White Soft-shelled Turtle

White Soft-shelled Turtle a character featured within the famed ancient Chinese novel Journey to the West. This ancient white turtle is an entity from Heaven that had performed ill deeds on accident and is now forced to roam around the eastern River of Heaven. After Sun Wukong and the others retrieve two children from the hands of a sinister demon, they are thanked greatly by the Chen family and continue on their way through the River of Heaven. This is at the point in which the ancient white turtle is seen for the first time. After the large turtle leads Sanzang and his disciples across the river, he pleads for Sanzang to ask the lord Tathagata Buddha when he is to be converted and how long he is to live. Unfortunately however after meeting with the Tathagata, Sanzang never remembered to ask about the turtle. After Sanzang and the others were returning to China atop this white turtle once again – at the point in which they were dropped half way to China to complete their 81st ordeal – the large white turtle asks Sanzang as like many years before about his future. The ashamed Sanzang does not say anything, leading for the white turtle to submerge himself in rage which would have normally drowned the Tang priest. After Sanzang and the others reached shore and dried off their ancient scriptures, this ancient white turtle would never truly be shown again in its dismay.

References

* "Journey to the West Chapter 99 - and 48?" - Wu Chung-en