Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en

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- Wu Cheng'en (吴承恩, 1500–1582): - Time:
a Chinese novelist, poet, and poliUcian during + The work was published anonymously in 1592.
the Ming dynasty. + The story was from 629 to 646 in late-Sui dynasty and early-Tang dynasty.
- Both his poetry and his prose have been described - Place:
as "stubborn" and criUcal of society's corrupUon. + Xuanzang (602–664) was a monk at Jingtu Temple in late-Sui dynasty and
- Besides Journey to the West, he also wrote many early-Tang dynasty.
other works: Some of his poetry in A Digest of + He traveled via Gansu and Qinghai to Kumul (Hami), thence following
Ming Poetry, A Record of Ming Poetry. the Tian Shan (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan today).
Xuanzang traveled throughout India for the next thirteen years, studied at the
ancient university at Nalanda, and debaUng the rivals of Buddhism.
Characters - Social environment: happened during the Chinese feudal dynasty at a Ume
when Buddhism was at its peak.
Sun Wukong (孫悟空) - Atmosphere: The work created a united and broad mythological universe,
- He is a monkey born from a magical rock on top of which is hilariously influenUal enough to make some people believe in that.
Flowers and Fruit Mountain.
- After rebelling against heaven and being imprisoned
under Five Finger Mountain for 500 years by Buddha, Main period of plot
he accompanies the monk Tang Sanzang on a
journey First part (chapters 1-7): Sun Wukong’s life
to retrieve Buddhist sutras from India. - Sun Wukong, a monkey born from a stone nourished by the Five Elements,
Tang Sanzang (唐三藏) who learns the art of the Tao, 72 polymorphic transformaUons, combat, and
secrets of immortality.
- A Buddhist monk who had renounced his family to
- His powers grow to match the forces of all of the Eastern deiUes, and the
become a monk from childhood.
prologue culminates in Sun's rebellion against Heaven.
- Although he is helpless in defending, Guanyin helps
- Buddha manages to trap him under a mountain, sealing it with a talisman for
by finding him powerful disciples who aid and
five hundred years.
protect him on his journey.

Second part (chapters 8-12): Tang Sanzang’s life

Zhu Wuneng (豬八戒) - Introduces Tang Sanzang through his early biography and the background to his
- Once an immortal who was the Marshal of the great journey.
Heavenly Canopy, he drank too much attempted to - Part of this secUon also relates to how Tang Sanzang becomes a monk and
harass the moon goddess Chang'e, resulting in his comes about being sent on this pilgrimage by Emperor Taizong, who previously
banishment to the mortal world. escaped death with the help of an official in the underworld.
- His weapon of choice is the jiuchidingpa. He is the
second strongest member of the team. Third part (chapters 13-99): The journey
- An episodic adventure story in which Tang
Sha Wujing (沙悟淨) Sanzang sets out to bring back Buddhist
- Once a celestial Curtain Lifting General, he was exiled scriptures from India.
to the mortal world and made to look like a sandman. - Episodes consist of 1–4 chapters and usually
- Sha Wujing's weapon is a magic wooden staff involve Tang Sanzang being captured and having
wrapped in pearly threads. He is known to be the his life threatened while his disciples try to
most obedient, logical, and polite of the three rescue him.
disciples, and always takes care of his master. - Chapters 13–22 do not follow this structure
precisely, as they introduce Tang Sanzang's
disciples including Sun Wukong (chapter 13),
Zhu Wuneng (chapter 19), and Sha Wujing
(chapter 22).
- Chapters 23–86 take place in the wilderness, and
consist of 24 episodes of varying length, each
characterized by a different magical monster
or evil magician. Although the monsters who anack are vast in power and many
in number, no real harm ever comes to the four travelers.

Fourth part (chapter 100): Comeback home

- The final chapter quickly describes the return journey to the Tang Empire and
the afermath in which each traveler receives a reward in the form of posts in
Main character the bureaucracy of the heavens.

Sun Wukong
- Symbol of strength besides impaUence, impulsiveness, always
wanUng to win. He mainly learns immortality, invulnerability, flying
Theme
by driving clouds, and the 72 transformaUons. Sun Wukong turns
against the whole heaven, and he single-handedly defeats most
“That is a human redemption journey”
deiUes, forcing the emperor to call the Buddha for help. - Firstly, the novel's content shows the liberation of people from their sins. After
- Symbol of redempUon. The Buddha throws a mountain at Sun the journey, Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang both achieve Buddhahood, Sha
Wukong, keeping him a prisoner under the mountain. 500 years later, Wujing becomes an arhat, White Dragon Horse is made a nāga and Zhu
Sun Wukong is released by Xuanzang to be his protector on the Wuneng, whose good deeds have always been tempered by his greed, is
journey to the West for exchange. Sun Wukong slays demons who promoted to an altar cleanser.
threaten Xuanzang on the journey and finally ascends as the Buddha - Secondly, The journey expressed the desire to liberate people from the harsh
afer he finishes his mission. feudal society, specifically Buddhism is a liberation.

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