Xuanzang (玄奘)

Xuanzang(玄奘)

Alternative Names(異名):
Xuanzang, 玄奘

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The fictional character Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade-Giles: Hsüan-tsang) is a central character of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. For most of the novel he is known as Táng-sānzàng, the title Sānzàng (三藏 "three collections") referring to his mission to seek the Sānzàngjīng, the "Three Collections of (Buddhist) Scriptures". In some English translations, the title is rendered as Tripitaka (tripitaka is the original Sanskrit term for the Sānzàngjīng). He is also commonly referred to as Táng-sēng (唐僧 "Tang-monk"), which is a courtesy name that, like the former name, reflects his status as the adopted "brother" of the Tang emperor, Taizong. As "Tripitaka" he is a leading character in the cult Japanese Television series Monkey.

In the story, he is constantly terrorized by monsters and demons because of a legend that they would obtain immortality by eating the flesh of a holy man. While he is a pacifist who has no fighting ability of his own, he is flanked by his three powerful disciples - Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing - themselves "monsters" who have vowed to protect him on his journey in order to atone for their sins in Heaven; while the heavenly origins of Wukong are up for debate, both Bajie and Wujing (and even the horse on which Xuanzang rides) were once minor deities in Heaven who were cast to Earth for their wrongdoings.

Xuanzang is partly modelled after the historical Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk of the same name, whose life was the book's inspiration; the real Xuanzang made a perilous journey on foot from China to India (and back again) to obtain Buddhist sutras.

In recent years, a mural on the wall of a mountain pass on the way to the China/India border was discovered that is purported to show the real Xuanzang flanked by a small hairy man that some scholars have theorized might have been the inspiration for the character of the Monkey King.

As Sun Wukong is often worshipped as a protector god, so is Xuanzang, albeit mistakenly. Ksitigarbha, a bodhisattva in Buddhism, is occasionally mistaken for Xuanzang due the fact that Ksitigarbha is often portrayed like Xuanzang, with the robes, crown and staff of a monk.

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Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology

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Chinese mythology | Fictional monks | Characters in written fiction | Journey to the West

Xuanxuan Shangren (玄玄上人)

Xuanxuan Shangren(玄玄上人)

Alternative Names(異名):
Xuanxuan Shangren, 玄玄上人

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Xuanxuan Shangren (玄玄上人) was the first supra-being incubated from Tao, according to an introduction by Lao Tsu (道祖老子) in a Taoist guidance book called The Feast of the Immortal Peaches (scroll one chapter one). The same genesis in the Chinese creation story was also explained in a second guidance book called Tiantang Yiuchi 天堂遊記 (Text Reference No.1) whereby it was described that out of the primodial infinite Nothingness or Wuji (無極) came Taiji (太極 ), which then split into the binary yin and yang (陰陽) or two aspects (兩儀), yin and yang slitting into the four realms (四象) and from which begets bagua (八卦) , and from which every beings were created. The following texts were traceable to the legendary emperor Fuxi as well as Tao Te Ching:

無極生有極, 有極是太極,
太極生兩儀, 即陰陽;
兩儀生四象: 即少陰、太陰、少陽、太陽,
四象演八卦， 八八六十四卦

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References

Text Reference No.1 - passage from Chapter Four of Tiantang Yiuchi “...即是「玄玄上人」，又稱「元始天王」。因位居至上，又稱「上帝」。又為萬物之始祖，...運轉既滿週圓，氣自分散...玄玄上人為造化天地，用心默運真，五方定位，世界成形，無人可立，而三才不貫，…原由無極 (Wuji) 元始一動而生太極 (Taichi)，太極含兩儀(two aspects) 陰陽 (yin and yang)，而化三才四象(Four Realms) 五行(Wu xing)……。”

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See also

Chinese mythology
Chinese creation story
Chinese folk religion
I ching

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Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology

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Chinese mythology stubs | Taoism | Chinese mythology | Creation stories | Concepts of Heaven