Why did Journey to the West elevate Buddhism and belittle Taoism?

Journey to the West is a novel that combines Buddhist and Taoist elements. Many of the characters are the embodiment of Buddhism and Taoism. In Buddhism, Sun Wukong was the incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Zhu Bajie was the incarnation of Mars god, Sha Wujing was the incarnation of Saturn god, and Tang Sanzang was the incarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni. In Taoism, Sun Wukong was the incarnation of Taishang Laojun, Zhu Bajie was the incarnation of the Jade Emperor, Sha Wujing was the incarnation of the South Pole Immortal Weng, and Tang Sanzang was regarded as the teacher of Tang Sanzang and his disciples who went to the West to obtain scriptures. In addition, many other characters in Journey to the West were also incarnations of Buddhism and Taoism. For example, Bai Jingjing was the incarnation of God Jingjing, the Black Wind Monster was the incarnation of the Demon King Black Bear, and Monk Sha was the incarnation of God Nazha. Journey to the West combined the elements of Buddhism and Taoism, combining the stories and characters of the two religions to show the understanding and exchange of beliefs of the ancient people.

"Journey to the West" does not explicitly praise or belittle any religion. It is a fictional novel that tells the story of Tang Sanzang and his four disciples going to the West to obtain scriptures. Buddhism and Taoism both played important roles in the novel, but the plot and characters were not judged based on any religious belief. The main characters in Journey to the West had their own backgrounds and personalities. Their actions and decisions were influenced by their own values and beliefs. For example, as a Buddhist character, Sun Wukong abided by Buddhist teachings to protect Tang Sanzang and his disciples, but when he encountered difficulties, he would also use some Taoist methods to solve the problem. The plot and storyline of Journey to the West were very complicated, involving many different elements and topics, including adventure, love, power struggle, moral education, and so on. Therefore, it did not simply praise or belittle any religion. Instead, it showed the interaction and exchange between many cultures and beliefs in a creative and imaginative way.

Journey to the West was a classic novel that integrated Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It was embodied in the following aspects: The plot of the story is a fusion of Confucian ideas: there are many explanations about morality, ethics, and philosophy of life in the novel. For example, in the Legend of Wukong, Sun Wukong's path of cultivation is planned according to the Confucian idea of "cultivating one's moral character, regulating one's family, governing the country, and pacifying the world". In addition, there were many discussions about human nature, good and evil, and desire in the novel, which also reflected the thoughts of Confucianism. 2. The characters are integrated with Taoist thoughts: many characters in the novel have the shadow of Taoist thoughts, such as Sun Wukong's Tao, Zhu Bajie's laziness, Sha Wujing's loyalty, etc. Taoism's emphasis on "governing by inaction" was also well reflected in Journey to the West. Many characters in the novel were escaping from reality and pursuing a realm of governing by inaction. 3. The art form is integrated with Buddhist thoughts: There are many Buddhist elements in the novel, such as monsters, immortals, Buddha, etc. The image and plot design of these characters are integrated with Buddhist thoughts. In addition, there were many Buddhist scriptures and doctrines in the novel, such as the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra. These scriptures also reflected Buddhist thoughts.

This question involved the background of the literary work, the author's personal beliefs, and the social and cultural background. In literary works, authors often create according to their own worldview, outlook on life and values, which may be affected by the social and cultural environment. Buddhism and Taoism are both local religions in China. Although they have different doctrines and practice methods, they both have deep thoughts and explorations about life and the world. In the past, Buddhism had a great influence in China, and many people believed in Buddhism, so literary works might involve Buddhist content. However, with the continuous development and strengthening of Taoism, the description of Taoism in literary works may be reduced. The creation of literary works was often a personal act, and the motives and purposes of the author's creation were more complicated. Some authors may express their views and beliefs in the process of writing, while others may not have such intentions. However, the content that belittles Buddhism in the works may also be the personal prejudice or creative intentions of some authors. Literature works that belittle Buddhism may involve many factors, including religion, culture, society, and so on. But we should respect every religion and belief and avoid belittling or discriminating in our works.

In Journey to the West, Taoism was portrayed as a negative and belittling image because in the novel, Buddhism and Taoism were two different forces with their own interests and goals. In the novel, the main characters of Buddhism were Tang Sanzang and his disciples, while the main characters of Taoism were monsters and demons. Due to the great influence of Buddhism in Chinese culture, Buddhism was often portrayed as a positive image and Taoism as a negative image in novels. This way of portraying Buddhism was not to praise or belittle Buddhism, but to express the theme and plot of the novel. In the novel, the characters of Buddhism and Taoism have their own unique charm and characteristics. Their existence is to show the differences and conflicts between different cultures and deepen the readers 'understanding of different cultures. Therefore, we cannot simply think that praising Buddhism means belittling Taoism, or belittling Taoism means praising Buddhism.

Seeking divination was a folk custom in China. It was a form of divination. Nowadays, most Taoist temples, temples, and folk temples had lots for people to draw lots and ask for divination. Whether it was in Taoist or Buddhist places, this behavior existed. It was not exclusive to Taoism or Buddhism. " Shen Mingri " is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!

There might be the following types of honors for Buddhism and Taoism: 1. Receive special awards: novels that cultivate both Buddhism and Taoism often have unique depth of thought and philosophical content, so they may receive some special awards such as literary awards, art awards, etc. 2. Receive good reviews from readers: novels about Buddhism and Taoism are usually well received by readers because their unique depth of thought and philosophical content can attract readers 'interest and cause them to think. 3. Author's honor: An author who practices both Buddhism and Taoism may receive some honors such as the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Nebula Prize, and so on. This was because their novels had a unique depth of thought and philosophical content that could resonate with readers and have a far-reaching impact. 4. Acquire social influence: novels that cultivate both Buddhism and Taoism may have an impact on society because they have profound thoughts and can guide readers to think and shape their values. This kind of novel might become a hot topic in society and attract widespread discussion and attention.

Taoism and Buddhism were two different religious belief systems. They both contained concepts related to "God", but their meanings were different. In Taoism, there were many gods, such as the Three Pure Ones (Heavenly Lord Yuanshi, Heavenly Lord Lingbao, Heavenly Lord Dao De). These gods were an important part of the Taoist belief and mythological system. They were believed to have extraordinary abilities and noble status, and were in charge of different affairs in the universe, such as creating heaven and earth, ruling life and death, and so on. In Buddhism, there were concepts such as Buddha, Bodhisattva, and Arhat. Buddhas were seen as enlightened beings who had transcended the cycle of life and death and reached the highest wisdom and realm; Bodhisattvas were compassionate and merciful, saving all living beings; Arhats were cultivators who had been freed from their worries. Although it was different from the Taoist gods in terms of concept and nature, in the understanding and expression of the people, it was sometimes generally regarded as an existence with divine power. In short, Taoism and Buddhism both had their own systems regarding supernatural existences, but it could not simply be said that "God" only belonged to Taoism or Buddhism. "Shen Mingri" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!