Which was the hardest of the eighty-one tribulations faced by the Tang Monk and his disciples on their journey to fetch the scriptures? In Journey to the West, the four pilgrims battled demons and overcame obstacles all the way to the Western Heaven. Each trial seemed arduous. But comparing them, which one posed the greatest challenge?
The common misconception: Women’s Kingdom
Many readers believe the hardest trial was the Kingdom of Women. There, Tang Monk faced the triple temptation of genuine worldly riches, breathtaking beauty, and royal power – making it the ultimate test.
However, this is not actually the case.
Why seduction wasn’t the Peak Challenge
Tang Monk had already endured numerous seductions. Before Womanland, he faced the “Test of Zen Mind by Four Saints.” After leaving Western Liang (the Women Kindom), he encountered the Scorpion Demon, the Apricot Fairy (Apricot Immortal), the White Mouse Demon (a.k.a. Lady Earth Flow), and the Moon Rabbit Demon in the Heavenly Realm (a.k.a. Jade hare of the Vast-Cold Palace who descended to India).
Purely in terms of temptation, the relatively reserved Queen of Women’s State was less formidable. The naked sexual temptation of demons like the Scorpion or Mouse demons might have been harder for a monk to resist.
As for wealth and status, Tang Monk never showed the slightest wavering throughout his journey.
The true hardest trial: Flowing Sand River
For Tang Monk, the most difficult tribulation was actually the Flowing Sand River (River of Flowing Sands). Why? The reason is simple: the Golden Cicada (Tang Monk’s past life) had attempted the pilgrimage over ten lifetimes, and nine times met their end precisely at this river. The Flowing Sand River seemed like an impassable chasm for Tang Monk and the eastward transmission of Buddhism.
How did Tang Monk pass it this lifetime?
It was because Guanyin Bodhisattva had prearranged matters with the guardian, the Curtain-Lifting General (Sha Wujing/Sand Monk). Sha Monk had abandoned his mission to block the scripture-seeker. Essentially, the Heavenly Court allowed Tang Monk passage, likely due to some prior agreement or exchange of interests.
Why Cheating Wasn’t Allowed?
Some might ask: How hard could the Flowing Sand River be? Couldn’t Sun Wukong or Zhu Bajie simply carry Tang Monk across? The text makes it clear such cheating was forbidden. Otherwise, Wukong alone could have flown Tang Monk straight to the Western Heaven. The reasons are profound: Symbolically and educationally, suffering is a necessary path to purify the heart. Practically, scriptures earned through hardship hold value; easily obtained treasures are never cherished.
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