SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Underworld

  • Zhang Cheng

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    Ana

    There was a man surnamed Zhang in Henan Province whose ancestors were from Shandong. During the latter part of the Ming Dynasty, when Shandong was in wide-spread turmoil, his wife was captured and taken away by Manchu soldiers. After that, as Zhang often used to travel to Henan, he decided to settle down there.

  • Nie Xiaoqian

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    Ana

    Ning Caichen, a native of Zhejiang Province, was noted for his galantry, integrity and upright character. He often used to say, “In my whole life, I’ve only had my wife and never another woman.”

  • Judge Lu

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    Ana

    Zhu Erdan, of Lingyang, whose courtesy name was Xiaoming, was bold and outgoing by nature, though tending to be gullible. He studied industriously but had not yet made a name for himself.

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

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    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 Bajie refused to follow Venerable Crow Nest？

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    Juan

    In Journey to the West, Venerable Crow’s Nest (Wuchao Chan Master) is a mysterious figure.

  • Monkey King or Monster?

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    Juan

    Sun Wukong, the main character in Journey to the West, has several names and titles, including Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Handsome Monkey King, Heaven-born Stone Monkey, Bi Ma Wen, etc. Find out why his name is Sun and what his name Wukong means. Today, we will talk about his titles and…

  • Journey to the West – Episode 102 – Picture story

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    Juan

    One Wukong called on Sha Wujing for help, and the other Wukong did the same. It was difficult for Sha Wujing to tell the true from the false, so he said:

  • The Offering of Gold and Journey to the West

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    Juan

    In ancient China, people often sent goods and wealth to deceased relatives by burning paper effigies and offerings—a practice rooted in the belief that material possessions could be transferred to the afterlife.

  • The hidden purpose of the Pilgrimage to the West

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    Juan

    On the surface, the stated goal of the westward journey to retrieve Buddhist scriptures is to fulfill Emperor Taizong of Tang’s desire for Mahayana teachings to “save lost souls” and redeem his own karmic debts.