In Journey to the West, immortality is the common aspiration eagerly pursued by deities, demons, cultivators, and mortals alike. Immortals and deities often boast lifespans spanning thousands or even tens of thousands of years.
When he went up to the region above to listen to the lecture that day, he took forty-six disciples along with him, leaving behind two of the youngest ones to look after the temple. One was called Clear Breeze, and the other was named Bright Moon. Clear Breeze was only one thousand two hundred and twenty years old, while Bright Moon had just passed his one thousand two hundredth birthday.
— Journey to the West, Chapter 24
While demons typically live for centuries. For example, Sun Wukong was summoned by the Yama King to claim his soul when he was 342 years old. In the Underworld’s Book of Life and Death, his lifespan was explicitly recorded as 342 years.
He had, therefore, a separate ledger, which Wukong examined himself. Under the heading “Soul 1350” he found the name Sun Wukong recorded, with the description: “Heaven-born Stone Monkey. Age: three hundred and forty-two years. A good end.”
— Journey to the West, Chapter 3
Mortals, however, are not always short-lived. For instance, the pilgrims encounter an elderly man on the Mountain of Two Frontiers who is 130 years old—remarkable for a human.
Tea was then served, after which the old man asked Wukong, “How old are you, Great Sage?” “And how old are you?” asked Wukong. “I have lived foolishly for one hundred and thirty years!” said the old man. “You are still my great-great-great-great-grandson!” said Pilgrim. “I can’t remember when I was born, but I have spent over five hundred years underneath this mountain.” “Yes, yes,” said the old man. “I remember my great-grandfather saying that when this mountain dropped from the sky, it had a divine ape clamped underneath it.
— Journey to the West, Chapter 14
Yet, the most astonishing example unfolds at the Guanyin Monastery (Guanyin Temple), where the Tang monk meets Elder Gold Pool (Golden Pool Elder or Abbot Jinchi), who casually reveals he is 270 years old.
Then Tripitaka asked, “What is the honorable age of the Old Abbot?” “Foolishly I have reached my two hundred and seventieth year,” said the old monk.
— Journey to the West, Chapter 16
What’s the secret of a mortal living 270 years?
The secret lies in the Elder’s clandestine ties to the Black Wind Demon, a sinister entity also known as the Black Wind Great King. Sun Wukong, ever suspicious, deduces that the Black Wind Demon taught the Elder an illicit method of prolonging his life.
When Pilgrim saw this, he roared with laughter, saying, “That old carcass! He didn’t lose anything by his death! So he belonged to a monster’s gang! Small wonder that he lived to his two hundred and seventieth year! That monster, I suppose, must have taught him some little magic like ingesting his breath, and that was how he enjoyed such longevity.
— Journey to the West, Chapter 17
Later, the Elder’s own disciple confirms Monkey King’s theory, exposing the friendship and pact between the mortal monk and the demon.
Tripitaka then read the invitation slip and handed it to the abbot, saying, “Could it be that your master was also a monster-spirit?” Falling to his knees, the abbot said, “Old Father, my master is human. Because that Great Black King attained the way of humanity through self-cultivation, he frequently came to the monastery to discuss religious texts with my master. He imparted to my master a little of the magic of nourishing one’s spirit and ingesting breath; hence they address each other as friends.”
— Journey to the West, Chapter 17
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