Interpreting Journey to the West (A Fantastic Journey Into Classical Chinese Culture)

The Journey to the West is a classic work of ancient Chinese literature, which is an important part of Chinese culture and is regarded as one of the four great masterpieces of Chinese literature. The storyline of Journey to the West is derived from traditional Chinese myths and folklore and tells the tale of Xuanzang, a monk during the Tang Dynasty, who led Sun Wukong, Pigsy, and Monk Sha to seek scriptures in the west. With its fantastical plot, rich characters, profound philosophical reflections and unique artistic expressions, this novel is very popular among readers and has become one of the most important representatives of Chinese culture.

Main Characters of Journey to the West

The main characters of Journey to the West include Sun Wukong, Pigsy, Monk Sha, Monk Tang and White Dragon Horse. The Monkey King is a monkey with magical powers, including seventy-two changes, somersaulting clouds, and fiery eyes, etc. His image represents the spirit of "omnipotence" in traditional Chinese culture. Pig Bajie is a pig demon who is gluttonous, lazy and lustful, and his image represents the greed and laziness in human nature. The Sand Monk is a desert demon with strong force and wisdom, and his image represents the spirit of "strong and soft" in traditional Chinese culture. The Tang Monk is a monk with noble character and great wisdom, his image represents the spirit of "moral nobility" in traditional Chinese culture. The White Dragon Horse is the mount of the Tang Monk, and his image represents the spirit of "loyalty" and "perseverance" in traditional Chinese culture.

The Cultural Connotation of Journey to the West

The storyline of Journey to the West is rich in cultural connotations, the most important of which is the Buddhist ideology. The entire novel centers on the story of the Longevity Monk and his disciples' journey to the West, a story set during the Tang Dynasty, when the spread of Buddhism in China reached its peak. In the novel, the Longevity Monk encounters a variety of demons and devils along the way, which represent the various desires and greed in human nature. The Tang Monk led Sun Wukong, Pigsy, Sha Monk and others to overcome all kinds of difficulties and temptations along the way, and finally succeeded in obtaining the scriptures. This story expresses the Buddhist concepts of "cessation, meditation and wisdom", that is, through cessation of greed, meditation and development of wisdom, one can achieve true liberation and transcendence.

The artistic expression of Journey to the West

The artistic expression of Journey to the West is very unique, which adopts the form of a novel, but on the basis of the novel, it combines various forms of literature, such as poetry, prose and opera. The language in the novel is vivid and distinctive, full of humor and wit, and also reflects the philosophical thinking and cultural inheritance in ancient Chinese literature. The plot and characters in Journey to the West profoundly reflect the values and spiritual pursuits of traditional Chinese culture, and it is not only a literary work, but also one of the important representatives of Chinese culture.