In Journey to the West, Devaraja Li (also known as Heavenly King Li, Li Jing, Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King or Devaraja Pagoda-Bearer) is the supreme military commander serving the Jade Emperor. His character merges the Buddhist deva-king archetype (Buddhist guardian deity Vaiśravana, one of the Four Heavenly Kings) with the historical General Li Jing from Emperor Tang Taizong’s court, a fascinating blend of Buddhist cosmology and Chinese Daoist mythology.
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Strength, Mana and Authority in Journey to the West
In Journey to the West, power manifests in multiple forms, making it difficult to rank deities and demons by dominance alone. The novel distinguishes three key types of power.
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