In Journey to the West (Chapter 23: “Four Saints Test the Zen Heart”), the four bodhisattvas disguise themselves as a widow and her three daughters to test the pilgrims’ spiritual resolve. Their names are riddled with homophonic puns and double meanings, critiquing worldly illusions.
Lady Jia (The Widow, matriarch of the household)
She introduces herself:
The woman said, “This belongs to the West Aparagodānīya Continent. My maiden surname is Jia, and the surname of my husband’s family is Mo.”
— Journey to the West, Chapter 23
She portrayed herself as a charming and very wealthy middle-aged widow to seduce the four monks and test their priestly mind.
“Unfortunately, my in-laws died prematurely, and my husband and I inherited our ancestral fortune, which amounted to more than ten thousand taels of silver and over fifteen thousand acres of prime land. It was fated, however, that we should have no son, having given birth only to three daughters. The year before last, it was my great misfortune to lose my husband also, and I was left a widow. This year my mourning period is completed, but we have no other relatives beside mother and daughters to inherit our vast property and land. I would have liked to marry again, but I find it difficult to give up such wealth. We are delighted, therefore, that the four of you have arrived, for we four, mother and daughters, would like very much to ask you to become our spouses. I do not know what you will think of this proposal.”
— Journey to the West, Chapter 23
The surname 贾 in Chinese homophonically resembles 假, meaning “unreal”, “false” or “artificial.” This directly critiques the illusion of worldly wealth and status.
The surname of her deceased husband is 莫. This Chinese character is polysemous. It can function both as a surname and as a term expressing negation, meaning “without”, “nonexistent” or “do not”. It represents the lady has not been married to someone.
The Three Good-looking Daughters
The widow presents her daughters:
My eldest daughter, named Zhenzhen, is twenty; my second daughter, Aiai, is eighteen; and my youngest daughter, Lianlian, is sixteen. None of them has been betrothed to anyone. Though I am rather homely, my daughters fortunately are rather good-looking. Moreover, each of them is well trained in needlework and the feminine arts.
— Journey to the West, Chapter 23
真 (zhen) means “true”, 爱 (ai) means “love”, 怜 (lian) means “compassion”. When their given names and surnames are combined, however the meanings are entirely inverted, signifying: “not real,” “no love,” and “false compassion.”
Cultural and Philosophical Layers
The four saints(Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and Venerable Mother of Mount Li) disguise themselves to test whether the pilgrims—especially Zhu Bajie (Pigsy)—can resist earthly temptations (wealth, lust, false compassion) and remain steadfast in their quest.
While Bajie (Pigsy or the Eight Rules) fails the test—succumbing to greed and lust—Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, and Sha Wujing resist the temptations, proving their Zen heart.
Homophonic wordplay is a hallmark of Chinese classical literature, used here to satirize societal hypocrisy and spiritual weakness. The names’ contradictions reflect Buddhism’s teaching that ultimate truth lies beyond labels.
Bajie’s failure underscores his role as the embodiment of human flaws. This trial foreshadows the pilgrims’ 81 tribulations, each designed to strip away illusions. By weaving wordplay into divine tests, Journey to the West transforms a simple folktale into a profound allegory of spiritual discipline.
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