A monk who has fallen on hard times, a princess fleeing an arranged marriage, a lively and cheerful sailor, and a wealthy merchant suffering from a serious illness all long to journey west in search of Buddhist scriptures amid the chaos of the An Lushan Rebellion. After a grueling journey, they reach the Western Regions, only to be trapped by war and forced to turn back... They trek all the way to the foot of the Himalayas, where an avalanche nearly kills them... At last, in utter despair, they meet a monk who understands the heavens. He tells them the Earth may be round and advises them to travel in the opposite direction. They reach the coast, where a chance encounter with seafaring merchants leads them to board a ship and arrive in Tianzhu...
The story is told eloquently, savor it slowly and carefully. Each character arrangement is just right and has its own personality. Nine times out of ten, life is unsatisfactory, just like the failed monk in the story. The journey is bumpy but the heart is looking forward to the sunshine. Although there are times when it is incompetent, as long as the heart has dreams, one can eventually reach it.