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西游记 Journey to the West - Tale of Monkey King is still the business
March 24, 2013, Sunday
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"XI You Ji or "Journey to the West," is one of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature, along with "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," "Water Margin" and "A Dream of the Red Mansions."
Published in the 16th century, "Journey to the West" contains many popular and enduring legends about Xuanzang (circa AD 602-664), a famous Buddhist monk who visited India in search of Buddhist sutras, accompanied by three disciples.
Despite some dispute over the novel's authorship, it's usually attributed to Wu Cheng'en (circa 1501-1582), a renowned writer and poet of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Wu was born in today's Huai'an, in Jiangsu Province in east China. His father was a small-scale merchant. By the time Wu was a teenager, he had already excelled among his peers as a prodigious student.
The young Wu was also extremely interested in bizarre stories. He collected a large number of books about ghosts, animal spirits and fairies, which probably later offered him the inspiration for the many exotic tales in his great novel.
Wu sat the imperial civil examinations twice, but failed both times. Some scholars today believe that Wu's failure in the examinations was due largely to his independent mind and upright personality. He didn't seek to flatter the authorities in his prose, instead boldly criticizing widespread corruption among officials.
Eventually, Wu managed to land one or two positions as a minor official. But evidently, he didn't like these very much and later resigned and returned to his hometown to concentrate on writing as a "hermit."
Wu had long cherished a desire to write a book about the 17-year journey taken by Xuanzang on his famous pilgrimage to India.
However, not much literature was available about the great monk's travels. To prepare for his book, Wu borrowed money from a friend and hired several scholars employed by the Imperial Academy to copy some historical data from its library for him. At that time, it was forbidden for outsiders to visit the academy, the highest institute of learning in China.
It took Wu more than seven years to complete the 100-chapter "Xi You Ji."
Based on the actual pilgrimage undertaken by Xuanzang, the novel, written in the vernacular Chinese at that time, comprises some 40 fantasy and adventure stories.
Wu created numerous distinctive characters, including a great variety of spirits, supernatural animals and particularly, the three disciples and escorts of Xuanzang: Sun Wukong (Monkey King); Zhu Bajie (Pigsy); and Sha Wujing (Sandy). Of the three, the Monkey King is by far the most popular.
The Monkey King, a cunning, resourceful and mischievous creature, is the true hero of the book. He once rebelled against Heaven and created havoc in the Heavenly Palace. Later, he was commissioned to escort Xuanzang on his pilgrimage west.
Despite his many pranks and episodes of misbehavior, the Monkey King is praised in the book as a loyal disciple, a righteous protector of the common people and a fearless fighter against evil.
An immortal armed with an unrivaled arsenal of skills, Sun Wukong can travel thousands of kilometers in a single somersault and transform himself into 72 creatures or objects. In addition, he has "fire-golden" eyes that are not only clairvoyant, but can also see through all the guises of evil.
With some timely help from Bodhisattva Guan Yin, Xuanzang and his three disciples surmount numerous difficulties and hardships, defeat a great variety of demons, and barely escape death more than a dozen times. Eventually, they successfully complete the epic pilgrimage.
Today, the Monkey King stories are part of Chinese folk and literary tradition. And the novel itself is widely celebrated as a brilliant literary masterwork of both enlightenment and entertainment.
Published in the 16th century, "Journey to the West" contains many popular and enduring legends about Xuanzang (circa AD 602-664), a famous Buddhist monk who visited India in search of Buddhist sutras, accompanied by three disciples.
Despite some dispute over the novel's authorship, it's usually attributed to Wu Cheng'en (circa 1501-1582), a renowned writer and poet of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Wu was born in today's Huai'an, in Jiangsu Province in east China. His father was a small-scale merchant. By the time Wu was a teenager, he had already excelled among his peers as a prodigious student.
The young Wu was also extremely interested in bizarre stories. He collected a large number of books about ghosts, animal spirits and fairies, which probably later offered him the inspiration for the many exotic tales in his great novel.
Wu sat the imperial civil examinations twice, but failed both times. Some scholars today believe that Wu's failure in the examinations was due largely to his independent mind and upright personality. He didn't seek to flatter the authorities in his prose, instead boldly criticizing widespread corruption among officials.
Eventually, Wu managed to land one or two positions as a minor official. But evidently, he didn't like these very much and later resigned and returned to his hometown to concentrate on writing as a "hermit."
Wu had long cherished a desire to write a book about the 17-year journey taken by Xuanzang on his famous pilgrimage to India.
However, not much literature was available about the great monk's travels. To prepare for his book, Wu borrowed money from a friend and hired several scholars employed by the Imperial Academy to copy some historical data from its library for him. At that time, it was forbidden for outsiders to visit the academy, the highest institute of learning in China.
It took Wu more than seven years to complete the 100-chapter "Xi You Ji."
Based on the actual pilgrimage undertaken by Xuanzang, the novel, written in the vernacular Chinese at that time, comprises some 40 fantasy and adventure stories.
Wu created numerous distinctive characters, including a great variety of spirits, supernatural animals and particularly, the three disciples and escorts of Xuanzang: Sun Wukong (Monkey King); Zhu Bajie (Pigsy); and Sha Wujing (Sandy). Of the three, the Monkey King is by far the most popular.
The Monkey King, a cunning, resourceful and mischievous creature, is the true hero of the book. He once rebelled against Heaven and created havoc in the Heavenly Palace. Later, he was commissioned to escort Xuanzang on his pilgrimage west.
Despite his many pranks and episodes of misbehavior, the Monkey King is praised in the book as a loyal disciple, a righteous protector of the common people and a fearless fighter against evil.
An immortal armed with an unrivaled arsenal of skills, Sun Wukong can travel thousands of kilometers in a single somersault and transform himself into 72 creatures or objects. In addition, he has "fire-golden" eyes that are not only clairvoyant, but can also see through all the guises of evil.
With some timely help from Bodhisattva Guan Yin, Xuanzang and his three disciples surmount numerous difficulties and hardships, defeat a great variety of demons, and barely escape death more than a dozen times. Eventually, they successfully complete the epic pilgrimage.
Today, the Monkey King stories are part of Chinese folk and literary tradition. And the novel itself is widely celebrated as a brilliant literary masterwork of both enlightenment and entertainment.
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