Mother-Child River Water
A mystical liquid from the Mother-Child River in Journey to the West that causes any woman who drinks it to become pregnant.
What makes the Mother-Child River Water in Journey to the West most worthy of close examination is not merely that it "causes the drinker to conceive (regardless of gender)," but how it rearranges characters, journeys, order, and risk within chapters 53 and 54. When viewed in conjunction with Sun Wukong, Tang Sanzang, Yama King, Guanyin, Taishang Laojun, and the Jade Emperor, this spiritual liquid—amongst various immortal fruits and elixirs—ceases to be a mere object description and becomes a key capable of rewriting the logic of a scene.
The framework provided by the CSV is already quite complete: it is held or used by the Kingdom of Women; its appearance is "water from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women, which causes the drinker to conceive"; its origin is the "Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women"; its condition for use is "effective upon drinking"; and its special attribute lies in the fact that "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their descendants." If viewed solely through the lens of a database, these fields look like a data card; however, once placed back into the original scenes, one discovers that the true importance lies in how the questions of who can use it, when it is used, what happens upon its use, and who handles the aftermath are all bound together.
Whose Hand First Held the Mother-Child River Water?
When the Mother-Child River Water is first presented to the reader in Chapter 53, it is often not the power that is illuminated, but the ownership. It is encountered, guarded, or deployed by the Kingdom of Women, and its origin is tied to the Mother-Child River of that realm. Thus, the moment this object appears, it immediately brings forth questions of ownership: who is entitled to touch it, who can only orbit around it, and who must accept the redistribution of their fate by it.
Looking back at Chapters 53 and 54, the most compelling aspect is "from whom it comes and into whose hands it is delivered." In Journey to the West, magical treasures are never described solely by their effects; rather, through the steps of granting, transferring, borrowing, seizing, and returning, the object is transformed into part of a system. It thus becomes like a token, a credential, or a visible form of authority.
Even its appearance serves this sense of ownership. The water is described as "water from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women, which causes the drinker to conceive." This seems like a mere description, but it actually reminds the reader that the form of the object itself indicates which set of rituals, which class of characters, and which kind of scene it belongs to. Without needing a self-introduction, the object's appearance alone announces its faction, temperament, and legitimacy.
Chapter 53 Pushes the Mother-Child River Water to the Forefront
The Mother-Child River Water in Chapter 53 is not a static display; it cuts suddenly into the main plot through a specific scenario: "Tang Sanzang and Bajie accidentally drink the river water and become pregnant / requiring the Fetus-Dispelling Spring water as a remedy." Once it enters the stage, the characters can no longer push the situation forward relying solely on words, footwork, or weapons; they are forced to admit that the problem has escalated into a question of rules, which must be solved according to the logic of the object.
Therefore, the significance of Chapter 53 is not just its "first appearance," but rather a narrative declaration. Through the Mother-Child River Water, Wu Cheng'en tells the reader that certain subsequent situations will no longer progress via ordinary conflict. Who understands the rules, who can obtain the object, and who dares to bear the consequences become more critical than brute force itself.
Following the progression from Chapter 53 to 54, one finds that the debut is not a one-time spectacle, but a motif that echoes repeatedly. By first showing the reader how the object alters the situation and then gradually filling in why it can change things—and why it cannot be changed haphazardly—the author employs a sophisticated narrative technique of "demonstrating power first, then supplementing the rules."
The Mother-Child River Water Rewrites More Than Just a Victory or Defeat
What the Mother-Child River Water truly rewrites is often not a win or loss, but an entire process. Once the effect of "causing the drinker to conceive (regardless of gender)" is dropped into the plot, it often affects whether the journey can continue, whether an identity can be recognized, whether a situation can be salvaged, whether resources can be redistributed, and even who is qualified to declare the problem solved.
Because of this, the Mother-Child River Water acts much like an interface. It translates an invisible order into operable actions, commands, forms, and results, forcing the characters in Chapter 54 and subsequent chapters to face the same question: is the person using the tool, or is the tool conversely dictating how the person must act?
To compress the Mother-Child River Water into merely "something that causes the drinker to conceive (regardless of gender)" would be to underestimate it. The true brilliance of the novel is that every time it manifests its power, it almost invariably rewrites the rhythm of those around it, drawing in bystanders, beneficiaries, victims, and those tasked with the cleanup. Thus, a single object spawns an entire circle of secondary plotlines.
Where Exactly Are the Boundaries of the Mother-Child River Water?
Although the CSV lists the "side effect/cost" as "causing pregnancy," the true boundaries of the Mother-Child River Water extend far beyond a single line of description. First, it is limited by the activation threshold of "effective upon drinking." Second, it is constrained by eligibility of possession, situational conditions, factional positioning, and higher-level rules. Consequently, the more powerful an object is, the less likely the novel is to depict it as something that works mindlessly anywhere, anytime.
From Chapter 53 and 54 into the related subsequent chapters, the most intriguing aspect of the Mother-Child River Water is precisely how it fails, how it is blocked, how it is bypassed, or how it immediately pushes the cost back onto the characters after a success. As long as the boundaries are written firmly, the magical treasure does not devolve into a rubber stamp used by the author to force the plot forward.
Boundaries also imply the possibility of countermeasures. Some may cut off its prerequisites, some may seize its ownership, and some may use its consequences to deter the holder from activating it. Thus, the "limitations" of the Mother-Child River Water do not diminish its role; instead, they add dramatic layers of solving, seizing, misusing, and recovering.
The Order of Spiritual Water Behind the Mother-Child River Water
The cultural logic behind the Mother-Child River Water is inseparable from the clue of the "Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women." If it were clearly affiliated with Buddhism, it would likely be linked to salvation, precepts, and karma; if it were closer to Daoism, it would often be tied to refining, heat control, talismans, and the bureaucratic order of the Heavenly Palace. If it appears to be merely an immortal fruit or elixir, it usually reverts to classical themes of longevity, scarcity, and the allocation of eligibility.
In other words, while the Mother-Child River Water describes an object on the surface, it contains a system within. Who is fit to hold it, who should guard it, who can transfer it, and what price must be paid for overstepping authority—once these questions are read alongside religious rituals, lineages of mastery, and the hierarchies of Heaven and Buddha, the object naturally acquires cultural depth.
Looking again at its "region-locked" rarity and the special attribute that "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their descendants," one can better understand why Wu Cheng'en always writes objects within a chain of order. The rarer an item is, the less it can be explained as simply being "useful"; it often signifies who is included in the rules, who is excluded, and how a world maintains a sense of hierarchy through scarce resources.
Why the Mother-Child River Water is a Permission, Not Just a Prop
Reading the Mother-Child River Water today, it is most easily understood as a permission, an interface, a backend, or critical infrastructure. When modern readers see such objects, their first reaction is often no longer just "magical," but rather "who has access," "who controls the switch," or "who can modify the backend." This is where it feels particularly contemporary.
Especially when "causing the drinker to conceive (regardless of gender)" affects not just a single character, but routes, identities, resources, or organizational order, the Mother-Child River Water naturally resembles a high-level pass. The quieter it is, the more it resembles a system; the more inconspicuous it is, the more likely it is to hold the most critical permissions.
This modern readability is not a forced metaphor, but rather that the original work wrote objects as institutional nodes. Whoever possesses the right to use the Mother-Child River Water is often the one who can temporarily rewrite the rules; conversely, whoever loses it does not just lose an item, but loses the qualification to interpret the situation.
The Seeds of Conflict the Mother-Child River Water Provides for Writers
For a writer, the greatest value of the Mother-Child River Water is that it carries inherent seeds of conflict. As long as it is present, several strings of questions immediately emerge: who wants to borrow it most, who fears losing it most, who will lie, swap, disguise, or procrastinate for it, and who must return it to its original place once the deed is done. The moment the object enters, the dramatic engine starts automatically.
The Mother-Child River Water is particularly suited for creating a rhythm of "seeming to solve a problem, only for a second layer of problems to emerge." Obtaining it is only the first hurdle; following that are the second half of the journey: verifying authenticity, learning how to use it, enduring the cost, managing public opinion, and facing accountability from a higher order. This multi-stage structure is ideal for long-form novels, scripts, and game quest chains.
It also serves as an excellent setting hook. Because "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their descendants" and "effective upon drinking" naturally provide loopholes in the rules, gaps in permission, risks of misuse, and room for reversals, the author does not need to force the plot to make a single object both a life-saving treasure and a source of new trouble in the next scene.
Mechanical Framework for the Mother-Child River Water in Game Design
If the Mother-Child River Water were integrated into a game system, its most natural implementation would not be as a simple skill, but rather as an environmental-grade item, a chapter key, legendary equipment, or a rule-based Boss mechanism. By building around the concepts of "causing the drinker to conceive (regardless of gender)," "instant effect upon consumption," "the inhabitants of the Womenland all drink this water to propagate," and "inducing pregnancy," a complete level framework emerges almost organically.
Its strength lies in the ability to provide both active effects and clear counterplay. Players might need to satisfy prerequisites, accumulate enough resources, obtain authorization, or decipher environmental clues before activation. Conversely, enemies could counter by stealing, interrupting, forging, overriding permissions, or utilizing environmental suppression. This creates a far more layered experience than mere high-damage numbers.
If the Mother-Child River Water were designed as a Boss mechanism, the emphasis should not be on absolute suppression, but on readability and the learning curve. Players must be able to discern when it activates, why it takes effect, when it expires, and how to utilize wind-up and recovery frames or environmental resources to turn the rules in their favor. Only then does the majesty of the artifact translate into a playable experience.
Closing Remarks
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water, the most memorable aspect is never which column it occupies in a CSV file, but how it transforms an invisible order into a visible scene within the original text. From Chapter 53 onward, it ceases to be a mere prop description and becomes a resonating narrative force.
What truly makes the Mother-Child River Water work is that Journey to the West never treats objects as absolutely neutral items. They are always entwined with origins, ownership, costs, aftermaths, and redistributions; thus, the water feels like a living system rather than a static setting. For this reason, it is a perfect subject for researchers, adaptors, and system designers to repeatedly dismantle and analyze.
If the entire page were compressed into a single sentence, it would be this: the value of the Mother-Child River Water lies not in how miraculous it is, but in how it binds effect, eligibility, consequence, and order into a single bundle. As long as these four layers exist, this object will always justify further discussion and rewriting.
Viewing the Mother-Child River Water across the distribution of chapters reveals that it is not a randomly appearing spectacle. Instead, at pivotal moments like Chapters 53 and 54, it is repeatedly used to resolve problems that are most difficult to handle through conventional means. This proves that the value of an object lies not just in "what it can do," but in the fact that it is always positioned to appear where ordinary means fail.
The Mother-Child River Water is also particularly suited for observing the institutional flexibility of Journey to the West. It originates from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women, is constrained by the rule that "it takes effect upon drinking," and triggers a backlash such as "causing pregnancy." The more one connects these three layers, the clearer it becomes why the novel always tasks magical treasures with the dual function of demonstrating power and revealing limitations.
From an adaptation perspective, the most valuable element to preserve is not a single special effect, but the structure of "Tang Sanzang and Bajie accidentally drinking the water and becoming pregnant / the need for Fetus-Dispelling Spring Water to resolve it"—a plot that involves multiple people and layered consequences. By grasping this point, whether adapted into a film scene, a tabletop card, or an action game mechanic, one can retain that feeling from the original where the mere appearance of the object shifts the entire narrative gear.
Consider the layer where "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring." This shows that the Mother-Child River Water is compelling not because it lacks restrictions, but because its restrictions themselves drive the drama. Often, it is the additional rules, the disparity in permissions, the chain of ownership, and the risk of misuse that make an object better suited for a plot twist than a divine superpower.
The chain of possession for the Mother-Child River Water also deserves separate contemplation. Being accessed or invoked by a collective like the Kingdom of Women means it is never merely a personal possession, but always involves larger organizational relationships. Whoever temporarily holds it stands in the spotlight of the system; whoever is excluded must find another way around it.
The politics of objects are also reflected in their appearance. Descriptions such as the water of the Mother-Child River in the Kingdom of Women causing pregnancy are not merely for the benefit of the illustration department; they tell the reader which aesthetic order, ritual background, and usage scenario the object belongs to. Its form, color, material, and method of carriage serve as testimony to the world-building.
Comparing the Mother-Child River Water horizontally with similar magical treasures reveals that its uniqueness does not necessarily stem from being simply more powerful, but from a clearer expression of rules. The more completely it defines "whether it can be used," "when it can be used," and "who is responsible after use," the easier it is for the reader to believe it is not a convenient plot device conjured by the author to save a scene.
The so-called "regional limitation" of rarity is never a simple collection tag in Journey to the West. The rarer the object, the more likely it is to be written as a resource of order rather than common equipment. It can both signal the status of the owner and amplify the punishment for misuse, making it naturally suited to carry tension on a chapter-wide scale.
The reason such pages must be written more slowly than character pages is that characters speak for themselves, but objects do not. The Mother-Child River Water only manifests through its distribution across chapters, changes in ownership, thresholds of use, and the consequences of its aftermath. If a writer does not lay out these clues, the reader will remember the noun but forget why it matters.
Returning to narrative technique, the most brilliant aspect of the Mother-Child River Water is that it makes the "exposure of rules" dramatic. Characters do not need to sit down and explain the world-building; by simply interacting with this object—through success, failure, misuse, theft, and return—the entire operation of the world is performed for the reader.
Therefore, the Mother-Child River Water is not just an entry in a catalog of treasures, but a high-density institutional slice of the novel. By dismantling it, the reader sees character relationships anew; by placing it back into the scene, the reader sees how rules drive action. Switching between these two modes of reading is where the greatest value of a treasure entry lies.
This is precisely what must be preserved in the second round of polishing: ensuring the Mother-Child River Water appears on the page as a systemic node that alters character decisions, rather than a passive list of fields. Only then does a treasure page truly grow from a "data card" into an "encyclopedia entry."
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water from Chapter 53, the most important thing is not whether it demonstrates its power again, but whether it triggers the same set of questions: who is permitted to use it, who is excluded, and who must clean up the results. As long as these three questions remain, the object continues to output narrative tension.
The Mother-Child River Water comes from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women and is constrained by the "takes effect upon drinking" rule, giving it a natural, institutional sense of rhythm. It is not a special-effects button that works on demand, but rather a high-level tool requiring authorization, process, and subsequent responsibility. Thus, every appearance clearly illuminates the positioning of the surrounding characters.
Reading "causing pregnancy" alongside "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring" explains why the Mother-Child River Water can sustain such a length of text. A treasure that can be written as a long entry relies not on a single functional word, but on the combinatory relationship between effect, threshold, additional rules, and consequences, which can be repeatedly unpacked.
If placed within a creative methodology, its most important demonstration is this: once an object is written into a system, conflict grows automatically. Some will fight for permission, some will fight for ownership, some will gamble on the cost, and some will try to bypass the prerequisites. Thus, the treasure does not need to speak to force the characters to open their mouths.
Consequently, the value of the Mother-Child River Water does not end with "what gameplay it can create" or "what shot it can produce," but in its ability to steadily ground the world-building into the scene. The reader does not need an abstract lecture; by simply watching the characters act around it, they naturally understand the boundaries of this universe's rules.
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water from Chapter 54, the most important thing is not whether it demonstrates its power again, but whether it triggers the same set of questions: who is permitted to use it, who is excluded, and who must clean up the results. As long as these three questions remain, the object continues to output narrative tension.
The Mother-Child River Water comes from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women and is constrained by the "takes effect upon drinking" rule, giving it a natural, institutional sense of rhythm. It is not a special-effects button that works on demand, but rather a high-level tool requiring authorization, process, and subsequent responsibility. Thus, every appearance clearly illuminates the positioning of the surrounding characters.
Reading "causing pregnancy" alongside "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring" explains why the Mother-Child River Water can sustain such a length of text. A treasure that can be written as a long entry relies not on a single functional word, but on the combinatory relationship between effect, threshold, additional rules, and consequences, which can be repeatedly unpacked.
If placed within a creative methodology, its most important demonstration is this: once an object is written into a system, conflict grows automatically. Some will fight for permission, some will fight for ownership, some will gamble on the cost, and some will try to bypass the prerequisites. Thus, the treasure does not need to speak to force the characters to open their mouths.
Consequently, the value of the Mother-Child River Water does not end with "what gameplay it can create" or "what shot it can produce," but in its ability to steadily ground the world-building into the scene. The reader does not need an abstract lecture; by simply watching the characters act around it, they naturally understand the boundaries of this universe's rules.
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water from Chapter 54, the most important thing is not whether it demonstrates its power again, but whether it triggers the same set of questions: who is permitted to use it, who is excluded, and who must clean up the results. As long as these three questions remain, the object continues to output narrative tension.
The Mother-Child River Water comes from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women and is constrained by the "takes effect upon drinking" rule, giving it a natural, institutional sense of rhythm. It is not a special-effects button that works on demand, but rather a high-level tool requiring authorization, process, and subsequent responsibility. Thus, every appearance clearly illuminates the positioning of the surrounding characters.
Reading "causing pregnancy" alongside "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring" explains why the Mother-Child River Water can sustain such a length of text. A treasure that can be written as a long entry relies not on a single functional word, but on the combinatory relationship between effect, threshold, additional rules, and consequences, which can be repeatedly unpacked.
If placed within a creative methodology, its most important demonstration is this: once an object is written into a system, conflict grows automatically. Some will fight for permission, some will fight for ownership, some will gamble on the cost, and some will try to bypass the prerequisites. Thus, the treasure does not need to speak to force the characters to open their mouths.
Consequently, the value of the Mother-Child River Water does not end with "what gameplay it can create" or "what shot it can produce," but in its ability to steadily ground the world-building into the scene. The reader does not need an abstract lecture; by simply watching the characters act around it, they naturally understand the boundaries of this universe's rules.
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water from Chapter 54, the most important thing is not whether it demonstrates its power again, but whether it triggers the same set of questions: who is permitted to use it, who is excluded, and who must clean up the results. As long as these three questions remain, the object continues to output narrative tension.
The Mother-Child River Water comes from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women and is constrained by the "takes effect upon drinking" rule, giving it a natural, institutional sense of rhythm. It is not a special-effects button that works on demand, but rather a high-level tool requiring authorization, process, and subsequent responsibility. Thus, every appearance clearly illuminates the positioning of the surrounding characters.
Reading "causing pregnancy" alongside "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring" explains why the Mother-Child River Water can sustain such a length of text. A treasure that can be written as a long entry relies not on a single functional word, but on the combinatory relationship between effect, threshold, additional rules, and consequences, which can be repeatedly unpacked.
If placed within a creative methodology, its most important demonstration is this: once an object is written into a system, conflict grows automatically. Some will fight for permission, some will fight for ownership, some will gamble on the cost, and some will try to bypass the prerequisites. Thus, the treasure does not need to speak to force the characters to open their mouths.
Consequently, the value of the Mother-Child River Water does not end with "what gameplay it can create" or "what shot it can produce," but in its ability to steadily ground the world-building into the scene. The reader does not need an abstract lecture; by simply watching the characters act around it, they naturally understand the boundaries of this universe's rules.
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water from Chapter 54, the most important thing is not whether it demonstrates its power again, but whether it triggers the same set of questions: who is permitted to use it, who is excluded, and who must clean up the results. As long as these three questions remain, the object continues to output narrative tension.
The Mother-Child River Water comes from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women and is constrained by the "takes effect upon drinking" rule, giving it a natural, institutional sense of rhythm. It is not a special-effects button that works on demand, but rather a high-level tool requiring authorization, process, and subsequent responsibility. Thus, every appearance clearly illuminates the positioning of the surrounding characters.
Reading "causing pregnancy" alongside "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring" explains why the Mother-Child River Water can sustain such a length of text. A treasure that can be written as a long entry relies not on a single functional word, but on the combinatory relationship between effect, threshold, additional rules, and consequences, which can be repeatedly unpacked.
If placed within a creative methodology, its most important demonstration is this: once an object is written into a system, conflict grows automatically. Some will fight for permission, some will fight for ownership, some will gamble on the cost, and some will try to bypass the prerequisites. Thus, the treasure does not need to speak to force the characters to open their mouths.
Consequently, the value of the Mother-Child River Water does not end with "what gameplay it can create" or "what shot it can produce," but in its ability to steadily ground the world-building into the scene. The reader does not need an abstract lecture; by simply watching the characters act around it, they naturally understand the boundaries of this universe's rules.
Looking back at the Mother-Child River Water from Chapter 54, the most important thing is not whether it demonstrates its power again, but whether it triggers the same set of questions: who is permitted to use it, who is excluded, and who must clean up the results. As long as these three questions remain, the object continues to output narrative tension.
The Mother-Child River Water comes from the Mother-Child River of the Kingdom of Women and is constrained by the "takes effect upon drinking" rule, giving it a natural, institutional sense of rhythm. It is not a special-effects button that works on demand, but rather a high-level tool requiring authorization, process, and subsequent responsibility. Thus, every appearance clearly illuminates the positioning of the surrounding characters.
Reading "causing pregnancy" alongside "the inhabitants of the Women's Kingdom all drink this water to propagate their offspring" explains why the Mother-Child River Water can sustain such a length of text. A treasure that can be written as a long entry relies not on a single functional word, but on the combinatory relationship between effect, threshold, additional rules, and consequences, which can be repeatedly unpacked.
If placed within a creative methodology, its most important demonstration is this: once an object is written into a system, conflict grows automatically. Some will fight for permission, some will fight for ownership, some will gamble on the cost, and some will try to bypass the prerequisites. Thus, the treasure does not need to speak to force the characters to open their mouths.
Consequently, the value of the Mother-Child River Water does not end with "what gameplay it can create" or "what shot it can produce," but in its ability to steadily ground the world-building into the scene. The reader does not need an abstract lecture; by simply watching the characters act around it, they naturally understand the boundaries of this universe's rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mother-Child River water, and what are its peculiar effects? +
The Mother-Child River is a magical river within the borders of the Kingdom of Women. Regardless of gender, anyone who drinks its water will become pregnant. This is the sole method by which the female inhabitants of the Kingdom of Women propagate their descendants; outsiders who accidentally drink…
What is the significance of the setting where the Mother-Child River water causes men to become pregnant? +
Male pregnancy is a fantastical element in Journey to the West used to break conventional order, revealing a narrative logic where "external rules override common sense" on the journey to the scriptures. At the same time, it uses Zhu Bajie's exaggerated reaction as comedic material, creating a rare…
Is the Mother-Child River water a local specialty of the Kingdom of Women, or some kind of mysterious Dharma treasure? +
The Mother-Child River water is not a man-made Dharma treasure, but rather a naturally occurring spiritual water in the Kingdom of Women. The fact that all women in the country drink this water to reproduce indicates that the region as a whole relies on this river to sustain the continuation of…
In which chapter did Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie accidentally drink the Mother-Child River water, and what happened? +
In Chapter 53, while the master and disciples were passing through the Kingdom of Women, they drank the river water, unaware of its special nature, and subsequently experienced violent fetal movements in their abdomens. Tang Sanzang was in extreme distress, and Zhu Bajie was greatly panicked,…
How was the pregnancy caused by the Mother-Child River water eventually resolved? +
Sun Wukong traveled to the Puer Cave on Jieyang Mountain to obtain the Fetus-Dispelling Spring water; after Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie drank it, the pregnancy disappeared. The solution to this plot point corresponds precisely to the root of the problem, demonstrating that in the world of Journey to…
What is the cultural significance of the setting of the Kingdom of Women in Journey to the West? +
The Kingdom of Women is an exotic society where women hold power, and the Mother-Child River water serves as the material foundation for its gender order. This setting reflects the fantastical imagination of "inverted gender orders" found in ancient literature, while also strengthening Tang…