Tang Sanzang

Tang Sanzang
Depiction of Tang Sanzang
First appearance	Journey to the West
Created by	Wu Cheng'en
Based on	Xuanzang
In-universe information
Alias	Tripitaka Tang Seng
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Title	Buddha of Sandalwood Merit
Occupation	Buddhist monk
Affiliation	Sangha
Religion	Mahayana Buddhism
Nationality	Chinese

Tang Sanzang
The four heroes of Journey to the West, Tang Sanzang on the second from the left, riding on Yulong. Painted decoration in the Long Corridor at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China
Chinese name
Chinese	唐三藏
Literal meaning	three collections
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Táng Sānzàng Wade–Giles Tang2 San1-tsang4 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Tong4 Saam1 Zong6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Tông Sam-chōng
Xuanzang
Chinese	玄奘
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xuánzàng Wade–Giles Hsüan2-tsang4
Tripitaka
Traditional Chinese	三藏經
Simplified Chinese	三藏经
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Sānzàngjīng Wade–Giles San1-tsang4-ching1 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Saam1 Zong6 Ging1
Tang Seng
Chinese	唐僧
Literal meaning	Tang Monk
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Táng Sēng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Tong4 Zang1
Buddha of Sandalwood Merit
Chinese	旃檀功德佛
Literal meaning	Buddha of Sandalwood Merit
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhāntán gōngdé Fó
River Float
Chinese	江流
Literal meaning	River Float
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiāngliú
Japanese name
Kanji	玄奘三蔵
Transcriptions Romanization Genjo Sanzō
Sanskrit name
Sanskrit	Tripiṭaka

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. Tang Sanzang is based on the historical Tang dynasty monk Xuanzang.

Tang Sanzang's birth surname name was Chen (陳), but having been found in a river as a baby—he was abandoned after birth—he was given the name Jiāng Liú (江流; this given name literally meaning "River Float", a nod to the fact that he was found in a river). When he first became a monk, his Dharma name is Xuánzàng (玄奘; literally meaning "Great Mystery"). Later, upon swearing brotherhood with the Tang Emperor, he gains the new surname, Tang (唐), and for the pilgrimage, he is called by the new given-name/epithet, Sānzàng (三藏, lit. The "Three Baskets"; referring to the Tripiṭaka), but is also widely known by his courtesy name Tang Seng (唐僧, lit. the "Tang Monk").

The title Sānzàng refers to his mission to seek the Sanzangjing, or the "Three Collections of (Buddhist Great vehicle) Scriptures". In some English translations of Journey to the West, the title is rendered as Tripitaka which is the original Sanskrit term for the Sanzangjing. His name Tang Sanzang reflects his status as an oath brother of Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty.^[1][2][3]