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Many assume that Tây Trúc, the destination of Master Tang and his disciples in their journey for scriptures, lies within the modern-day territory of India, but this is not accurate.
According to the novel 'Journey to the West' by Ngô Thừa Ân, to obtain the scriptures, Master Tang and his disciples had to travel a distance of 108,000 miles from the Great Tang Empire to the land of Tây Trúc, passing through 81 tribulations and facing various demons.
Based on research, Tây Trúc mentioned in 'Journey to the West' is located within the territory of present-day Pakistan, historically belonging to the Maurya Empire, one of the mighty forces in the Indian subcontinent. One of its most renowned emperors is Ashoka (Aśoka), a devoted Buddhist who played a significant role in propagating and developing this religion in the region.
The small town known as Taxila, located over 30 km north of the capital Islamabad of Pakistan, boasts many significant Buddhist relics dating back over 3,000 years. Taxila flourished under the reign of Emperor Ashoka. In the first millennium, Taxila served not only as a center of Buddhist learning but also became one of the three major centers of trade, culture, and scholarship in ancient India. In 1980, Taxila was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It now houses a museum preserving and displaying archaeological artifacts from the golden age of Buddhism.
In modern times, the renowned location of Taxila is where Xuanzang, the Chinese Buddhist monk and the prototype of the character Tang Sanzang in the novel 'Journey to the West,' came to study in the 7th century. To reach here, he had to travel through regions of Xinjiang, Afghanistan, Nepal, India, and more. He resided in Taxila for decades until returning to China with valuable scriptures consisting of 600 volumes in the Pali language. Master Xuanzang then spent nearly two more decades translating 74 of these volumes into Chinese.
Where is the location of the Fiery Stone Mountain?
Another renowned landmark from 'Journey to the West' is the Fiery Stone Mountain. In the tale, this fiery volcanic mountain range was formed when Tôn Ngộ Không toppled the Eight-Trigram Furnace of the Supreme Old Lord after days of heating, causing the fire to spill onto the earth. When the four disciples passed through here to seek scriptures, they endured numerous hardships before borrowing the Iron Fan Princess's fan to extinguish the flames.
In reality, the Fiery Stone Mountain belongs to the Tian Shan range in Xinjiang, China. It is situated near the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert and east of the city of Turpan, part of the ancient Silk Road's northern route. The mountain range stretches about 100 km long and 5-10 km wide. To the east of the Fiery Stone Mountain lies the Lop Nor (in 'Journey to the West,' the river that Sandy occupied before meeting Tang Sanzang and his senior monks).
The average elevation of the Fiery Stone Mountain is 500 m, with some peaks reaching over 800 m. The climate here is extremely harsh, making it the hottest place in China during the summer, with temperatures often reaching 50°C and surface temperatures sometimes exceeding 70°C.
Local residents refer to the Fiery Stone Mountain as 'Kiziltag,' meaning 'Red Mountain.' It is a barren, eroded red sandstone mountain area. The unique and impressive ravines of the Fiery Stone Mountain are formed by the erosion of red sandstone. At certain times of the day, these red ravines make the mountain range appear as if it is ablaze.
In reality, the flames of the Fiery Stone Mountain originate from spontaneous combustion fires in coal mines here, under the influence of an extremely dry climate and excessively high surface temperatures. During the Qing Dynasty, numerous coal mines were discovered in Xinjiang, and the flames burned for over 100 years until 1983 when the Chinese government began to extinguish them.
After 12 years of implementing various measures based on oxygen isolation principle, China has successfully extinguished over 40 fire-affected areas.
Currently, Hỏa Diệm Sơn is no longer engulfed in flames but has become a renowned tourist destination in Tân Cương. In 2011, the Evaluation Committee for the Quality of China's Tourist Attractions approved this scenic spot to become a national-level 4A tourist destination.
Depiction of Master Tang and his disciples at the scenic area of Hỏa Diệm Sơn. The tourist area of Hỏa Diệm Sơn is divided into two visiting zones: Underground and on the surface, surrounded by carvings depicting scenes from 'Journey to the West.'
