Japanese Journey to the West, 1978
The 1978 Japanese version of Journey to the West was a TV series produced in Japan and adapted from the Chinese classic Journey to the West. The series was first aired on October 1, 1978, with a total of 52 episodes. It was reported that the series was well received in Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries, and became a "cult" and "childhood memory" for many Western teenagers in the 1980s. The production of the play was assisted by the Central Broadcasting Bureau of the People's Republic of China, and the background filming was specially done in China. However, due to many differences with the original work, the play was banned in China, and later China filmed its own version of Journey to the West. Therefore, the 1978 Japanese version of Journey to the West had a great impact on the world, especially in the Western countries.
Japanese Journey to the West
There were many Japanese works adapted from China's Journey to the West. From a historical point of view, Japan had introduced Journey to the West for research and translation as early as 200 years ago. The early picture books of Journey to the West, such as the illustrations drawn by Katsushika Hokusai and Tsukioka Yoshinen, basically respected the original work in terms of character creation. For example, the female characters in Hokusai's paintings had the style of a Tang Dynasty lady. Tsukioka Yoshinen's Sun Wukong was closer to the "original" monkey. The image of Tang Sanzang was in line with the China people's minds. Zhu Bajie was also close to the original image. Although Monk Sand had a Japanese ronin flavor, he still respected the general setting of the original. However, after entering the modern era, the film adaptation of Journey to the West in Japan showed various magical changes. For example, there was a female version of Tang Sanzang. In the plot, Tang Sanzang's kiss could heal injuries, and when his disciple was injured, Tang Sanzang would kiss him; Sun Wukong transformed into Tang Sanzang to seduce Old Master Gao; King of Golden Horn and King of Silver Horn became husband and wife, and King of Golden Horn's daughter fell in love with Sun Wukong; Tang Sanzang's mother and Sun Wukong had an ambiguous relationship. In addition, Japanese elements began to be incorporated into some early films and television works, such as the 1926 paper-cut animation "Journey to the West: The Story of Sun Wukong". At the beginning of the film, Xuanzang left Tang City in a shape similar to the city wall of Japan's Warring States Period. The rock shape was similar to Mount Fuji. Wukong made a cross tombstone for the demon. At the end, Buddha summoned a winged dragon from the West. During the war, the Japanese Journey to the West movie was also used to serve the war of aggression. For example, in the 1940's Sun Wukong movie, Sun Wukong and others flew planes and used machine guns to kill monsters, with the intention of glorifying the war of aggression against China. In terms of actors 'performances, different versions of Journey to the West had different actors playing roles such as Sun Wukong. For example, Shingo Kaori, Masahiro Motoki, and Shouming Karasawa had played Sun Wukong, while female stars such as Rie Miyazawa and Riho Makinase had played Tang Sanzang. Moreover, there were many Journey to the West TV series, such as the 140-minute single-episode TV series that aired in 1993 with Rie Miyazawa and Masahiro Motoki, the TV series that aired from January 9 to March 20, 2006 with Shingo Katori, Furatsu Eri, and Ito Atushi, and the new Journey to the West TV series that would be aired in January 2025 with Shingo Katori as the star. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
Journey to the West, Japanese Version, 1993
The 1993 Japanese version of Journey to the West was a Japanese comedy drama produced by the Japanese television network (NTV), directed by Seiji Wizumi and written by Shiba Yingsaburo. It was starred by Miyazawa Rie, Motoki Masahiro, Kawahara Saki, Shimada Hisaku, and Yachikusaka. The drama was a remake of a popular drama series of the same name that aired from 1978 to 1980. It was adapted from one of China's four famous novels, Journey to the West. It mainly tells the story of Xuanzang (played by Miyazawa Rie), who used Buddhist scriptures to drive away the monsters that confused the people, and then gained the trust of Guanyin (played by Eight Thousand Grass) and was given the name Sanzang. Under the guidance of Guanyin, he subdued the violent and aggressive Sun Wukong (played by Motoki Masahiro), and Guanyin put the Golden Hoop Incantation on Sun Wukong. After that, Xuanzang accepted Zhu Bajie (Sato Kawahara) and Sha Wujing (Hisashi Shimada). The four of them met a demon and turned into mortals. Sun Wukong identified the demon and killed it. However, he was criticized by Xuanzang and others. Sun Wukong left angrily. After Sun Wukong left, the demon revealed its true form. Xuanzang understood that he had misunderstood Sun Wukong, but he did not find him. Instead, he took Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to India. After Sun Wukong left, he became the king of the mountain and hung out with demons. Guanyin created illusions to enlighten him and other stories. The drama was a 140-minute single-episode drama and received a viewership rating of 26.9% after it was broadcast. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
Journey to the West, Japanese Version 1993
The 1993 Japanese version of Journey to the West was a Japanese comedy drama produced by the Japanese television network (NTV), directed by Seiji Wizumi and written by Shiba Yingsaburo. It was starred by Miyazawa Rie, Motoki Masahiro, Kawahara Saki, Shimada Hisaku, and Yachikusaka. The drama was a remake of a popular drama series of the same name that was broadcast from 1978 to 1980. It was adapted from one of the four famous China novels, Journey to the West. It mainly told the story of Sun Wukong, Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, who went to the Western Heaven to obtain Buddhist scriptures. Along the way, they subdued demons and devils and experienced hardships. It was a 140-minute single-episode series filmed by Japanese TV to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its broadcast. After it was broadcast, it received a viewership rating of 26.9%. In the plot, Xuanzang used Buddhist scriptures to drive away the demons that confused the people on the street and gained the trust of Guanyin and was given the name Sanzang. Then, under the guidance of Guanyin, he subdued Sun Wukong. Guanyin put the Golden Hoop Curse on Sun Wukong, and then Xuanzang took in Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. On the way, Sun Wukong killed the demon and was misunderstood by Xuanzang. Xuanzang left angrily. After the demon appeared, Xuanzang realized that he had misunderstood Sun Wukong but did not find him. Instead, he took Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to India. Sun Wukong mingled with the demon. Guanyin set up illusions and other plots to enlighten him. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
The Japanese version of Journey to the West
In many films related to Journey to the West filmed in Japan, Tang Sanzang was mostly played by actresses. In the 1978 version, Tang Sanzang was played by the actress Masako Natsume, in the 1993 version by the actress Rie Miyazawa, and in the 2007 version by the actress Furatsu Eri. The Japanese version of Journey to the West often had magical changes, such as the plot where Tang Sanzang could save people by kissing others. These Japanese versions of Journey to the West were often very popular in Japan, and some versions even achieved high ratings. However, when it was broadcast in China, due to the large differences from the original, such as the setting of a female monk, a female Buddha, and a male Guanyin, it might make the Chinese audience feel uncomfortable. For example, the 1978 version was only broadcast in China for three episodes before it was taken down. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
Japanese version of Journey to the West
There were many Japanese versions of Journey to the West that used actresses to play the role of Tang Sanzang, forming a tradition of a female version of Tang Sanzang. The Japanese version of Journey to the West, which was broadcast on October 1st, 1978, had the actress Natsume Masako as the Tang Monk. In addition to the female Tang Monk, there were also bold settings such as the male actor playing the role of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The style was shocking and the production was rough, but it was very popular in Japan. When it was broadcast, it created more than 20% of the audience ratings. It was also introduced and broadcasted in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, and many other places. As a result, Rie Miyazawa also played the role of Tang Sanzang in the 93 edition of Journey to the West. In some versions, there were even more ridiculous settings. For example, after Sun Wukong was injured, Tang Sanzang used a kiss to heal him. Some versions even set up a love scene for the two of them. In 1981, China Central Television introduced the 1978 Japanese version of Journey to the West, but because there were too many changes (such as the female Tang Monk, the female Buddha, the male Guanyin, etc.), it was only shown for three episodes before it was removed. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
The Japanese TV Series Journey to the West
There were many Journey to the West TV series in Japan. In 1978, the first Journey to the West was filmed in Japan. The actress Natsume Masako played the role of Tang Sanzang. In the play, the Tathagata Buddha and the demon Silver-horned King were also played by women. Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Monk Sha had strange appearances. The plot of the play was seriously inconsistent with the original work, and the characters were difficult to accept. It was banned in China after only three episodes. However, it was very effective in Japan, and it even caused a "Journey to the West" craze. After that, he filmed four more movies in succession and followed the setting of the woman playing the role of Tang Sanzang. In 1993, Japanese television stations remade the popular series of the same name to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its broadcast. It was a 140-minute single-episode drama, starred by Miyazawa Rie, Motoki Masahiro, Kawara Saki, etc. From January 9 to March 20, 2006, Journey to the West, which was directed by Kamasaku Sawada and Takeshi Narita and starred by Shingo Katori and Eri Fukatsu, was also adapted from one of the four famous ancient China works, Journey to the West. In 2024, there was also a Thai drama called " Journey to the West in Japan ", which was starred by Daou Pittaya, Offroad Kantapon, etc. It was a Thai drama, which might be confusing in terms of name. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
The 1980s Japanese cartoon Journey to the West
Tezuka Osamu began to create the manga "My Sun Wukong" in 1952. He had considered using the Peking opera facial makeup image, but in the end, he drew Sun Wukong in the shape of a bear. When Tezuka died in 1989, he left behind a draft animation for "My Sun Wukong." This animation was released in 1960. In addition, there were other works related to Journey to the West in Japan, such as the series of the same name that was broadcast from 1978 to 1980, and the Japanese comedy TV series that was remade from the popular series that was broadcast on March 28, 1993. These works reflected the diverse creation of the theme of Journey to the West in Japan to a certain extent. In 1981, CCTV introduced the 1978 Japanese version of Journey to the West, but because there were too many adapted content (such as the female monk, the female Buddha, the male Guanyin, etc.), it was only broadcast for three episodes before it was removed. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
The Second Season of the Japanese Version of Journey to the West
From November 11, 1979 to May 4, 1980, Japanese TV broadcasted a total of 26 episodes of Journey to the West. The directors were Jun Fukuda, Min Aoki, and Shino Ota, and the main actors included Masaki Sakai and Masako Natsume. In the play, Tang Sanzang was played by the actress Natsume Masako, and Sun Wukong was played by Sakai Masaaki. The visual special effects were contracted by Round Valley Production Company and Toho Image Co., Ltd., and Nakano Akiyoshi and Takano Hiroichi participated in the special effects production. Watching Journey to the West: Sun Wukong Beats the White Bone Demon Three Times is not enough. Everyone is welcome to click to read the novel!
Journey to the West: An Interpretation of the Journey to the West
Journey to the West was a classic with rich content. There were many ways to interpret it. ** 1. The perspective of society and officialdom ** 1. ** Reflects the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty ** - The Heavenly Court was seen as a reflection of the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. The Jade Emperor was similar to the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He was superstitious about Taoism and devoted himself to cultivation, just like the Jiajing Emperor, who devoted himself to longevity and did not care about government affairs. - The Taoist ancestor, the Grand Supreme Elder, and the others were hinting at the civil officials of the imperial court. They had great power and appeared to be worried about the country and the people, but in reality, they harmed the public and benefited their own interests. The Jade Emperor could do nothing about it, so he used the Buddhist forces to contain it. - The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and his faction were too close to Buddhism. Buddhism was humble in front of the Jade Emperor, but in fact, they secretly cultivated their power. On the surface, they obeyed, but on the inside, they opposed. On the way to the scriptures, the two factions sent people to do official business. They supported the project in name, but in reality, they competed for benefits. Along the way, there were two factions of demons and ghosts. They were transferred away after finishing their work, and the local tyrants without backgrounds were eliminated. - The book revealed the ugliness and internal struggles of the Heavenly Court, as well as Buddhism's apparent compliance with the Heavenly Court and its self-interest. It also hinted at the hardships on the way to the scriptures, reflecting the author Wu Chengen's dissatisfaction with the feudal system and his understanding of the darkness of society. ** 2. Symbol angle ** 1. ** From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Chinese culture ** - Sun Wukong represented the mind that grew with enlightenment. The "Crescent Moon and Three Stars Cave" that he was apprenticed to symbolized the place where the mind grew. The combination of the "Crescent Moon and Three Stars" was the word "heart". His master was Bodhi, and "Bodhi" had the meaning of enlightenment. He also symbolized a kind of teacher who transcended the limitations of religion. Sun Wukong's Dharma name, Wukong, corresponded to his mind, which represented the growth of enlightenment. - Zhu Bajie was in charge of the kidneys. Because the kidneys could not be "Wukong" like the heart, his Dharma name was "Wuneng". - Sha Wujing was related to the spleen. The heart was fire, and the kidney was water. Water and fire were transported and transformed by the spleen (earth). The heart, kidney, and spleen corresponded to Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing respectively, symbolizing the unity of the primordial spirit, essence, and vitality to form Sanzang. - From this point of view, Journey to the West could be understood as a person's mental journey of enlightenment."A trip is a thought." This thought was the distance from ignorance to enlightenment. The 81 difficulties were all mental demons. The Holy Mountain was in the heart. Everyone had a Holy Mountain Pagoda and had to cultivate their hearts under the Holy Mountain Pagoda. 2. ** From the perspective of a character prototype ** - Sun Wukong abhorred evil and dared to offend both the Heavenly Court and Buddhist forces. He had a stubborn temper and there were many possible explanations for his original form. ** 3. Perspective of literary creation ** 1. ** Relationship with other works ** - Among the Four Great Masterpieces, Journey to the West was the most adapted work. It originated from stories such as "The Great Tang Sanzang's Poetry on the Pilgrimage to the West","The Commentary on Journey to the West", and "The Zaju of Journey to the West". The first protagonist of the Journey to the West was changed from Tang Sanzang to Sun Wukong. - At the beginning, the author constructed a magnificent "Journey to the West Universe", setting the time of the universe (such as the number of heaven and earth, the division of one yuan into twelve meetings, etc.) and space (the structure of the four continents, the four seas, the underworld, the celestial heavens, etc.). 2. ** Literature Evaluation ** - Lu Xun believed that "Journey to the West" was a book written by a Confucian scholar, but it was actually a game, not a language. Therefore, the book only occasionally talked about the five elements of life and death, especially did not learn Buddhism. Therefore, there were absurd and nonsensical scriptures in the last chapter. It was because of the mixed teachings that it had been popular for a long time. Therefore, his works were also the same as Sakyamuni and Laojun. The true nature and the primordial spirit were mixed, so that the disciples of the three religions could be attached to it." - Hu Shi mentioned,"Therefore, although he narrates things that change suddenly, but also every word that is used to explain the situation, so that the gods and devils have human feelings, the essence of charm is also familiar with the world, and the meaning of cynicism is contained." The two masters both thought that Journey to the West had the characteristics of "game" and "cynicism." However, Journey to the West could also be said to be a profound book. It was not just a simple game. ** 4. Thematic perspective ** 1. ** Positive energy and harmony ** - Journey to the West could also be regarded as a masterpiece full of positive energy. It was a description of the image of China's "fighting gentleman", a secret manual to free himself from worries, and a classic work of harmony between Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. 2. ** Dark side revealed ** - The world of Journey to the West was filled with dark phenomena. For example, demons ate people (General Yin, Techushi, etc.), people ate people (the monk king failed), and immortals ate people (Kui Wood Wolf). Buddhism was greedy for money and killed people (Guanyin Zen Monastery coveted the kasaya, and the Great Thunderclap Monastery demanded personnel), Daoism caused chaos in the country (Wuji Kingdom's national master murdered the king, and Bhikhu Kingdom's national master harmed the children), the underworld was bent on favoritism (Judge Cui privately changed the Life and Death Book), and the Heavenly Court was plunged into misery (Fengxian County had no rain for three years, and two people starved to death). <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Journey to the West
Journey to the West was a classical Chinese novel that told the story of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and Tang Sanzang (also known as the "Journey to the West"), who went to India to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. The following is the story of Journey to the West: Sun Wukong and the others came to Tang of the East and were received by Emperor Taizong. They told their stories to Emperor Taizong, who appointed them civil servants and gave them swords and scriptures. 2. Sun Wukong and the others met the monster White Bone Demon outside Chang 'an City. Sun Wukong used his supernatural power to turn the White Bone Demon into a human form, exposing its true identity. 3. The White Bone Demon asked Sun Wukong and the others to help her retrieve the scriptures or she would destroy them. Sun Wukong and the others were forced to go to India to learn scriptures. They fought with all kinds of monsters along the way. On the way to the scriptures, Sun Wukong and the others met the immortals Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. Together, they helped Sun Wukong and the others to achieve many victories. Finally, Sun Wukong and the others arrived in India to retrieve the sutra. However, on their way back to the Tang of the East, they encountered various challenges and difficulties, including Flaming Mountain, Water Curtain Cave, Wuzhuang Taoist Temple and so on. In the end, Sun Wukong and the others successfully returned to the Tang Empire of the East and received the emperor's commendation. Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing also received their due punishment. They also became legendary figures in Chinese history.