Journey to the West
Mythology & Folklore

for further reading: Wikipedia

Journey to the West is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It has been described as arguably the most popular literary work in East Asia. Arthur Waley's popular abridged translation, Monkey, is well known in English-speaking countries.

The novel is an extended account of the legendary pilgrimage of the Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang who traveled to the "Western Regions", that is, Central Asia and India, to obtain Buddhist sacred texts (sūtras) and returned after many trials and much suffering. It retains the broad outline of Xuanzang's own account, Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, but the Ming dynasty novel adds elements from folk tales and the author's invention, that is, that Gautama Buddha gave this task to the monk (referred to as Tang Sanzang in the novel) and provided him with three protectors who agree to help him as an atonement for their sins. These disciples are Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, together with a dragon prince who acts as Tang Sanzang's steed, a white horse.

Journey to the West has strong roots in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology, Confucianist, Taoist and Buddhist philosophy, and the pantheon of Taoist immortals and Buddhist bodhisattvas are still reflective of some Chinese religious attitudes today. Enduringly popular, the novel is at once a comic adventure story, a humorous satire of Chinese bureaucracy, a spring of spiritual insight, and an extended allegory in which the group of pilgrims journeys towards enlightenment by the power and virtue of cooperation.

Relevance to Inuyasha

In episode 129 "Chokyukai and the Abducted Bride," Chokyukai tells Inuyasha that he and his followers are descendants of the legendary heroes Son Wukong (a monkey), Cho Hakkai (a pig), and Sha Gyojo (a kappa). Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature and is one of the most famous literary works in the world. One can see its influence in other works such as Dragonball and Saiyuki. Of course in Inuyasha none of the group is familiar with this story because it has yet to travel from China. Kagome is the only person familiar with Chokyukai's ancestor, and therefore becomes the object of his affection.