Journey ToThe West I & II

Written by Funn Lim

"Seriously, Part I is PERFECT, part II is well,quite alright after awhile."

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

Note : This is a review for both Journey To The West and its sequel, Journey To The West II. After all these years, Journey To The West (part 1 and not part 2) is still my most favourite TVB series of all time, a declaration that does not really reflect how much I love this series so I shall say it once more, I love part 1. - Funn Lim [27.02.2005]

How Long
For part 1 ,15 tapes and for part 2,21 tapes!!

Nature of Serials
Comedy ,drama, educational, basically fun for the whole family. Kind of Sesame Street-ish only with religious undertones.

Who’s in it
Part 1 : Dicky Cheung,Kong Wah,lAi Yiu Cheung,Lau Yoke Chui,Mimi Kung,and plenty more familiar faces.

Part II : The main cast are the same except for Dicky’s character that was replaced by Benny Chan and the Kuan Yin character was replaced by someone else that I can’t recall her name. Oh yes, Kwok Ming Fai( I think).

What’s it about
It’s a journey to the west. Which west? West of China, that is India during the Tang Dynasty by one monk and his four disciples ,with demons lurking everywhere, in search of some Buddhist scriptures. But before they get there, they will be tested again and again of their faith by the Gods and buddha’s.

Really,what’s the plot
As mentioned above briefly but there are many sub-plots to this story so I’ll write it one at a time.

Tong Sam Jong (Master)
Representing wisdom. Played excellently by Kong Wah, he’s the handsome monk, a disciple of the Buddha up in Heaven before he was literally kicked back to earth as a human being coz he fell asleep during one of Buddha’s lectures. Though young, he has quite a grasps of the Buddhist way of life .Subsequently ,he saved the life of the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and he became brothers with the king ,thus the name Tong Sam Jong .He was actually Kam Sim Zhi ,Golden Disciple Monk(kind of).But because he felt he had much more important purpose to fulfill in his life, he went in search of Kuan Yin(Mimi Kung) who gave him several tests of his faith and his endurance which he passed. He was the chosen one to travel by foot ,one step at a time all the way to India(and walking ,mind you all the way there) where Buddha will be waiting for him to take some Buddhist scriptures home to spread the message around and a promise of a promotion to Buddha-hood. It’s a noble mission that only the chosen one, a man who had been through ten lifetimes as a monk can fulfill. Though basically this monk has great endurance, can fight all hunger and desires for greed ,lust, money, comfort, wealth, you name it he can fight it off ,but he has no POWERS and KUNG-FU that can protect his body. Mentally he’s strong ,unshakable but physically, he’s weak .His flesh has been said to be like an immortality food for all demons so he’s like a walking talking vitamin pill. So he needs protections and as fate would have it, Kuan Yin gave him not one but 4 disciples to follow him to India.

Frequently asked question
Is the monk supposed to be handsome? Yep.in fact he has to appear ‘delicious’ enough to eat so he has to have the looks and fair. But Kong Wah isn’t fair but at least, his interpretation is different. He is not sissy but a bit manly. Ok ok ,you might say, hey what about louis Koo? He has the looks of good looking guy but he does not have the wisdom and nobility to carry the pivotal role. And sorry girls.

Shuen Ng Hung (Monkey Buddha/God)
Representing rashness. He calls himself as the Handsome Monkey king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain. Yep, that’s the punchline. Played excellently by the definitive Shuen ng Hung,Dicky Cheung, he was blasted out of a rock but was subdued by Commander Tian Pang(The pig played by Lai Yiu Cheung). Anyway ,he was born mischievous, inquisitive, super active and very very charming too. He quickly became the Lord of his monkey clan but he aspired to learn magic and achieve immortality coz he’s afraid of death. So he went to the training school for future Gods (who are actually sons of the Gods) where he became fast friends with Tit Sin Kung Chu(the one with the big fan) and also Ngau mo Wong(The bull).But the master refused to teach him coz he’s kind of illegitimate coz he has no parents.But because of his diligence and the FORCE that he has in him ,the master taught him unofficially .He learnt to travel in great leaps by using his kan Tau Wan(Flying Clouds) and having successfully almost losing his life, he reached immortality and the highest kung-fu skills in the land,72 transformations. Basically, he can a human being or a house. Or a broom. Anyway, he will be forever young coz he won’t get old. He returned back to his mountain to protect his posse. he later got his weapon, the golden stick ,from the sea. It is actually a magical needle used to stabilize the seas and it’s activities but the stick has a mind of its own causing floods and all .So Ng Hung took the stick with the consent of the Dragon king and it became his weapon. But the Dragon King changed his story when asked by the Emporer of Heavens and said the Monkey demon(not yet a buddha nor a god) stole the needle. The Emperor wanted to kill him at first but under the advise of an old advisor ,they offered ng Hung a position as a stable boy under the pretense that it is a very high ranking job.When Ng Hung found out, they further made an offer for him to be Chai Tin Dai Sing,(Lord of the Heavens) which he named himself. You would ask why the Heavens tolerated him, simply because he’s the best fighter there. Anyway ,when he found out the title is only a title, he caused such a havoc in heaven and hell that Buddha himself had to use his palm to trap him under the Five fingers Mountain. He was to be trapped under there until the monk walks by and free him. And that took 500 years! But by then, he’s not that angry with Buddha’s decision and he even regretted his rash actions. Anyway, the monk didn’t want him coz he’s a liability but with Kuan Yin’s help ,he can control the monkey with the monkey wearing the Golden thing on his head which will cause him headaches by reciting some Buddhist words. Anyway, reluctantly, he went with the Monk ,his job being only one, to protect the monk. But of course, along the way ,he had 3 more to protect! It didn’t help that he has a volatile relationship with the monk coz the monk hates his killings of the demons.(difference of opinion on how to deal with demons wanting to eat the monk).

Frequently asked question
I thought the monkey is afraid of water? No he wasn’t at first but after got his x-ray eyes and a higher state of kung-fu based on fire element, he’s afraid of water.

Chu Pak Kai(Lai Yiu Cheung)
Being the most human of all, he represents human’s weakness. Formerly the commander of 10,ooo army, Tian Pang ,he fell in love with a fairy(girl) and caused havoc because of his obsession of her. He was kicked onto earth to undergo 1000 lifetimes of tragic love stories as a punishment. Like a beggar falling in love with a rich man’s daughter ,his wife died of hunger whilst he went to sit for the imperial exams ,a general falling for the enemies’ princess .Sad sad stories that will make you laugh! Anyway, he couldn’t stand it anymore halfway through and he tried to escape from the hell’s guards but he fell into the animal hole and became half human half pig, but still retains his lust for women. A very sad life he led, where he was rescued by Kuan Yin when he was almost burnt to death by the village folks, Kuan Yin returned his powers(36 transformations where he can be live things, not houses, and brooms) and his memories and he could redeem his wrongdoing and escape the punishment if he accompanies the monk to India. He didn’t get along with the monkey and he was the most tested disciples. If you notice,all the tests that was given against the monk ,was actually aimed at the Pig and he failed them all.but he redeemed himself at the end though he still is human in nature. He’s the food collector.

Sha Chang/Ng Ching
Representing dedication. He was a prince up in Heaven when he accidentally broke the light of wisdom. As a punishment ,he was kicked onto earth and stripped of his wisdom so he’s the most stupid of all. And he had to undergo five stabbing of the flying knifes everyday. So to escape the torture, he fled into the river and became a shark, eating human flesh out of anger. He kidnapped the monk and wanted to eat him until the monk ‘tim fa’ him ,meaning, changed his ways of thinking. The flesh eating man became his most dedicated and loyal disciple ,hardly gives the monk any problems. Though stupid and he cries like an annoying baby ,he can be very dedicated. He has what we call determination so he does succeed most of the times .But he was always caught between his two big brothers. He carries the baggage like a kuli.

The white horse
Representing dark past. He was the prince of the dragon King when he broke something and was disowned. He lived with the shark ,eating human flesh until he met the monk. He transformed himself into a white horse ,so he’s a dragon horse that will carry the monk to India.

And along the way, they faced challenges of many kinds, with titles.

Part 1 :
a) Hung Hai Yee
He’s the little spoilt brat of the fighting couple, the bull and the princess with the fan. Was a good child but spoilt to the point of disbelief .Became an obstruction to the journey ,being the first test. They failed .The boy caused the death of many innocent villagers and almost the death of the Monkey King coz the boys’ just too cunning. but he got subdued by Kuan Yin and later became a slave for Kuan Yin, the one you see sitting next to her ,Kam Tung(Golden child).Supposed to be only 4 or 5 years old but a baby can’t act so they found a female actress to play the boy to irritating effect.

b)Three strike the skeletal demon
Yep, three times and they failed two times in killing the skeletal demon, played by Marianne Chen .Caused the breakdown of the relationship between ng Hung and his Master, and caused the Pig to literally cause the deaths of the white horse and Ng Ching .This is by far the best story with the most drama. It just illustrates how vulnerable anyone can be, even with great kung fu if there are no unity and trust. After this story, the pig became good boy ,the monkey became willing to learn and follow authority and the monk learnt to trust the Monkey’s judgements.

c) Spider’s Web-cave
Originally, every demon in this story is bad. But the revised one, they included good hearted demons that just want to stay alive.Here,we meet a love struck spider woman, searching for her lost love who had become a centipede demon himself and caused great misery to Ng hung. Another sub plot is by Lau Yoke Chui who plays a spider girl in love with ng Hung. This episode illustrates how only LOVE can be so destructive ,a, tool that can manipulate and be manipulated .Also,it shows that the only problem with the monkey is his rashness, not love. He doesn’t understand love and will never be in love .Very sad love story.

d)The three demons
It’s a tale of fun, comedy ,and nothing serious here .It just has three Tao disciples ,a Goat, a tiger and a deer that imprisons the monks and how Ng Hung tricks them into winning 3 competitions. it just illustrates that more than one religion can be accommodated in a country.

e) Fire Mountain & Women's Land (the land where only female can be found)
A passage where they had to go trough, hot and no water with 10 suns. The monk almost died of thirst and this episode illustrate the unity and brotherly love between the master and his disciples where they are willing to sacrifice their own selfish needs and wants for the sacred journey. This is where they found the place where only women exist with no man. They were detained to be concubines for the King and when they tried to leave ,a love struck general(fell for the monk) tricked them into drinking a well that can cause pregnancy. So they are all pregnant ,and due to some misunderstanding, they gave birth to healthy baby boys. That caused a great obstruction to their journey and almost didn’t continue the journey ,but at the end ,Kuan Yin saves the day with the story of her life and the general having come to her senses, became a monk herself .Love isn’t important.

Part 2 :
They continue their journey,9 years later with a very different big brother. Benny Chan took over from Dicky ,Kuan Yin ages tremendously and with a very manly voice, the Master knows how to smile and even jokes with his disciple, and Ng Ching cries much much more in this part 2,almost to the point of sore throat-ish kind of crying. The journey continues with various stories, ranging from that annoying monkey deity, Tung Bei Yuen Hau(a jealous monkey deity ,once revered by the public became a demon not overnight),then his bird lover plotting revenge ,Ng Hung losing ALL his powers and gaining it back very soon into the serials, the monk abandoning the scared mission to look for his monkey disciple, The Pig passed the chance of being a Buddha to search for Big brother with his master…..basically, it’s just a continuance on how strong their bond are to each other. Nothing much for the story/plot to tell. Anyway, the journey to india took 15 years ,where they all became Buddha .

Any annoying factors
Part I :
That nosy little brat called Hung Hai Yee .Maybe he’s just young, maybe he didn’t know how wrong his actions were but literally causing the death of many innocent villagers ain’t that nice. Though he befriended the wrong friend(The Dream Demon who wanted to eat the monk but had to get rid of the monkey first),had bad bad parents and simply no education and manners, and though he regretted his actions enough to walk 3 steps and kneel ,walk 5 steps and bow, all the way from a village in China to Kuan Yin’s dwelling(which is pretty far) and to serve her for eternity and never to see his parents again as a punishment, the brat deserved it. But that part of the story has a moral undertone which is pretty obvious and quite sad really for the parents .But still, the kid’s a brat. Another factor would be that PIG ,though a disciple of the same Master as Ng Hung, he’s lazy ,he’s manipulative and he always gets his ways. He’s the reason for all the failure in the tests. If you notice ,the Master is not the problem here .If not for his weak physical being ,he would have get to India, safe and well all alone and passing all tests in like an hour .But the problems are because of his disciples.

Part 2:
That very, very long story on Tung Bei yuen Hau, that very boring boring monkey. Jelousy made him into a demon and he still blames everyone but himself .Anyway ,that actor ,he tried very hard to be dicky-ish, like prancing, and jumping, all except for the “YO!!….” statement. And he fails miserably. And after like 2 episodes, you’ll ask ,when are they going to end the story? Another one would be the starting of the story where the Monk had a dream where a big giant monkey will attack the city and where they go on and on of the special effects that are laughable. That’s the problem with big budget and little technology called bad bad special effects. You have a feeling Part II ain’t gonna be good when you see the starting and the change of the lead actor.

Hate factors
For both Parts, the above mentioned annoying factor that will be your hate factor. Very rare that one can hate an annoying thing but in these serials you will. Maybe except for the Pig where he redeems himself later in both parts.

Pity factors
The monk ,very certainly. Having to bear with his disciples that caused all his problems and making his journey difficult .And also the monkey because his Master never listens to his advise and thus contributing to the danger factor(in Part I) and still misunderstood him in Part II.

Cute factors
Part 1 :
Definitely Dicky Cheung.He’s sooooo cute, so handsome and he’s sooo funny.A monkey with an attitude problem.

Part II :
Definitely not Benny Chan but he gets to you later in the serials where you’ll end up liking him(not loving).And also that other short guy in DIF 1/2/3/4 that plays a bear demon here. An over fanatic worshipper of Buddhism that seriously wants to be a Buddha but followed the wrong master that used him for money’s sake ,he’s the fun part of Part II.Funniest in fact.

Fave couple
I would not say couple in Love terms but I would say fave group would definitely be the Master and his disciples .The Master will never laugh ,never joke ,always serious like a parent and his three disciples are always like little kids, nagging ,begging ,screaming, fighting. Such chemistry between the actors that after a while, you do not see the disciples protecting the Master but the Master teaching them. Very nice .That applies to Part I and Part II.

Annoying couple
None for Part I but for Part II, definitely that jealous monkey and his bird lover(Cheung Wai Yee).They just never stop plotting their revenge never realizing they bring about their own miseries.

Mismatched couple
Can’t think of any here coz this ain’s a love story. But if you would insist, in Part I ,I would say the general(Wai Ying Hung) and the monk (Kong Wah).I mean, one head shaven, spouting Buddhist philosophy and the other…I love you??? NOOOOOOO!!!!

The award for Best Actor goes to
Part I :
A lot.

Definitely Dicky. He is THE definitive Monkey God ,so agile. His movements are like dancing, like ballet and yet a little kung-fu-ish. His make-up suits him,so he really does look like a very handsome monkey in human form .Who can forget his…”YO!!…” statement, and his attitude problem. His portrayal of the Monkey is what everyone would have interpreted the monkey as in the novel .Rebellious, hates authority ,very active, always walking or jumping ,refused to listen, angry, dissatisfied and very very reluctant. He is the joy of the serials and believe me, you’ll LOVE him. Worth mentioning would be Lai Yiu Cheung for the portrayal of the Pig .He gets the best lines, he can be irritating but you would have to agree ,that man is good as a comedian and a serious actor .Who can ever forget his favorite poem? Though the guy who played ng Ching is a bit irritating here, he does look stupid so I guess he’s good too. So was Lau Yoke Chui as the love struck young lady spider who sacrifice her 1000 years of meditation powers for love which was not given back. Everyone fits their role perfectly.

There have been criticisms that Kong Wah does not fit the role coz he looks too strong to be the weak Master .But frankly, I thought (and so was everyone else over 30) he was the only one for that role. He’s good looking, though he’s a bit dark .He may looked strong but he’s still human. But he’s strong mentally. He’s the Master though he knows no Kung Fu nor magic simply because power of Knowledge and Wisdom is the ultimate power anyone should ever possess and he has plenty of it. He’s the voice of reason and I personally feel that Kong Wah has that look to carry a role of a man of wisdom, knowledge and intelligence. Perfect .And he has an air of nobility.

Part II :
Well, the lead actors still the same, still as good. A special mention to I think his name is Joey for the Bear demon role.And the Pig gets all the best lines so he is the funniest here..

The award for,”Well,good try but not good enough” as an actor goes to
Part I:
None

Part II:
It has to be that jealous monkey and more notably, Benny Chan. I’m not saying he’s not good, if you’ve never seen Part I .But after Part I, you just feel that Benny, though cute and adorable(coz he does have cute looks),he just doesn’t have the charisma. You’ll end up liking him but his interpretation of the Monkey is soooo subdued. Though 9 years had passed but this monkey ain’t angry anymore ,ain’t rebellious but mischevious but still not enough .He does not dance ,leap, jump, no “Yo!!!..” statement, and his dopey eyes, just looked sooooo …..SAD. I’ve never seen such a sad looking monkey .And he’s so young here that he does not have the aura of authority like in Part I. Something seriously lacking for such a pivotal role. Disappointing ,not because of Benny but because I’ve seen Part I. Another actor would be the woman who played Kuan Yin .Yes, yes ,some says that Mimi Kung is like a little sister dressing in white, but she has the face of kindness. She really looks merciful, and you’ll understand why Ng Hung respected her so much.But this one ,so much more older. She looks fine, but she looks too fierce to be Goddess of Mercy.

The most dramatic change
Part II itself for the change in some of the lead actors for lead characters. you won’t be confused but you just feel,…cheated .Like same package but different items in a box.

The Frequently Forgotten one
Ever notice how we keep forgetting that there’s a fourth disciple ,the horse? I mean, the drama was all happening there and where’s the horse????

Note : In retrospect, the horse is not a disciple actually - Funn Lim [27.02.2005]

Fave scene
Part I :
That would certainly be 3 strike The skeletal Demon .Sad ,poignant, full of anger, bickering ,drama ,it’s a come to senses kind of episode .Excellent.

Part II :
That would be when ng Hung did something bad where all Gods of Heavens was hunting for him, his Master, who was so determined to get to India, abandoned his quest to search for his beloved disciple. And so was his brothers who gave up a chance to be Buddha. Coz the journey to India isn’t all about the buddhist scriptures. The purpose is to educate the public on the meaning of life and this was their chance to show the people. The journey is a journey of realization of one’s unselfish needs, to help those in needs. in doing that, in effect they achieved their goal. Very deep and very poignant but short-lived coz it was only for a duration like 30 minutes.

Least fave scene
Part I:
The ending coz I was just beginning to have fun and it ends!

Part II:
That jelous Monkey and the first story. And the ending, so anti-climax.

The Songs
Part I:
There are only four songs for Part I but the album was a hit. The songs were great, all sung by Dicky. Do buy that tape. you’ll love it. I bought it, was disappointed to know no instrumental music and very expensive for just 4 songs but each of the song is a classic. I still love the themesong though.

Part II:
All sung by Benny Chan. He’s quite a good singer and the song ,though you may not like it at first but you’ll end up loving it as it grows on you. Maybe familiarity breeds not contempt but affection. You may never know. There is actually an album you can buy where you can find songs sung by Joyce Koi (excellent singer) and some very good instrumental music. In fact it was one of the best album that I couldn't find and I had the patience to record it from some online sites many years ago. If you can it, you must buy the album. Very original and definitely one of the best soundtrack of any movie or series ever.

So,the verdict
Part I:
For all my praises, it was an instant hit and and instant classic that must be viewed by all generations Your grandma will love it for the story and the religious undertones ,your nephew will love it for the make-ups and you’ll love it for Dicky ,and all the cute stuff. Probably, your nephew will still love

Part II:
Your grandma will complain why no Dicky but will end up saying ,”Eh,that Benny-chai quite cute ler” and you’ll wish Dicky would just jump into the screen and do the YO thing. I miss Dicky in Part II. Not even Kong Wah can salvage my yearning heart for Dicky.

But it was better than…
Stephen Chau’s version of Sai Yau Gei on movie? With Loh Kar Ying as the monk ,you’ll know the answer .It was not a hit and it isn't hard to know why.The whole stories in itself is kind of degrading to the legend itself,which is a pity because I really though Stephen Chau would have a made a great Ng Hung if only they didn't screw up the whole story about Ng Hung being in love!

JTTW I was an instant hit in HK and everywhere else in the world where Dicky wanted more for part II but TVB ,very disappointingly refused to meet his demands .So off he goes to China for his other shows. Part I has lesser budget than Part II, was only filmed within HK unlike Part II which was in China and was a Birthday Bash drama. But Part II failed miserably .It was still a hit ,but not classic. If you want a recommendation ,watch Part II before Part I so you won’t feel disappointed. In fact ,just watch Part I. You’ll love it though you may not know what the recital of the Heart Sutra really means .Just enjoy it for it’s entertainment and educational value.

Special Mention
The songs,soundtracks,ochestra arrangements.Excellent stuff written by a Japanese, as shown in the end credits.

Any interesting facts
About the making of the serials? Nope .About the concept ,plenty! First of all ,it’s based on a novel based on a true life story of a monk from China during Tang Dynasty that traveled all alone to India and back to spread buddhism .It took him ,if I am correct more than 30 years to and fro.(Or maybe just 15,I’m not sure).But there were no monkeys and demons. It was added to give some feeling of fun in the story. Actually the novel is meant to explain the meaning and purpose of the teachings of Buddhism ,and the monkey God is said to represent a dislike for the feudal system at that time. It has religious and political undertones that shows us the social dissatisfaction of the commoner at that time. Brilliant concept. Why monkey? Maybe they’re a bit rebellious in nature. I dunno.

For those unfamiliar with chinese legends and mythlogies ,these serials will explain it all. It’s a religion pratised now and Monkey God is revered as a Buddha so I’ll not be too critical of the truth of the legend .It could be fact. Anyway, below would be some pointers to what may confuse you in the serials about the mythtology/legend/fact.

The System
Chinese believes( not the Tao’s and Buddhist but the general one) that the system of government up there is like the old China. The Emperor is the King, with his Generals(one of which is also a legend himself, the Three Eyed God that has a Labrador) ,advisors and different departments. For our love relationships, there’s Tai Sheung Lou Kwan ,the white haired man in the serials that’s always shaking his head in confusion .He ties the red strings for any would be lovers and he writes the fates of all lovers, be it good or bad. Then there’s the Land Minister, the fat one in the serials that was always kicked by the Monkey God. They’re revered in our today’s society’s with their own altars. And many many more. These are political departments whilst there’s the non-political ones like Buddha, the Tao Master, Kuan Yin that cares for the social issue and not government of how things are on earth. Then there’s the four seas, each governed by Dragon Kings, who are always portrayed as small-minded, bickering type .Whenever they do a mistake that caused miseries, the Heaven either does not see it or nobody reports them. The dragons care for sea conditions, weather ,high tide ,low tide. Whilst the Hell, unlike the Christians with Lucifer, is actually a phase that all humans will go trough. It is governed by the King Of Hell, that reports to the Emperor above .Whether you become a human or animal or punished in one of the 18 stages of Hell ,will depend on you deeds when you were alive .To be a saint, or a Buddha ,you have to earn your way up by following the right path. Reincarnation is a way of life where you will go trough a bridge ,where you’ll drink some tea which makes you forget the past. If you kind of have deja-vu about something ,it is believed that you may have some past life memories .The cycle of life continues there on .Though people may try to change theit life ,the way they live ,but they can never change their fate that is already written. That if you believe. Of course fates has many branches so it is up to you to go where you wanna go.

Kuan Yin
She’s not a Buddha but a Boddhisatva. That means one step more and she’s a buddha, but according to the serials, she passed up the chance because she wanted to communicate with the people. Buddha does not do social work, per se.Anyway, there are two stories as to how Kuan Yin became Kuan Yin. One is as in Part I ,where Kuan Yin was a HE, a Prince with riches like Buddha .But he gave it all up to be a monk and even changed his outer body into a woman to illustrate that what you see ain’t that all important .It’s what you do with what you have, for greater good .Love isn’t almighty, but compassion for others is. Very Buddhist and very deep. Ever wondered why Buddha and Kuan Yin were so rich when they were human? Because after experiencing all the goodness in life,all the riches, they can still abandon these riches for greater good. This is the ultimate test and if you can do it, You’re on your first step to reach Nirvana(Buddha-hood).The other story is that she is a poor village girl ,died and became Buddha .Less meaningful and less drama.

The Demons
In the serials ,you’ll notice that Birds ,bears ,plants, spiders ,etc can take human form. It’s because the novel and the serials is set in a mythical time where anything (that breaths air) can take human form after thousands of years of meditation. And after many more years following the right path, they may be human, even Buddha if they have the patience. It just shows that equal opportunities to all species to be what they want if they follow the right path .No discrimination here .If you want it, you have to achieve it yourself. It’s up to you.

The contradiction
Buddhism is a very difficult religion to practice though easy to grasp. In the serials, you’ll learn of the 5 prohibitions ,and desire is nothingness ,nothingness is desire as chanted again and again in the Heart Sutra always said by the Monk .Do not believe the serials in the aspect of Buddhism with the general religion. It’s a contradiction to say heaven and Buddhism. In Buddhism ,there’s no heaven but if nirvana( enlightenment) is heaven, then it’s your personal paradise .The goal isn’t the Christian Heaven but rather ,nothingness. No desires ,no wants, ,no anger ,just you. So to achieve this ,you have to do it yourself by meditating, learning ,reading, practicing .Be kind to others ,show not just love(coz frankly ,do you love your neighbor) in a limited sense but like the Christian sense ,greater love called compassion. It can be understanding ,kindness. It’s how you see it .There’s reincarnation but there’s no fear of ghosts coz ghosts does not exist .When we die ,we die physically but mentally we move on to another body until the day we stop, is the day we reached nirvana ,our own heaven .So the serials is quite accurate in preaching ,don’t be too emotional, not just love ,love and love .It’s just a small piece of puzzle. Buddhism is look at the whole picture, weigh what is more important .Try to relax and don’t worry yourself to death. Actually,the monk in the serials is the main preacher of Buddhism. It’s up to you on how you see it. And buddhism is atheist, meaning they do not believe in the concept of God. No ,they’re not anti-whatever it’s just that Buddha isn’t a God, but rather a teacher, preacher ,philosopher. Your fate is determined by your own hands, on what you do. There’s no higher authority but yourself. That is the contradiction with the serials.

Conclusion
If you’re those type that are offended by preaching of religion other than your own ,please do not be offended by the serials, there’s more to that than preaching. Just watch it for entertainment value, or educational value in the consequences aspect ,and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as everybody else did . Seriously, Part I is PERFECT, part II is well,quite alright after a while. Enjoy!!