Westbound Errata

"Corrigendum of Journey to the West" is a fantasy/historical novel with the "Tao Te Ching" as its spiritual core, integrating historical textual research, fateful love across time and space, and reflection on civilization. The work tells the story of the protagonist Li Nie (Li Xuan), who was led by a mysterious compass and embarked on a grand "errata journey" from the East (Central Plains) to the West (Jerusalem/Venice) and back to the East. The core plot of the novel revolves around "errata": Li Nie discovers the errata of the text of the Tao Te Ching in modern times ("The Tao can be Tao, but it is not the constant Tao", "Great tools are not perfect"), and travels back to modern times to correct the ancient book, but due to "errata being errataed", his return was delayed, causing "Chan", who loved him deeply, to mistakenly think that he was dead and burn his body to the ground. Li Nie's soul had nowhere to rest, and he was forced to embark on the long road out of Hangu Pass in the west. In two thousand years of time travel, he witnessed the collision of Eastern and Western civilizations, the travails of faith, and the evolution of Western religions. He even possessed Jesus in Jerusalem and accompanied Matteo Ricci on his last journey in Venice. He uncovered the arrogance of "replacing wrong with right" among civilizations and understood the Eastern wisdom that "the best is as good as water". When the compass finally shatters, four hundred years of wind and frost turn into a cup of warm tea in the study room of the 21st century. The protagonist reunites with his lover who has been waiting for him in countless time and space, completing the ultimate soft landing from "errata" to "reconnaissance", from "altar" to "pillow mat". This is not only a masterpiece that explores the underlying logical differences between Chinese and Western civilizations, but also a prose poem dedicated to time and love.