Web Resource for
NOTE: This site has been made for a school project. It is for informational and educational reasons only. No Copyright Infringement intended.
The story
"Journey to the West"
is an epic tale of a journey of a monk named Tang Sanzang, who sets out to fetch Buddhist scriptures to help spread Buddhism in his native land. He is eventually joined by three supernatural beings, who offer him and aid and protection. Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, also become his disciples. Even though the story is suppose to be mainly around Sanzang,the real star of this story, appears to be Wukong. The first seven chapters talk of his early days, and throughout the story there is much focus on Wukong, and the challenges he faces. This 100 chapter book, is one of the most influential works in Chinese literature. The story incorporates various elements of Chinese folklore and storytelling.
If you are interested in reading or hearing a sample of this story, please check out of one the links below:
Annenberg Learner(Chapter 1):
http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/journey-to-the-west/read/
​
Youtube(Chapter 1):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzJDsn4jqNA
​
Xuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator. He did many things in his lifetime, but the thing he became well known for, was his seventeen year long journey over land to Indian, to bring Buddhist teachings from India to China. At this time, foreign travels were forbidden in China, and even though he had much respect for authority; he proceeded as plan. He spent the beginning of his travels, as a fugitive, traveling only at night. His journey was not an easy one, he overcame many obstacles, and had many close death calls. But he met many great teachers, thinkers, and even leaders. All of who, after meeting him, offered him aid and support. The travel back was just as tough. However, on the way back, he studied, he would teach, and he would learn about the many cultures, he would encounter on the way home. Because he was considered a criminal in his own country, before he cam back to China, he wrote a letter to the Emperor. He described his journey, and all that he had learned. As a result, the Emperor gladly welcomed him back, and even made him Court Advisor. He spent the rest of his years teaching, advising, and translating the Buddhist manuscripts that made it home with him.
Havoc on heaven 1
by Jennifer Wen Ma
This image of Sun Wukong, The Monkey King, riding on a cloud, holding his staff, was projected onto a smoke cloud produced by a smoke bomb, above Tiananmen Square during the 2008 Olympics.
​
The 2008 Beijing Olympics, was like a big party that China was putting on for the world. Almost like a Celestial party, that only selected people, the ones good enough to be seen by the world, were invited. The rest of the people, the ones not considered good enough to be seen, who helped build this country, were being shipped out of the city in bus loads.
The fact that the Monkey King appears over Tiananmen Square, holds so much significance, for the main reason that is an icon that all of China can recognize, as a symbol of the Central Government, aka the Government's throne. The Monkey King created havoc in Heaven, when the Heavens refused to recognize him, and he defeated a great number of celestial warriors. This art that appears was in a sense, a way to crash the big celestial party, aka the Olympics.
​
The other thing that may play into the importance of it appearing over the square, is the horrific, but memorable event that took place, in June of 1989, when many people gathered in protests, in hopes to talk the government into a democratic one. However, the government responded by sending troops to the square, where thousands of protesters were. They shot down or crushed many of the protesters with tanks. The government still refuses to admit, that they were responsible for what happened, and the event is even banned from being spoken about in China.
Media inspired by
Journey to the West, 1986
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, 2013
American Born Chinese, 2006
Journey to the West, 1986
"Journey to the West" has inspired many adaptations, either of the story or using characters from the story, over a variety of Media platforms. Currently, Netflix is in the process of making a new tv series adaptation, that is due to come out in 2019. There has been 50+ media adaptations. The image slide show above is only a small sample. If you would like a complete list, then check out the link below.
​
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_media_adaptations_of_Journey_to_the_West