The Journey to the West (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Wu Chengen
- First Published: 1592
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Fantasy
- Time of Work: Seventh century
- Setting: China, India, and various mythical regions
- Genres: Long fiction, Fantasy
- Subjects: Folkloric or magical people, Magic or magicians, Gods or goddesses, India or East Indian people, China or Chinese people, Middle Ages, Buddha, Buddhism, Monsters, Priests, Daoism, Monkeys
- Locales: China, India, Mythical lands
Characters Discussed
Monkey, who was born of a stone egg fecundated by the wind. He was king of the Mountain of Flowers for several hundred years, after which he set out into the world in search of knowledge that would make him immortal. Under the name of “Aware-of-vacuity,” he studied with Patriarch Subodhi for several hundred more years. Because of the tremendous magic power he had acquired, as well as his natural arrogance, he named himself “Great Sage Equal of Heaven.” Permitted to live in the Kingdom of Heaven, the mischievous creature disturbed and outwitted all...
[The entire page is 1194 words long]
