Tang Sanzang



Tang Sanzang (in Chinese: 唐三藏), also known as Xuanzang (in Chinese: 玄奘) and Tripitaka (in Chinese: 三藏經), is one of the main protagonists in the 16th-century Chinese classic novel Journey to the West by the late Wu Cheng'en, and its multiple adaptations. He is a Buddhist monk who had renounced his family to join the Sangha from childhood.

History
Tang Sanzang is composed after the historical Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang, whose life is inspired by the book; the true Xuanzang made a dangerous journey by walking from China to India (and back) to get the silk Buddhism.

In contrast to historical Xuanzang, a clever and learned scholar (he was in his late 20s when he left India), the fictional Tang Sanzang was presented as a young monk who was very naive, showing idealistic compassion without wisdom. Tang Sanzang is usually quick to fall for the facades of demons who disguised themselves as innocent people, while Sun Wukong can see through them with his magic powers (particularly fire eyes that can be seen through of said disguises). This often led to tension when Sun Wukong attacks and kills seem to be innocent when the demon actually only abandoned the corpse and fled. A popular example is when White Bone Demon is confined to three times as family members - first, a girl. After Wukong "killed" the girl, Baigujing was escaped, but Wukong was punished by Tang Sanzang for it. The second is the older mother of the girl, looking for her daughter. The third is the older father of the maiden, looking for his wife and son. In the "death" of Wukong's father's hands, Wukong is eventually killed the demon before he left. Tang Sanzang, convinced that Wukong actually killed three innocent people, sent him away, despite the protests. Tang Sanzang usually afflicts him by singing the words of a headache illness provided by Sanzang's bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (Guanyin) to control the Wukong, causing the headband to late in the contract and give he has a severe headache.

As Sun Wukong is often worshiped as a god protector, so is Tang Sanzang. Ksitigarbha, a highly revered bodhisattva in East Asian Buddhism, is occasionally mistaken for Tang Sanzang because the former is often described as Tang Sanzang - with a coincidental costume, wearing a crown of Buddhism, and with a khakkhara.

Trivia

 * He is based on the historical Buddhist monk Xuanzang.