Introduction to "Journey to the West"
"Journey to the West" is one of the four great classics in ancient China. It was written by Wu Chengen, a novelist in the Ming Dynasty. It is China's first romantic chapter-length novel about gods and demons.
Main story line
The story tells that after Sun Wukong was born and caused trouble in the Heavenly Palace, he was pressed under the Five Elements Mountain by Tathagata Buddha.
Later, Guanyin Bodhisattva enlightened Sun Wukong to worship Tang Monk as his teacher. Together with Zhu Bajie, Monk Sha, and Bai Longma, he protected Tang Monk as he went to the West to worship Buddha and seek scriptures.
The four masters and apprentices defeated demons and demons along the way, went through ninety-nine and eighty-one difficulties, and overcame countless dangers and temptations. Finally, they successfully reached the Western Heaven, obtained the true scriptures, and achieved enlightenment.
Core themes
- Resistance and growth and transformation
- Master and disciple work together and persevere
- Good and evil will be rewarded, and evil will not overwhelm good.
Main characters
- Tang Monk: compassionate, kind and firm in faith
- Sun Wukong: witty, brave and powerful
- Zhu Bajie: Greedy and lazy but honest and cute
- Monk Sha: Loyal, honest, hard-working and uncomplaining
