After Lin Daiyu died in the Jia household, her soul transmigrated to the world of Journey to the West. She woke in a desolate mountain, where a pack of wolves attacked her. Sun Wukong came to her rescue, and she joined Tang Sanzang and his disciples on their journey west.
Along the way, they faced trial after trial. Natural hazards included the scorching heat of Flaming Mountain, where borrowing the Banana Leaf Fan brought its own complications, as well as a mysterious new clue in their search for the Vermilion Bird’s Tears. When Blackwater froze over, Lin Daiyu fell into the water and was rescued, revealing a hidden connection between the Blackwater demon and an ancient clan. Demons and monsters brought one calamity after another. In “The Corpse Demon’s Three Deceptions,” Lin Daiyu anxiously tried to mediate the conflict between Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong. In “The Pipa Demon’s Poisonous Plot,” her mastery of music helped Sun Wukong defeat the Pipa Demon. She also faced trials of the heart: lost in a homesickness-induced illusion, she struggled between her past and her mission before finally reaffirming her resolve to press on. And in matters of human kindness, she showed compassion and wisdom by rescuing monks in Chechi Kingdom and punishing demons at Tongtian River.
Through these trials, Lin Daiyu grew from a fragile, sensitive girl into someone strong and wise. When she reached Spirit Mountain, the Tathagata Buddha bestowed on her the title “Wise Fairy” in recognition of her sincerity and hardships. After returning to the Great Tang, she lectured on Buddhist scriptures in Chang’an, bringing Buddhist teachings and Tang culture together. She organized poetry gatherings, encouraged the creation of works inspired by Journey to the West, and fostered cultural exchange. Later, she took on many disciples, wrote books, and penned Records of Enlightenment on the Journey West, The Collection of Poems from a Wise Heart, and On the Integration of Buddhism and Tang Culture.
