Scholars of The Journey to the West have traditionally concerned with the origins of the story, trying to find related source materials and see how they were developed into the work. However, when ＂book,＂ ＂author,＂ and ＂events＂ are emphasized for the tracing of Journey stories, one important aspect of the process of ＂writing down＂ remains ignored. What were the source materials the author(s)/adapters of the novel might have while he/they was/were composing the novel? Where did they come from? When scholars engage in studies of the narrating, plotting, nuances, and literary significance of the novel, they somehow neglect one indispensable aspect of the writing of the novel itself. This neglect is nevertheless fatal in the proper interpretation of the Journey. This article will look into the typology of the folktales (including the plot units) and analyze how they have been weaved into the Journey.
