Journey to the West (Asterism Names)

Authors: Youla Azkarrula

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Journey to the West

Journey to the West is a classic of Chinese God and devil novels. It is written in the 16th-century Ming dynasty. It mainly chronicles the epic pilgrimage of the monk Xuanzang (Tang Monk) as he travels westward to obtain sacred Buddhist scriptures. He is accompanied by his three formidable disciples: the rebellious and powerful Monkey King, Sun Wukong; the humorous yet often gluttonous Zhu Bajie; and the steadfast Sha Wujing. Throughout their journey, they encounter a captivating array of celestial beings, demons, and deities, battling hardships and overcoming eighty-one tribulations to reach their ultimate goal. More information is available in Wikipedia.

This sky culture is based on Journey to the West, in which the author replaces the figures of Greek mythology with characters, demons, and magical artifacts from the novel.

Here is an overview on Journey to the West asterism names

Constellation Name	Romanisation		Etymological Meaning, when possible	Identification	Commentary
	Pinyin	Simplified
黄风怪	Huáng Fēng Guài		Yellow Wind Monster	Ursa Minor	A golden-furred marten spirit who captured Tang Monk and wounded Sun Wukong's eyes with his Samadhi Wind. Lingji Bodhisattva later subdued him.
黑熊怪	Hēi Xióng Guài		Black Bear Spirit	Ursa Major.	A monster from Black Wind Mountain who stole Tang Monk's precious robe. He was later tamed by Guanyin and converted to Buddhism.
东海龙王敖广	Dōng Hǎi Lóng Wáng Áo Guǎng		Dragon King of the Eastern Sea	Draco.	The supreme ruler of the Four Seas and all aquatic creatures, appointed by the Jade Emperor.
玉皇大帝	Yù Huáng Dà Dì		Jade Emperor	Cepheus.	The supreme ruler of Heaven.
二郎神杨戬	Èr Láng Shén (Yáng Jiǎn)		Erlang Shen (Yang Jian)	Bootes.	Also known as the True Lord Erlang, nephew of the Jade Emperor. A powerful deity who once captured Sun Wukong.
毗卢帽	Pí Lú Mào		Vairocana Hat	Corona Borealis.	A monastic hat bestowed upon Tang Monk by Emperor Taizong of Tang, named for the Vairocana Buddha image adorning it.
齐天大圣	Qí Tiān Dà Shèng (Sūn Wù Kōng)		Great Sage Equalling Heaven (Sun Wukong)	Hercules.	After defeating the Heavenly armies, Sun Wukong was given the hollow title "Great Sage Equalling Heaven." He was put in charge of the Peach Orchard but ended up stealing the peaches and ruining the Peach Banquet, leading to his rebellion.
天王琵琶	Tiān Wáng Pí Pá		Lute of the Heavenly King	Lyra.	The lute held by Dhṛtarāṣṭra (the Heavenly King of the East).
青鸾	Qīng Luán		Mythical Azure Bird	Cygnus.	A divine bird similar to a phoenix, often found in celestial mountains and blessed lands in Journey to the West.
王母娘娘	Wáng Mǔ Niáng Niáng		Queen Mother of the West	Cassiopeia.	The head of all female divinities. She hosts the Peach Banquet at the Jade Pool, which Sun Wukong famously disrupted.
猪八戒	Zhū Bā Jiè		Zhu Bajie	Perseus.	In Chapter 79, Zhu Bajie kills a white-faced fox demon and drags it by the tail to present to the King of Bhīṣaṇa.
弼马温	Bì Mǎ Wēn		Keeper of the Heavenly Horses	Auriga.	The lowly official title given to Sun Wukong when he was tricked into ascending to Heaven, tasked with tending horses.
西方广目天王	Xī Fāng Guǎng Mù Tiān Wáng		Heavenly King Virūpākṣa	Ophiuchus.	One of the Four Heavenly Kings, a divine general who guards the Heavenly Gate. His sacred treasure is the snake he holds.
灵蛇	Líng Shé		Divine Serpent	Serpens.	The magical implement of Virūpākṣa is a serpent imbued with immense spiritual power.
火箭	Huǒ Jiàn		Fire Arrow	Sagitta.	One of the fire tools of the Fire Virtue Star Officer, used to assist Sun Wukong in a fire attack.
金翅大鹏	Jīn Chì Dà Péng		Golden-Winged Great Peng	Aquila.	A mighty demon who established himself as king in the Kingdom of Lion-Camel. He allied with the Lion and Elephant demons to capture Tang Monk and was finally subdued by Buddha.
八戒鲇鱼	Bā Jiè Nián Yú		Zhu Bajie Transformed into a Catfish	Delphinus.	Zhu Bajie transforms into a catfish and swims into the Hot-Filth Spring to harass the seven spider spirits.
马面	Mǎ Miàn		Horse-Face	Equuleus.	A denizen of the Underworld with a horse's head and a human body.
天马	Tiān Mǎ		Heavenly Steeds	Pegasus.	Divine horses are kept in the Heavenly stables.
嫦娥	Cháng É		Chang'e	Andromeda.	A celestial maiden who resides in the Moon Palace.
皂雕旗	Zào Diāo Qí		Black Vulture Flag	Triangulum.	Owned by Zhenwu, the Celestial Honored One. In Chapter 33, Nezha unfurls this flag at the South Heaven Gate, blotting out the sun, moon, and stars.
羊力大仙	Yáng Lì Dà Xiān		Great Immortal Antelope	Aries.	One of the three master magicians of Tarrycart. An antelope spirit who competes with Sun Wukong meets his end in a pot of boiling oil.
牛魔王	Niú Mó Wáng		Bull Demon King	Taurus.	Also known as the Great Sage Who Pacifies Heaven. A former sworn brother of Sun Wukong, his true form is a great white bull.
金角大王、银角大王	Jīn Jiǎo Dà Wáng, Yín Jiǎo Dà Wáng		Golden Horn King & The Silver Horn King	Gemini.	Two boys who tended Laozi's furnace. They stole five of Laozi's treasures and became demons on Earth.
蟹将军	Xiè Jiāng Jūn		Crab General	Cancer.	A general serving under the Dragon King.
九头狮子	Jiǔ Tóu Shī Zi		Nine-Headed Lion	Leo.	The mount of the Savior Celestial Honored One. He descended to the mortal world and was worshipped as a patriarch by other lions.
女儿国国王	Nǚ Ér Guó Guó Wáng		Queen of the Womanland	Virgo.	The ruler of an all-female kingdom who wished to marry Tang Monk.
行李担	Xíng Li Dān		Luggage Pole	Libra.	The pole carrying the luggage of the pilgrimage team.
蝎子精	Xiē Zi Jīng		Scorpion Spirit	Scorpius.	A demoness who captured Tang Monk with a whirlwind as the pilgrimage team passed the Womanland.
斗木獬	Dǒu Mù Xiè		Wooden Unicorn (Dou)	Sagittarius.	One of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, who helped Sun Wukong capture three rhinoceros spirits.
玉龙化白马	Yù Lóng Huà Bái Mǎ		Jade Dragon Transforming into a White Horse	Capricornus.	The third son of the Dragon King of the Western Sea. As punishment, Guanyin transformed him into a white horse to carry Tang Monk. The image captures his hybrid dragon-horse form during transformation.
观音菩萨	Guān Yīn Pú Sà		Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara)	Aquarius.	The Bodhisattva who inspired the pilgrimage and frequently aided the team. Her vase can hold an entire ocean's worth of water.
奔波儿灞、灞波儿奔	Bēn Bōr Bà, Bà Bōr Bēn		Benborba & Baborben	Pisces.	Two minor fiends under the Dragon King of the Green Wave Pool—a catfish and a black fish spirit—were captured by Sun Wukong.
辟水金睛兽	Pì Shuǐ Jīn Jīng Shòu		Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast	Cetus.	The mount of the Bull Demon King, a mythical beast capable of traveling through the sky and sea.
哪吒	Né Zhā		Nezha	Orion.	The Third Lotus Prince, son of Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li. He assisted Sun Wukong in capturing the Bull Demon King.
流沙河	Liú Shā Hé		Flowing-Sand River	Eridanus.	The place where Sha Wujing was exiled, a river so wide and treacherous that goose down would sink.
玉兔	Yù Tù		Jade Hare	Lepus.	The immortal hare of the Moon who pounds the elixir of life. She fled to the mortal world, disguised as a princess, and tried to marry Tang Monk.
黄袍怪	Huáng Páo Guài		Yellow Robe Monster	Canis Major.	Originally, the Wood Wolf (Kui) of the Lunar Mansions. He became a demon to be with a mortal princess he loved.
娄金狗	Lóu Jīn Gǒu		Metal Dog (Lou)	Canis Minor.	One of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions.
红鳞大蟒	Hóng Lín Dà Mǎng		Giant Red-Scaled Python	Hydra.	A massive python that occupied Mount Seven Extremes.
琉璃盏	Liú Li Zhǎn		Crystal Cup	Crater.	The cup that Sha Wujing accidentally broke during a Peach Banquet, leading to his banishment.
火鸦	Huǒ Yā		Fire Crow	Corvus.	One of the fire tools of the Fire Virtue Star Officer.
角木蛟	Jiǎo Mù Jiāo		Wooden Dragon (Jiao)	Centaurus.	One of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions that helped capture the rhinoceros spirits.
铁背苍狼怪	Tiě Bèi Cāng Láng Guài		Iron-Backed Grey Wolf Fiend	Lupus.	A minor fiend under the South Mountain King, appointed as a vanguard after capturing Tang Monk.
火焰山	Huǒ Yàn Shān		Flaming Mountains	Ara.	A mountain range of fire was created when Sun Wukong kicked over Laozi's furnace, causing bricks to fall to Earth.
紧箍儿	Jǐn Gū Ér		Tight-Fillet	Corona Australis.	A treasure from Buddha used by Tang Monk to subdue Sun Wukong. It tightens and causes an immense headache when the Tight-Fillet Spell is recited.
灵感大王	Líng Gǎn Dà Wáng		Goldfish Monster	Piscis Austrinus.	A goldfish from Guanyin's lotus pond that achieved powers by listening to sutras. He occupied the Tongtian River, and his weapon was an unopened lotus bud.
灭法国皇后的头发	Miè Fǎ Guó Huáng Hòu de Tóu Fà		Hair of the Queen of Dharma-Defying Kingdom	Coma Berenices.	To reform a king who vowed to kill 10,000 monks, Sun Wukong used magic to shave the heads of the entire royal court overnight.
降妖杵	Xiáng Yāo Chǔ		Demon-Subduing Pestle	Crux.	A magical weapon of Nezha, sometimes depicted in a cross shape.
鹦哥	Yīng Gē		Parrot	Columba.	A yellow-feathered, red-beaked, white parrot, the pet of Guanyin, is often seen accompanying her.
白鹿	Bái Lù		White Deer	Camelopardalis.	The mount of the Star of Longevity, who caused trouble in the Bhīṣaṇa Kingdom.
独角兕大王	Dú Jiǎo Sì Dà Wáng		Great King One-Horned Rhinoceros	Monoceros.	The Green Bull, the mount of Laozi, who stole the Vajra Noose and caused trouble on Earth.
危月燕	Wēi Yuè Yàn		Moon Swallow (Wei)	Apus.	One of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions.
鼍丞相	Tuó Chéng Xiàng		Alligator Minister	Chamaeleon.	A crocodile official in the Dragon Palace.
斑衣鳜婆	Bān Yī Guì Pó		Mandarin Fish Matron	Dorado.	A strategist who advised freezing the Tongtian River to capture Tang Monk.
朱顶白鹤	Zhū Dǐng Bái Hè		Red-Crowned White Crane	Grus.	The crane mount of Tai Bai Jin Xing, the Chinese deity of Venus.
白花蛇怪	Bái Huā Shé Guài		White-Spotted Snake Monster	Hydrus.	A snake spirit disguised as a scholar, killed by Sun Wukong.
朱紫国国王	Zhū Zǐ Guó Guó Wáng		King of Purpuria	Indus.	A king was punished for hunting and harming a pair of peacocks, offspring of the Peacock Buddha Mother.
瞌睡虫	Kē Shuì Chóng		Sleep-Inducing Insect	Musca.	A small insect that causes drowsiness.
雄孔雀	Xióng Kǒng Què		Male Peacock	Pavo.	The offspring of the Peacock Buddha Mother, shot by the prince who would become the King of Purpuria.
九头虫	Jiǔ Tóu Chóng		Nine-Headed Monstrous Bird	Phoenix.	A nine-headed monstrous bird who married the dragon princess and stole a sacred relic.
令字旗	Lìng Zì Qí		Command Flag	Triangulum Australe.	A triangular flag with the character "Ling" (Command), used by both heavenly troops and demons.
雷公	Léi Gōng		Thunder God	Tucana.	The god of thunder, depicted with a bird-like beak.
鲤总兵	Lǐ Zǒng Bīng		Carp Commander	Volans.	An aquatic officer in the Eastern Sea who presented a halberd to Sun Wukong.
哮天犬	Xiào Tiān Quǎn		Howling Celestial Hound	Canes Venatici.	Erlang Shen's sleek hound, which assisted in capturing Sun Wukong.
鼍龙	Tuó Lóng		Dragon Alligator	Lacerta.	The nephew of the Dragon King of the Western Sea, who caused trouble in the Black River.
黄狮精	Huáng Shī Jīng		Yellow Lion Spirit	Leo Minor.	A lion spirit who stole the weapons of the pilgrims.
南山大王	Nán Shān Dà Wáng		South Mountain King	Lynx.	A leopard spirit who captured Tang Monk using a clever stratagem.
团牌	Tuán Pái		Round Shield	Scutum.	A common type of round shield in ancient times.
四明铲	Sì Míng Chǎn		Siming Spade	Sextans.	The weapon of the Yellow Lion Spirit. "Siming" refers to the sun, moon, stars, and cosmos; its blade resembles a 60-degree arc.
九尾狐狸	Jiǔ Wěi Hú Li		Nine-Tailed Vixen	Vulpecula.	The adoptive mother of the Golden and Silver Horn Kings, killed instantly by Sun Wukong.
风口袋	Fēng Kǒu Dài		Wind Bag	Antlia.	A sack controlled by the Wind Mother, capable of releasing great gales.
雷公捎	Léi Gōng Shāo		Thunder God's Wedge	Caelum.	The tool used by the Duke of Thunder to create thunder.
八卦炉	Bā Guà Lú		Eight-Trigram Furnace	Fornax.	Laozi's alchemical furnace was used to refine elixirs. Sun Wukong was trapped inside for 49 days.
梆子	Bāng Zi		Watchman's Clapper (Bangzi)	Horologium.	A bamboo or wooden clapper used by minor fiends for alarms or telling time.
灵山	Líng Shān		Ling Sacred Mountain	Mensa.	Located in the Western Paradise, it is the site of the Temple of Great Thunderclap, where Buddha resides—the final destination of the pilgrimage.
照妖镜	Zhào Yāo Jìng		Demon-Revealing Mirror	Microscopium.	A treasure of Heavenly King Li that reveals a demon's true form.
戒尺	Jiè Chǐ		Ferule	Norma.	Used by the Patriarch Bodhi to hit Sun Wukong three times, hinting at a secret midnight lesson.
南极老寿星	Nán Jí Lǎo Shòu Xīng		Old Man of the South Pole	Octans.	The Star of Longevity, whose identity is fused with the star Canopus. It is also known as the "South Pole Star" because Canopus was the southernmost bright star observable in ancient China.
蜘蛛网	Zhī Zhū Wǎng		Spider Web	Reticulum.	Web spun by the spider spirits, used to trap Tang Monk and Zhu Bajie.
通行宝印	Tōng Xíng Bǎo Yìn		Jade Seal of Passage	Sculptor.	A jade seal used to stamp the Travel Rescript (passport).
老鼋	Lǎo Yuán		Giant Soft-Shelled Turtle	Carina, Puppis, Vela.	A 1,300-year-old turtle that carried the pilgrims across the Tongtian River.

References

• References (general)