Journey to the West is a classic literary work by the scholar Wu Cheng’en, regarded as one of the four great masterpieces of Chinese literature, alongside Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In Vietnam, the film adaptation Journey to the West has become closely associated with the childhood of many individuals.
In reality, it is impossible not to acknowledge the fascinating aspects of the book Journey to the West, especially whether the classic literary work still retains its relevance today. The answer is undoubtedly yes.
There are quite a few unique features of Journey to the West that have only recently been highlighted, one of which is the character of the little girl Zhu Bajie. Interestingly, Zhu Bajie is often noted as the point of interest that almost every reader of Journey to the West encounters, starting from the age of just 11.
Moreover, in Journey to the West, the four monks traveling to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures traveled through various regions. The journey was intensely arduous and took them to many different areas. Due to the vast geographical scope, the customs and living habits of the people would certainly differ, which is most vividly reflected in the culinary realm.
This is evident as the girl Zhu Bajie discovered that the regions they traveled to offered various foods that were similar to those available today. Typically, the meals consisted of vegetables, mushrooms, and various kinds of dumplings.
Alongside Zhu Bajie, the dishes they encountered were characteristic of the Jiangsu region, home to the “father” of the classic work Journey to the West. The girl speculated, in ancient times, author Wu Cheng’en did not have the condition to “travel” everywhere, so it was difficult for him to gather many authentic materials for his works.
After discovering the “errors” in the classic novel Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie wrote a brief analysis on her personal page. The article by the 11-year-old girl was highly praised by literary experts. From the time the work was published (1590) until Zhu Bajie’s article (2018), no one had previously pointed out this oversight in over 400 years.
The article by Zhu Bajie has sparked a conversation among internet users: “Could it be that the Journey to the West has a culinary aspect that was overlooked?” However, the girl responded wisely: If the culinary aspect had certain conditions, then the meals of the four monks must have been very simple. Because the pilgrimage lasted 14 years, under the harsh conditions of the journey, no type of food could have been preserved for so long.
The article by Zhu Bajie has received numerous praises from educational experts for her insightful observations and profound analysis of the classic literary work. Not only does it serve to entertain, but this young girl also knows how to critically analyze the work, utilizing logical reasoning to uncover errors in the classic that no one else had noted for over 400 years.
It is worth noting that besides Zhu Bajie’s unique perspective, she has a distinct affinity for literature. Since childhood, she has read a significant number of classical works from China, often regarded as “difficult to digest” for many young individuals. Among them, Journey to the West is Zhu Bajie’s favorite work, which she has read multiple times.
Source: Sohu
