What Wu Chengen focuses on describing is each specific battle on the Xitian Road, and how Sun Wukong won in the fight against the evil forces that obstructed the pursuit of Buddhist scriptures. To sum up, through the fantasy plot, the story of seeking Buddhist scriptures in the West reflects to a large extent the Chinese people’s spirit of overcoming difficulties and bravely moving forward, and reflects the Chinese people’s desire and confidence to destroy all evil forces in society and conquer nature. .

The Journey to the West also includes forty-one short stories. Most of them contained goblins causing trouble. Although these fairies have different origins, they have one common characteristic, that is, they hinder the progress of Buddhist scriptures. Many of them are actually illusions of natural disasters, but when they transform into monsters and appear as an evil force in battles, they themselves gain social significance.

Extended information:

Creative background

Wu Chengen (disputed), the author of "Journey to the West" from the Ming Dynasty, lived in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, and experienced the reign of Emperor Xiaozong, There are five periods: Wuzong Zhengde, Shizong Jiajing, Mu Zonglongqing, and Shenzong Wanli.

The social situation in the middle and late Ming Dynasty was very different from that at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Politically, class contradictions, ethnic contradictions, and contradictions within the ruling class were intensifying and becoming increasingly acute; ideologically and culturally, the Enlightenment thought was rising. , the idea of ????liberating human nature was rising, citizen literature was developing increasingly vigorously, the creation of novels and dramas entered a period of comprehensive prosperity, and the sprouts of capitalism emerged economically.

Influence of the work

The emergence of "Journey to the West" opened up a new category of long chapter novels about gods and demons. The book's clever combination of good-natured ridicule, bitter satire and serious criticism directly affected the development of satirical novels. Therefore, "Journey to the West" is the peak of ancient romantic novels. In the history of world literature, it is also a masterpiece of romanticism and the pioneer of magical realism.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Journey to the West