If you look up the Moon is still there (part 1)

                                                  

What if Koumyou Sanzo was a god? I’ve formulated some hypotheses about that…

 

-Isn’t so strange that some gods could be in Genkai even they aren’t from army. In Saiyuki Gaiden Goku is taken in Tenkai by a god that we can guess was sent in Genkai to watch the situation, not for offensive purposes. If the situation could be dangerous this god could be the assignment to inform highest authorities. This emissary-god, in the Goku’s case, known Goku’s existence, an heretical being born by Earth, and considered him dangerous leaded him in the presence of Kanzeon Bosatsu. Similarly Koumyou could be a kind of guide-god. He cannot interferes in Genkai’s events but his assignment could be to guide people.

-A not unimportant detail, in my opinion, is that Koumyou is the only Sanzo Houshi to have more than one kyoumon. In order not to bring the five kyoumons together unexpectedly Sanzo-houshi make an effort to consciously scatter to different lands so assign two kyoumon to an only Sanzo means think Koumyou reliable by gods.

-When Koumyou finds Koryu by the river he says has “heard his voice”. Only Koumyou hears the Koryu’s voice while the person near to him doesn’t.

-In Ukoku’s Burial Koumyou senses resemblance between Kenyu and Koryu only looks at the young monk. (Maybe in the same way he sensed that Koryu could be an half god when Koumyou found him by the river).

-In Ukoku’s Burial, when Kenyu attacks Godai because his master hadn’t chosen him among his potential inheritors to become the next Sanzo, Koumyou intervenes to help his friend grabbing Kenyu by his wrist. When Kenyu as a punishment is confined to his lodging Koumyou visits him. Kenyu is surprised by the strength of the distinguished monk and, looking at the mark on his wrist, says: “Say…you could just…KILL ME, you know…”. Koumyou says: “Distance yourself from conflict, and conflict distances from you”. Maybe Koumyou although could be able to kill Kenyu he cannot do it because is a god and so is forbidden to him kill anyone.

-In Ukoku’s Burial Godai, knowing that his life is near to the end, invites Koumyou Sanzo to his temple. When Koumyou sees Kenyu leaves Godai saying to him that after he will want know the real reason because Godai had invited him. After Koumyou will know this reason: Godai knew that soon he should die and he must select an inheritor among his disciples. Godai knows that the most eligible among them is Kenyu but Godai knows also that every Kenyu’s actions are only an elaborated facade. So Godai invited Koumyou to make that him be presented at his death to guide Kenyu. But Godai doesn’t seem to be worried about Koumyou’s life maybe because Godai knew that his friend was strong enough to defend himself if Kenyu should attacked also him.

-Burial Epilogue. Ukoku, arrived in Kinzan temple to visit Koumyou, is leaving. On the way Koumyou remembers the words of abbot Jikaku that said that Koumyou and Ukoku are similar to the Moonlight and to Darkness. So Ukoku said: “Will the light be drawn to your radiance…or be lured into my darkness?” Maybe with these words Ukoku wants challenge to Koumyou in which only one of them will survived. As we know Ukoku looking for someone to devour him. Ukoku has known the Koumyou’s strength (in Ukoku’s Burial) and has chosen him like his rival. If Koumyou is really a god he cannot kill anyone so maybe that’s why he talks about Koryu. Because Koryu could be the rival who Ukoku is looking for.

-Burial Epilogue. Koumyou speaking about Koryu use the word “Sun”. Also in manga this word is written between inverted commas like if was a summons. Also when Komyou speaks about Moonlight and Darkness these words are written between inverted commas because are a summons of Jikaku’s sentence. The person that used the word “Sun” to talk about Konzen was Goku in Saiyuki Gaiden that is set in Tenkai. The page of Burial in which Koumyou uses the word “Sun” shows Sanzo ikkou anachronistically where all figures are putted in the shade but Goku. Can we

guess that Koumyou knew about this nickname because he is a god?

-Sanzo’s Burial. I thought about the night in which Koumyou was killed. Seems that Koumyou is very strong, maybe able to kill Ukoku, but when he was attacked by demons don’t seems that he counterattacked. After Koumyou immobilized Koryu don’t uses none of his two kyoumons although, as we know, Maten kyoumon is very powerful. If Ukoku was the perpetrator of demons’s attack and he wanted Koumyou’s death, how could he expected, knowing Koumyou’s strength, that some demons should been enough to kill him? Maybe Ukoku knew the real Koumyou’s identity and, knowing that he cannot kill, he is sure that Koumyou should be dead. Or maybe we could guess that: finally Ukoku had found a rival that was higher than him: Koumyou. In Burial Epilogue, in his words, Ukoku wished that Koumyou should be agreed to clash with him but Koryu’s master, he not allowed to kill, is forced to refuse.

But Ukoku don’t give him self up and tries to convince Koumyou using force. Maybe Ukoku wanted that Koumyou should violated the prohibition to kill.

When Koumyou will kill someone he will agree to clash with him. How Ukoku can do it? Maybe he manoeuvres in such a way that or Koumyou will kill or will be killed. The night in which Koumyou was killed some demons attacked temple sent by Ukoku or maybe by somebody else for him. Probably demons ignored Ukoku’s real purpose (they should have dead if Koumyou should has counterattacked) and the Koumyou’s real strength too. They knew only they must go to Kinzan temple to kill a Sanzo and steal ONE kyoumon. Suspecting that, in that night, Ukoku should has attacked, Koumyou calls Koryu and leaves to him Sanzo qualification knowing that he should have left that demons kill him self. The sentence that said to Koryu before demons’s attack (“Be strong, Genjo Sanzo”) and the fact that Koumyou had called just that night and, just that night, had left to him Sanzo qualification could be meant that.

After demons had irrupted in Sanzo’s chamber, Koumyou immobilized Koryu and, protecting Koryu and leaving that demons killed himself, is sure that Koryu will be save because, after his death, Ukoku will have only Koryu as his rival. But Ukoku was sure that Koumyou was his worthy rival because he knew his strength on the contrary he don’t knew anything about Koryu. Maybe Ukoku would rather fight against Koumyou but since he is dead decides to try to have confidence in Koumyou’s words about Koryu “The down of…the next rising sun” and in the similarity between himself and Koryu. But Ukoku don’t knew the real strength of Koryu so decides to respect the wager made with Koumyou so waiting for that Koryu will be adult and watching on him during the trials of the journey. In Saiyuki 8 Nii said to the female doctor in the castle speaking about Sanzo ikkou that wants fight against Kamisama: “They might die this time. Of course that would be a little boring.” Seems that Ukoku hasn’t any hurry for his purposes. Since much time Ukoku is in the Houtou castle? We don’t know that exactly but we can say that he is there almost since 6/7 years ago. We can see that from manga 3 because in the Dokugakuji’s remembers about the first meeting with Kougaiji (6 years ago), the prince wore slippers with a white rabbit’s image that is a Nii’s peculiarity. We can see a white rabbit also in the Nii’s cup in volume 6, in the hand of Nii’s watch in volume 9. Negative anomaly starts many years after maybe to take all machineries in the castle that surely aren’t there before. The wager among Koumyou, Koryu and Ukoku is going on. We can guess that at the end of Burial Epilogue when Nii speaking with Koumyou said: “…seems neither of us are prepared to yield…Bet’s still on eh, you an I…? And the reason is simple…it’s because you’re still there…”. In the background there is the figure of the Moon.

-A Genjo Sanzo’s sentence in volume 8 is strange. Sanzo remembering his first meeting with Ukoku said: “…Come to think of it, more than 10 years ago, just once…a different Sanzo Houshi had come to the Kinzan temple and was visiting master. The thing I faintly remember about him was his vulgarly crooked mouth and…and…what? …what was it? Just now…I started to remember something. The reason why I thought “that” Sanzo Houshi was unpleasant.” What is this reason? What’s happened after? We can guess that the REAL wager among Koumyou, Koryu and Ukoku should have started when Ukoku had met Koryu. So in the occasion that was talking about Genjo Sanzo. Since that time is possible that Koumyou, knowing that since that occasion Ukoku, or somebody else for him, should have attacked, changes his behaviour. Koryu could doesn’t like that change and think that it’s Ukoku’s fault. So he hates him.

-If we think Koumyou like an emissary-god we can remember what Koumyou said to Koryu in “Calling”: “There might be a time you’ll hear someone’s voice as well.” In Goku’s Burial, after that Genjo Sanzo puts again the limiter to Goku, looking at the Moon remembers just this Koumyou’s sentence that is like a premonition.

-In the same way we can see the episode in which Koryu sees Koumyou folding paper airplanes. “There’s nothing I could teach someone through lecture…The only thing I know how to teach is how to fold a paper airplane. Isn’t it beautiful? Orange allows the blue to look especially beautiful. Because they are complementary colours, they bring out their own taste… ” The orange airplanes in the blue sky could represent Koryu and maybe also Kenyu (because both of them could have as the blood of gods as the demons’s one). The fact that to make fly them, and so to guide them, is Koumyou could be important. Koumyou’s duty could be to be a guide for Koryu and after also for Kenyu and create the wager between the two young monks.

-Gods like Koumyou, which are sent in Genkai with the duty to control and guide, cannot arouse suspicion about their real identity so is possible guess that, to seem similar to Earth beings, grow old.

-In Burial Epilogue before Koumyou challenges Ukoku thinks about Koumyou: “That calm and silent intensity…and that genteel, deep yet unassuming gaze…QUIETLY GUARDING THIS EARTH…Indeed…that man was just as chaste as the Moon…”