Tang Sanzang is a Buddhist monk and pilgrim who is a central character in the 16th century novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en.

[1][2][3] The monk's title Sanzang refers to his mission to seek the Tripitaka, which is the Sanskrit name for collections of ancient Buddhist scriptures.

When Chen's son is born, Yin Wenjiao puts the baby on a wooden board and sets him floating adrift down the Yangzi River, out of fear of him being killed by Liu Hong.

The baby reaches Gold Mountain Monastery and is found by the Abbot, who gives him the nickname "Jiāngliú" (江流, lit.

He is sent by the Emperor Taizong on a mission to Tianzhu (an ancient Chinese name for India) to fetch a set of Mahayana Buddhist scriptures back to China for the purpose of spreading Buddhism in his native land.

The bodhisattva Guanyin helps Tang Sanzang find three powerful supernatural beings—Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing (a monkey, pig and fish spirit, respectively)—to aid and protect him on his journey.

Along the journey, Tang Sanzang is constantly terrorised by monsters and demons due to a legend which says that one can attain immortality by consuming his flesh because he is a reincarnation of a holy being.

[3] In contrast to the historical Xuanzang, a wise and learned scholar (he was in his late 20s when he left for India), the fictional Tang Sanzang is presented as a young monk who is extremely naive, showing idealistic compassion without wisdom.

Tang Sanzang is usually quick to fall for the facades of demons who have disguised themselves as innocent humans, as he cannot recognize them, whereas Sun Wukong can.