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[Journey to the West] Precious Flower Mountain and the real-world parallel
The scripture-seeking team arrives at the Gold-Dispensing Monastery(also translated as the Gold-Spreading Monastery) in the Kingdom of Sravasti, where they encounter Centipede Mountain(Hundred-Legs Mountain) and Rooster’s Crow Pass(Cock-Crow Pass).
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The Offering of Gold and Journey to the West
In ancient China, people often sent goods and wealth to deceased relatives by burning paper effigies and offerings—a practice rooted in the belief that material possessions could be transferred to the afterlife.
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The Apricot Immortal in Journey to the West
In ancient Chinese mythology, plants and flowers can cultivate spiritual awareness over centuries, transforming into demons or immortals. Journey to the West features such beings, notably in Chapter 64, where tree spirits—including the Apricot Immortal—play pivotal roles.
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[Journey to the West] Dialogues between the Fisherman and the Woodcutter
In Chapter 9 of Journey to the West, significant space is devoted to a philosophical exchange between a fisherman named Zhang Shao and a woodcutter named Li Ding.
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[Journey to the West] The Diviner – Yuan Shoucheng
In Journey to the West, gods and demons wield immense supernatural powers, while mortals are typically portrayed as frail and vulnerable. Yet, there are rare exceptions—figures like Liu Boqin, Wei Zheng, and Yuan Shoucheng.
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Why do ghosts in Journey to the West like pumpkins?
In Western Halloween traditions, pumpkins are carved into lanterns to ward off wandering spirits, symbolizing a fear or aversion to ghosts. Yet in Journey to the West, Chinese ghosts and underworld kings are depicted as fond of pumpkins—a curious contrast.