In the ancient East, there is a legend forgotten by time. In this legend, time seems to have lost its boundaries, and the protagonists of the story, their lifespans are far beyond ordinary people's imagination. It is a story of the search for truth, adventure and transcendence, and at its core, a journey to the west to learn the scriptures.
One of the protagonists of the story, Sun Wukong, a monkey born from a stone, was more than a thousand years old when he studied scriptures in the Western Heavens. His life, starting from an ordinary immortal stone, has experienced the adventures between heaven and earth, and the suffering that has been suppressed under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years. Although such a span of time is almost unimaginable on a human historical scale, in this story, it is only the beginning.
1. The truth about Sun Wukong's growth when he was suppressed.
In the vast narrative of "Journey to the West", the passage where Sun Wukong is crushed under the Five Elements Mountain, although it is only one link in many stories, contains profound historical and cultural significance. It is generally believed that when Sun Wukong was suppressed, it was 500 years, and this number has been passed on by word of mouth among the people and has become a fixed impression. However, the accounts in the original book deviate from this general view, revealing a more accurate historical timeline.
In the narrative of "Journey to the West", the character of Liu Boqin mentions a key historical moment: "When Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty, the sky descended on this mountain and pressed a monkey under it. "Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han Dynasty was an important turning point in Chinese history, marking the change of the old and new dynasties. This event took place in 8 A.D., which is an exact point in history.
According to the narrative in "Journey to the West", Tang Seng Zhenguan began his journey to learn scriptures in the thirteenth year, that is, in 639 AD. From these two points in time, we can deduce that the time when Sun Wukong was actually crushed under the Five Elements Mountain was 631 years, which is 131 years more than the generally accepted 500 years.
This difference in time, although it seems insignificant, invisibly increases the heaviness of Sun Wukong's experience and the heaviness of history. Five hundred years and six hundred and thirty-one years are long years in the long river of time, but the latter undoubtedly emphasizes Sun Wukong's indomitability and patience. In these long years, Sun Wukong was crushed under the mountain, experienced wind and rain, sun and rain, but he was always tenacious and waiting for the day of liberation.
The establishment of this historical background not only gives us a deeper understanding of what happened to Sun Wukong, but also reflects the author Wu Chengen's in-depth understanding and meticulous research on history. By combining the background of ** with actual historical events, Wu Chengen has given "Journey to the West" a richer and more real historical dimension.
Second, the real age of Monkey King**.
If, according to tradition, Sun Wukong was suppressed by the Five Elements Mountain for 500 years, then with the years before him, his age has reached at least 1061 years old. This age is far beyond the limit of human lifespan, reflecting his extraordinary characteristics and supernatural existence as a monkey.
Monkey King is described in "Journey to the West" as a monkey with infinite divine power and the ability to change, and his birth is a miracle full of mythology. According to legend, he was born in a fairy stone in Huaguo Mountain in Dongsheng Shenzhou. In the process of growing up, Sun Wukong was self-taught, and learned supernatural powers such as seventy-two changes and somersault clouds, which are abilities beyond ordinary people. These qualities of the Monkey King, as well as his age beyond the normal lifespan, reflect the yearning for supernatural powers and immortality in ancient Chinese mythology and legends.
In the worldview of "Journey to the West", the concept of time is very different from our understanding in the real world. In this world, immortals and yokai often possess the trait of longevity or immortality, and their lifespan can be far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. The longevity of the Monkey King is the embodiment of such a supernatural phenomenon. He jumped out of the stone of Huaguo Mountain and experienced countless years of cultivation, plus five hundred years of being crushed under the Five Elements Mountain, these experiences together constituted his lifespan of more than a thousand years.
In the five hundred years of being pressed, Sun Wukong was trapped at the foot of the Five Elements Mountain, and this experience was undoubtedly unimaginable for ordinary life. However, in the narrative of "Journey to the West", these five hundred years seem to be just an episode in Sun Wukong's long life. This not only demonstrates the tenacity and perseverance of Sun Wukong as a cultivator, but also reflects the deep understanding of time and life in Eastern culture.
In the world of Monkey King, time seems to have lost its limitations and definitions. His existence is not only the image of a wise, brave and interesting monkey, but also a cultural symbol, representing the unremitting pursuit of transcending the limits of mortals and pursuing a higher realm. Sun Wukong's longevity and otherworldly ability are the embodiment of supernatural power in ancient Chinese myths and legends, as well as an imagination and challenge to the limits of life.
3. The wonderful legend of the ginseng fruit.
In "Journey to the West", a classical masterpiece rich in Eastern philosophy and mythology, the depiction of ginseng fruit is an extremely striking part. The ripening cycle of this fairy fruit is thousands of years, which is specifically described as "flowering once every 3,000 years, fruiting once every 3,000 years, ripen after another 3,000 years, and eat it after 10,000 years". This astonishing description of the time cycle not only reflects the mythical imagination of ancient China about immortal fruits and the dream of immortality, but also reflects the author's deep understanding of the growth and decline cycle of all things in the universe.
As a miraculous fairy fruit, the ginseng fruit has a long ripening cycle, which almost surpasses the conventional understanding of human time. In "Journey to the West", the existence of this fairy fruit is not only a strange fruit on the material level, but also a symbol of profound thinking about time and the cycle of life. Three thousand years of flowering, three thousand years of fruiting, and then another three thousand years to ripen, the whole cycle is as long as 9,000 years, this long time span is almost equivalent to the replacement of several civilizations.
In the background of the story of "Journey to the West", the existence of ginseng fruit is not only a treasure in the fairy world, but also an important material for the cultivation of the immortal family. Its preciousness lies in its difficulty in obtaining and its miraculous effects. This kind of fairy fruit is cultivated by Zhenyuan Daxian located in Penglai Xiandao. As an unfathomable immortal, Zhenyuan Daxian grows this magical ginseng fruit in his garden. And the particularity of this fruit lies in the fact that it is not only a treasure of the immortal family, but also an important auxiliary for cultivators to seek the Tao and become immortals.
In the story, when Tang Seng and his apprentices came to the immortal mansion of Zhenyuan Daxian, they saw this legendary magical fruit. Each of these fruits, because of their long ripening process, contains the essence of heaven and earth. Its great value lies not only in its nourishing effect, but also in the fact that it symbolizes the mysterious power of heaven and earth and the implication of immortality.
Fourth, the far-reaching years of the sand monk.
Although Sha Seng is often seen as a marginal character, he actually has a deep and unique historical background and rich experience. According to the description of the original book, Sha Seng was a general of the Rolling Shutter when he was in the Heavenly Court, and this identity itself means that he is not just an ordinary Sand Monk, but an immortal who once held an important position in the Heavenly Court. The most striking thing is that the sand monk once participated in the peach banquet during the Heavenly Court period and saw the legendary ginseng fruit.
The Pan Tao Banquet is a grand event in the heavenly court, and only the immortals of noble status are eligible to participate. Against this backdrop, the fact that the sand monk was not only able to attend such an important banquet, but also witnessed the incomparably precious ginseng fruit, undoubtedly showed his status and influence in the heavenly court. The ripening cycle of ginseng fruit is as long as thousands of years, even tens of thousands of years, and the fact that Sha Seng can see this miraculous fruit at the peach banquet shows that he has a history of at least 10,000 years.
This detail not only reveals the deep historical background of Sha Seng, but also reflects the colorful life he had experienced before joining the Tang Seng scripture study team. As a general of the shutters, Sha Seng must have participated in many important events in the heavenly court and witnessed the occurrence of many mythological stories, which made his life experience far richer than that of ordinary monks or mortals.
In the narrative of "Journey to the West", although Sha Seng is relatively low-key in the scripture-learning team, his stability and experience cannot be ignored. His ability to remain calm in the face of difficulties and challenges is likely to be the result of his long service in the Heavenly Court. Sha Seng's historical background and experience provided valuable experience and knowledge for the various problems he encountered on the way to learn the scriptures, so that he could help ** and his brothers at critical moments.
The identity and background of Sha Seng add more layers to the relationship between the characters and the development of the story in "Journey to the West". He was not only a loyal retinue of Tang Seng, but also an important character who had rich experience in the Heavenly Court. His presence not only enriches the storyline of "Journey to the West", but also adds a deep understanding of this classical masterpiece.
5. The particularity of the concept of time in "Journey to the West".
Through the analysis of the ages and experiences of the main characters Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng, it can be seen that their life course far exceeds the cognitive boundaries of ordinary people. This transcendent treatment of time not only enhances the mystery and fantasy of the story, but also reflects the extraordinary imagination of the author Wu Chengen's concept of time and space.
The Monkey King is at least over a thousand years old, which is far more than the lifespan of a human being. He was born from a stone, experienced 500 years of suffering under the Five Elements Mountain, and other experiences, Sun Wukong's life course almost ran through the change of several dynasties. Such a time span is unimaginable in the real world, but in the world of "Journey to the West", it has become a possibility.
Although Zhu Bajie's age is not clearly described, judging from his identity in the Heavenly Court and his experience after descending to the earth, his existence also spans a long time. As the former Marshal of Tianpeng, he was relegated to the mortal world due to his mistakes, which makes Zhu Bajie's character image fuller, and also implies that the time he has experienced far exceeds the life course of ordinary people.
The age of the sand monk is even more amazing, at least 10,000 years old. This number is almost immeasurable on the scale of human history. In "Journey to the West", Sha Seng's experience specifically mentions that he served as a general in the heavenly court and participated in the peach banquet. The ripening cycle of the ginseng fruit at the peach banquet is thousands of years, which shows that the years of the sand monk in the heavenly court are far from ordinary.
The ages and experiences of these characters build a grand time frame for "Journey to the West". In this framework, time seems to be redefined and weaved, and it is no longer limited by the calculation of years, months and days in the real world, but has become an important dimension that shows the character, experience and degree of practice. In this dimension, the flow of time becomes flexible and changeable, which can be scaled and transformed according to the needs of the story.