To determine whether someone has read the original Journey to the West, there is a simple question that can be asked: What are the first two characters of Journey to the West? (Excluding chapter titles) Everyone, take a moment to think.
The answer is a poem that goes:
"In the chaos before the division of heaven and earth, vast and boundless, unseen by anyone.
Since Pangu broke open the chaos, distinguishing between clarity and turbidity.
Bearing the weight of all living beings, seeking the ultimate benevolence, creating all things as good.
If you want to know the great achievements of creation, you must read Journey to the West and the story of overcoming hardships."
The first three lines of this poem describe the birth of the universe, and the last line is the key point.
The word "creation" had many meanings in ancient times, and it can be understood as the "evolution of the universe," "nature," or "fate."
The character "厄" in "释厄" is considered by some to be a verb, meaning to be liberated, freed, or relieved. "释厄" means to eliminate suffering and overcome difficulties.
The several hundred characters after the poem provide a detailed explanation of the first three lines of the poem, starting with the concept of "meeting the origin."
"It is said that the number of years in heaven and earth is twelve million, nine thousand, six hundred. One yuan is divided into twelve meetings, which are the twelve branches of Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. Each meeting lasts for 18,000 years."
The number 129,600 has a significant meaning. This number is closely related to the mathematician Shao Yong of the Northern Song Dynasty, who, along with Zhou Dunyi, Zhang Zai, Cheng Yi, and Cheng Hao, was one of the founders of Neo-Confucianism.
Shao Yong believed that there were only two types of knowledge: "heaven" and "man." "Without understanding the relationship between heaven and man, one cannot claim to have knowledge."
Heavenly knowledge refers to "physics." Shao Yong's concept of physics refers to the laws governing the operation of the universe, while human knowledge refers to "life and destiny," which can be understood as human nature and heavenly destiny.
The number 129,600 is an important number explored by Confucian scholars represented by Shao Yong. They believed that "thirty" and "twelve" were two widely existing time numbers in the natural world. The lunar cycle is approximately 29.53 days, which is close to thirty days. And there are approximately twelve months in a year. The cycle of a year is approximately twelve years, and the cycle of a zodiac sign is approximately thirty years.
To summarize, there are thirty days in a month, twelve months in a year, and going back, there are twelve time periods in a day. Going forward, there are thirty years in the future, which should be considered a lifetime. Thirty years after that, there are twelve periods, so twelve periods make up one cycle. This pattern repeats continuously: thirty, twelve, thirty, twelve.
One cycle is 129,600 years, one meeting is 129,600 months, one year is 129,600 days, and one lifetime is 129,600 periods.
There are twelve time periods in a day, repeating in a continuous cycle. The moon's changes also repeat in a continuous cycle within a month, and the four seasons in a year also repeat in a regular pattern. Journey to the West provides an example of this at the beginning:
"Let's take a day as an example: During the Zi period, the sun's energy rises, and during the Chou period, the rooster crows. During the Yin period, there is no light, and during the Mao period, the sun rises. During the Chen period, it is after eating, and during the Si period, it is close to noon. During the Wu period, it is midday, and during the Wei period, it is afternoon. During the Shen period, it is dusk, and during the You period, the sun sets. During the Xu period, it is evening, and during the Hai period, people rest."
Ancient people believed that the twelve months corresponded to the twelve zodiac signs. Let me ask you a question: Which month is the Zi month?
The Zi month is November because the winter solstice generally falls in the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. The winter solstice is the shortest day of daylight in the northern hemisphere, and then the daylight hours gradually increase until the summer solstice, when they start to decrease again until the next winter solstice. Therefore, ancient people believed that the winter solstice was the weakest day of yang energy and the day when yang energy began to sprout. That's why the Zi period is November, and midnight from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. is also called the Zi period.
Therefore, Shao Yong and others speculated that the birth and destruction of the universe are the same. At first, there was nothing, called the chaos stage. Then all things were born, reaching a peak and then beginning to collapse, returning to nothingness. Shao Yong believed that this time period was 129,600 years, and Confucian scholars believed that this process was a continuous cycle.
At the beginning of Journey to the West, the author tells a "Genesis" story based on the views of Shao Yong and others.
"Like a large number, if it reaches the end of the Xu meeting, then heaven and earth will be dim and all things will cease to exist. Five thousand four hundred years later, at the beginning of the Hai meeting, it will be dark, and there will be no people or things. That is why it is called chaos. Another five thousand four hundred years, when the Hai meeting is about to end, the true origin will rise, close to the Zi meeting, and gradually become bright. Shao Kangjie said, 'At the midpoint of the Zi period, the heart of heaven does not change. When the first yang begins to move, all things have not yet been born.' At this point, heaven begins to take root. Another five thousand four hundred years, when the Zi meeting arrives, light and clarity rise, there are sun, moon, stars, and constellations. The sun, moon, stars, and constellations are called the four symbols. That's why it is said that heaven opens in the Zi period. Another five thousand four hundred years, when the Zi meeting is about to end, close to the Chou meeting, it gradually becomes solid. The Book of Changes says, 'Great is the Qian element! Ultimate is the Kun element! All things are born and follow the will of heaven.' At this point, the earth begins to solidify. Another five thousand four hundred years, when the Chou meeting arrives, heaviness and turbidity solidify, there is water, fire, mountains, stones, and earth. Water, fire, mountains, stones, and earth are called the five forms. That's why it is said that the earth opens in the Chou period. Another five thousand four hundred years, when the Chou meeting ends and the Yin meeting begins, all things are born. The calendar says, 'Heavenly energy descends, earth energy rises; heaven and earth combine, and all things are born.' At this point, heaven is clear and earth is fresh, yin and yang combine. Another five thousand four hundred years, when the Yin meeting arrives, humans, animals, and birds are born, and it is called the position of heaven, earth, and humans. That's why it is said that humans are born in the Yin period."
The first few hundred characters of Journey to the West have a strong Confucian flavor and are essentially an exposition of Shao Yong's cosmology.
Then it explains the origin of the four continents:
"Feeling the opening of Pangu, the rule of the Three Emperors, the establishment of the Five Emperors, the world was divided into four continents: the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, the Western Ox-Headed and Horse-Faced Continent, the Southern Sparsely Populated Continent, and the Northern Jambudvipa Continent."
The concept of the four continents is a Buddhist concept. According to Journey to the West, the four continents are determined by humans, so the people on the four continents are the same. According to Buddhism, the four continents are four completely different "worlds," and the people on them look different and have different lifespans.
The concept of the four continents also incorporates some Taoist ideas. For example, in Buddhism, "Eastern Victory Divine Continent" is called "Eastern Victory Body Continent." Buddhism says that the people here are giants, so it is called "victory body." In Journey to the West, the east is called the "Divine Continent" because Taoism says that beyond the East Sea, there are "three islands and ten continents," which are the places where immortals live. The author is afraid that you won't make the connection, so he specifically introduces Flower Fruit Mountain as: "The ancestor of the ten continents, the origin of the three islands."
"This book begins with the Eastern Victory Divine Continent. There is a country overseas called Aolai Country. The country is near the sea, and in the sea, there is a mountain called Flower Fruit Mountain. This mountain is the ancestor of the ten continents and the origin of the three islands. It emerged from the chaos, distinguishing between clarity and turbidity. It is indeed a great mountain!"
Returning to the two lines of poetry at the beginning, the literal translation can be: "To understand the mysteries of the universe, one must look at the story of overcoming hardships on this journey to the west."
Doesn't it sound smooth? Let's pay attention to Shao Yong again. Shao Yong believed that "physics" and "life and destiny" were interconnected. Shao Yong and other Neo-Confucian and later Neo-Confucian scholars believed that the ultimate goal of studying the principles of the universe and understanding human nature was for personal cultivation. Therefore, the "Genesis" of Journey to the West falls on "humans are born in the Yin period." Considering the content later in the book, it can be said that the author wants to explore the human heart.
Therefore, it is obvious that the "creation" mentioned in the opening poem can be understood as fate, and a more reasonable interpretation of life.
To understand the true meaning of life, one must look at the story of overcoming hardships on this journey to the west.