SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Tang Dynasty

  • Lian Suo

    •

    Ana

    Yang Yuwei had moved to a house by the bank of the Sishui River. His study faced an open wilderness. Outside the wall were many ancient tombs. At night, winds blew through white poplar trees, setting them to roaring like sea waves.

  • Why didn’t Vulture Peak deliver the scriptures to Tang Dynasty?

    •

    Juan

    When assigning the mission, Tathagata Buddha explicitly stated that scriptures “cannot be lightly bestowed.” If obtained too easily, the people of the Eastern Land might disdain or slander them.

  • Why was Tang Monk so beloved by females in Journey to the West?

    •

    Juan

    In Journey to the West, why was Tang Monk so appealing to numerous female characters?

  • Why couldn’t Monkey King simply fly Tang Monk to Vulture Peak?

    •

    Juan

    Many friends might have this question while watching Journey to the West, especially those who haven’t read the original novel but learned about the story through movies or TV shows.

  • Seek herbs, Buddhahood and Dao in the mountains

    •

    Ana

    Chan Master Sikong Benjing, a renowned Tang Dynasty monk and direct heir of Huineng, presided over Erzu Temple on Sikong Mountain since 713 CE. In 744, Emperor Xuanzong dispatched envoy Yang Guangting to gather herbs in the mountains, where he encountered the master.

  • What color is the grass？

    •

    Ana

    National Teacher Huizhong (Imperial Preceptor Huizhong), a renowned Tang Dynasty Chan master who studied under Huineng, was revered by three emperors.

  • Divinity in a Clamshell

    •

    Ana

    Chan Master Weizheng (757–843 CE) was a renowned eminent monk during the Tang Dynasty. He initially studied sutra recitation under Master Quancheng at Yanhe Temple in his home province, later receiving Dharma transmission from Chan Master Puji on Songshan Mountain(Mount Song), thus becoming a key lineage holder of the Northern School of Chan Buddhism.

  • A monk of no affairs

    •

    Ana

    One day, Chan Master Danxia Tianran lay sprawled across the Tianjin Bridge in Luoyang City. When Governor Zheng Yuqing passed by during an official inspection, his guards demanded: “Why block the governor’s path?”

  • Journey to the West – Episode 18 – Picture story

    •

    Juan

    Time flew like an arrow. Over five centuries passed, and the mortal realm entered the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Taizong decreed the selection of a eminent monk to expound Buddhist teachings. After careful deliberation, the court chose Master Xuanzang—a monk of profound virtue and unmatched mastery of scripture since childhood.