Where is Pig Bajie's hometown?

The following three textual researches can preliminarily prove that the creative material of The Journey to the West Lizhu Bajie comes from the folk myths and legends of Baoshan Xizhuang, rather than the wedding story of The Journey to the West Lizhu Bajie attached to Baoshan Xizhuang.

First, from the comparison of the place names and names that Xizhuang Village still calls and used to call with those in The Journey to the West.

There are still place names and names related to the legends and stories of Pig Bajie in Xizhuang Village, such as: Xizhuang, formerly called Gaolaozhuang, is also called "Gaolaozhuang" in The Journey to the West, and was renamed "Xizhuang" to commemorate the son-in-law Pig Bajie's desire to learn from the West; Not far to the west, there is a place called Bajiedi, and there is a small canyon called Bajieqing on the left. There is a river called Bajie River below. Legend has it that Pig Bajie often goes there to dig holes, shelter from the cold and take a bath. Balang in the neighboring village, because there is a cement pond in front of the village, it is said that Pig Bajie often takes a bath, so people call it "rotten (wave) dam"; Not far from the south, the Shihua Cave in the Sleeping Buddha Temple, formerly known as Zhan Yundong, is also called "Zhan Yundong" in The Journey to the West. The small mountain ridge above is called Yuhua Temple, formerly known as Fuling Mountain, and it is also called "Fuling Mountain" in Journey to the West. Master Gao Cai and his daughter Gao,,, and The Journey to the West are also called "Gao Cai, Gao,,". Judging from these place names related to the legend of Zhu Bajie, it should be said that this story originated from Xizhuang, and this story has something to do with Buddhism. It may have been brought in by the introduction of Buddhism from the reclining Buddha Temple during Nanzhao period in the Tang Dynasty.

Secondly, the migration time and time of Han people from Baoshan are compared with Wu Cheng'en's birth time, hometown and The Journey to the West's creation time.

Since the Ming Dynasty, a large number of Han people in Baoshan have migrated from Jiangnan.

Thirdly, from the time when Yongchang was an official in the imperial court and when Wu Cheng'en was born and the textual research.

It is said that Wu Cheng'en once lived in Beijing for a period of time when he was a county magistrate in Changxing County, Zhejiang Province. He may have contacted these officials in Yongchang and got this fairy tale. However, it is understandable that Baoshan Han immigrants often go home to visit relatives and friends, and they are connected with Wu Cheng'en.