In Journey to the West, many demons believed consuming Tang Monk’s flesh granted immortality. But was this true?
The Origin of the Widespread Belief
The first to propose this idea was the Bone Demon (White Bone Spirit). As the text states:
“As the saying goes: ‘High mountains breed monsters; steep ridges foster fiends.’ Indeed, a demon resided on this mountain. When the Great Sage Sun approached, he disturbed the creature. Riding a dark wind upon the clouds, she spotted the venerable monk sitting below. Overjoyed, she exclaimed: ‘What luck! What luck! For years, people have spoken of the Tang Monk from the East seeking the Great Vehicle scriptures. He is the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, his body tempered through ten lifetimes of cultivation. Anyone who eats a piece of his flesh shall live long and never age. Truly, he arrives today!’”
— Journey to the West, Chapter 27
This passage shows the White Bone Demon heard it as a rumor circulating years prior.
The Timeline Puzzle
How long had Tang Monk been traveling from Chang’an to the White Tiger Ridge (Bone Demon’s territory) when this occurred? Likely only 2-3 years. This implies the rumor spread very early — even before or just as his journey began.
The Core Mystery
How did demons know about Tang Monk before his pilgrimage, let alone his secret identity as the Golden Cicada? Reincarnation details are typically celestial secrets, accessible only to a few high-ranking figures in the heaven and the underworld. How could monsters or even ordinary people know that?
The Likely Source
Who deliberately spread the myth of Tang Monk’s immortality-granting flesh?
The most probable culprit is Guanyin Bodhisattva, the mastermind behind the pilgrimage. Her motive? To increase the journey’s difficulty. After all, Buddhist decrees required the scripture-seeker to endure exactly eighty-one tribulations. Creating this lethal rumor ensured demons relentlessly targeted Tang Monk, artificially generating the necessary trials.
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