Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Non-Fiction 2018 | Page 13

Journey to the west
Korean International School, Ikuta, Hirotaka - 10
J
ourney to the west is an epic, famous story that is published in the 16 th century. This fantastic novel is
one of the four great classical stories of China. There are four main characters in the story. They are Sun
Wukong, Xuan Zang, Pigsy and Friar Sand. This fantastic story could be divided into four heroic
sections.
The first section describes and tells about the journey of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong is
a special monkey that was born from a rock, by heaven and earth working together. He became the king of
the Fruit and Flower Mountain because he leaped into a water fall courageously and found a beautiful cave.
However he had a problem, he wanted to live forever, so he went to a sage’s temple and met a sage named
Subodhi. He taught Sun Wukong the secret formula and also 72 transformations he goes through a lot of
dangerous adventures and he even get’s the legendary iron bar at the Dragon Palace where the Dragon King
lives. Due to his disobedience at the end of his chapters he was trapped under a mountain for 500 years by
the Buddha as a punishment.
The second section describes and tells you about a new main character Xuan Zang, he is a Buddhist monk
that will be the hero of the story. His father was murdered by a ferry man, the ferry man took Xuan Zang’s
mother and his father’s office. This section also tells you how Buddha hid his true scriptures, the true
scripture is an important key of the story. Buddha was also looking for someone to find the scripture and
bring it back to the East.
The third part is the biggest section of all. It tells about the four main characters having a journey to
find Buddha’s scripture that is hidden in India. When Xuan Zang was riding on his horse following
the road called the Silk Road the Silk Road connects China to India. He meets three other characters
that is Sun Wukong, Pigsy and Friar Sand, they fight with demons during their way to India, but
together they arrived and found Buddha’s scriptures.
The last section tells about the four characters going back to China and got awarded for
accomplishing the mission.
I learned that it is important not to be selfish and not to be a show off, because Sun Wukong was
selfish and was a show off. But I could also learn from him to have courage, help others and to
challenge yourself. I think everybody has Sun Wukong in themselves. I think this story is trying to
tell you to help others and not to be selfish. I also learned that team work is very important and if you
have friends that help and support you, you could do anything!!