To this day, The Journey to the West remains a masterpiece of Chinese literature and a significant symbol of the fantasy genre in cinema. Alongside the adventures of the legendary monk Tang Seng, the story also raises many intriguing details, among which is the famous notion that “Tang Seng will be captured.” However, after more than 35 years since its release, many fans of The Journey to the West have come to realize that there is indeed no story about “capturing” at all.
Regarding the character of Tang Seng, he is the reincarnation of the second disciple of Buddha, known as Jin Tianzi. During one of his meditative retreats, Jin Tianzi accidentally dropped a grain of rice, leading Buddha to impose a penalty on him, requiring him to undergo ten reincarnations and overcome 81 calamities before he could attain enlightenment. Since then, Jin Tianzi has transformed into a being with a mortal body, undoubtedly devoid of any powers to help the “capturers” succeed.
In The Journey to the West, there is indeed no direct mention of anyone capturing “Tang Seng.” However, the concept of “capture” here only exists as a metaphor, and if we look deeper, there are at least two characters who have experienced this idea.
The first character is one of the main disciples of Tang Seng – Sha Wujing. When he was still a monster in the Liusha River, Sha Wujing had a tragic past where he was once a human who was punished for failing to retrieve the scriptures. This implies that Sha Wujing has “captured” Tang Seng nine reincarnations prior, or at least Kim Tianzi. However, Sha Wujing does not hinder the capturing process; on the contrary, he assists Tang Seng.
Despite having captured the nine reincarnations of the Buddha, Sha Wujing’s abilities only align with the ordinary. Furthermore, it is notable that the “truth” of capturing Tang Seng is more of a myth than a reality, as many people have assumed.
To clarify the notion that “Tang Seng will be captured” does not originate from previous interpretations in The Journey to the West, Tang Seng’s character serves as a concrete example. In the past, Tang Seng faced a tragic fate where he was captured by bandits, and his life was at stake. To protect his son, Tang Seng had to sacrifice his own body, writing a blood letter to save his son from drowning.
According to Sina, Tang Seng can indeed be captured due to his blood relationship with the Buddha, yet also directly connects with the fate of his son, as mentioned above. However, Tang Seng later became a significant figure and passed through various trials like a common mortal.
Consequently, many fans believe that the idea that “Tang Seng will be captured” is still not accurate, especially as a myth. Over the years, many audiences have come up with theories suggesting that information about this concept has been misrepresented.
The main purpose is to portray the mythical “capturing” of the monster as a new form of entertainment, highlighting the struggles faced by Tang Seng during his journey. There is no narrative that is overly exaggerated, and the act of spreading rumors about Tang Seng has indeed made the journey more challenging, yet it also gives viewers something to watch!
Source: Sina
