Folktale: Journey To The West Characters Tang Sanzhang A Buddhist monk of high moral conduct. Reverend Xuanzhuang was bestowed the name of Tang Sanzang by the Tang Dynasty Emperor of Taizong after he accepted the mission of seeking Buddhist scriptures from Tianzhu in the Western Region. Sun Wukong The first and most powerful disciple of Tang Sanzang, who was originally the Monkey King in the Flower-Fruit Mountain. After mastering the 72 transformations and obtaining the Golden-Hooped Compliant rod from the Dragon Palace, he wreaked havoc in the Celestial Palace. He was subdued by Buddha and imprisoned under a mountain. After 500 years, he was released by Reverend Xuanzhuang. Zhu Bajie The indolent and greedy second disciple of the Monk, whose weapon was a nine-pronged muckrake. He was originally the Heavenly Reeds Marshal of the Celestial Kingdom. He was banished to the human world because of his misdeeds. Unfortunately, by mistake of transmigration, he became a pig-faced monster who devoured passers-by in the Fuling Mountain. Converted to Buddhism, Bajie turned over a new leaf and became a protector of the Reverend Xuanzhuang. Sha Wujing The third disciple of the Reverend Xuanzhuang, originally the Curtain-Raising Captain of the Celestial Kingdom. Guilty of accidentally breaking a precious jade glass at a banquet, he was banished to the human world where ht became a red-haired, black-faced water monster at the Flowing-Sand River. His weapon was a Treasure Staff. Like the other disciples of Reverend Xuanzhuang, he was also converted to Buddhism and gave up his evil ways.