In the “Introduction” to the author Wu Ch’eng-en, it seems that the editor of the

book (that is, the editor of the Norton anthology) has a mistake when talking
about Hsuan Tsang’s disciples? What is that detail?Firstly, the three disciples are
depicted as monkey, pig, and dragon gods.” Monkey’s guardianship over Tripitaka
is seconded by the ever-hungry and lustful Pigsy, who becomes increasingly
unsympathetic as the journey progresses. Tripitaka’s third disciple and protector
is the gentle dragon Sandy, a former marshal of the hosts of Heaven who was sent
to the bottom of ariver to expiate the sin of having broken the Jade Emperor’s (a
Taoist divinity) crystal cup.”However, the editor of the Norton anthology compare
them to human: “Surrounded by three guardian disciples whose characters at the
very least verge on the allegorical, Tripitaka is not only human but all too human.