In Journey to the West, the Four Heavenly Kings belonged to Buddhism, so why would they work under the Heavenly Court of Taoism?
In Journey to the West, the Four Heavenly Kings were the four guardian gods of Buddhism, corresponding to the four dimensions of the sky, the earth, the human world, and the devil. They were not gods in Taoism, but they were absorbed by Taoism and worked under the heaven. According to Buddhist legends, the Four Heavenly Kings existed to protect the Dharma from interference. In Buddhism, the Heaven Realm was one of the ultimate goals of all living beings 'cultivation, and the Heavenly King was the leader of the Heaven Realm, responsible for maintaining the order and safety of the Heaven Realm. As Buddhism spread in the East, the positions of heavenly kings were mainly concentrated in the East. In Journey to the West, the heavenly kings were depicted as having human bodies, hands, feet, and wings. Their mission was to protect Buddhism and believers, and they were also important officials in the Heavenly Court. Due to the profound cultural influence of Buddhism and Taoism, some characters in Journey to the West were described as a combination of the characteristics of the two.
Did Taoism introduce the four heavenly kings from Buddhism or was it just the opposite?
The Four Heavenly Kings were a Buddhist concept that appeared in the Buddhist system of the Eight Heavenly Dragons. They were the four guardians of the Buddhist universe. There was no concept of the Four Heavenly Kings in Taoism, so it could be said that Taoism introduced the Four Heavenly Kings from Buddhism. However, some of the gods in Taoism are similar to the heavenly kings in Buddhism, such as the Five Mountain Gods and the Jade Emperor. This may also be the reason why some readers believe that there are also four heavenly kings in Taoism.
Why were there incarnations of Buddhism and Taoism in Journey to the West?
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.
What was the use of the items taken by the Four Heavenly Kings in Journey to the West?
In Journey to the West, the four heavenly kings did not specify their uses in the story, but they were all objects with specific symbolic meanings. The jade scale held by the Heavenly King was an instrument that measured all things in the world. It symbolized the fairness and justice of the world and the justice of the gods. The Ocean-Pacifying Divine Treasure that Earth God was holding was a huge flying ship that symbolized his authority and power in the world. The diamond chakram held by the Light King was a divine weapon with infinite power and light, symbolizing the safety and prosperity of all things under his rule. The jade rabbit held by the Moon Goddess symbolized that the moon was a mysterious and charming existence, as well as the strength and gentleness of a woman. The items held by the four heavenly kings all had different symbolic meanings and no specific use.
Why was it said that Journey to the West praised Taoism and belittled Buddhism?
"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.
Why did Journey to the West elevate Buddhism and belittle Taoism?
Journey to the West was a classical Chinese novel, in which the plot that exalted Buddhism and belittled Taoism was not one of the main plots. In the novel, Buddhism and Taoism were two different religious forces with their own beliefs and leaders. Although there were some images and stories depicting Buddhism in the novel, there was no obvious plot to elevate Buddhism. On the contrary, the novel depicted some Taoist characters and plots, such as Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie's communication with Taoist priests, as well as the communication between Tang Sanzang and his Buddhist master, etc. In the novel, the characters of Buddhism and Taoism have their own strengths and weaknesses, but they are not mutually exclusive. On the way to get the scriptures, Tang Sanzang and his team had to face various difficulties and challenges. They also had to communicate and cooperate with other religious forces in order to complete the mission. Therefore, the novel did not elevate or belittle any religion, but was an inclusive and diverse storyline.
The Four Heavenly Kings
The representative Mandarin song of the Four Heavenly Kings was Jacky Zhang's Kiss Goodbye.
Four Heavenly Kings
The Four Heavenly Kings were Ye Xiu, Yu Wenzhou, Zhang Xinjie, and Xiao Shiqin. While waiting for the anime, you can also click on the link below to read the classic original work of " Full-time Expert "!
What was the relationship between the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Realm in Journey to the West? Were they classified according to Buddhism?
Journey to the West was a novel based on the ancient Chinese novel Journey to the West, which was based on folk tales, myths and legends, and Buddhist ideas. In the novel, the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Realm were classified according to Buddhism. The Heavenly Court referred to the heavens in Taoism, including the nine heavens beyond the clouds and heaven. The Buddhist world referred to the world in Buddhism, including countries such as India, Nepal, and China. In the novel, Sun Wukong and the others went to India many times to obtain Buddhist scriptures and experienced many Buddhist practices and tests. Therefore, they were endowed with the characteristics of Buddhism. In the novel, the relationship between the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Realm could be described as " cross-border cooperation." Although there were differences between the two, they respected each other, communicated, and cooperated with each other. This relationship also reflected the exchange and integration of ancient Chinese culture and Western culture.
Is there a novel similar to Journey to the West: The Beginning of the Heavenly Court?
The new Four Heavenly Kings
The new Four Heavenly Kings referred to the rapid development of online literature after 2000. A group of outstanding young authors quickly emerged on Qidian Chinese Network and other major original literature websites, including I Eat Tomatoes, the Three Young Masters of the Tang Family, Tian Can Tudou, and Chen Dong. The works of these four authors had different styles, but they were all very popular and influential. Their works were not only popular in China, but also achieved good results in the overseas market. Their appearance marked the beginning of a new stage in the development of Chinese online literature. It also injected new vitality into the development of Chinese literature. While waiting for the anime, you can also click on the link below to read the classic original work of " Full-time Expert "!