This is a letterbox geocache and it is located at its published coordinates. To gain access to the cache, however, you need an access code. The access code can be obtained by either of two methods: Either by completing the Adventure Lab called "Journey to the West", 
or by visiting the waypoints listed on this cache page and answering the associated questions at each location. Both methods will take you on the same journey, to the same locations along the way, but by completing the Adventure Lab you will receive 5 additional finds on your profile.
IF you choose to complete the Adventure Lab, you can download the FREE Adventure Lab app for your smartphone, and then access the "Journey to the West" Adventure Lab by scanning the QR code to the right, or clicking here. Otherwise, just enjoy this letterbox cache!
Journey to the West (Xī Yóu Jì) is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty. It follows the epic journey, the trials and tribulations, of Tripitaka (Tang Sanzang), a buddhist monk, along with his disciples the naughty, mischevious but powerful Monkey King (Sun Wukong), lustful and greedy Pigsy (Zhu Bajie), and polite and logical Sandy (Sha Wujing) as they undertake a trek into the west to the Dahlia Kingdom (India) to retrieve original Buddhist scriptures for China.
The place where we meet Tripitaka the first time
S 36° 55.510' E 174° 47.045'
Tripitaka (or Tang Sanzang) is a Buddhist Monk who renounced his family at an early age to become a monk. He is chosen for a great pilgrimage by Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion, as instructed by the Buddha, who is dismayed that the land of the South knows only greed, hedonism, promiscuity, and sins.
Tripitaka is sent on a pilgrimage to the Dahlia Kingdom (India) to retrieve the Buddhist sutras of "transcendence and persuasion for good will" and take them back to China. Since as a monk he is helpless to defend himself against the monsters and demons he will face on his long and dangerous journey, Guanyin helps by finding him powerful disciples to aid and protect him along the way.
What is the 5 character code you find here? A = the number formed by only the digits in the code
The place where Tripitaka frees the Monkey King
S 36° 54.737' E 174° 44.264'
The Monkey King (Sun Wukong) was born from a stone egg. He is cunning, playful and mischevious. Monkey was taught great powers by a Grand Master, and came to the attention of the Jade Emperor who gave him a minor position in heaven, in order to keep an eye on him. This angered Monkey, and he returned to earth declaring himself "Great Sage Equal to Heaven".
The Jade Emperor sent soldiers to arrest Monkey, but none succeeded, so he was forced to declare Monkey the guardian of the heavenly peach garden, which bears fruit every 3000 years, the flesh of which bestow immortality. But when the peaches ripened, Monkey ate nearly all of them, so the Jade Emperor appealed to the Buddha for help, and the Buddha sealed Monkey under the Five Elements Mountain for 500 years.
Tripitaka discovers Monkey trapped in his mountain and sets him free to become one of his disciples. Tripitaka keeps Monkey in check using a gold band placed around his head by Guanyin that tightens when he recites the ring tightening mantra.
What organisation does this small plaque belong to? B = number of letters in the name
The place where Pigsy is defeated and joins them
S 36° 52.342' E 174° 41.976'
Pigsy (Zhu Bajie) was once an immortal who was the Marshal of the Heavenly Canopy, commanding 100,000 soldiers of the Milky Way. After drinking too much and harassing the moon goddess Chang'e, he was banished to the mortal world. He was meant to be reborn as a human but ended up in the womb of a pig, turning him half human, half pig. He lived in a cave called Yunzhan Dong, and Guanyin commissioned him to join Tripitaka on his journey.
His lust for women, however, led him to a village where he posed as a handsome young man and helped to defeat some robbers attempting to abduct a maiden. The family agreed to let him marry the maiden but on the day of the wedding, he drank too much and accidentally returned to his original form. The villagers ran away, but to keep his bride, Pigsy imprisoned her in a building.
Tripitaka and the Monkey King arrive in the village and must help defeat Pigsy and release the maiden to return to her family in the village.
How many letters on this "plaque"? C = number of letters
The place where Sandy is subdued and joins them
S 36° 51.610' E 174° 39.512'
Sandy (Sha Wujing) was once a celestial Curtain Lifting General, who stood in attendance by the imperial chariot in the Hall of Miraculous Mist. He was exiled to the mortal world and made to look like a monster because he accidentally smashed a crystal goblet belonging to the Queen Mother of the West during a Peach Banquet.
He took up residence in the Flowing Sands River, and angry about his fate, he took to terrorising the surrounding villages and any travellers trying to cross the river. Guanyin, continuing in her search for powerful bodyguards for Tripitaka, came across Sandy and bargained with him to join the pilgrimage, and in return she gave him some relief from his suffering.
Tripitaka, Monkey and Pigsy come across Sandy at the Flowing Sands River but mistake him for an enemy and attack him. Sandy would go on to become the most kind-hearted, logical and obedient of Tripitaka's disciples, but before that could happen, a battle ensues, and Guanyin also intervenes...
What is the 9 character code you find here? D = the number formed by the first 4 digits
The place where Tripitaka meets the living Buddha
S 36° 49.365' E 174° 36.943'
After 5040 days of journeying, many demons and monsters defeated, Tripitaka and his disciples have crossed the border into the Dahlia Kingdom (India), and travelled across a land very different to what they had experienced before.
Arriving at the foot of the holy mountain, they are pointed the way towards its highest peak, where they will meet with the Buddha himself in his temple fortress. The Buddha is highly pleased that the pilgrims have finally arrived and orders scriptures to be provided to them.
The attendants request a gift in exchange for the scriptures but Tripitaka has nothing to offer, so they trick Tripitaka with some empty scrolls instead. The deception is soon discovered, so they immediately return to inform the Buddha, who demands the attendants provide them the real scriptures.
Before you are two "east to west" numbers. E = the dark number, F = the light number
To access the scriptures, you will first need to work out the code:
Access code = F – D – (E * C) + A + B
The geocache contains a logbook to sign, and also a letterboxing stamp. Please DO NOT take/swap the stamp.