Journey to the West Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Journey to the West - Essay Example In most European countries, it is referred to as â€Å"Monkey† because it focuses on the Tang Monk as well as his monkey disciple Sun Wukong. The first edition was written in Chinese by Wu Chengen in the sixteenth century, however, since then there have been numerous other publications in English translation. I used the fourth volume of the revised edition translated by Anthony C. Yu. This version lays its focus on the pilgrimage itself, the journey towards getting the Holy Scriptures and bringing them back to Tang dynasty, which is in China. In its twenty-five chapters, it gives the exaggerated adventures, encounters and challenges that the monk, Tang Tripitaka, and his three disciples Great Sage Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie Wuneng and Sha Wujing faced during the pilgrimage. His disciples were meant to serve and protect their master from any harm and ensure the success of the pilgrimage. The book begins with chapter seventy-six of the original book giving a tale whereby some demons have captured the Great Sage Sun-the monkey disciple of Tang Monk. One of the demons has swallowed him, and he is causing it distress from the insides of its stomach (Yu 2). Sun Wukong, in a smart and tricky way and with the help of his magic manages to salvage himself from the situation and coerce the demons to agree to transport him, his brothers and their master Tang across the mountains (Yu 4). We then see a battle of muscle and wits between the demons and the Monks on pilgrimage as the demons try to devour the Tang Monk. They do so because they believe his meat will grant them immortality and free them from their sins (Yu 17). In the following chapter, the demons trick and seize all the four and prepare to eat the monk. However, Sun Wukong uses his wits, magic and to save himself, his brothers and his master from these demons (Yu 28). As the book continues, the monk runs into numerous demons and evil creatures, a land