Why was it said that Journey to the West praised Taoism and belittled Buddhism?

Journey to the West was not a novel that belittled Taoism. In the novel, Taoism was a very important character and Sun Wukong and others were also closely related to Taoism. In the novel, the Taoist practice methods and ideas were described as very advanced and very different from science and western philosophy. In addition, the novel also described many Taoist immortals and Taoists. Their image and strength were very powerful, and they were not inferior to the gods in Western mythology. Therefore, Journey to the West was not a novel that belittled Taoism, but a literary work that integrated Chinese and Western ideology and culture to show the profound background of Taoism.

Journey to the West is a novel that combines Buddhist and Taoist elements. Many of the characters are the embodiment of Buddhism and Taoism. In Buddhism, Sun Wukong was the incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Zhu Bajie was the incarnation of Mars god, Sha Wujing was the incarnation of Saturn god, and Tang Sanzang was the incarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni. In Taoism, Sun Wukong was the incarnation of Taishang Laojun, Zhu Bajie was the incarnation of the Jade Emperor, Sha Wujing was the incarnation of the South Pole Immortal Weng, and Tang Sanzang was regarded as the teacher of Tang Sanzang and his disciples who went to the West to obtain scriptures. In addition, many other characters in Journey to the West were also incarnations of Buddhism and Taoism. For example, Bai Jingjing was the incarnation of God Jingjing, the Black Wind Monster was the incarnation of the Demon King Black Bear, and Monk Sha was the incarnation of God Nazha. Journey to the West combined the elements of Buddhism and Taoism, combining the stories and characters of the two religions to show the understanding and exchange of beliefs of the ancient people.

Journey to the West was a classic novel that integrated Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It was embodied in the following aspects: The plot of the story is a fusion of Confucian ideas: there are many explanations about morality, ethics, and philosophy of life in the novel. For example, in the Legend of Wukong, Sun Wukong's path of cultivation is planned according to the Confucian idea of "cultivating one's moral character, regulating one's family, governing the country, and pacifying the world". In addition, there were many discussions about human nature, good and evil, and desire in the novel, which also reflected the thoughts of Confucianism. 2. The characters are integrated with Taoist thoughts: many characters in the novel have the shadow of Taoist thoughts, such as Sun Wukong's Tao, Zhu Bajie's laziness, Sha Wujing's loyalty, etc. Taoism's emphasis on "governing by inaction" was also well reflected in Journey to the West. Many characters in the novel were escaping from reality and pursuing a realm of governing by inaction. 3. The art form is integrated with Buddhist thoughts: There are many Buddhist elements in the novel, such as monsters, immortals, Buddha, etc. The image and plot design of these characters are integrated with Buddhist thoughts. In addition, there were many Buddhist scriptures and doctrines in the novel, such as the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra. These scriptures also reflected Buddhist thoughts.

In Journey to the West, Taoism was portrayed as a negative and belittling image because in the novel, Buddhism and Taoism were two different forces with their own interests and goals. In the novel, the main characters of Buddhism were Tang Sanzang and his disciples, while the main characters of Taoism were monsters and demons. Due to the great influence of Buddhism in Chinese culture, Buddhism was often portrayed as a positive image and Taoism as a negative image in novels. This way of portraying Buddhism was not to praise or belittle Buddhism, but to express the theme and plot of the novel. In the novel, the characters of Buddhism and Taoism have their own unique charm and characteristics. Their existence is to show the differences and conflicts between different cultures and deepen the readers 'understanding of different cultures. Therefore, we cannot simply think that praising Buddhism means belittling Taoism, or belittling Taoism means praising Buddhism.

In Journey to the West, the Four Heavenly Kings were the four guardian gods of Buddhism, corresponding to the four dimensions of the sky, the earth, the human world, and the devil. They were not gods in Taoism, but they were absorbed by Taoism and worked under the heaven. According to Buddhist legends, the Four Heavenly Kings existed to protect the Dharma from interference. In Buddhism, the Heaven Realm was one of the ultimate goals of all living beings 'cultivation, and the Heavenly King was the leader of the Heaven Realm, responsible for maintaining the order and safety of the Heaven Realm. As Buddhism spread in the East, the positions of heavenly kings were mainly concentrated in the East. In Journey to the West, the heavenly kings were depicted as having human bodies, hands, feet, and wings. Their mission was to protect Buddhism and believers, and they were also important officials in the Heavenly Court. Due to the profound cultural influence of Buddhism and Taoism, some characters in Journey to the West were described as a combination of the characteristics of the two.

This question involved some of the complicated plots and character settings in Journey to the West, which required more specific background to answer. However, he could provide some ideas on some of the possible explanations. The Tathagata Buddha was a fictional character in Journey to the West. His identity and true abilities were unknown. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether he was the biggest liar of the Journey to the West depended on the reader's understanding of the Buddha. Some people might think that the Buddha was a real Buddhist master, while others might think that he was a liar or a fake god. The relationship between the Tathagata Buddha and other Buddhist characters in Journey to the West was also complicated. In Journey to the West, he had a close relationship with Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Monk Sand, but his attitude towards other Buddhist characters was also different. Sometimes he seemed to support these characters, and sometimes he showed distrust and vigilance. Therefore, the readers 'attitude towards Buddha would also affect whether he was the biggest liar in the Journey to the West. Finally, there were some contradictions and suspicions in the plot of the Tathagata Buddha in Journey to the West. For example, in Journey to the West, he once created a Buddha's Palm but was unable to use it to defeat other demons. In addition, he also seemed to have some unfair behavior when dealing with some Buddhist characters, such as contempt and disrespect for some high-level Buddhist practitioners or tolerance and indulgence towards other demons. These plots may also cause readers to doubt the true ability of the Buddha. To sum up, the answer to the question of whether the Buddha was the biggest liar of the Journey to the West depended on the reader's understanding of the Buddha, the plot and character setting of Journey to the West, and the understanding and understanding of Buddhism.

There might be the following types of honors for Buddhism and Taoism: 1. Receive special awards: novels that cultivate both Buddhism and Taoism often have unique depth of thought and philosophical content, so they may receive some special awards such as literary awards, art awards, etc. 2. Receive good reviews from readers: novels about Buddhism and Taoism are usually well received by readers because their unique depth of thought and philosophical content can attract readers 'interest and cause them to think. 3. Author's honor: An author who practices both Buddhism and Taoism may receive some honors such as the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Nebula Prize, and so on. This was because their novels had a unique depth of thought and philosophical content that could resonate with readers and have a far-reaching impact. 4. Acquire social influence: novels that cultivate both Buddhism and Taoism may have an impact on society because they have profound thoughts and can guide readers to think and shape their values. This kind of novel might become a hot topic in society and attract widespread discussion and attention.