Buddhism in the Classic Chinese Novel Journey to the West: Teaching Two Episodes
Roberta E. Adams

The Major Characters
Lao Zi

Lao Zi (Wade-Giles: Lao-tzu), venerable legendary source of Daoism and purported author of the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching), is portrayed as a master of the alchemical arts: Monkey, Pig, and Friar Sand all achieved immortality through their efforts in Daoist self-cultivation. When Monkey is returned to Heaven, he is cast for forty-nine days into Lao Zi’s elixir-making Eight Trigrams Furnace, in hope he will be turned to ashes, but he is only bothered by the smoke. Lao Zi has powerful weapons and provides help to the pilgrims (or Guanyin) when asked.

Works Cited:

Plaks, Andrew. The Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1987.

Yu, Anthony C., trans. and ed. The Journey to the West. 4 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1977.