Although the original author, the great Wu Cheng'en, lived during the Ming Dynasty, Journey to the West is set in the Tang Dynasty. Yet details such as three-inch golden lilies and foot binding only became widespread starting in the Sui Dynasty. Also, in the novel Journey to the West, Tang Sanzang was orphaned as a child and grew up in a temple. He became a monk at Golden Mountain Temple, then moved to a temple in the capital, where Emperor Taizong chose him, swore brotherhood with him, and sent him on a Journey to the West. But in real history, Xuanzang became a monk at Jingtu Temple. In my humble opinion, this classic is not a realistic historical novel, but a mythological fantasy, so I’ve chosen to follow the tone of the original. I hope you enjoy it.
This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.
