Zhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three disciples of Tang Sanzang, along with Sun Wukong and Sha Heshang, and a major character of the 16th century novel Journey to the West. Zhu means "swine" and Bajie means "eight precepts". Prior to his being recruited by the bodhisattva, Guanyin, Zhu Bajie went by literally "Strong-Maned Pig". Buddhist scholars consider that both expressions are related to "Śīla pāramitā". In many English versions of the story, Zhu Bajie is called "Monk Pig", "Pig", "Piggy", or "Pigsy".
Zhu Bajie is a complex and developed character in the novel. He looks like a terrible humanoid monster that's part-human and part-pig, who often gets himself and his companions into trouble through his laziness, gluttony, and propensity for lusting after pretty women. He looks up to his senior disciple Sun Wukong as a big brother. Though he occasionally acts rebelliously when injured by Wukong's constant teasing, his schemes usually end in his own humiliation.
His Buddhist name "Zhu Wuneng", given by Bodhisattva Guanyin, means "pig (reincarnated) who is aware of ability" or "pig who rises to power", a reference to the fact that he values himself so much as to forget his own grisly appearance. Tang Sanzang gave him the nickname Bājiè which means "eight restraints" or "eight commandments" to remind him of his Buddhist diet.
In the original Chinese novel, he is often called , meaning "idiot". Sun Wukong, Tang Sanzang, and even the author consistently refers to him as "the idiot" over the course of the story. Bodhisattvas and other heavenly beings usually refer to him as , his former title when he was a heavenly marshal known as Marshal Tianpeng () (Tiānpéng Yuánshuài).
In modern times, Zhu Bajie is seen as a patron deity of masseuses, hostesses, and prostitutes within Taiwan and other parts of East Asia.
Abilities
Naval Warfare
Formerly the Marshal of the Heavenly Shang, commanding 80,000 celestial sailors, Zhu Bajie is very good at fighting underwater—even surpassing Sun Wukong in the underwater environment. Sun Wukong is Earth, and according to the Five Elements Theory, Earth and Fire are weakened by Water, which explains his reluctance.
If fighting underwater, Sun Wukong would always have to chant the Water Avoidance Spell, or transform into a fish or crab to be able to move, but that would be very difficult to fight based on the part Sun Wukong said, "If we fight underwater, I have to chant the Water Avoidance Spell or transform into a fish or crab just to move. How can I fight such monsters?"
Character
Zhu Bajie originally held the title of , commander-in-chief of 80,000 Celestial sailors. However, he was later banished for misbehavior. At a party organized for all the significant figures in Heaven, Bajie saw the Chang'e (goddess of the Moon) for the first time and was captivated by her beauty. Following a drunken attempt to seduce her, she reported this to the Jade Emperor and thus he was banished to Earth. In popular retellings, Zhu Bajie was sentenced to a thousand lives where each life would end in a love tragedy. In some retellings of the story, his banishment is linked to Sun Wukong's downfall. In any case, he was exiled from Heaven and sent to be reincarnated on Earth, where by mishap he fell into a pig well and was reborn as a man-eating pig-monster known as .
In the earlier portions of Journey to the West, Wukong and Tang Sanzang come to Gao village and find that a daughter of the village elder had been kidnapped and the abductor left a note demanding marriage. In some versions of the story Bajie has convinced the elder to allow him to marry the daughter based on his ability to do large amounts of hard work due to his prodigious strength. The elder recants when he discovers that, although Zhu Bajie manages to do quite a lot of work in the fields, he manages to eat so much that the farm is losing money anyway. After some investigations, Wukong found out that Bajie was the "villain" behind this. He fought with Wukong, who learns after beating him that he has also been recruited by Guanyin to join their pilgrimage and make atonements for his past sins.
At the end of the novel, most of Bajie's fellow pilgrims achieve enlightenment and become arhats, but he does not; although much improved, he is still too much a creature of his base desires. He is instead rewarded for his part in the pilgrimage's success with a job as "Cleanser of the Altars" () and all the leftovers he can eat. However, his actual rank in relation to the others is unclear, but possibly the lowest.
Origins and development
Historical prototype
The character's name and pilgrimage origins come from a real monk named Zhu Shixing. He lived during the late Han dynasty. His secular surname was Zhu. This is a homophone for "pig" in Chinese. His Buddhist name was Bajie. Zhu Shixing traveled west to Khotan before Xuanzang's journey. He went to get the complete Sanskrit version of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. A historical legend says he wanted to prove the Mahayana doctrine to a local king. He threw the sutra into a fire. The fire miraculously went out. The text was not harmed. Early depictions show Zhu Bajie and Tang Seng differently. For example, Song dynasty stone carvings at Feilai Peak in Hangzhou show them in separate groups. They appear as parallel, prominent seekers of the Dharma. They are not master and disciple.
thumb| (Tianpeng Yuanshuai)
thumb|The golden statues of [[White Dragon Horse, Sha Wujing, Sun Wukong, Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie at the Rua Yai City Pillar Shrine in Suphan Buri, Thailand]]
Early theatrical appearances
Zhu Bajie first appeared as a pig demon in theatrical plays. This was during the Yuan and early Ming dynasties. The works of Yang Jingxian are notable examples. In these early versions, the character introduces himself as the "Chariot General." He serves Marici, the Bodhisattva of Light. In Esoteric Buddhism, Marici often has a pig's face. She also rides a chariot pulled by pigs. This portrayal may have another influence. Southern Song dynasty political satire mocked invading Jin soldiers. They were called "golden pigs" pulling the chariot of Empress Dowager Meng. She was a noted devotee of Marici. Zhu Bajie hence tends to find excuses to persuade his master to stay several more days for better abodes and food due to his greediness.
Lust
When he was a marshal in heaven, he dallied with Chang'e, which was the reason for his banishment. After his reincarnation he drools every time he meets beauties. Because of his lust, the group often sinks into various troubles and even disasters.
All in all, he was given a name that means "eight resistances", which reminded him to resist temptations of the flesh, including lust, laziness, gluttony, and avarice.
See also
- List of media adaptations of Journey to the West