The Journey to the West Questions and Answers
by Wu Chengen

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• The Journey to the West
  How is Xuanzang, Monkey, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing changed by the journey to the West?
  In this classic 16th century Chinese novel, Journey to the West, there are four primary characters: Xuanzang, Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie. Xuanzang, the main character, is a monk who is...

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• The Journey to the West
  List all people and characters mentioned in the story. Which of them are real?
  As one of the four great classics of Chinese literature, The Journey to the West has over 2000 pages chronicling the adventures of the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzan and his companions as they go on a...

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• The Journey to the West
  Who is the hero or the protagonist in The Journey to the West: Monkey, Guanyin, Taizong, or Tripitaka? How can you evidence your decision?
  Of the four main protagonists in The Journey to the West, only two might qualify as true “heroes” in the mythic sense. Tripitaka, or Xuanzang, is the monk who sets off to find the sutras in India...

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• The Journey to the West
  Why does Tathagata want someone to go to the East?
  In The Journey to the West, Buddha, also known as Tathagata, notices a varying morality of characteristics in the Four Continents of the Universe. He sees the people of the Southern Continent as...

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• The Journey to the West
  Is the journey to the West a pointless journey?
  Journey to the West is a Chinese novel published in the sixteenth century during the Ming dynasty. The novel is attributed to Wu Cheng’en and is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese...

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• The Journey to the West
  How did Xuan Zang overcome the trials of conquering the demon creatures in The Journey to the West?
  The Journey to the West was written by Wu Chengen. It is largely a collection of stories about Chinese legends and folklore. In part of the book, Xuanzang goes on an expedition in search of the...

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• The Journey to the West
  What does the warrior god Orionis do?
  Orionis is a star lord who lives in the Luminescent Palace in the heavens. In chapter 55 of the book, Tripitaka is taken by a female scorpion fiend to her place of residence, the Cave of the Lute...

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• The Journey to the West
  Why does Buddha not give Zhu Bajie the title of Buddha in The Journey to the West? 
  In the novel, Buddha does not give Zhu Bajie the title because he asserts that Bajie has not yet attained victory over his weaknesses. You guarded the holy monk on his journey, but your heart is...

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• The Journey to the West
  Are truth and justice themes in The Journey to the West?
  There is a truth/justice theme in the novel "Journey to the West." The theme of truth can be seen in the monk's travels to India. He is going to India in order to retrieve Buddhist scriptures....

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• The Journey to the West
  Why does the old turtle dump travelers from his back halfway across the river in The Journey to The West?
  The old, soft-shelled turtle carries the travelers on his back as he walks slowly through the waves for the better part of a day. As he approaches the east bank of the river, he suddenly reminds...

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• The Journey to the West
  What happens to the person who wears Bodhisattva Guanyin's cassock?
  The brocade cassock is a treasure that Bodhisattva Guanyin gives to Emperor Taizong. The same treasure is passed on to Sanzang before he embarks on his journey. The brocade cassock is a protective...

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• The Journey to the West
  What happens in chapters 20 and 21 of The Journey to the West?
  In The Journey to the West, Chapter 20 begins with the Tang priest encountering trouble on the Yellow Wind Ridge. Sanzang has been traveling with his followers for half a day when they reach the...

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• The Journey to the West
  What is Zhu Bajie's new title for his efforts in Xuanzang?
  Zhu Bajie's new title is Altar Cleanser. He is given this title by the Tathagata. Accordingly, Zhu Bajie once served as Marshal Tien Peng, a water god in the River of Heaven. He was an illustrious...

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• The Journey to the West
  What happens at the Child-and-Mother River?
  After crossing the river, Tripitaka and Pa-chieh feel thirsty. When they see how clear the water of the river is, they both drink some. Soon they both start to feel intense pain in their stomachs....

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