Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4 - 7 2018 | Page 127

New Journeys to the West
Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section), Khan, Sarah - 16
N
ew Journeys to the West? If we are talking about New Journeys to the West, then it certainly
have been deprived from Journeys to the West.
Journeys to the West apparently have a lot of different stories. One is based on reality and one is based on a
novel. The one based on reality actually shows the great discoveries of the monk, Xuanzang. It is actually
really similar to those stories of Christopher Columbus or even Zheng He, who went on voyages and made
great discoveries. Christopher Columbus discovered America. Zheng He’s discoveries brought China silks
and porcelain to trade for foreign luxuries such as spices and jewels and tropical woods. The thing that was
great about Xuanzang’s discoveries was that he travelled a long way to India just to learn proper teachings of
Buddhism since there were a lot of discrepancies in the Buddhist texts in China. Not only that, but he was
believed to have found the first campus university in human history in the search of him finding a learning
community. When we look at these incredible historical figures, shouldn’t that inspire us to do something of
that sort as well? Doesn’t a fire ignite in us which compels us to make as tremendous discoveries as them
which make our country extremely proud of us? But the questions is, in this present world where almost
everything has been discovered and is being researched, is it still possible for us to be yet another historical
figure that is going to be appreciated in the future? Is it possible for us to continue the Journeys to the West
into the New Journeys to the West?
The world right now is in a momentous situation where New Journeys to the West can be done if only
there is something undiscovered left to be discovered. However, the world we live in today is less likely to
be explored. We are not searching for things that change our lives as a whole anymore but only searching
for things to make our lives easier. Before we used to discover places on Earth to see where else we can
build our shelters across the oceans and now we are searching for new planets to live on across vacuum.
Before we used to search more ways to make fire, now we are searching for chemicals that can cause
explosions. Before we used to search for ways to survive, now we are searching for reasons to survive. So
was it simplicity that kept us going? Are there still ways we can continue this story which would bring up
the greatness of the West?
What Xuanzang discovered was the depth to a religion, what we discovered and living by right now is
science and technology. But do they come hand-in-hand? A religion is a belief where we have faith in a
God which we probably haven’t even seen by our own eyes but follow all the principles and regulations
they have set for us. On the other hand, science believes in solid facts and evidence and has always tried its
best to proof baseless beliefs. Remember that one time when science proved that the Earth orbits around the
Sun not the vice versa against the belief of Christianity. This is why I doubt whether or not the subjective
past can go together with the objective present. But is it really impossible? If we have an element that keeps
us together with the morals of humanity and an element which can help us enhance the quality of our
existing lives, would it be that difficult to co-exist? Maybe that is what is left to be discovered! The
discovery where the Journeys of the West coincides with the existing world to give birth to New Journeys
of the West.