In the novel Journey to the West, the Women’s Kingdom is one of the nations that the monk Tang Sanzang and his disciples pass through during their quest for Buddhist scriptures.
In this kingdom, all inhabitants are women, with no men present, hence its name, the ”Western Liang Women’s Kingdom”. To reproduce, the women rely on the waters of the ”Child-Mother River” to conceive. Women reproduce by drinking from the Motherhood River, which induces pregnancy.
Historical Basis: The Eastern Kingdom of Women
The Kingdom of Women (Women State) in Journey to the West is a fictionalized realm that Tripitaka and his disciples encounter during their pilgrimage. However, its roots lie in historical accounts of matrilineal societies in ancient China, particularly the Eastern Kingdom of Women, as documented by the real-life monk Xuanzang and later historians.
Xuanzang’s Great Tang Records on the Western Regions
In Chinese historical records, the monk Xuanzang wrote Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, documenting his travels to India in search of sacred texts. In this work, he mentions a “Eastern Women’s Kingdom”, where women held leadership roles, and political power resided with the queen. Men were excluded from governance, focusing instead on agriculture and warfare.
Old Book of Tang
Another historical text, the Old Book of Tang, also records the existence of the “Eastern Women’s Kingdom”. This kingdom flourished between the 6th and 7th centuries in what is now Sichuan and Tibet, with its capital located in present-day Danba County, part of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan. A defining feature of its culture was its woman-centered social system and reverence for female authority. Due to its remote and isolated location, the kingdom maintained a matrilineal society, where women dominated decision-making and daily life, while men primarily engaged in farming and military service.
Literary and Historical Synthesis
The Journey to the West author likely drew from historical records of the Eastern Kingdom of Women to craft the Western Liang episode.
While the “Women’s Kingdom” in Journey to the West is a fictionalized legend, its roots lie in real historical matrilineal societies in China. While the fictional kingdom uses magic to exclude men, the historical Eastern Kingdom coexisted with male populations but minimized their societal influence and women actively participated in political and social life.
The interplay between literature and historical reality enriches these captivating narratives. By intertwining legend and reality, the novel invites reflection on gender, power, and the human quest for idealized worlds—themes as relevant today as in Ming-era China.
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