Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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Chan Master Wuxiang was originally a prince of the Silla Kingdom (modern-day Korean Peninsula). He later took monastic vows at Gyeongnam Temple in Silla. In 728 CE, he journeyed across the sea to Tang China to seek Buddhist teachings. At Dechun Temple in Zizhou (present-day Ningguo Temple in Zizhong County, Sichuan Province), he became…
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In Journey to the West (Chapter 23: “Four Saints Test the Zen Heart”), the four bodhisattvas disguise themselves as a widow and her three daughters to test the pilgrims’ spiritual resolve. Their names are riddled with homophonic puns and double meanings, critiquing worldly illusions.