Journey to the West

"Journey to the West" is a 16th-century Chinese novel by Wu Cheng'en and one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It combines adventure, allegory, and humor with Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian elements, presenting a deeply spiritual and entertaining narrative.

The story primarily chronicles the legendary pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (also called Tripitaka or Tang Sanzang) to India to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures. Along the way, he is accompanied by three disciples: Sun Wukong, the Monkey King; Zhu Bajie, the pig-like character often called Pigsy; and Sha Wujing, or Sandy, a river demon. The group is protected and guided by Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

### Notable Features and Themes:

1. **Sun Wukong (The Monkey King)**: The most famous character, Sun Wukong, is born from a stone and possesses immense strength, 72 transformations, and a magical staff (Ruyi Jingu Bang) that can shrink and expand at will. His rebellious early life includes eating the peaches of immortality, urinating on the Buddha's hand, and being trapped under a mountain for 500 years before being freed to accompany Xuanzang on his journey.

2. **Other Companions**: Pigsy, known for his gluttony and laziness, wields a nine-toothed rake, while Sandy, the river demon, uses a crescent moon-shaped staff. Both are penitent heavenly beings sent to atone for their past misdeeds by aiding Xuanzang.

3. **Adventures and Obstacles**: The journey involves defeating various demons and spirits who often seek to eat Xuanzang, believing his flesh will grant immortality. The group also faces moral and spiritual challenges, reflecting Buddhist ideas of self-purification, perseverance, and redemption.

4. **Philosophical and Religious Undertones**: While packed with action and comedy, the novel delves deeply into themes of enlightenment, karma, and the struggles of humanity to overcome sin and ignorance.

### Frequently Mentioned Clues in Quizbowl Questions:

1. **Sun Wukong's Rebellion and Imprisonment**:

   - Sun Wukong urinates on five pillars, which turn out to be the Buddha's fingers, leading to his entrapment under a mountain for 500 years.  

   - He gains his "fiery eyes" after being cooked in a magical crucible for 49 days.

2. **Sun Wukong's Staff and Abilities**:

   - Sun Wukong wields a magical golden-banded staff (Ruyi Jingu Bang) that can shrink or grow in size.  

   - He performs cloud somersaults to travel vast distances and can transform into 72 different forms.

3. **Peaches of Immortality**:

   - Sun Wukong steals and eats the peaches of immortality during his rebellion in Heaven, which contributes to his notoriety.

4. **Companions' Roles and Characteristics**:

   - Pigsy, or Zhu Bajie, wields a nine-toothed iron rake and represents gluttony and laziness.  

   - Sandy, or Sha Wujing, wears a necklace of skulls and represents loyalty and endurance.

5. **Demons and Challenges**:

   - The group faces demons like the White Bone Demon and challenges such as crossing a burning mountain, which requires a magical fan made of banana leaves.

6. **Buddhist Mission**:

   - The overarching goal of retrieving Buddhist scriptures for the enlightenment of China is central to the story.

### Practice Fill-in-the-Blank:

1. Sun Wukong urinates on the **___1___** of the Buddha, mistaking them for stone pillars.  

2. The **___2___** is Sun Wukong’s magical golden staff that can grow and shrink in size.  

3. Sun Wukong steals the **___3___** of immortality during his rebellion.  

4. The Monkey King gains **___4___ eyes** after being cooked in a furnace for 49 days.  

5. Zhu Bajie wields a **nine-toothed ___5___**, representing his strength and labor.  

6. Sandy wears a **necklace of ___6___**, reflecting his demonic past.  

7. The group extinguishes a burning mountain using a **magical ___7___ of banana leaves**.  

8. The Buddhist scriptures are retrieved from **___8___ Peak** at the end of the journey.

Answers:

1. fingers  

2. Ruyi Jingu Bang  

3. peaches  

4. fiery  

5. rake  

6. skulls  

7. fan  

8. Vulture  

Recurring Clues and References in Journey to the West Quiz Bowl Questions (Ranked by Frequency)

Sun Wukong urinates on the Buddha’s hand/five pillars - 20 occurrences

Sun Wukong urinates on what he believes are five stone pillars, which turn out to be the Buddha’s fingers, leading to his entrapment under a mountain for 500 years.

Sun Wukong’s size-changing golden staff (Ruyi Jingu Bang) - 19 occurrences

A weapon that can shrink and expand, retrieved from the Dragon King’s underwater palace, and often mentioned in Sun Wukong’s combat feats.

Burning mountain extinguished by a magical fan of banana leaves - 18 occurrences

A significant episode where the group must use a magical fan to extinguish the flames of a burning mountain.

Peaches of immortality - 17 occurrences

Sun Wukong consumes peaches that grant immortality during his rebellion in Heaven.

Sun Wukong’s fiery eyes from the magical crucible - 15 occurrences

Sun Wukong gains “fiery eyes with golden pupils” after being cooked in a crucible for 49 days.

Sandy (Sha Wujing) and his necklace of skulls - 13 occurrences

Sandy, a river demon, is described with his weapon (crescent moon staff) and necklace of skulls from his past life.

Nine-toothed iron rake wielded by Pigsy (Zhu Bajie) - 12 occurrences

Pigsy, a gluttonous and lazy character, frequently uses his nine-toothed rake in battles.

Stone egg and Mountain of Flowers and Fruit (Sun Wukong’s origin) - 10 occurrences

Sun Wukong’s birthplace as a stone-born monkey on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.

White Bone Demon episode - 9 occurrences

A key antagonist who disguises herself multiple times (as a young girl, mother, and father) to deceive the protagonists.

Book of Life and Death erased by Sun Wukong - 8 occurrences

Sun Wukong erases his name, as well as others, from the Book of Life and Death.

Guanyin’s guidance and the magical headband (used to control Sun Wukong) - 7 occurrences

The Bodhisattva Guanyin gives Xuanzang the magical headband to restrain Sun Wukong, activated by a tightening spell.

Eighty-one calamities faced by Xuanzang and companions - 6 occurrences

The challenges they must endure to complete their pilgrimage to retrieve Buddhist scriptures.

Vulture Peak as the destination for obtaining scriptures - 6 occurrences

The group’s ultimate destination where they acquire Buddhist sutras.

Spider demons’ lair and all-female kingdom episodes - 5 occurrences

Two notable adventures where the group faces dangers involving the Spider Monsters and a kingdom of women.

Kingdom of Women where characters become pregnant by drinking water - 5 occurrences

A humorous yet significant episode on their journey.

White Dragon Horse (Xuanzang’s transformed steed) - 4 occurrences

The dragon who serves as Xuanzang’s mount after being punished for arson.

Golden Cicada, Xuanzang’s past life - 3 occurrences

Xuanzang is revealed to be the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada in a Buddhist allegory.

Retrieving scriptures but losing some in water - 3 occurrences

A mishap where some of the Buddhist scriptures are accidentally dropped into water before returning to China.