Disclaimer: this is a voluntarily provoking title... don't worry, my point is not to argue the ownership of this monument of Chinese literature, so please read the rest of the article :-)
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| A Journey to the West painting in the Summer Palace |
I just finished to read and enjoy the so famous Journey to the West (西遊記 Xī yóu jì), one of the Four great Chinese Classics (四大名著 Sì dà míng zhù). It is based on the real story of the monk Xuán Zàng (玄奘) who brought back and reinterpreted the Buddhist scriptures from India to China. Beyond the entertaining mix of fantasy and fun, the book treats deeply about the arrival of Buddhism in China, and how it integrated with the incumbent religions/philosophies Taoism and Confucianism. Despite the initial rivalries (and nasty tricks from other monks described in the book :-), these three religions became eventually unified in China. It is best illustrated by the proverb "Three laughs at Tiger Brook" (虎溪三笑 Hǔ xī sān xiào), and this mix also explains why Chinese religion is quite confusing for the Westerner. Interestingly, if the author Wú Chéng'ēn (吴承恩) is very supportive with Buddhism, OK with Taoism, he doesn't seem to really appreciate Confucianism, and its cohort of bureaucrats.
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| Sūn Wùkōng against Nézhā (Havoc in Heaven) |
Journey to the West has been adapted so many times on many media, from paintings to Opera, TV series, films, manga and video games. I would like to mention a gem among these adaptations: Havoc in Heaven (大闹天宫 Dà nào tiān gōng), probably the best of Chinese animation industry in the 1960s. Its "stylized animation and drums and percussion accompaniment used in this film are heavily influenced by Beijing Opera traditions". It is possible to download it (no direct link because I'm not sure whether the copyrights have expired). The story is based on the earliest chapters of the book, where Sūn Wùkōng rebels against the Jade Emperor of Heaven.
Sūn Wùkōng, aka the Monkey King, is undoubtedly the main character, and the most popular one among the readers. Some scholars discuss a possible Indian influence for the character, based on the similarities with the Hindu ape-like god Hanuman. Such historic influence would not be surprising, it is the topic of the book itself after all.
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| Depiction of Hanuman |
Sūn is extremely powerful, resourceful and funny, but has many weaknesses, that well, don't sound very compliant with the Chinese social norms and values: he is very individualistic and arrogant, hates authority and he has a very bad temper... sounds rather like a French stereotype, no? OK, I'm kidding, don't worry ;-) From a more positive perspective, one could say Sūn cherishes Freedom above all...
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| Sūn escaping from the Lǎozǐ cauldron... a typical messy episode |
How comes Sūn is so admired in China? He is so opposite of the Confucian ideal (respect of hierarchy, harmony of the group)... which is supposed to be the foundation of the Chinese culture and social life. I wonder actually to what extent Confucianism was pushed by the governments since Emperor times, rather than "embedded" in the mindset of Chinese people. I would say the tone in Journey to the West is an argument for the latter assumption. In addition, having personally spent some time in Asia, I can testimony that all Chinese people are not that fond of order and harmony... I'm interested by any comments about it.
My point is not to criticize any philosophy, but rather to understand more in depth the history and sources of the Chinese culture. Indeed, it is way more diverse and complex than the stereotypes spread in the West... and also much more fascinating.
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| Sūn Wùkōng and Sangoku (Dragon Ball)... more than cousins |
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