Juanlian Dajiang (捲簾大將*)? was any official in the historical Chinese royal court in charge of roll-lifting the curtain before the emperor or prince, for them to be seen by the visitors during important ceremony such as enthronement. Juanlian Dajiang usually appeared in a pair to handle each side of the curtain. The duty was entirely temporary and ceremonial, but only the most trusted individual like the emperor's personal bodyguard or favorite would be assigned to such position.
In the Chinese novel Journey to the West, one celestial Juanlian Dajiang is exiled to the earth by the Jade Emperor from the heavenly court for breaking a glass vase. He is reincarnated as a man-eating demon named Sha Wujing (沙悟淨) around a river. Under the mercy of Guanyin, he becomes Tang Sanzang's last disciple and is renamed as Sha Seng (沙僧*)? to assist Tang Sanzang's pilgrimage to Sindhu for obtaining the Buddhist sutras.
Of all Tang Sangzang's disciples, Sha Wujing's physical appearance is the most human-like, but when the Japanese media adapts Journey to the West, Sha Wujing is usually depicted as a Japanese Kappa for living in the river after his fall from grace.
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