SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Emperor Taizong of Tang

  • Yan Shigu

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    Ana

    Yan Shigu (581–645 CE) was a prominent Confucian classicist and philologist of the Sui and Tang dynasties. His given name was Zhou, but he was universally known by his courtesy name, Shigu.

  • Mencius – Chapter 8.16 Moral leadership, Popular consent, and the True kingship

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    Ana

    Mencius said: “Trying to subdue others merely by displaying one’s own goodness has never truly won their submission. Only by using goodness to nurture and uplift others can one gain the willing allegiance of all under heaven. There has never been a ruler who became a true king without the heartfelt obedience of the…

  • The Secret of Tang Sanzang’s Purple Gold Alms Bowl

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    Juan

    In Journey to the West, the Purple Gold Alms Bowl was bestowed upon Tang Sanzang by Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin) before his pilgrimage. While providing attendants and a horse was practical, the emperor’s deliberate choice of this sacred vessel demands scrutiny.

  • Pilgrimage to the Realm of Buddha

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    Juan

    Over the past two months, we have explored the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Though a mythological narrative, it is rooted in historical events.

  • [Journey to the West]The Sworn Brotherhood Between Emperor and Monk

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    Juan

    As previously discussed, the traditional Chinese concept of “Sworn Brotherhood of Eight Bows” and its representation in Journey to the West reflect deep cultural values of loyalty and kinship. Today, we delve into the historical account of Xuanzang’s sworn brotherhood with a king and its profound influence on the novel’s narrative.

  • The two Scholar-Hermits in Journey to the West

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    Juan

    In Journey to the West, Zhang Shao and Li Ding are two distinctive yet minor characters. A fisherman and a woodcutter, respectively. Traditionally, these professions symbolized an idyllic life detached from worldly strife, embodying the Taoist ideal of reclusive simplicity.