#text reference

[journeytothewestresearch]

Fun JTTW Text Reference for Artists

I've written at length about Sun Wukong's golden headband (here, here, here, and here). Anyone who has read the novel will know that it is used to rein in Monkey's unruly behavior through the application of pain. Such events have been portrayed by artists like Chen Huiguan in his Newly Illustrated and Complete Journey to the West (Chen Huiguan Xinhui Quanben Xiyouji, 陈惠冠新绘全本西游记, 2001) and Tianwaitang in his piece Tripitaka's Curse (2010).

But I've never seen someone depict the instance with the greatest potential for an everlasting visual impact. In chapter 27, Tripitaka angrily recites the tightening spell 20 times to punish Monkey for killing what he thought was an innocent woman (it wasn't). This causes our hero's head to deform like a cartoon character!

The sight so frightened the Tang Monk that he fell from his horse. Lying on the road, he did not speak another word except to recite the Tight-Fillet Spell back and forth exactly twenty times. Alas, poor Pilgrim's head was reduced to an hourglass-shaped gourd! As the pain was truly unbearable, he had to roll up to the Tang Monk and plead, "Master, please don't recite anymore. Say what you have to say" (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, p. 23) 唐僧一見，驚下馬來，睡在路傍，更無二話，只是把緊箍兒咒顛倒足足念了二十遍。可憐把個行者頭勒得似個亞腰兒葫蘆，十分疼痛難忍，滾將來哀告道：「師父莫念了，有甚話說了罷。」

The original Chinese lists the "double-waisted" calabash gourd (yayao'er hulu, 亞腰兒葫蘆). I hope this gives artists an idea of what Wukong's head would look like.

I've previously noted how the novel describes Sun Wukong as an actual monkey, and it's because of this that the headband would likely rest on his eye orbits. I imagine his head being squeezed into the shape of a calabash gourd would make his eyes comically (or grotesquely) bulge, too.

[sahashbelvanie]

Ixian Descriptions from Dune

Pilgrim Women of Ix

Pilgrim women from Ix danced in the Temple Plaza of Arakeen to the sounds of flute and drum. They were described as having no coverings on their heads, bangles at their necks, and wearing thin, revealing dresses. They all had long black hair that whirled as they engaged in their exotic dance.

Ex-Ambassador Iyo Kobat of Ix

Kobat is described as a tall man with a thin and imperious face, a narrow mouth, a skinny blade of a nose, and dark brown eyes set under bushy eyebrows. His voice is guttural and tightly controlled. During his conversation with Siona, he wore a dark brown official singlet.

Ex-Ambassador Malky of Ix

Malky, uncle of Hwi Noree, was cruel and hedonistic. He had an ashen face with dark, wrinkled skin, sunken cheeks, and a sharp nose that contrasted with the rounded oval of his face. His dark gray hair framed doe-like brown eyes under heavy eyebrows that had turned almost white.

Ambassador Hwi Noree of Ix

Hwi Noree is described as a young woman who bears a remarkable resemblance to her uncle, Malky. She had dark skin, an oval face with regular features, placid brown eyes, and luminous brown hair. She radiated inner peace, possessing a classical balance—the epitome of goodness.

Upon first meeting Leto II, Hwi was dressed in a simple gown of purple ambiel, decorated with a silver necklace pendant stamped with the symbol of Ix. Soft purple sandals peeked from beneath her hem.

After the Tleilaxu attempted to take Leto’s life, Hwi wore a dark golden gown, with her hair tied back in braids. She temporarily wore a dark blue robe over her gown.

During Hwi’s third meeting with Leto II, she wore a black cloak over a loose blouse of dark green. She paired it with voluminous green pantaloons, tightly tied at the ankles with darker green bows to match her sandals.

During the attack on the Ixian Embassy, Hwi wore a long gown of jade green.

During her private affair with Duncan, she wore a shimmering blue gown that draped revealingly around her figure.

During her meeting with Moneo and Duncan, she wore a long brown gown with a braided green belt, her feet in red clippers.

After the first rest during the wedding procession of Leto II and Hwi, she wore a golden gown piped with silver and jade at the neck and the cuffs of its long sleeves. The hem, almost dragging on the ground, was outlined with heavy green braid forming deep red crenellations.

[ztu2455]

thought i'd share how i do alex's crazy letter drawings. feel free to use as a ref (on ibis, it's efficient to use the graphite pencil tool, gives it that rougher look)

[samglyph]

As a horror guy I vehemently do not support hatred towards romance girlies. Sister genres in my opinion. We both enjoy familiar tropes. We both enjoy interesting relationship dynamics explored between two or more people. We both enjoy werewolves.

[eric-bogosian]

Re-sharing this post I found on Twitter for people looking for alternatives to NaNo. I haven't tried any of these sites but they might be worth looking into.

[limbcom]

"Holding your hand doesn't have to mean that I accept your friendship," the liar said to the truthful, trying to lie in front of the only person who understands his intentions.

He knows, of course, that the liar did not lie. For the liar is also the truthful.

[retquits]

someone on my straw page asked how i make my art ✨glow✨ so i put together a little guide!! 🫶

this is an easy trick that helps dress up a super rough sketch (and adds a pretty cool effect to lineart too)!

[metfell]

where some of yall got your degrees from TBH

[steelsuit]

Hello, MrRadio 🎶

[journeytothewestresearch]

The immortal-killing ritual that I describe in my article is the brainchild of the sagely immortal Lu Ya (陸壓) from Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen yanyi, 封神演義, c. 1620). It is used to circumvent the immortal Zhao Gongming's (趙公明) powerful holy weapons.

As a reminder, the rite involves a bureaucratic ceremony (praying, talisman-burning, and dipper-walking) that slowly steals Zhao's primal spirit (yuanshen, 原神) over a 21 day period, tethers it to a straw effigy marked with his name, and then kills him by shooting the icon with three peach arrows, two to the eyes and a third to the heart.

The ritual itself reminds me of a two-step process used in Chinese folk religion to activate a religious statue (shenxiang, 神像). Part one is the “entering-spirit” (rushen, 入神) ceremony, which invites a deity’s essence inside. Lin (2020) explains:

When the carving is complete, the carver chooses an auspicious day to hold the spirit-entering ritual. A cavity at the back of the image is carved out for this rite. The objects placed in this hole include incense ashes (xianghui) or talismans from the root temple, a live hornet, five precious materials (gold, silver, bronze, iron, and tin), five crops (rice, wheat, sesame, and different kinds of beans), and a bundle of five-color threads (red, yellow, blue, black, and white) [fig. 1 & 2] … The worshippers have to prepare fruit and flowers and burn incense to invite the deity to come.

When the auspicious moment arrives, the carver inserts the previously listed items into the cavity and plugs it with a piece of wood. The objects placed in the cavity are important clues regarding how people conceptualize deities. Local inhabitants explained to me that the ashes or talisman symbolizes the spirit of the deity, and the living hornet is to increase the deity’s power. Some people said the five forms of treasure represent the five organs of the deity, whereas others just said they are symbols of the deity’s grandeur. The five crops represent the harvest and the bunch of five-color threads is related to the five spirit-soldier camps (p. 38).

Lu Ya’s ritual essentially treats the straw effigy like an idol that will house a god’s essence. This might explain how the primal spirit of Zhao Gongming (and therefore Sun Wukong) is called to enter the icon.

Fig. 1 – A collection of the talisman, grains, treasures, and colored-threads used in the entering-spirit ceremony.

Fig. 2 – A live wasp is retrieved to be added to the necessary statue items.

Part two is the “eye-opening and dotting” (kaiguang dianyan, 開光點眼) ceremony, which brings the idol to life. Again, I refer to Lin (2020):

For this ceremony, the carver prepares flowers, fruit, a round mirror, a red brush pen, and a white cock. When the auspicious moment arrives, the mirror is taken outside where the light is sufficient to reflect it into the statue’s eyes. Next, the carver goes back to the altar and uses a knife to cut the cockscomb and smear the blood with the red brush pen. He then starts to chant and to dot the deity with the brush pen. There are many different kinds of chants … but their contents are not very different. The process of dotting usually begins at the center of the forehead and proceeds to the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, heart, navel, feet, toes, fingers, and back [fig. 3-5], as the following chant demonstrates:

First dot the sacred head, second dot the sacred hat, Third dot the sacred body, then the true and righteous god will occupy the body. Open the left eye to see heaven. Open the right eye to see into the earth. Open the left ear to listen to sounds from all directions. Open the right ear to hear sounds from far away. Open the divine nose, to smell fragrant scents. Open the divine mouth, but not to eat house hold foods. Open the left hand and the disciples will be prosperous year after year. Open the right hand and the god will capture ghosts without being asked. Open the sacred belly and great divine power will come forth. Open the left foot to step upon the correct path. Open the right foot to step into the divine carriage. Open the back so that all people may be enlightened.

It can be inferred that in this ceremony, the carver at first draws the natural energy into the statue to enliven it. Then, he uses the blood of a white cock, symbolizing purity, to dot and connect the important parts of the body. This makes the statue like a living person with veins in which blood flows without obstruction (pp. 38-39).

Although Investiture doesn’t mention any of this, I think performing the eye-opening and dotting ceremony would be the final step in making the straw effigy a separate, living embodiment of the Monkey King. The ritual would open the eyes to the cosmos and fill the chest with divine energies in preparation for shooting said targets. This would explain why Zhao Gongming closes his eyes upon each arrow strike.

Writers wanting to add a certain level of religious authenticity to the fictional Monkey King-killing ritual could have the villain place the talisman, grains, treasures, live wasp, and five colored-threads inside the straw effigy. And then he could chant while simultaneously reflecting sunlight on the face and dotting the eyes and body with a rooster blood-soaked brush. The only major difference between the fictional and religious ceremonies would be that the entering-spirit ritual of the former lasts three weeks.

Fig. 3 – An entering-spirit and eye-opening and dotting kit commonly sold in Taiwan. Notice how the mirror is rectangular instead of circular.

Fig. 4 - A white temple rooster kept as a supply of pure blood. Don’t worry; nowadays, they are only nicked on the comb with a knife. 

Fig. 5 - A ritual master uses a circular mirror to shine sunlight into an idol’s eyes while dotting the figure with a blood-soaked brush.

(This was typed on my phone, so I apologize if the formatting is off in places.)

Source:

Lin, W. (2020). Materializing Magic Power: Chinese Popular Religion in Villages and Cities. Netherlands: Brill.

How to Kill Sun Wukong

Have you ever wondered what it would take to kill Sun Wukong? My new article describes a ritual borrowed from Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen yanyi, 封神演義, c. 1620) that would certainly kill our hero. It involves a secret, spiritual assault from a distance. That way, the villain doesn't have to worry about getting smashed into hamburger or ripped to shreds by an angry monkey immortal.

The ritual steals an immortal's spirit, tethers it to a straw effigy, and then kills the target by shooting the effigy in the eyes and heart with arrows.

[vileidol]

actually maybe it is fucked up that astarion’s story is about allowing yourself to be deserving of love even if you are fucked up and traumatised and have a deeply complicated relationship with sex / aversion to sex and some people’s response to that was ‘if u act nice to the hot sassy vampire u will Fix Him & be rewarded with sex uwu’

[uselessalexis165]

some more little details that i’m gathering

[strawlessandbraless]

*shouting and shaking fist at the sky* what have I done

[mobleuu]

look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit,

im helpless ~

[xinganhao]

🫶 svt reacts to you saying 'i love you' on accident.

★ prompt: Ot13 reaction to you saying I love you for the first time (possibly kind of by accident) 🥰 c/o anon

ⓘ friends to lovers vibes, flirting, pet names. headcanons under the cut.

🫶 read more?

seungcheol tries to take it in stride. really, he does. he's convinced he can be very normal about this, even though it will probably have him preening the whole day. he's always thrived most on words of affirmation, and what's more affirming than the truth?

jeonghan's joking, of course. he knows deep down that your little slip doesn't immediately entail a relationship, but he's definitely intent on going out swinging. the light teasing is an attempt to get you to think about a time where you can freely say 'i love you' to him every day.

there's a fair amount of sincerity in joshua's reaction. his first thought is to make sure that you're okay with it, since he has some idea that you've probably tripped on the words. but give him that leeway and he'll take it in a heartbeat. you've started saying it; he'll never let you hear the end of it.

if junhui manages to feign nonchalance, it's because of his acting prowess. he's smug and giddy, though he's not about to let you know that. he's the type to pull the rug underneath you a couple of days later, right when you've probably forgotten it. "so…" he'll drawl. "how much do you love me, hm?"

to no one's surprise, soonyoung is decisively not chill about it. this is A Big Deal to him! an 'i love you'? something he's wanted to hear for ages? he needs to make sure he's not dreaming. there's the dopiest smile on his face, because you love him. it's the best thing he's heard.

wonwoo's hands are shaking. his throat is suddenly dry, and he's relatively sure his brain has short-circuited. it's— just an offhand thing. at least that's what he tries to convince himself. the reality: he's going to be replaying the words in his head for weeks on end.

it doesn't strike jihoon immediately. maybe it hits him once you're gone; maybe it occurs to him when the moment has already passed. one thing's for sure: he's not going to let it go unanswered. he's a little late, not on time, but that doesn't mean he doesn't mean it. you know that, right?

the words make something bloom and blossom in seokmin's chest. they take root like a promise, and even though he tries not to get ahead of itself, it's hard. he's so, so happy to hear it from you that he'll be walking on clouds for the days to come.

mingyu doesn't hate you. that much is certain. he just hates the power you have over him— how you can upend his entire day with a couple of choice words. he had thought he'd be stronger than this, but here he is. panicking because of 'ily'? god, he can't afford to be in shambles like this.

ever the rational type, minghao will be the type to press, "how do you love me?" he can't afford any missteps, needs to know you're on the same page. if you love him as a friend, then so be it. but if there's a prospect for anything more, even just a minute worth of it… well. he would like to know.

joking about it is a coping mechanism. that's something seungkwan subscribes to, at the very least. it gives him time to gather his wits, this whole keeping-up-a-facade thing. (ask anyone: he had been smiling a little too hard at his phone when your text came in. the eyes never lie.)

rarely is vernon thrown off his game like this. he's not supposed to be melting over a flippant 'ily', and yet here he is— trying (and failing) to be cool about your slip-up. can you blame him? he's wanted you for so long, and the words can be as good as a promise if he really wanted them to be.

you're not playing fair. chan has half a mind to make you suffer, to not give you the satisfaction of a reaction. alas, he's always had a soft spot for you. that extends to unquestioning forgiveness, and reciprocity where it matters. yes, even in accidental confessions.

› scroll through all my work ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ my masterlist | @xinganhao

[rendevok]

Act I ~ The Prince

A tapestry for Let No One Sleep by @azalawa-scroggs on ao3