Text: Shinichi Hakuba
(The Show of The Journey to the West series, Part 24)
【I】
One of the fascinating parts of the Myth of Journey to the West is the earth-shattering fight of the gods and demons.
Fighting and killing are often inseparable from weapons. For example, Sun Wukong's golden hoop stick, the nine-tooth nail rake of the Eight Precepts of the Pig, and the three-pointed and two-edged gun of the Erlang God are all familiar to us. However, one weapon to be introduced in this article is relatively unfamiliar to everyone, that is, the Tiangang Knife.
Regarding the owner of the Tiangang Knife, the original work also has an explanation, in the forty-second time. From the mouth of Guanyin. At that time, in order to deal with the red child, she said to the secretary Mu Fork next to her, "You go to the upper realm quickly, see your father and king, and ask him to borrow Wang Gang's knife to use." All hands on deck. ”
There are two pieces of information that point out.
First, the owner of the Tiangang Sword was the father of the wooden fork, that is, the Tota Li Heavenly King.
Second, the Tiangang knife is not a sword, but a pair. How many? The original also has a supplementary description, "thirty-six knives".
【II】
What is the specific operation of the Tiangang knife?
And look at the original.
"The bodhisattva took it in his hand, threw it away, and recited a mantra, only to see the sword transform into a thousand-leaf lotus platform."
The red child who came to meet the battle was a child's mind after all, and he sat up as soon as he was on his ass. Bear child, have fun.
But he saw that the bodhisattva was not in a hurry, "Chanting the mantra, that day the knives were transformed into barbed hooks, like wolf teeth, and could not fade." ”
This is "please enter the urn", and the red child can't move. Panicking, he pulled the tip of his sword and said bitterly, "Bodhisattva, my disciple has no eyes and no pearls, and he does not know your vast mana." A thousand beggars, spare my life! No longer dare to be arrogant, I would like to enter the Dharma Gate and abstain from doing it. ”
Look, this Pair of Heavenly Gang Knives almost broke down the stubborn Little Red Child of the Horn Mountain.
【III】
Through this practical case, we can probably speculate on the structure of the Tiangang Knife.
That knife could be transformed into a thousand leaf lotus platform. It can be seen that the knife holder is probably in the shape of a disc. Thirty-six knives, which should be in an enveloping shape, inserted evenly around the outer circumference of the disc. Image point, a bit like a chrysanthemum, the petals are the blade, according to the actual situation bite or open.
Of course, the flower tray will be slightly larger than the chrysanthemum, and it will be somewhat sunflower-like. Closed like a cage.
This weapon, later in the Qing Palace drama, or evolved into a blood droplet. That is, the kind used by the Four Brothers Yinchen (Yongzheng).
The so-called blood droplets, which take leather as a sac, contain several fast knives, control the organs, take advantage of the fact that people are not prepared, cover their heads, dial the organs, and take the first level immediately. Most of them are birdcage-shaped, which is a super terrifying dark weapon that travels at home and takes the first level.
【IV】
What is the use of the Heavenly Gang Sword in Tota Li Tianwang?
To explain this, it is not difficult!
First, let's look at Li Tianwang's specific position in the Heavenly Court, which is probably similar to the commander-in-chief of the army.
Its functions can be divided into two parts.
Externally, it monitors the security situation in the netherworld. Internally, maintain the existing order in the heavenly court.
For example, five hundred years ago, the demon king Sun Wukong huaguo mountain was in turmoil. The Jade Emperor waved his sleeve widely, "That is, the Four Heavenly Kings, in coordination with Li Tianwang and the Prince of Nezha, point twenty-eight residences, nine obsidian star officials, twelve yuanchen, five-party revelation, four values of Gong Cao, east and west star dou, north and south two gods, five yue four dudus, put the heavenly astrology, a total of 100,000 heavenly soldiers, lay eighteen heavenly luodi nets, the nether realm to HuaguoShan siege, will be captured and punished." ”
This is external responsibility.
So, how to maintain order in the heavenly court internally?
Probably on weekdays, the King of Heaven holds the tower in one hand and the Tiangang knife shaped like a "bird cage" in the other. In the previous interpretation, we have probably deduced that the cultivation of immortals who leapt into the heavenly court from the grass-roots level needs to learn the Thirty-six Variations of Heavenly Gang. For example, the little stubborn lord red child, the backstage "Daddy Land" Lao Jun has paved the road earlier, intends to cultivate, and he ascends the heavenly steps early every day. Therefore, I studied the Thirty-Six Transformations, and just like the Heavenly Gang Knife.
【5】
You said that a captain of the Heavenly Court carries a "bird cage" all day long, and there are no birds in it. Empty and heart-wrenching.
The Celestial Soldiers looked at the posture and subconsciously touched their own heads. The dice card that was originally pulled out was taken back again.
The deterrent effect, more or less.
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