel by Gene Yang. Nominated for the National Book Award (2006).
- Inuyasha - the characters meet descendants of three of the main characters of the Journey of the West in one episode and main character, Kagome Higurashi, says a few lines about the whole book and story.
- Excel Saga - Excel(dressed as monkey) starts a "discipleship" with a girl(dressed as Tripitaka.)
- Doraemon - A special tells the story of "Journey To The West" casting the Doraemon characters as the characters of the legend.
- Kaleido Star - The cast preforms Saiyuki on stage a few times in the beginning of the second half of the series.
- Naruto - Temari, a character from Naruto, is based on Princess Iron Fan from the legend. Enma is a summoned monkey who bears resemblance to Son Wukong. He has the ability to transform into a staff similar to the rúyì-jīngū-bàng, which can alter its size at will.
[edit] Film
- Monkey Goes West - the Shaw Brothers's 1966 Hong Kong film (Cantonese: Sau yau gei).
- Heavenly Legend - a 1998 film by Tai Seng Entertainment starring Kung Fu kid Sik Siu Loong is partially based on this legend
- A Chinese Tall Story - 2005 live action movie starring Nicholas Tse as Xuánzàng.
- A Chinese Odyssey by Stephen Chow
[edit] Games
- In the video game and multiseries Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, the Pokemon creatures Chimchar, Moukazaru, and mainly Goukazaru are based on Sūn Wùkōng.
- Westward Journey - a MMORPG
- SonSon - video game and character of the same name created by Capcom whose title character is a female version of Sūn Wùkōng
- Rai Rai Gokuu - a Japanese pachislo slot machine with this theme.
- Saiyuki: Journey West - a tactical RPG videogame for the PlayStation developed by KOEI.
- Soul Calibur - a series of video games by Namco features the character Kilik, who wields a staff. In the second installment to the series (not including its prequel, Soul Blade), Kilik's ultimate weapon is called the Jingu Staff, a reference to Son Wukong's rúyì-jīngū-bàng. In Soul Calibur III, custom characters can use the Staff discipline, allowing them to wield a staff that can change its length and thickness.
[edit] Stage
- Journey to the West: The Musical - a stage musical which received its world premiere at the New York Musical Theatre Festival on September 25, 2006.
- Monkey: Journey to the West - a stage musical version is currently in development by the creators of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. It will premiere at the 2007 Manchester International Festival.
[edit] External links
- Journey to the West- Comprehensive and detailed website with in-depth information about Journey to the West.
- Story of Sun Wukong and the beginning of Journey to the West with manhua
- Complete novel in Simplified Characters (utf-16 encoding).
- A recent Hong Kong film based on one episode in the journey - see also here for images A Chinese Tall Story (Ching din dai sing).
- Television Series: Most Popular CCTV Series, Xi You Ji
- Journey to the West - The Musical -The stage musical currently in development.
- Monkey Heaven A site with extensive information on the television adaptation, Monkey Magic.
- Solarguard Monkey Plot summary (one paragraph for each of one hundred in novel) plus summary of book on historical Xuanzang.
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This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. |
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Topics in Chinese mythology
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| General topics: | Creation myth · Astrology · Dragons · Religion in China · Folk religion ·List of deities · I Ching |
| Important beings: | Deities · Three August Ones and Five Emperors · Eight Immortals |
| Mythical creatures: | List of mythical creatures |
| Mythical places: | Xuanpu · Yaochi · Fusang · Queqiao · Penglai · Longmen · Diyu |
| Literary sources: | Shan Hai Jing · Shui Jing Zhu · Ten Brothers · Hei'an Zhuan · Fengshen Yanyi Journey to the West · Baishe Zhuan · Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio |
