journey to the west vs dragon ball

Journey to the West

Journey to the West (西遊記, Xīyóujì in Mandarin Chinese and Saiyūki in Japanese) is a 16th-century Chinese legend and one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature , which Dragon Ball is loosely based upon. Originally published anonymously in the 1590s during the Ming Dynasty, it has been ascribed to the scholar Wú Chéng'ēn since the 20th century, even though no direct evidence of its authorship survives.

The tale is also often known simply as Monkey . This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley. The Waley translation has also been published as Adventures of the Monkey God ; and Monkey: [A] Folk Novel of China ; and The Adventures of Monkey .

• 1.1 Synopsis
• 1.2 Historical context
• 1.3 Relation to Dragon Ball
• 2.1 Tripitaka or Xuánzàng
• 2.2 Monkey King or Sūn Wùkōng
• 2.3 Zhū Bājiè
• 2.4 Shā Wùjìng
• 3 List of Demons
• 4 Notable English-language translations
• 5.3 Live-action television
• 5.4.1 Works referencing Journey to the West
• 6 References
• 7 External links

Overview [ ]

Dragon Ball characters depicted as Journey to the West characters ( Toriyama - The World & Daizenshuu 1 )

The novel is a fictionalized account of the legends around the Buddhist monk Xuánzàng's pilgrimage to India during the Táng dynasty in order to obtain Buddhist religious texts called sutras. On instruction from the Buddha, the Bodhisattva Guānyīn gives this task to the monk and his three protectors in the form of disciples: namely Sūn Wùkōng, Zhū Bājiè and Shā Wùjìng; together with a dragon prince who acts as Xuánzàng's horse mount. These four characters have agreed to help Xuánzàng as an atonement for past sins.

Some scholars propose that the book satirizes the effete Chinese government at the time. Journey to the West has a strong background in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and value systems; the pantheon of Taoist deities and Buddhist bodhisattvas is still reflective of Chinese folk religious beliefs today.

Part of the novel's enduring popularity comes from the fact that it works on multiple levels: it is a first-rate adventure story, a dispenser of spiritual insight, and an extended allegory in which the group of pilgrims journeying toward India stands for the individual journeying toward enlightenment.

Synopsis [ ]

Gohan as the Monkey King (" Detekoi Tobikiri ZENKAI Power! ")

The novel comprises 100 chapters that can be divided into four very unequal parts. The first, which includes chapters 1–7, is really a self-contained prequel to the main body of the story. It deals entirely with the earlier exploits of Sūn Wùkōng, a monkey born from a stone nourished by the Five Elements, who learns the art of the Tao, 72 polymorphic transformations, combat and secrets of immortality, and through guile and force makes a name for himself as the Qítiān Dàshèng , or "Great Sage Equal to Heaven". His powers grow to match the forces of all of the Eastern (Taoist) deities, and the prologue culminates in Sūn's rebellion against Heaven, during a time when he garnered a post in the celestial bureaucracy. Hubris proves his downfall when the Buddha manages to trap him under a mountain for five hundred years.

Only following this introductory story is the nominal main character, Xuánzàng, introduced. Chapters 8–12 provide his early biography and the background to his great journey. Dismayed that "the land of the South knows only greed, hedonism, promiscuity, and sins", the Buddha instructs the Bodhisattva Guānyīn to search Táng China for someone to take the Buddhist sutras of "transcendence and persuasion for good will" back to the East. Part of the story here also relates to how Xuánzàng becomes a monk (as well as revealing his past life as the "Golden Cicada" and comes about being sent on this pilgrimage by the Emperor Táng Tàizōng, who previously escaped death with the help of both an underworld official and Xuánzàng).

The third and longest section of the work is chapters 13–99, an episodic adventure story which combines elements of the quest as well as the picaresque. The skeleton of the story is Xuánzàng's quest to bring back Buddhist scriptures from Vulture Peak in India, but the flesh is provided by the conflict between Xuánzàng's disciples and the various evils that beset him on the way.

The scenery of this section is, nominally, the sparsely populated lands along the Silk Road between China and India, including Xinjiang, Turkestan, and Afghanistan. The geography described in the book is, however, almost entirely fantastic; once Xuánzàng departs Cháng'ān, the Táng capital and crosses the frontier (somewhere in Gansu province), he finds himself in a wilderness of deep gorges and tall mountains, all inhabited by flesh-eating demons who regard him as a potential meal (since his flesh was believed to give Immortality to whoever eats it), with here and there a hidden monastery or royal city-state amid the wilds.

The episodic structure of this section is to some extent formulaic. Episodes consist of 1–4 chapters, and usually involve Xuánzàng being captured and his life threatened, while his disciples try to find an ingenious (and often violent) way of liberating him. Although some of Xuánzàng's predicaments are political and involve ordinary human beings, they more frequently consist of run-ins with various goblins and ogres, many of whom turn out to be the earthly manifestations of heavenly beings (whose sins will be negated by eating the flesh of Xuanzang) or animal-spirits with enough Taoist spiritual merit to assume semi-human forms.

Chapters 13–22 do not follow this structure precisely, as they introduce Xuánzàng's disciples, who, inspired or goaded by Guānyīn, meet and agree to serve him along the way, in order to atone for their sins in their past lives.

• The first is Sun Wukong, or Monkey, previously "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" and literally "Monkey Awakened to Emptiness", trapped by Buddha for rebelling against Heaven. He appears right away in Chapter 13. The most intelligent and violent of the disciples, he is constantly reproved for his violence by Xuánzàng. Ultimately, he can only be controlled by a magic gold band that the Bodhisattva has placed around his head, which causes him excruciating pain when Xuánzàng says certain magic words.
• The second, appearing in 19, is Zhu Bajie, literally "Pig of Eight Precepts", sometimes translated as Pigsy or just Pig. He was previously Marshal Tīanpéng, commander of the Heavenly Naval forces, banished to the mortal realm for flirting with the Princess of the Moon Chang'e. He is characterized by his insatiable appetites for food and sex, and is constantly looking for a way out of his duties, but is always kept in line by Sūn Wùkōng and also doubles as comic relief.
• The third, appearing in chapter 22, is the river-ogre/kappa Sha Wujing, also translated as Friar Sand or Sandy and literally "Sand Awakened to Purity". He was previously Great General who Folds the Curtain, banished to the mortal realm for dropping (and shattering) a crystal goblet of the Heavenly Queen Mother. He is a quiet but generally dependable character, who serves as the straight foil to the comic relief of Sūn and Zhū who despite this trait, is the nicest out of his two other fellow disciples.
• Possibly to be counted as a fourth disciple is the third prince of the West Sea Dragon King, Yùlóng Sāntàizǐ, who was sentenced to death for setting fire to his father's great pearl that was a gift from the Jade Emperor. He was saved by Guānyīn from execution to stay and wait for his call of duty. He appears first in chapter 15, but has almost no speaking role, as throughout most of the story he appears in the transformed shape of a horse that Xuánzàng rides on. Though some adaptations have managed to expand his role to some degrees.

Chapter 22, where Shā is introduced, also provides a geographical boundary, as the river of quicksand that the travelers cross brings them into a new "continent". Chapters 23–86 take place in the wilderness, and consist of 24 episodes of varying length, each characterized by a different magical monster or evil magician. There are impassably wide rivers, flaming mountains, a kingdom ruled by women, a lair of seductive spider-spirits, and many other fantastic scenarios. Throughout the journey, the four brave disciples have to fend off attacks on their master and teacher Xuánzàng from various monsters and calamities.

It is strongly suggested that most of these calamities are engineered by fate and/or the Buddha, as, while the monsters who attack are vast in power and many in number, no real harm ever comes to the four travelers. Some of the monsters turn out to be escaped heavenly animals belonging to bodhisattvas or Taoist sages and spirits. Towards the end of the book there is a scene where the Buddha literally commands the fulfillment of the last disaster, because Xuánzàng is one short of the eighty-one disasters he needs to attain Buddhahood.

In chapter 87, Xuánzàng finally reaches the borderlands of India, and chapters 87–99 present magical adventures in a somewhat more mundane (though still exotic) setting. At length, after a pilgrimage said to have taken fourteen years (the text actually only provides evidence for nine of those years, but presumably there was room to add additional episodes) they arrive at the half-real, half-legendary destination of Vulture Peak, where, in a scene simultaneously mystical and comic, Xuánzàng receives the scriptures from the living Buddha.

Chapter 100, the last of all, quickly describes the return journey to the Táng Empire, and the aftermath in which each traveler receives a reward in the form of posts in the bureaucracy of the heavens. Sūn Wùkōng and Xuánzàng achieve Buddhahood, Wùjìng becomes the Golden Arhat, the dragon is made a Naga, and Bājiè, whose good deeds have always been tempered by his greed, is promoted to an altar cleanser (i.e. eater of excess offerings at altars).

Historical context [ ]

The classic story of the Journey to the West was based on real events. In real life, Xuanzang (born c. 602 - 664) was a monk at Jingtu Temple in late-Sui Dynasty and early-Tang Dynasty Chang'an. Motivated by the poor quality of Chinese translations of Buddhist scripture at the time, Xuanzang left Chang'an in 629, despite the border being closed at the time due to war with the Gokturks . Helped by sympathetic Buddhists, he traveled via Gansu and Qinghai to Kumul (Hami), thence following the Tian Mountains to Turfan. He then crossed what are today Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, into Gandhara, reaching India in 630. Xuanzang traveled throughout the Indian subcontinent for the next thirteen years, visiting important Buddhist pilgrimage sites and studying at the ancient university at Nalanda.

Xuanzang left India in 643 and arrived back in Chang'an in 646 to a warm reception by Emperor Taizong of Tang. He joined Da Ci'en Monastery (Monastery of Great Maternal Grace), where he led the building of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in order to store the scriptures and icons he had brought back from India. He recorded his journey in the book Journey to the West in the Great Tang Dynasty . With the support of the Emperor, he established an institute at Yuhua Gong (Jade Luster Palace) monastery dedicated to translating into Chinese the scriptures he had brought back. His translation and commentary work established him as the founder of the Dharma character school of Buddhism. Xuanzang died on March 7, 664. The Xingjiao Monastery was established in 669 to house his ashes.

Popular stories of Xuánzàng's journey were in existence long before Journey to the West was written. In these versions, dating as far back as Southern Song, a monkey character was already a primary protagonist. Before the Yuan Dynasty and early Ming, elements of the Monkey story were already seen.

Relation to Dragon Ball [ ]

Main characters [ ], tripitaka or xuánzàng [ ].

Originally named Chén Yī (陳禕), Xuánzàng (玄奘), or Táng Sānzàng (唐三藏; meaning "Táng-dynasty monk" — Sānzàng /三藏 or "Three Baskets", referring to the Tripitaka, was a traditional honorific for a Buddhist monk) is the Buddhist monk who set out to India to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures for China. He is called Tripitaka in many English versions of the story. Although he is helpless when it comes to defending himself, the bodhisattva Guānyīn helps by finding him powerful disciples (Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing) who aid and protect him on his journey. In return, the disciples will receive enlightenment and forgiveness for their sins once the journey is done.

Along the way, the disciples help the Giancarlo by defeating various monsters. The fact that most of the monsters and demons are trying to obtain immortality by eating Sanzang's flesh, and are even attracted to him as he is depicted as quite handsome, provides much of the plot in the story (and in stage plays, it was a common choice for a woman to play the role as Sanzang which has lead to parodies of this tradition). Yet in spite of anyone's personal attractions to him, Sanzang remains celibate and is fully focused on his mission.

In some adaptions that mention it, his original incarnation from heaven is the Jin Chan Zi (金蝉子; lit. "Gold Cicada Child"). Originally, Jin Chan Zi was expelled from heaven for mainly ignoring Buddha's teachings (though how he was disobedient and/or banished varies a lot depending on the adaptation), with Chen Yi/Xuanzang being his 10th reincarnation.

Chen Yi before being a monk, was born to a mother named Yin Wenjiao with her husband Chen Guangrui being killed by a bandit named Liu Hong who was jealous of Chen's position of being recently appointed as a prefect. Wenjiao then put Xuanzang still as an infant on a wooden board to flow on a river out of fear that Liu Hong would find and kill him as well, where a monk managed to pick him up on the other end of the said river out of coincidence. Xuanzang at age 18 soon eventually reunited with his mother and father (whom the latter was saved by a dragon king of a river), and they brought Liu Hong to justice. Afterwards, he was then ordered by Emperor Taizong to bring the ancient Buddhist scriptures from India and also became sworn brothers with him.

Initially known to be reluctant and reserved, Xuanzang Sanzang was known to be devoted to his faith as a monk and a pacifist at heart, despite the fact that his kindness at times works against him (as demons that have disguised themselves as humans have attempted to make use of), yet his willingness to have Wukong and his cohorts spare some of their enemies earns him notable charisma that some have either tried to take further advantage of or have full-on relented from their ways for redemption.

Some adaptations have played with his level of fearfulness and naivety, and others instead (such as the 1996 and 2002 adaptations) portray him as more merciful and wise compared to his initial portrayals (and other adaptations may also give him combat skills to put him on an even floor with his disciples while still ensuring he is not able to inflict too much harm to his foes). Even then, Sanzang has remained true to his mission and had never once considered giving up. One other notable trait is his ability to sit perfectly still for up to 2 or 3 months; a skill he is most proud of from his days of meditation.

In Japanese on'yomi, his Buddhist name is rendered as Genjō . This title being Tō Sanzō or altogether with Xuanzang Sanzang as Genjō Sanzō . And his title of Sanzang Fashi (三藏法師, "Three Baskets Bonze") is romanized as Sanzō Hōshi . His original incarnation from heaven, Jin Chan Zi, is romanized as Konzen Dōji (金蝉 童子) in media such as the Japanese adaptation, Gensōmaden Saiyūki .

Monkey King or Sūn Wùkōng [ ]

Sūn Wùkōng (孫悟空) is the name given to this character by his teacher, Patriarch Subhuti, and means "Monkey Awakened to Emptiness". He is called Sūn Xíngzhě (孫行者, Son Gyōja ) by Xuánzàng (with most adaptations still having him named as "Wukong" by Xuánzàng). While he is commonly known as Monkey King in pop culture, with one of his more egotistical titles being the Handsome Monkey King (美猴王, Měi Hóuwáng/Bikō'ō ). He is by far, the novel's most iconic character.

He was born out of a rock that had been dormant for ages on Flower Fruit Mountain ( Huāguǒshān / Kakazan ) that was inhabited/weathered by the sun and moon until a monkey sprang forth. He first distinguished himself among other fellow monkeys by bravely entering the Cave of Water Curtains ( Shuǐliándòng/Suirendou ); for this feat, his monkey tribe gave him the aforementioned title of "Handsome Monkey King". He soon wanted to go on a quest to study the secrets to immortality, and eventually encountered and studied under Subhuti to learn magic and other various skills (but in trade, was told to never tell anyone who taught him such abilities). Subhuti was also the one to give Wukong his current name, with the "Sun" surname being in ode to his nature as a monkey.

Later, through some misfits involving writing his and other fellow monkeys' names out of the Book of Death in Hell (when it was Wukong's time to die), claiming the East Sea Dragon King's sea needle for himself, he initially was setup for punishment from Heaven yet was given a post as a stable boy. But once he learned of his actual ranking, he ditched the position and back at his mountain renamed himself as "Great Sage Equal to Heaven". Trying to appease him further, they set him to watch over the heavenly peach garden, only for him to be infuriated that he was not invited to a grand banquet and during the preparations with using his magic to everyone working to sleep, stole much of the food and, even resorted to devouring of the peaches of immortality and three jars of immortality pills meant for the Jade Emperor.

Wukong after bringing the stolen food to his monkeys to host his own party back on the mountain, heaven decided enough was enough and it escalated into a full-on war. The monkey defeated an army of 100,000 celestial soldiers, led by the Four Heavenly Kings, Erlang Shen, and Nezha. Eventually, he was then captured. Yet even when Wukong underwent execution after execution, his body from the prior heavenly foods consumed just would not allow him to be harmed in anyway (and eventually even dozed off to sleep in boredom). He was then sealed inside a special furnace as a last resort with the intent of turning him into an elixir, but he broke free and nearly trashed much of the heavenly palace in retaliation; the Jade Emperor appealed to Buddha, who after beating Wukong's attempt at a competition, subdued and trapped the monkey under a mountain for five centuries to repent, with Guanyin occasionally checking in. He was only saved when Xuanzang Sanzang came by him on his pilgrimage and accepted him as a disciple.

His primary weapon is the Rúyì Jīngū Bàng/Nyoi Kinko Bō (如意金箍棒; lit. "Compliant Gold-Rimmed Pole"), which he can shrink down to the size of a needle and keep behind his ear, as well as expand it to gigantic proportions (hence the "compliant" part of the name; some adaptations show the staff to act as if it was alive). The staff, originally a pillar supporting the undersea palace of the East Sea Dragon King, weighs 13,500 kilograms, which Wukong pulled out of its support and swung with ease as it was first offered to Wukong to see if it was a weapon he could wield without breaking like others the monkey had attempted to wield. The Dragon King, not wanting him to cause any trouble, also gave him a suit of golden armor, headpiece and boots

These gifts, combined with his aformentioned devouring of the immortality peaches and immortality pills (giving his already rock-solid-body even more invulnerability), plus his ordeal in an eight-trigram furnace (which gave him the Gold Gaze Fire Eyes to see through evil's disguises but giving his eyes a weakness to smoke), makes Wukong the strongest member by far of the pilgrimage. Besides these abilities, he can also pull hairs from his body and blow on them with magic to transform them into whatever he wishes (usually clones of himself to gain a numerical advantage in battle).

Although he has mastered seventy-two methods of transformations, it does not mean that he is restricted to seventy-two different forms. He can also do a Jīndǒuyún/Kinto'un (筋斗雲; lit. "Somersault Cloud"), enabling him to travel vast distances in a single leap, or ride on a cloud to cover the same amount of distance with flight-based speed (at 108,000 li or 54,000 km). Wukong uses his talents to fight demons and play pranks. However, his behavior is checked by a band placed around his head by Guanyin, which cannot be removed by Wukong himself until the journey's end. Xuanzang Sanzang can tighten this band by chanting the Tightening Hooplet Spell (taught to him by Guanyin) whenever he needs to chastise him. In spite of continuous disagreements with his master and fellow disciples causing Wukong to ditch the party back to his home of Flower Fruit Mountain, he would eventually be able to be convinced and/or reminded to come back after some soul-searching, which proves his developing devotion.

Wukong's childlike playfulness is a huge contrast to his cunning mind. This, coupled with his acrobatic skills, makes him a likeable hero, though not necessarily a good role model given his abrasiveness and initial sociopathic tendencies (even resorting to killing before being tamed by his master throughout the journey). His antics present a lighter side in what proposes to be a long and dangerous trip into the unknown, and overall develops a sense of endearment to his master and fellow disciples in his heart throughout the journey. Some adaptations also make him borderline prone to breaking the fourth wall or making references to other media as a testament to his character depending on the era (such as with Stephen Chow's adaptations of him). Even then, Wukong makes it clear that he is unable to let injustice slide and often takes matters into his own hands (or plays around with the entire scenario) to have a good outcome for any rough situation, even if rather impulsively driven at best and at times being prone to anger. His other main weakness he acknowledges and tries to work-around is his lack of underwater combat ability, which is covered by both Bajie and Wujing.

In Japanese on'yomi, Sun Wukong is romanized more famously as Son Gokū , especially with the popularity of Dragon Ball . His title of Qitian Dasheng (齊天大聖; lit. "Equaling Heaven Great Sage") is known as the Seiten Taisei in Japanese and is mainly to appease his ego (though it does provide a form of respect as the lesser gods would prove, and his actual prior havoc in heaven also can back such a title up). However, his title of "Heavenly Stable Boy" due to its low rank is one way to easily rile him up.

Zhū Bājiè [ ]

Zhū Bājiè (豬八戒; lit. "Pig of the Eight Precepts") is also known as Zhū Wùnéng (豬悟能; lit. "Pig Awakened to Ability") and given the name Pigsy , Piggy or Pig in English.

Once an immortal who was the Tiānpéng Yuánshuǎi (天蓬元帥; lit. "Heaven Canopy Marshall") of 100,000 soldiers of the Milky Way, during a celebration of gods, he drank too much and attempted to flirt with Cháng'é, the beautiful moon goddess, resulting in his banishment into the mortal world. He was supposed to be reborn as a human but ended up in the womb of a sow due to an error at the Reincarnation Wheel, which turned him into a half-man half-pig monster. Staying within Yúnzhandòng ("Cloud Pathway Cave"), he was commissioned by Guanyin to accompany Xuanzang to India and given the new name Zhu Wuneng.

However, Wuneng's desire for women led him to Gao Village, where he posed as a normal being and took a wife and was noted to "work as hard as he ate". Later, when the villagers discovered that he was a monster, Wuneng hid the girl away. At this point, Xuanzang and Wukong arrived at Gao Village and helped subdue him. Renamed Zhu Bajie by Xuanzang, he consequently joined the pilgrimage to the West.

His weapon of choice is the jiǔchǐdīngpá ("nine-tooth nail rake"), mainly given to him as a status symbol by the Jade Emperor when first promoted to the rank of field marshall. He is also capable of thirty-six transformations (as compared to Wukong's seventy-two), and can also travel on clouds, but not as fast as Wukong. However, Bajie is noted for his fighting skills in the water due to his naval troop experience, which he used to combat Sha Wujing, who later joined them on the journey. He is the second strongest member of the team.

He is often noted to be quite gluttonous, perverted and a bit cowardly (mainly from his demotion that occurred with his reincarnation having a clear effects on reducing his power and confidence), which often has him at odds with Wukong's more abrasive and playful attitude. But nonetheless he is loyal to his friends deep down and is trusting of his master and vice versa, as well as often getting along with Wujing. Many adaptations of the novel tend to paint him in a light for the sake of comic relief, while also making him act as a positive force that differs from Wukong's antics in spite of his jealousy towards the monkey.

Even with his perversions in mind causing him to drool, Bajie makes it clear he can relate to others and understands the concepts of love (which some adaptations have made him a bit of a cultured poet or a sucker for sob-stories). While he may complain about his own misfortunes often in regards to his laziness, Bajie in a majority of fluctuating situations does not act as anxious as Wukong and Wujing as per his days as a field marshall while also learning to have fun alongside Wukong's antics at times.

In Japanese on'yomi, Zhu Bajie's current name is known as Cho Hakkai , and his original name before being renamed by Sanzang in Japanese is Cho Gonō . His original incarnation's title, Tianpeng Yuanshui , is known fully as Tenpō Gensui in Japanese as well (via Gensōmaden Saiyūki ).

Shā Wùjìng [ ]

Shā Wùjìng (沙悟凈; lit. "Sand Awakened to Purity"), also named Shā Sēng (沙僧) in Mandarin Chinese or " Ol' Sandy ". He is also given the name Friar Sand or Sandy in English, with the former name being one of his other names, Shā Héshàng (沙和尚; "Sand Preceptor"). He was once the Juǎnlián Dàjiàng (捲簾大将; lit. "Rolling Curtain 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/jade goblet belonging to the Heavenly Queen Mother during the Peach Banquet. The now-hideous immortal took up residence in the Flowing Sands River, terrorizing the surrounding villages and travelers trying to cross it. However, he was subdued by Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie when the Sanzang party came across him. They consequently took him in to be a part of the pilgrimage to the West.

Sha Wujing's weapon is the Yuèyáchǎn ("Moon Fang Spade" or "Monk's Spade"). Aside from that, he knows eighteen transformations and is highly effective in water combat. He is about as strong as Bajie, and is much stronger than Wukong in water. However, Bajie can beat Wujing in a test of endurance, and Wukong can beat him out of water.

Wujìng is known to be the most obedient, logical, and polite of the three disciples, and always takes care of his master, seldom engaging in the bickerings of his fellow-disciples. Ever reliable, he carries the luggage for the travelers and often prioritizes safety of others around him. Perhaps this is why he is sometimes seen as a minor character; the lack of any particular perks confers the lack of distinguishing and/or redeeming characteristics aside from being astute and having some moments of his own spotlight to cover the group's back. Though the 1996 adaptation is famous for making him rather unintelligent and/or stating the obvious (which was hinted even when acting as a general and the reasoning behind his accident), but makes up for it with being head-strong, honest and hyper-focused on important tasks to a fault.

Wujiìng eventually becomes an arhat at the end of the journey, giving him a higher level of exaltation than Bajie, who is relegated to cleaning every altar at every Buddhist temple for eternity via consuming the leftovers (which he is rather fond of), but is still lower spiritually than Wukong or Xuanzang who are granted Buddhahood.

In Japanese on'yomi, Sha Wujing is romanized as Sha Gojō , with his original incarnation's name/title romanized as Kenren Taishō in Gensōmaden Saiyūki . In Japanese, the character for "jing/jō" is written differently in Japanese due to conflicting writing systems, with 淨 being the older form closer to Chinese, and 浄 being the current character used.

List of Demons [ ]

There are many demons in the story. Examples are listed below:

• Black-Bear-Demon (pinyin: Hēixióngguài )
• Yellow Wind Demon (Huángfēngguài)
• Zhen Yuan Holy Man; he is not a demon, but an immortal, who got annoyed by the disciples who stole his precious immortal-fruits (Ginseng Fruits, 人参果).
• White-Bone-Demon (pinyin: Báigǔjīng )
• Yellow Robe Demon (pinyin: Huángpáoguài )
• Gold-Horn and Silver-Horn (pinyin: Jīnjiǎo and Yínjiǎo )
• Crimson Boy a.k.a. Holy Baby King (pinyin: Hónghái'ér ; Japanese: Kōgaiji )
• Tiger Power, Deer Power, and Goat (or Antelope) Power Great Hermits
• Black River Dragon Demon (Hēi Shǔi Hé Yuan Lóng Gài)
• Carp Demon (Li Yu Jīng)
• Green-Ox-Demon (pinyin: Qīngniújīng )
• Scorpion-Demon (pinyin: Xiēzijīng )
• Six Ear Macaque (a.k.a Fake Sun Wukong, Lìuěrmíhóu )
• Ox/Bull Demon King (pinyin: Niúmówáng ; Japanese: Gyūmaō ): The inspiration for the Ox King , who also shares the same name in the Asian scripts/dubs as the original Ox-Demon-King.
• Demon Woman (Luo Cha Nǚ)
• Jade-Faced Princess (pinyin: Yùmiàn Gōngzhǔ ; Japanese: Gyokumen Kōshū )
• Boa Demon ( Hóng Shé Jīng )
• Nine-Headed Bird Demon (Jiǔ Tou Fu Ma)
• Seven-Spider-Demons (pinyin: Zhīzhū-jīng )
• Hundred-Eyed Taoist (Bǎi Yan Mo Jun)
• Green Lion Demon (pinyin: Qīngshījīng )
• White-Elephant-Demon (pinyin: Báixiàngjīng )
• Falcon Demon (Sun Jīng)
• Biqiu Country Minister a.k.a Deer Demon
• Gold-Nosed, White Mouse Demon (Lao Shu Jīng)
• Dream-Demon

Notable English-language translations [ ]

• Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China (1942), an abridged translation by Arthur Waley. For many years, the best translation available in English; it only translates thirty out of the hundred chapters. (Penguin reprint ISBN 0-14-044111-5 )
• Journey to the West , a complete translation by W.J.F. Jenner published by the Foreign Languages Press in Beijing 1955 (three volumes; 1982/1984 edition: ISBN 0-8351-1003-6 , ISBN 0-8351-1193-8 , ISBN 0-8351-1364-7 )
• The Journey to the West (1977–1983), a complete translation in four volumes by Anthony C. Yu. University of Chicago Press: HC ISBN 0-226-97145-7 , ISBN 0-226-97146-5 , ISBN 0-226-97147-3 , ISBN 0-226-97148-1 ; PB ISBN 0-226-97150-3 , ISBN 0-226-97151-1 ; ISBN 0-226-97153-8 ; ISBN 0-226-97154-6 .

Media adaptations [ ]

• Journey to the West: The Musical : A stage musical which received its world premiere at the New York Musical Theatre Festival on September 25, 2006.
• Monkey: Journey to the West : A stage musical version created by Chen Shi-zheng, Damon Albarn (frontman of British rock band Blur) and Jamie Hewlett, the latter two better known as creators of the Gorillaz musical project. It premiered as part of the 2007 Manchester International Festival at the Palace Theatre on June 28.
• The Monkey King : A production by the Children's Theater Company in Minneapolis, MN in 2005.
• A Chinese Odyssey by Stephen Chow.
• A Chinese Tall Story : 2005 live action movie starring Nicholas Tse as Xuánzàng.
• Heavenly Legend : A 1998 film by Tai Seng Entertainment starring Kung Fu kid Sik Siu Loong is partially based on this legend.
• Monkey Goes West : The Shaw Brothers' 1966 Hong Kong film (Cantonese: Sau yau gei ). Also known as "Monkey with 72 Magic"
• The Forbidden Kingdom : 2008 live action movie starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li which is said to be based on the Legend of the Monkey King, the same legend as the TV show Monkey. Towards the end, Li's character is revealed to be the Monkey King of the legend. [1]

Live-action television [ ]

• Monkey (1978–1980): A well-known 1970s Japanese television series based on Journey to the West translated into English by the BBC.
• Journey to the West (1986): A TV series produced by CCTV.
• Journey to the West (1996): A popular series produced by Hong Kong studio TVB, starring Dicky Cheung.
• Journey to the West II (1998): The sequel to TVB's Journey to the West series, starring Benny Chan.
• The Monkey King (2001): Sci Fi Channel's TV adaptation of this legend, also called The Lost Empire .
• The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra (2002): A loose adaptation starring Dicky Cheung, who also portrayed Sun Wukong in the 1996 TVB series.
• Saiyūki (2006): A Japanese television series starring the SMAP star Shingo Katori.

Comics, manga and anime [ ]

• Alakazam the Great : One of the first anime films produced by Toei Animation , a retelling of first part of the story based on the characters designed by Osamu Tezuka.
• Coincidentally, both the version of Wukong/Goku and Wujing/Gojo share traits of the original Bajie/Hakkai; the former shares Bajie's hunger (akin to Dragon Ball' s version of Wukong/Goku), while the latter shares Bajie's lust/perversions for women. Both of them also often argue back-to-back, akin to Wukong and Bajie's dynamics in the original source material.
• Havoc in Heaven (also known as Uproar in Heaven ): Original animation from China.
• Iyashite Agerun Saiyūki : A 2007 adult anime [1]
• Monkey Magic : An animated retelling of the legend.
• Monkey Typhoon : A manga and anime series based on the Journey to the West saga, following a futuristic steampunk-retelling of the legend.
• Starzinger : An animated science fiction version of the story.
• The Monkey King : A gruesome manga inspired by the tale.

Works referencing Journey to the West [ ]

• American Born Chinese : An American graphic novel by Gene Yang. Nominated for the National Book Award (2006).
• Doraemon : A special tells the story of Journey to The West , casting the Doraemon characters as the characters of the legend.
• Dragon Ball : Japanese manga and anime series loosely based on Journey to the West .
• Eyeshield 21 : Three of the players for the Shinryuji Nagas are referred to as the Saiyuki Trio based upon their appearances and personalities.
• InuYasha : The characters meet descendants of three of the main characters of the Journey of the West , led by Cho Kyuukai (a boar demon ), in one episode. Also, the main character Kagome Higurashi says a few lines about the whole book and story and explains it to the others who live in Feudal Japan, ergo have not heard about the Journey to the West .
• Kaleido Star : The cast performs Saiyuki on stage a few times in the beginning of the second half of the series.
• Love Hina : The characters put on a play based on the story in anime episode 16.
• Naruto : A character named Temari is based on Princess Iron Fan from the legend. Enma is a summoned monkey who bears resemblance to Sun Wukong. He has the ability to transform into a staff similar to the rúyì-jīngū-bàng , which can alter its size at will. Also, one of the Tailed Beasts (also known as Bijū ) is named Son Gokū with the exact same kanji for both the Monkey King and the Earthling-raised Saiyan, sporting horns which resemble the diadem worn by the original Wukong/Goku.
• Ninja Sentai Kakuranger : The 1994 Super Sentai series, where four of the five rangers are inspired by the main characters of Journey to the West
• GoGo Sentai Boukenger : The 2006 Super Sentai series, where its final episode involved the Rúyì-jīngū-bàng
• Juken Sentai Gekiranger : The 2007 Super Sentai series, where one of its villain's fighting style is homage to Sun Wukong.
• Patalliro Saiyuki : A shōnen-ai series in both anime and manga formats with the Patalliro cast playing out the Zaiyuji storyline with a yaoi twist.
• Ranma 1/2 : Pastiches of the characters appear throughout the manga and movies.
• Read or Die (OVA) : One of the villains is a clone of Xuanzang, who seems to have the powers of Sun Wukong and Xuanzang.
• Sakura Wars : The Imperial Flower Troupe Performs the play of Journey to the West . Ironically, Mayumi Tanaka , who voices Krillin and Yajirobe in the Dragon Ball franchise, voices the monkey king Son Goku in the play.
• Shinzo : An anime loosely based on Journey to the West .
• XIN : An American comic mini-series produced by Anarchy Studio.
• Pokémon : Infernape, a Fire/Fighting Pokémon, has a design based on motifs related to Sun Wukong and Emboar, another Fire/Fighting Pokémon, has a design based on motifs similar to Zhu Bajie.
• The God of Highschool : A Korean web-toon that barrows a lot of the elements from every mythology notable, with few of the main cast based on characters from the novel. The main character, Jin Mo-Ri , being based off the Monkey King as well as Dragon Ball's Son Goku.
• Yuu Yuu Ki : A video game for the Famicom Disk System, based directly on the story.
• Journey to the West : An unlicensed Famicom game by Taiwanese developer TXC Corp, 1994. [2]
• Pokémon Diamond and Pearl : A video game and multi series in which the Pokémon creatures Chimchar, Monferno, and mainly Infernape are based on Sūn Wùkōng.
• Coincidentally, the portrayal of Zhu Bajie/Cho Hakkai is voiced by Naoki Tatsuta , who also voices Oolong with Bajie being his inspiration.
• Fuun Gokuu Ninden : An action game for the PlayStation. The characters of the game are based on the characters of Journey to the West . [3]
• Saiyu Gouma Roku : A 1988 arcade game by Technos, based in the original story and characters. The North American version is named "China Gate". [4]
• SonSon : A video game and character of the same name created by Capcom whose title character is a caricature of Sun Wukong (and would be read as "SunSun" in pinyin). The granddaughter of SonSon (also named SonSon, or SonSon III) appears in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 as a playable character.
• Westward Journey : A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).
• Whomp 'Em : NES game whose Japanese version is based on the story (the American version features an Indian boy instead of Wukong). Although a marketing failure, it is also a cult classic.
• Likewise, the two other MOBA games, Smite and Heroes of the Werwerth , also feature the original Sun Wukong as a playable character, with the former having removed him from the game for a visual rework to resemble the original figure, and the latter being simply known as "Monkey King" and possessing a skin that's a close reference to Dragon Ball in general (almost resembling the Dragon Ball Wukong/Goku's Super Saiyan 4 form). Smite also has other characters pertaining to the legend or similar ones that tie into Journey into the West in general, such as the East Sea Dragon King and Nezha/Nata (the former also received a similar rework). Defense of the Ancients 2 has also recently revealed their own version of the Monkey King as well.
• More so however, Masako Nozawa , the Japanese voice actress of the Dragon Ball Wukong/Goku, also voices the League of Legends Wukong in the Japanese dub as a direct allusion. Meanwhile, Sean Schemmel has voiced the reworked Wukong in Smite as another allusion.

Brazen Courage Gohan (Kid) card from Dokkan Battle

Courage to the Max! Goku card from Dokkan Battle

• Asura's Wrath (アスラズ ラース, Asurazu Rāsu ) : A video game developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Capcom. The game is playable on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One via 360 backwards compatibility, and the PlayStation 4 and PC via PlayStation Now. The game follows the title character, the demigod Asura as he seeks revenge on the pantheon of other demigods who betrayed him.
• In Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle , there are two cards based upon the Journey to the West inspired outfits worn by Goku and Gohan . Goku's is called Courage to the Max! Goku card and Gohan's is Brazen Courage Gohan (Kid) card. Both cards are Legendary Rare cards that feature Super Attacks featuring Goku and Gohan wielding their respective Power Poles (Gohan's Power Pole design features a more Journey to the West -style design rather than the Dragon Ball style design of Goku's Power Pole). Both characters ride a Flying Nimbus to fit the Sun Wukong motif.

Female Future Warrior wearing the Saiyuki Outfit in Dragon Ball: Xenoverse

• In Dragon Ball Xenoverse , there is an unlockable Saiyuki outfit which is described as a Journey to the West-style outfit, which can be unlocked by making a wish of " I want to dress up! " to Shenron. It is based on the Journey to the West inspired outfit worn by Gohan on Manga cover page for DBZ: 13 " Son Gohan, the Inconsolable " and Gohan also wears the same outfit in Detekoi Tobikiri ZENKAI Power! . There is also an NPC Shapeshifter Nema who also wears the costume as part of one of her transformations, though she has no idea as to who the transformation is supposed to be.

Goku wearing his Journey to the West Costume from Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2

• After the 1.09.00 Update, the Future Warrior can purchase Gifts which are special costumes that they can give to Instructors which can then be worn via Partner Customization. Gift (Goku) unlocks Goku's Journey to the West Costume for Goku to wear (it comes complete with Hood though the Hood will be removed when Goku transforms into any of his available Super Saiyan forms). Gift (Gohan (Kid)) unlocks his Saiyuki Costume ( Journey to the West Costume) from DBZ : 13 " Son Gohan, the Inconsolable " and Detekoi Tobikiri ZENKAI Power! (it also comes complete with Hood as well). Both Gifts can be purchased at the TP Medal Shop.

References [ ]

• ↑ Journey to the West . Unlicensed NES Guide .
• ↑ Fuun Gokuu Ninden (The God of Monkey) . Extreme-Gamers .
• ↑ China Gate . Coin-Op Express .

External links [ ]

• Inspirations of Dragon Ball at fullpowerdbz.com
• Monkey - Great Sage equal of Heaven - fansite
• Journey to the West - Freeware complete English text version in PDF format (2.56MB). From Chine Informations
• Journey to the West - Comprehensive and detailed website with in-depth information about Journey to the West.
• Story of Sun Wukong and the beginning of Journey to the West with manhua
• Complete novel in Simplified Characters (utf-16 encoding).
• Solarguard Monkey Plot summary (one paragraph for each of one hundred in novel) plus summary of book on historical Xuanzang.
• Summary of most chapters of Journey to the West and more, illustrated by various paintings from Summer Palace
• 2 List of Power Levels

Akira Toriyama Based 'Dragon Ball' on This 400-Year-Old Story

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The Big Picture

• Dragon Ball draws heavy inspiration from the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West , which remains influential even after centuries.
• Son Goku is based on Sun Wukong, the powerful Monkey King from Journey to the West , who accompanies the monk Tang Sanzang on his journey.
• Other characters in Dragon Ball , such as Bulma, Oolong, Yamcha, and the Ox-King, also have parallels to characters from Journey to the West .

Son Goku of Dragon Ball isn't just Earth's greatest protector; he's also one of the most recognizable characters in all fiction. For both Western and Eastern audiences, his unruly spiky hair, bright orange gi, and positive-yet-diligent personality make him one of the most beloved figures in media. Goku has become a symbol in his own right, representing the power of determination and the strength of a purely good heart, but the source of inspiration that led to his creation is likewise an incomprehensibly entertaining and captivating being, known as Sun Wukong .

As with many great fictional works, the origins of Dragon Ball can be traced back to mythical legends and classic folk tales that have endured the wear of time. Dragon Ball 's visionary creator, Akira Toriyama, to whom the world is bidding a sorrowful farewell , based a significant portion of his story, character designs, and thematic elements on the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West. Despite being written over 400 years ago, Journey to the West remains prevalent and impactful in modern writing, with its influence apparent in almost every corner of Toriyama's hit series, with plenty of parallels and allusions that tie the two beloved stories together, despite the four centuries of time that stand between them.

Dragon Ball (1986)

Son Gokû, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes on a quest with an assortment of odd characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give its bearer anything they desire.

What Is 'Journey to the West' About?

Akira Toriyama took heavy inspiration from the classic Chinese story, Journey to the West . The novel, considered one of the most influential and significant pieces of literature from China, was first published in the 16th century, but its impact is felt even centuries later. Journey to the West is based on the pilgrimage of a Buddhist monk named Xuanzang who traversed across the land to retrieve sacred texts, after much trial and tribulation. The novelization of this journey follows a monk called Tang Sanzang, likewise in search for sacred Buddhist texts, but contains fantastic and mythical elements that made the adventure an enduring literary piece.

To aid in his journey, Tang Sanzang is accompanied by magical characters such as Sun Wukong, Zhu Bhajie, and Sha Wujing, each distinct in ability, appearance, and personality. On their quest, the heroes must overcome fearful monsters and traverse dangerous landscapes as they search for the sacred texts. Though the story was written with allegories and metaphors connected to China during that time period, it nonetheless endures in popularity because of its universal themes about human determination and the captivating fantasy elements that would serve as inspiration for countless works written generations after . Journey to the West itself would spawn several modern adaptations that recounted the story of Tang Sanzag, including several films and television series. But despite not being a direct adaptation of the original story, Dragon Ball is a strong contender for the best successor of the legacy of this Chinese novel.

Son Goku Takes Inspiration From the Legendary Monkey King, Sun Wukong

The foremost allusion to Journey to the West in Dragon Ball is apparent in the latter's main character: Son Goku . Goku is based on Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King , a powerful being that accompanied the monk Tang Sanzang on his journey for the sacred texts. Sun Wukong is one of the most powerful beings in existence, a magical and immortal monkey with dozens of fantastic abilities and strength that surpasses practically all others. Like Wukong, Goku is powerful and energetic, bearing an unbelievable amount of strength and talent unmatched by anyone else in the series. If Goku were just a strong person with a tail, that would already be an excellent reference to Wukong, but Toriyama solidified the inspiration even further with Goku's transformation into the Great Ape, punctuating the similarities between him and the Monkey King.

Sun Wukong's inspiration doesn't end there, as several magical artifacts from the old Chinese story were also adapted in Dragon Ball . Like Goku's Power Pole, the Monkey King possessed a staff capable of dramatically changing its size at the user's command. Both monkey-related characters also rode magical flying clouds, as Goku's Flying Nimbus was based on Wukong's similar cloud and ability. And don't let the fact that Goku is an alien separate his birth from Wukong either. Goku's space pod that he was sent to Earth in as a baby bears a surprisingly stone-like appearance as a direct reference to Wukong's own birth, as he came to life after bursting from a magical rock.

'Dragon Ball's Supporting Characters Are Also Inspired by ‘Journey to the West’

The connections to Journey to the West are not limited to Goku alone, as many of the major players in the earliest arcs of Dragon Ball are parallels to characters from the Chinese novel. Since Sun Wukong is the breakout character from the tale, some of these allusions may be less apparent at first glance, but the inspiration is there nonetheless. Bulma serves as the proxy for Tang Sanzang, despite being the furthest image of a Buddhist monk that one can possibly become. However, Bulma's search for the legendary Dragon Balls is, at its core, taken from Tang Sanzang's retrieval of the sacred Buddhist texts .

Dragon Ball's Oolong is based on Zhu Bajie, a shape-shifting pig spirit that was the second of Tang Sanzang's disciples after Sun Wukong. Both characters are also known for their gluttonous and lustful personalities. The third of Tang Sanzang's allies was Sha Wujing, a man-turned-demon who is later redeemed when he accompanies the monk on his travels. In Dragon Ball , this role is taken by Yamcha, who was similarly first depicted as a villain, before quickly becoming one of Goku and Bulma's close allies. In addition to their narrative similarities, Tang Sanzang and Yamcha also had strong ties to the desert and martial arts — which can be easy to forget because of how far Dragon Ball has evolved since the days when Yamcha was able to best Goku in a fight . The Ox-King from Dragon Ball shares the same exact name as a character from Journey to the West , as well as a similar home to his namesake. Both Ox-Kings resided on flaming mountains, a unique location that solidifies the relation between the two.

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Akira Toriyama Moved Further Away From 'Journey to the West' With 'Dragon Ball Z'

Toriyama's writing in early Dragon Ball didn't just take design choices and naming conventions from Journey to the West , but also took inspiration from its narrative structure and thematic elements. Each character modernizes the role first established by their source material from several centuries earlier. For instance, viewers more familiar with Dragon Ball Z and further sequels may not even know that Bulma was actually the active character at the start of the series. It's her search for the Dragon Balls that sets the story in motion , and Goku is recruited to help her accomplish that goal. In Journey to the West , Wukong is depicted as supernaturally powerful, even compared to his staunchest allies and fiercest rivals, much in the same way that Goku is established as a formidable force, even as a child. They could both be considered "over-powered," but that's exactly the point. Oolong's selfish vices and Yamcha's face-turn are likewise the necessary foils to Goku's pure-of-heart personality and Bulma's determination, exactly like the characters they were based on.

As Dragon Ball progressed (even just in later arcs, not even accounting for DBZ and beyond ), the story evolved beyond its original source of inspiration. The narrative shifts away from the search for the Dragon Balls and characters rise and fall in relevance as the series evolves into one of the most important pioneers of the shōnen battle anime genre , becoming the predecessor to several generations of anime , much in the same way that Journey of the West did for Toriyama.

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Journey To The West: The Chinese Inspiration Behind Dragon Ball

A monkey with superhuman strength and supernatural combat skills always carries with him a sacred scepter and has the ability to walk on clouds. He is also able to change his appearance. His only weakness? His tail. 

Sounds familiar?

Although this might sound like the description of a very popular cartoon character, this is the description of an ancient Chinese legend, thousands of years old, the archetype of a hero that has been adapted and adopted by many cultures and that has served as the inspiration for novels, plays, manga, anime, and video games: Sun Wukong.

Journey to the West: From Sun Wukong to Son Goku

Sun Wukong is the main character in the Chinese literature classic, Journey to the West, which follows the adventures and hardships faced by buddhist monk Xuanzang in his long journey to India, a pilgrimage made in search for illumination and to recover the sutras (sacred texts in the buddhist tradition) to bring them back to China. Throughout his journey, Xuanzang is provided with three protectors: a demon who has natural abilities in water combat (Sha Sheng), a pig (Zho Wuneng), and Sun Wukong, a monkey.

The original version of this anonymous story dates back to the 16th century and has a hundred chapters, with the first seven exploring Sun Wukong’s background, when he was known as the King Monkey. His origin is supernatural, and the story explains how this monkey learns from his master; his abilities go from shape-shifting to becoming immortal.

Along his journey, Sun Wukong acquires a scepter that gives him the ability to shape-shift as well as other abilities, like controlling the fur on his body and transforming into objects or living beings, and walking on clouds. 

After facing several Chinese gods and defeating them, The Monkey King challenged the Jade Emperor, the ruler of the heavens and maximum authority in the Chinese pantheon. For this, he was locked up by Buddha himself for a period of 500 years, until he offers himself as Xuanzang’s servant in exchange for his freedom.

It is no coincidence that Goku –the main character in Dragon Ball, a manga created by Akira Toriyama, one of the industry’s living legends– and Sun Wukong share so many common traits. Both stories include some iconic symbols and an unstoppable search for an object that gives meaning to the journey, as well as super human abilities and a kinship with monkeys.

However, as the manga and the TV series became more and more popular, the story of Goku diverted from the original, and little by little, it strayed from the story in Journey To The West; but in order to understand the origin of the sayajin, you definitely need to go back to Sun Wukong.

Do you know the true story of an iconic popular character? Click here to send a 400-word article and for the chance to appear in our website!

For more articles about popular culture and cool stories click here: The Best Most Irreverent Thanksgiving Cartoon Episodes To Laugh Your Ass Off 15 Feminist Lessons You Can Learn From The Powerpuff Girls Why I Relate To SpongeBob More Now Than In My Childhood

Isabel Carrasco

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Journey to the West

From dragon ball encyclopedia, the ''dragon ball'' wiki.

Journey to the West ( 西遊記 , Saiyūki ) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Originally published anonymously in the 1590s during the Ming Dynasty, it has been ascribed to the scholar Wú Chéng'ēn since the 20th century even though no direct evidence of its authorship survives.

The tale is also often known simply as Monkey . This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley . The Waley translation has also been published as Adventures of the Monkey God , Monkey: [A] Folk Novel of China , and The Adventures of Monkey .

The novel is a fictionalized account of the legends around the Buddhist monk Xuánzàng's pilgrimage to India during the Táng dynasty in order to obtain Buddhist religious texts called sutras. The Bodhisattva Kuan Yin|Guānyīn, on instruction from the Buddha, gives this task to the monk and his three protectors in the form of disciples – namely Sūn Wùkōng, Zhū Bājiè and Shā Wùjìng – together with a dragon prince who acts as Xuánzàng's horse mount. These four characters have agreed to help Xuánzàng as an atonement for past sins.

Some scholars propose that the book satirizes the effete Chinese government at the time. Journey to the West has a strong background in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology, and value systems; the pantheon of Taoist deities and Buddhist bodhisattvas is still reflective of Chinese folk religious beliefs today.

Part of the novel's enduring popularity comes from the fact that it works on multiple levels: it is a first-rate adventure story, a dispenser of spiritual insight, and an extended allegory in which the group of pilgrims journeying toward India stands for the individual journeying toward enlightenment.

• 2 Historical context
• 3.1 Tripitaka or Xuánzàng
• 3.2 Monkey King (Emperor of Monkeys) or Sūn Wùkōng
• 3.3 Zhū Bājiè
• 3.4 Shā Wùjìng
• 4 List of Demons
• 5 Notable English-language translations
• 6.3 Live action television
• 6.4.1 Works referencing Journey to the West
• 7 References
• 8 External links

The novel comprises 100 chapters. These can be divided into four very unequal parts. The first, which includes Chapter 1–7, is really a self-contained prequel to the main body of the story. It deals entirely with the earlier exploits of Sūn Wùkōng, a monkey born from a stone nourished by the Five Elements, who learns the art of the Tao, 72 polymorphic transformations, combat and secrets of immortality, and through guile and force makes a name for himself as the Qítiān Dàshèng , or "Great Sage Equal to Heaven". His powers grow to match the forces of all of the Eastern (Taoist) deities, and the prologue culminates in Sūn's rebellion against Heaven, during a time when he garnered a post in the celestial bureaucracy. Hubris proves his downfall when the Buddha manages to trap him under a mountain for five hundred years.

Only following this introductory story is the nominal main character, Xuánzàng, introduced. Chapters 8–12 provide his early biography and the background to his great journey. Dismayed that "the land of the South knows only greed, hedonism, promiscuity, and sins", the Buddha instructs the Bodhisattva Guānyīn to search Táng China for someone to take the Buddhist sutras of "transcendence and persuasion for good will" back to the East. Part of the story here also relates to how Xuánzàng becomes a monk (as well as revealing his past life as the "Golden Cicada" and comes about being sent on this pilgrimage by the Emperor Táng Tàizōng, who previously escaped death with the help of an underworld official).

The third and longest section of the work is Chapter 13–99, an episodic adventure story which combines elements of the quest as well as the picaresque. The skeleton of the story is Xuánzàng's quest to bring back Buddhist scriptures from Vulture Peak in India, but the flesh is provided by the conflict between Xuánzàng's disciples and the various evils that beset him on the way.

The scenery of this section is, nominally, the sparsely populated lands along the Silk Road between China and India, including Xinjiang, Turkestan, and Afghanistan. The geography described in the book is, however, almost entirely fantastic; once Xuánzàng departs Cháng'ān, the Táng capital and crosses the frontier (somewhere in Gansu province), he finds himself in a wilderness of deep gorges and tall mountains, all inhabited by flesh-eating demons who regard him as a potential meal (since his flesh was believed to give Immortality to whoever eats it), with here and there a hidden monastery or royal city-state amid the wilds.

The episodic structure of this section is to some extent formulaic. Episodes consist of 1–4 chapters, and usually involve Xuánzàng being captured and his life threatened, while his disciples try to find an ingenious (and often violent) way of liberating him. Although some of Xuánzàng's predicaments are political and involve ordinary human beings, they more frequently consist of run-ins with various goblins and ogres, many of whom turn out to be the earthly manifestations of heavenly beings (whose sins will be negated by eating the flesh of Xuanzang) or animal-spirits with enough Taoist spiritual merit to assume semi-human forms.

Chapter 13–22 do not follow this structure precisely, as they introduce Xuánzàng's disciples, who, inspired or goaded by Guānyīn, meet and agree to serve him along the way, in order to atone for their sins in their past lives.

• The first is Sun Wukong, or Monkey, previously "Great Sage Equal to Heaven", trapped by Buddha for rebelling against Heaven. He appears right away in Chapter 13. The most intelligent and violent of the disciples, he is constantly reproved for his violence by Xuánzàng. Ultimately, he can only be controlled by a magic gold band that the Bodhisattva has placed around his head, which causes him excruciating pain when Xuánzàng says certain magic words.
• The second, appearing in 19, is Zhu Bajie, literally Eight-precepts Pig, sometimes translated as Pigsy or just Pig. He was previously Marshal Tīan Péng, commander of the Heavenly Naval forces, banished to the mortal realm for flirting with the Princess of the Moon Chang'e. He is characterized by his insatiable appetites for food and sex, and is constantly looking for a way out of his duties, but is always kept in line by Sūn Wùkōng.
• The third, appearing in Chapter 22, is the river-ogre Sha Wujing, also translated as Friar Sand or Sandy. He was previously Great General who Folds the Curtain, banished to the mortal realm for dropping (and shattering) a crystal goblet of the Heavenly Queen Mother. He is a quiet but generally dependable character, who serves as the straight foil to the comic relief of Sūn and Zhū.
• Possibly to be counted as a fourth disciple is the third prince of the Dragon-King, Yùlóng Sāntàizǐ, who was sentenced to death for setting fire to his father's great pearl. He was saved by Guānyīn from execution to stay and wait for his call of duty. He appears first in Chapter 15, but has almost no speaking role, as throughout most of the story he appears in the transformed shape of a horse that Xuánzàng rides on.

Chapter 22, where Shā is introduced, also provides a geographical boundary, as the river of quicksand that the travelers cross brings them into a new "continent". Chapter 23–86 take place in the wilderness, and consist of 24 episodes of varying length, each characterized by a different magical monster or evil magician. There are impassably wide rivers, flaming mountains, a kingdom ruled by women, a lair of seductive spider-spirits, and many other fantastic scenarios. Throughout the journey, the four brave disciples have to fend off attacks on their master and teacher Xuánzàng from various monsters and calamities.

It is strongly suggested that most of these calamities are engineered by fate and/or the Buddha, as, while the monsters who attack are vast in power and many in number, no real harm ever comes to the four travelers. Some of the monsters turn out to be escaped heavenly animals belonging to bodisattvas or Taoist sages and spirits. Towards the end of the book there is a scene where the Buddha literally commands the fulfillment of the last disaster, because Xuánzàng is one short of the eighty-one disasters he needs to attain Buddhahood.

In Chapter 87, Xuánzàng finally reaches the borderlands of India, and Chapter 87–99 present magical adventures in a somewhat more mundane (though still exotic) setting. At length, after a pilgrimage said to have taken fourteen years (the text actually only provides evidence for nine of those years, but presumably there was room to add additional episodes) they arrive at the half-real, half-legendary destination of Vulture Peak, where, in a scene simultaneously mystical and comic, Xuánzàng receives the scriptures from the living Buddha.

Chapter 100, the last of all, quickly describes the return journey to the Táng Empire, and the aftermath in which each traveler receives a reward in the form of posts in the bureaucracy of the heavens. Sūn Wùkōng and Xuánzàng achieve Buddhahood, Wùjìng becomes the Golden Arhat, the dragon is made a Naga, and Bājiè, whose good deeds have always been tempered by his greed, is promoted to an altar cleanser, i.e. eater of excess offerings at altars.

Historical context

The classic story of the Journey to the West was based on real events. In real life, Xuanzang (born c. 602-664) was a monk at Jingtu Temple in late-Sui Dynasty and early-Tang Dynasty Chang'an. Motivated by the poor quality of Chinese translations of Buddhist scripture at the time, Xuanzang left Chang'an in 629, despite the border being closed at the time due to war with the Gokturks. Helped by sympathetic Buddhists, he travelled via Gansu and Qinghai to Kumul (Hami), thence following the Tian Shan mountains to Turfan. He then crossed what are today Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, into Gandhara, reaching India in 630. Xuanzang travelled throughout the Indian subcontinent for the next thirteen years, visiting important Buddhist pilgrimage sites and studying at the ancient university at Nalanda.

Xuanzang left India in 643 and arrived back in Chang'an in 646 to a warm reception by Emperor Taizong of Tang. He joined Da Ci'en Monastery (Monastery of Great Maternal Grace), where he led the building of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in order to store the scriptures and icons he had brought back from India. He recorded his journey in the book Journey to the West in the Great Tang Dynasty . With the support of the Emperor, he established an institute at Yuhua Gong (Palace of the Lustre of Jade) monastery dedicated to translating into Chinese the scriptures he had brought back. His translation and commentary work established him as the founder of the Dharma character school of Buddhism. Xuanzang died on March 7, 664. The Xingjiao Monastery was established in 669 to house his ashes.

Popular stories of Xuánzàng's journey were in existence long before Journey to the West was written. In these versions, dating as far back as Southern Song, a monkey character was already a primary protagonist. Before the Yuan Dynasty and early Ming, elements of the Monkey story were already seen.

Main characters

Tripitaka or xuánzàng.

Xuánzàng (玄奘), or Táng-Sānzàng (唐三藏) (Táng-Sānzàng, meaning "dynasty monk–three baskets", referring to the Tripitaka, was a traditional honorific for a Buddhist monk), is the Buddhist monk who set out to India to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures for China. He is called Tripitaka in many English versions of the story. Although he is helpless when it comes to defending himself, the bodhisattva Guānyīn helps by finding him powerful disciples (Sūn Wùkōng, Zhū Bājiè, and Shā Wùjìng) who aid and protect him on his journey. In return, the disciples will receive enlightenment and forgiveness for their sins once the journey is done. Along the way, they help the giancarlo by defeating various monsters. The fact that most of the monsters and demons are trying to obtain immortality by eating Xuánzàng's flesh, and are even attracted to him as he is depicted as quite handsome, provides much of the plot in the story.

Monkey King (Emperor of Monkeys) or Sūn Wùkōng

Sūn Wùkōng is the name given to this character by his teacher, Patriarch Subhuti, and means "the one who has Achieved the Perfect Comprehension of the Extinction of both Emptiness and non-Emptiness"; he is called Monkey King or simply Monkey Emperor in English.

He was born out of a rock that had been dormant for ages in Flower Fruit Mountain that was inhabited/weathered by the sun and moon until a monkey sprang forth. He first distinguished himself by bravely entering the Cave of Water Curtains (pinyin: Shuǐlián-dòng ) at the Mountains of Flowers and Fruits ( Huāguǒ-shān ); for this feat, his monkey tribe gave him the title of Měi-hóuwáng ("handsome monkey-king"). Later, he started making trouble in Heaven and defeated an army of 100,000 celestial soldiers, led by the Four Heavenly Kings, Erlang Shen, and Nezha. Eventually, the Jade Emperor appealed to Buddha, who subdued and trapped Wukong under a mountain. He was only saved when Xuanzang came by him on his pilgrimage and accepted him as a disciple.

His primary weapon is the rúyì-jīngū-bàng ("will-following golden-banded staff"), which he can shrink down to the size of a needle and keep behind his ear, as well as expand it to gigantic proportions (hence the "will-following" part of the name). The staff, originally a pillar supporting the undersea palace of the East Sea Dragon King, weighs 13,500 pounds, which he pulled out of its support and swung with ease. The Dragon King, not wanting him to cause any trouble, also gave him a suit of golden armor. These gifts, combined with his devouring of the peaches of immortality and three jars of immortality pills while in Heaven, plus his ordeal in an eight-trigram furnace (which gave him a steel-hard body and fiery golden eyes), makes Wukong the strongest member by far of the pilgrimage. Besides these abilities, he can also pull hairs from his body and blow on them to transform them into whatever he wishes (usually clones of himself to gain a numerical advantage in battle). Although he has mastered seventy-two methods of transformations, it does not mean that he is restricted to seventy-two different forms. He can also do a jīndǒuyún ("cloud somersault"), enabling him to travel vast distances in a single leap. Wukong uses his talents to fight demons and play pranks. However, his behavior is checked by a band placed around his head by Guanyin, which cannot be removed by Wukong himself until the journey's end. Xuanzang can tighten this band by chanting the Tightening-Crown spell (taught to him by Guanyin) whenever he needs to chastise him.

Wukong's child-like playfulness is a huge contrast to his cunning mind. This, coupled with his acrobatic skills, makes him a likeable hero, though not necessarily a good role model. His antics present a lighter side in what proposes to be a long and dangerous trip into the unknown.

Zhū Bājiè ("Pig of the Eight Prohibitions") is also known as Zhū Wùnéng ("Pig Awakened to Power"), and given the name Pigsy or Pig in English.

Once an immortal who was the Tiānpéng-yuánshuǎi ("Field Marshal Tianpeng") of 100,000 soldiers of the Milky Way, during a celebration of gods, he drank too much and attempted to flirt with Cháng'é, the beautiful moon goddess, resulting in his banishment into the mortal world. He was supposed to be reborn as a human, but ended up in the womb of a sow due to an error at the Reincarnation Wheel, which turned him into a half-man half-pig monster. Staying within Yúnzhan-dòng ("cloud-pathway cave"), he was commissioned by Guanyin to accompany Xuanzang to India and given the new name Zhu Wuneng.

However, Wuneng's desire for women led him to Gao Village, where he posed as a normal being and took a wife. Later, when the villagers discovered that he was a monster, Wuneng hid the girl away. At this point, Xuanzang and Wukong arrived at Gao Village and helped subdue him. Renamed Zhu Bajie by Xuanzang, he consequently joined the pilgrimage to the West.

His weapon of choice is the jiǔchǐdīngpá ("Nine-toothed Rake|nine-tooth iron rake"). He is also capable of thirty-six transformations (as compared to Wukong's seventy-two), and can travel on clouds, but not as fast as Wukong. However, Bajie is noted for his fighting skills in the water, which he used to combat Sha Wujing, who later joined them on the journey. He is the second strongest member of the team.

Shā Wùjìng (literally meaninh "Sand Awakened to Purity"), given the name Friar Sand or Sandy in English, was once the Curtain Raising 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 Heavenly Queen Mother during the Peach Banquet. The now-hideous immortal took up residence in the Flowing Sands River, terrorizing the surrounding villages and travelers trying to cross the river. However, he was subdued by Sūn Wùkōng and Zhū Bājiè when the Xuānzàng party came across him. They consequently took him in to be a part of the pilgrimage to the West.

Shā Wùjìng's weapon is the yuèyáchǎn ("Crescent-Moon-Shovel" or "Monk's Spade"). Aside from that, he knows eighteen transformations and is highly effective in water combat. He is about as strong as Bājiè, and is much stronger than Wùkōng in water. However, Bājiè can beat Wujing in a test of endurance, and Wùkōng can beat him out of water.

Shā Wùjìng is known to be the most obedient, logical, and polite of the three disciples, and always takes care of his master, seldom engaging in the bickeries of his fellow-disciples. Ever reliable, he carries the luggage for the travellers. Perhaps this is why he is sometimes seen as a minor character; the lack of any particular perks confers the lack of distinguishing and/or redeeming characteristics.

Wùjìng eventually becomes an Arhat at the end of the journey, giving him a higher level of exaltation than Bājiè, who is relegated to cleaning every altar at every Buddhist temple for eternity, but is still lower spiritually than Wùkōng or Xuānzàng who are granted Buddhahood.

List of Demons

There are many demons in the story. Examples are listed below:

• Black-Bear-Demon (pinyin: Hēixióngguài )
• Yellow Wind Demon (Huángfēngguài)
• Zhen Yuan Holy Man (He is not a demon, but an immortal, who got annoyed by those disciples who stole his precious immortal-fruits (Ginseng Fruits, 人参果).)
• White-Bone-Demon (pinyin: Báigǔjīng )
• Yellow Robe Demon (pinyin: Huángpáoguài )
• Gold-Horn and Silver-Horn (pinyin: Jīnjiǎo and Yínjiǎo )
• Red-Boy a.k.a. Holy Baby King (pinyin: Hóng-hái'ér ; Japanese: Kōgaiji )
• Tiger Power, Deer Power and Goat (or Antelope) Power
• Black River Dragon Demon (Hēi Shǔi Hé Yuan Lóng Gài)
• Carp Demon (Li Yu Jīng)
• Green-Ox-Demon (pinyin: Qīngniújīng )
• Scorpion-Demon (pinyin: Xiēzijīng )
• Six Ear Monkey Demon (a.k.a Fake Sun Wukong, Lìuěrmíhóu )
• Ox-Demon-King (pinyin: Niúmówáng ; Japanese: Gyūmaō )
• Demon Woman (Luo Cha Nǚ)
• Jade-Faced Princess (pinyin: Yùmiàn-gōngzhǔ ; Japanese: Gyokumen-kōshū )
• Boa Demon ( Hóng Shé Jīng )
• Nine-Headed Bird Demon (Jiǔ Tou Fu Ma)
• Seven-Spider-Demons (pinyin: Zhīzhū-jīng )
• Hundred-Eyed Taoist (Bǎi Yan Mo Jun)
• Green Lion Demon (pinyin: Qīngshījīng )
• White-Elephant-Demon (pinyin: Báixiàngjīng )
• Falcon Demon (Sun Jīng)
• Biqiu Country Minister a.k.a Deer Demon
• Gold-Nosed, White Mouse Demon (Lao Shu Jīng)
• Dream-Demon

Notable English-language translations

• Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China (1942), an abridged translation by Arthur Waley. For many years, the best translation available in English; it only translates thirty out of the hundred chapters. (Penguin reprint ISBN 0-14-044111-5 )
• Journey to the West , a complete translation by W.J.F. Jenner published by the Foreign Languages Press in Beijing 1955 (three volumes; 1982/1984 edition: ISBN 0-8351-1003-6 , ISBN 0-8351-1193-8 , ISBN 0-8351-1364-7 )
• The Journey to the West (1977–1983), a complete translation in four volumes by Anthony C. Yu. University of Chicago Press: HC ISBN 0-226-97145-7 , ISBN 0-226-97146-5 , ISBN 0-226-97147-3 , ISBN 0-226-97148-1 ; PB ISBN 0-226-97150-3 , ISBN 0-226-97151-1 ; ISBN 0-226-97153-8 ; ISBN 0-226-97154-6 .

Media adaptations

• Journey to the West: The Musical : A stage musical which received its world premiere at the New York Musical Theatre Festival on September 25, 2006.
• Monkey: Journey to the West : A stage musical version created by Chen Shi-zheng, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. It premiered as part of the 2007 Manchester International Festival at the Palace Theatre on June 28.
• The Monkey King : A production by the Children's Theater Company in Minneapolis, MN in 2005.
• A Chinese Odyssey by Stephen Chow.
• A Chinese Tall Story : 2005 live action movie starring Nicholas Tse as Xuánzàng.
• Heavenly Legend : A 1998 film by Tai Seng Entertainment starring Kung Fu kid Sik Siu Loong is partially based on this legend.
• Monkey Goes West : The Shaw Brothers's 1966 Hong Kong film (Cantonese: Sau yau gei. Also known as "Monkey with 72 Magic"
• The Forbidden Kingdom : 2008 live action movie starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li which is said to be based on the Legend of the Monkey King, the same legend as the TV show Monkey. [1]

Live action television

• Monkey (1978-1980): A well-known 1970s Japanese television series based on Journey to the West translated into English by the BBC.
• Journey to the West (1986): A TV series produced by CCTV.
• Journey to the West (1996): A popular series produced by Hong Kong studio TVB, starring Dicky Cheung.
• Journey to the West II (1998): The sequel to TVB's Journey to the West series, starring Benny Chan.
• The Monkey King (2001): Sci Fi Channel's TV adaptation of this legend, also called The Lost Empire .
• The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra (2002): A loose adaptation starring Dicky Cheung, who also portrayed Sun Wukong in the 1996 TVB series.
• Saiyūki (2006): A Japanese television series starring the SMAP star Shingo Katori.

Comics, manga, and anime

• Alakazam the Great : One of the first anime films produced by Toei Animation , a retelling of first part of the story based on the characters designed by Osamu Tezuka.
• Gensōmaden Saiyūki : manga and anime series inspired by the legend. Follow-up series include Saiyūki Reload and Saiyūki Reload Gunlock .
• Havoc in Heaven (also known as Uproar in Heaven ): Original animation from China.
• Iyashite Agerun Saiyūki : A 2007 adult anime [1]
• Monkey Magic : An animated retelling of the legend.
• Monkey Typhoon : A manga and anime series based on the Journey to the West saga, following a futuristic steampunk-retelling of the legend.
• Starzinger : An animated science fiction version of the story.
• The Monkey King : A gruesome manga inspired by the tale.

Works referencing Journey to the West

• American Born Chinese : An American graphic novel by Gene Yang. Nominated for the National Book Award (2006).
• Doraemon : A special tells the story of Journey To The West casting the Doraemon characters as the characters of the legend.
• Dragon Ball : Japanese manga and anime series loosely based on Journey to the West .
• Eyeshield 21 : Three of the players for the Shinryuji Nagas are referred to as the Saiyuki Trio based upon their appearances and personalities.
• InuYasha : The characters meet descendants of three of the main characters of the Journey of the West in one episode and main character, Kagome Higurashi, says a few lines about the whole book and story. Also, Inuyasha's necklace, which allows Kagome to punish him at will, is probably based on Sun Wukong's headband.
• Kaleido Star : The cast performs Saiyuki on stage a few times in the beginning of the second half of the series.
• Love Hina : The characters put on a play based on the story in anime episode 16.
• Naruto : Temari , a character from Naruto , is based on Princess Iron Fan from the legend. Enma is a summoned monkey who bears resemblance to Sun Wukong. He has the ability to transform into a staff similar to the rúyì-jīngū-bàng , which can alter its size at will.
• Ninja Sentai Kakuranger : The 1994 Super Sentai series, where each of the main characters are inspired by the main characters of Journey to the West
• GoGo Sentai Boukenger : The 2006 Super Sentai series, where its final episode involved the Rúyì-jīngū-bàng
• Juken Sentai Gekiranger : The 2007 Super Sentai series, where one of its villains fighting style is homeage to Sun Wukong.
• Patalliro Saiyuki : A shōnen-ai series in both anime and manga formats with the Patalliro cast playing out the Zaiyuji storyline with a yaoi twist.
• Ranma 1/2 : Pastiches of the characters appear throughout the manga and movies.
• Read or Die (OVA) : One of the villains is a clone of Xuanzang, who seems to have the powers of Sun Wukong and Xuanzang.
• Sakura Wars : The Imperial Flower Troupe Performs the play of Journey to the West.
• Shinzo : An anime loosely based on Journey to the West .
• XIN : An American comic mini-series produced by Anarchy Studio.
• Yuu Yuu Ki : A video game for the Famicom Disk System based directly on the story.
• Journey to the West : An unlicensed Famicom game by Taiwanese developer TXC Corp, 1994. [2]
• Pokémon Diamond and Pearl : A video game and multiseries in which the Pokémon creatures Chimchar, Monferno, and mainly Infernape are based on Sūn Wùkōng.
• Saiyuki: Journey West : A tactical role-playing game video game for the PlayStation developed by Koei.
• Fuun Gokuu Ninden : An action game for the PlayStation. The characters of the game are based on the characters of Journey to the West . [3]
• Saiyu Gouma Roku : A 1988 arcade game by Technos based on the original story and characters. The North American version is named "China Gate". [4]
• SonSon : A video game and character of the same name created by Capcom whose title character is a caricature of Sūn Wùkōng. The granddaughter of SonSon (also named SonSon) appears in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 .
• Westward Journey : A massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
• Whomp 'Em : An NES video game whose Japanese version is based on the story (the American version features an Indian boy instead of Wukong). Although a marketing failure, it is also a cult classic.
• ↑ Journey to the West , Unlicensed NES Guide.
• ↑ Fuun Gokuu Ninden (The God of Monkey) , Extreme-Gamers.
• ↑ China Gate , Coin-Op Express.

External links

• Monkey - Great Sage equal of Heaven - fansite.
• Journey to the West - Freeware complete English text version in PDF format (2.56MB) from Chine Informations .
• Journey to the West - Comprehensive and detailed website with in-depth information about Journey to the West.
• Story of Sun Wukong and the beginning of Journey to the West with manhua.
• Complete novel in Simplified Characters (utf-16 encoding).
• Solarguard Monkey – Plot summary (one paragraph for each of one hundred in novel) plus summary of book on historical Xuanzang.
• Images/commons

Journey to the West Research

A repository for research on the great 16th-century chinese classic, tag dragon ball, archive #42 – pdfs of journey to the west translations.

Note : My blog is not monetized, so I am not making any money from this post. My hope is that the PDFs will make this legendary story more accessible to a wider audience. If you enjoyed the digital versions, please, please, please support the official releases.

Last updated : 08-17-2023

I’m happy to host a number of foreign language translations of the noted Chinese classic Journey to the West  ( Xiyouji ,  西遊記 , 1592 CE). This archive currently houses the following editions:

• French (only part two of two)
• Italian (see below)

As of this writing, I don’t yet have a modern Japanese translation. But you can read an original copy of the 1835 translation here .

I have also  included translations of the unofficial sequel, A Supplement to the Journey to the West ( Xiyoubu , 西遊補 , 1640), in the following languages:

I will add more languages to this archive as they become available. Please let me know if you have access to other editions.

Journey to the West ( Xiyouji )

1.a. complete.

1) This is a PDF for The Journey to the West (2012 Rev. ed.) translated by Anthony C. Yu.

Archive #11 – PDFs of the Journey to the West 2012 Revised Edition

2) This is a text PDF for Journey to the West (1993/2020) translated by W. J. F. Jenner.

Click to access Wu-Chengen-Journey-to-the-West-4-Volume-Boxed-Set-2003.pdf

The four-volume box set in my collection ( larger version ).

1.B. Abridged

1) This is a PDF for Monkey (1942/1984) translated by Arthur Waley in 30 chapters (1 to 15, 18 and 19, 22, 37 to 39, 44 to 46, 47 to 49, and 98 to 100). See  past book covers here .

Click to access Wu-Chengen_-Arthur-Waley-Monkey-Grove-Press-1984.pdf

2) This is a PDF for The Monkey and the Monk (2006): An Abridgement of The Journey to the West  translated by Anthony C. Yu in 31 chapters (1 to 15, 18 and 19, 22 and 23, 44 to 46, 53 to 55, 57 and 58, 84, and 98 to 100)

Click to access Anthony-C.-Yu-The-Monkey-and-the-Monk_-An-Abridgment-of-The-Journey-to-the-West-2006.pdf

The official cover ( larger version )

1.C. Audiobook

1) I just learned of “The Fifth Monkey” and their Journey to the West – An Audio Drama Series , which presents a new English translation alongside the original Chinese . They explain:

One reason that led our team to start this audio drama project is to correct some of the mistranslations found in the Yu/Jenner translations. Most of them are very minor and we certainly understand what could have led to those mistakes, but we think it is worth exploring how we can help bring a more accurate presentation of the original text in the English language ( source ).

• Patreon (They post most regularly here)

The official logo ( larger version ).

2) YouTuber Sondley continues to record the Journey to the West (English Audiobook) , an audio recording of the aforementioned Jenner version. As of 6-10-24, they are up to chapter 38 (of 100).

This is a PDF for volume two (of two) for La Pérégrination vers l’Ouest (Xiyou ji) (1991) translated by André Lévy in 100 chapters. I was told by one French academic that this edition “is one of the best available in Western languages.” Hopefully I will find a PDF for volume one in the future.

Thank you to jyeet on the Journey to the West discord for locating the file.

Vol. 1 – [NOT YET AVAILABLE]

Vol. 2 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/French-JTTW-la-peregrination-vers-louest-Vol-2.pdf

The original two-volume boxed edition ( larger version ). Image found here .

This is a PDF for Die Reise in den Westen. Ein klassischer chinesischer Roman (2016) t ranslated by Eva Lüdi Kong in 100 chapters. It was awarded the Leipzig Book Fair prize in 2017. This version was converted from an ebook.

Click to access German-JTTW-Die-Reise-in-den-Westen.pdf

4. Hungarian

These are text PDFs for Nyugati utazás: avagy a majomkirály története (1969/1980) translated by Barnabás Csongor in two volumes. While the work covers the full 100 chapters, I’ve been told that it deletes the poems and occasionally paraphrases long-winded sections of text.

Thank you to Twitter user Jakabfi Károly for locating the files.

Vol 1 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Hungarian-JTTW-Nyugati-Utazas-Vol-1.pdf

Vol 2 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Hungarian-JTTW-Nyugati-Utazas-Vol-2.pdf

The official covers for volumes one and two ( larger version ). Image found here .

[ Note 10-19-23 : I was asked to remove the PDF from the archive per the publisher. I’m leaving the title here so others will know an Italian translation exists.]

The Italian text is called Viaggio in occidente (1998/2008) . It was translated by Serafino Balduzzi and published in two volumes. It is based on the French edition published in 1991. The work covers all 100 chapters.

This is a PDF for Małpi bunt (1976) translated by Tadeusz Żbikowski. It is a 14 chapter abridgement of the first 20 chapters of the original.

Thank you to Twitter user Friend_Pretend for locating the file.

Click to access Polish-JTTW-Malpi-bunt-1976.pdf

The official cover ( larger version ).

7. Romanian

This is a text PDF for Călătorie spre soare – a pune (1971) translated by Corneliu Rudescu and Fănică N. Gheorghe. It appears to be an abridgment.

Thank you to greencicadarchivist on the Journey to the West discord for locating the file.

Click to access Romanian-JTTW-U_Ceng_En_Calatorie_Spre_Soare_Apune_pdf.pdf

11. Vietnamese

This is a text PDF for Tây Du Ký translated by Như Sơn, Mai Xuân Hải, and Phương Oanh. The 100 chapters were originally split between 10 volumes and published from 1982 to 1988. The volumes were later transcribed and combined to make a single eBook via an online community in 2013 ( see here ). I have converted it into a PDF.

Click to access Vietnamese-JTTW-Tay-Du-Ky.pdf

The covers for the original ten volumes ( larger version ). Image found here .

A Supplement to the Journey to the West ( Xiyoubu )

A) This is a PDF for Further Adventures on the Journey to the West – Master of Silent Whistle Studio (2020) translated by Qianchng Li and Robert E. Hegel.

Click to access Further-Adventures-on-the-Journey-to-the-West-Master-of-Silent-Whistle-Studio-2020.pdf

B) This is a PDF for Tower of Myriad Mirrors: A Supplement to Journey to the West (2000) translated by Shuen-fu Lin and Larry J. Schulz. This version was converted from Mobi.

Click to access English-Xiyoubu-Lin-Shuen-fu_Dong-Yue-Schulz-Tung-Yueh-The-tower-of-myriad-mirrors_-a-supplement-to-Journey-to-the-West.pdf

2. Hungarian

This is a text PDF for Ami a nyugati utazásból kimaradt  (1957/1980) translated by Barnabás Csongor.

My thanks again to Twitter user Jakabfi Károly.

Click to access Hungarian-Xiyoubu-tung_jue_ami_a_nyugati_utazasbol_kimaradt.pdf

Update : 08-17-23

I forgot to mention that I have previously archived two other Chinese classics. The first is Creation of the Gods ( Fengshen yanyi , 封神演義 , c. 1620; a.k.a. Investiture of the Gods ), a sort of prequel to JTTW.

Archive #17 – PDFs of Creation of the Gods Library of Chinese Classics Chinese-English Bilingual Edition (Vols. 1-4)

The second is Journey to the South  ( Nanyouji ,  南遊記 , c. 1570s-1580s). This is NOT a direct sequel to JTTW. It instead follows the adventures of a martial god from Chinese folk religion. However, Sun Wukong makes a guest appearance in chapters one and seventeen.

Archive #40 – Journey to the South (Nanyouji) English Translation PDF

These have been posted for educational purposes. No malicious copyright infringement is intended. If you enjoyed the digital versions, please support the official releases.

Archive #41 – PDFs of The Illustrated Journey to the West (Ehon Saiyuki, 繪本西遊記, 1835)

While the earliest known published edition of Journey to the West  ( Xiyouji ,  西遊記 ) hails from the 13th-century , the standard 1592 edition of the novel appears to have arrived on Japan’s shores at a relatively late date. For example, the 18th-century translator Nishida Korenori (西田維則; penname: Kuchiki sanjin, 口木山人) began publishing Japanese translations of the stories in 1758, ultimately publishing a total of 26 chapters before his death. Others picked up where he left off, including Ishimaro Sanjin (石麻呂山人) (ch. 27-39 and later 40-47), Ogata Teisai (尾方貞斎) (ch. 48-53), and Gakutei Kyuzan 岳亭丘山 (ch. 54-65). This incomplete version, known as The Popular Journey to the West  ( Tsuzoku saiyuki , 通俗西遊記, 1758-1831) was published in five instalments over 31 volumes. The first complete version of the novel,  The Illustrated Journey to the West  ( Ehon Saiyuki , 繪本西遊記), was published in 40 volumes a few years later in 1835 (Tanaka, 1988, as cited in Chien, 2017, p. 21).

The latter is full of breathtaking woodblock prints, which are, in my honest opinion, FAR superior to those appearing in the aforementioned standard edition. While commonly attributed to Hokusai (北斎), this art was the joint work of Ohara Toya (大原東野), Utagawa Toyohiro (歌川豐廣), and Katsushika Taito II (二代葛飾戴斗) (Van Rappard-Boon, 1982, p. 147). Most are black and white (fig. 1-4), but a few are in color.

Here, I would like to archive PDF scans of the complete Japanese translation of Journey to the West . I hope it is useful to my readers.

Fig. 1 – The monk Xuanzang/Sanzang ( larger version ). Fig. 2 – Sun Wukong ( larger version ). Fig. 3 – Zhu Wuneng/Bajie ( larger version ). Fig. 4 – Sha Wujing ( larger version ). Woodblock prints from vol. 1, pp. 8-11.

I. Archive Links

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-1.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-2.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-3.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-4.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-5.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-6.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-7.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-8.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-9.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-10.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-11.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-12.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-13.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-14.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-15.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-16.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-17.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-18.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-19.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-20.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-21.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-22.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-23.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-24.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-25.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-26.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-27.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-28.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-29.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-30.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-31.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-32.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-33.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-34.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-35.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-36.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-37.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-38.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-39.pdf

Click to access Saiyuki-1835-No-40.pdf

I originally retrieved the PDF scans from this archive . My thanks to them.

Chien, P. (2017).  A Journey to the Translation of Verse in the Five English Versions of Xiyouji  [Unpublished Master’s dissertation]. National Taiwan Normal University. Retrieved from  http://rportal.lib.ntnu.edu.tw/bitstream/20.500.12235/95894/1/060025002l01.pdf

Van Rappard-Boon, C. (1982).  Hokusai and His School: Japanese Prints C.1800-1840. Netherlands: Rijksprntenkabinet /  Rijksmuseum.

Is Sun Wukong FTM Trans?

Note #1 : Unless cited here, all information is cited in the respective linked articles below.

Note #2 : Please see the 05-19-23 update for an important message.

Last updated : 01-03-2024

Warning : This article contains adult language and content.

The notion that Sun Wukong (孫悟空) is transgender (fig. 1) became popular on English-speaking social media sometime around 2022. The central idea appears to be that the Monkey King, or I should say “Monkey Queen,” was originally born a cis-woman but magically changes to a trans-man sometime after learning the art of transformation . Whether this is true or not has two possible answers:

1) If you or a loved one are trans, identify with Monkey’s ability to transform his body, and choose to personally interpret the character or portions of his story as an allegory for transness, then yes Sun Wukong is trans. 

2) Historically and canonically speaking? No.

In this article, I will present common arguments (A) in favor of a trans Monkey King that I’ve seen on social media. I will also introduce counterarguments (CA) supported by historical oral, published, and pictorial evidence that calls any claims of canonical proof into question. If I don’t have a particular counterargument in mind, I will simply post a comment (C).

Before continuing, I want to expressly state that this piece was written for two kinds of people: 1) Those who might openly claim that Sun Wukong is canonically trans; and 2) Those who don’t know enough about the character’s history or JTTW in general and might be swayed by seemingly knowledgeable online comments. It does not pertain to those who already personally interpret Monkey as trans and/or don’t care about canon because they were first exposed to him via movies, TV shows, video games, comic books, etc.

General readers will certainly find this article interesting as it features a lot of lesser-known historical information about the simian immortal.

Fig. 1 – An accurate Sun Wukong standing in front of the trans flag ( larger version ). The base drawing is by my friend Alexandre Palheta Coelho ( instagram  and  deviantart ). It was originally posted on this article .

1. An Important Statement

If someone claims that the Monkey King appearing in the 1592 edition of JTTW is canonically FTM trans, or they state the novel hints that he is without openly admitting that this is their own personal interpretation , that person, whether they realize it or not, is not telling you the whole truth. I don’t think they are doing this maliciously, though. It’s perfectly natural for people to want to see some of themselves in their favorite heroes. After all, who wouldn’t want to be an immortal rage wizard who can fly around the cosmos , transform into anything, lift mountains , and beat up gods and devils? I can see how it might be attractive to a trans youth to have the power to push back against authorities that wrongly vilify and strip them of their human rights. So, in that sense, I think I understand why the idea of a trans Sun Wukong is so popular. But having said that, I should highlight that anyone who goes beyond an allegorical reading of the novel by touting the reality of Monkey’s transness is either unaware of the character’s historical development or is willfully ignoring it.

2. Arguments and Counterarguments

2.1. Gender Neutral Terms 

A: ta (他; commonly “him”) and wang (王, commonly “king”) [1] are historically “gender neutral terms” and therefore can be used to refer to Sun Wukong as a cis-woman.

C: These are indeed gender neutral terms in dynastic material. Here are two examples from the 1592 JTTW: 1) Wang (王) appears in the royal title of the “ Queen Mother ” ( Wangmu niangniang , 王母 娘娘), the high-ranking Daoist goddess who owns the immortal peach groves; and 2) Ta (他) is used to refer to the female Bodhisattva Guanyin ( 觀音 ). Part of a descriptive poem in chapter eight reads: “ She is the merciful lord of the Potalaka Mountain ” ( Ta shi Luojiashan shang Cibei zhu , 他 是落伽山上慈悲主 ) (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 206).

However, the gender neutral status of these terms do not by themselves constitute evidence that the Monkey King is a cis-woman.

2.2. Matriarchal Primate Society

A: Real world monkey troupes are matriarchal, so it would make more sense for Sun Wukong to be a cis-woman.

CA: Real world biological concepts don’t mesh well with religious mythology. For example, Monkey is born from stone , and he later attains his authority through a test of bravery by jumping through a waterfall. So where does the primate matriarchy fit into this? Also, in chapter 11 of the 13th-century oral version of JTTW (see here and here ), Sun’s antecedent, the “Monkey Pilgrim” ( Hou xingzhe , 猴行者 ), explains that, prior to becoming the primate monarch, he had been exiled to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit in the distant past for stealing immortal peaches from the Queen Mother’s heavenly garden (Wivell, 1994, p. 1195). It’s important to note that the tale presents him as a supremely ancient immortal, one who has seen the Yellow River dry up nine times (Wivell, 1994, pp. 1182-1183). So, it’s not a stretch to suggest that his position as the Monkey King is related to his divinity. So I ask again: Where does the primate matriarchy fit into this?

Most importantly, mythic stories about male monkey monarchs do exist. Two such characters are Vali/Bali (Sk: वाली) and Sugrīva (Sk: सुग्रीव) from the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa (Sk: रामायणम्, c. 5th-century BCE). Another is the Mahākapi (Sk: महाकपि; lit: “Great Monkey,” c. 2nd-century BCE), an Indian Buddhist jataka tale about the Buddha ’s past life as a king of monkeys. One 2,000-year-old carving even depicts him with testicles (fig. 2). These few examples alone challenge the idea that monkey troupes have to be matriarchal in a mythic setting.

In fact, I suggest in this article that the Mahākapi tale influenced the 13th-century oral JTTW in several ways: 1) The Great Monkey is described as the chief of his tribe, and one 3rd-century Chinese version of the story even refers to him as the “Monkey King” ( Mihou wang , 獼猴王 ). This is a likely source for the Monkey Pilgrim’s position as the primate monarch; 2) The Great Monkey leads 80,000 monkeys. The 3rd-century Chinese version changes this number to 500 ( wubai , 五百 ), while the later Monkey Pilgrim leads 84,000 ( bawan siqian , 八萬四千 ). But all three numbers are used in Buddhism to refer to large numbers of things. In the case of the respective Indian and Chinese versions, the 80,000/500 monkeys are said to be the past lives of Buddhist monks. But most importantly, t he Chinese term for 80,000 ( bawan , 八萬) is considered shorthand for 84,000 ( bawan siqian , 八萬四千), showing a possible connection between the numbers of monkeys in the Indian original and the 13th-century oral JTTW ; 3) The Great Monkey and his tribe live in or around a mountainous, fruit-bearing tree. This could be one of several sources for the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit (see note #4 below for another); and 4) The 3rd-century Chinese version sees the Great Monkey steal from the imperial fruit garden of a human monarch. This could be one of several sources for the Monkey Pilgrim stealing immortal peaches from the Queen Mother’s heavenly garden.

See this article for the many parallels shared between the 1592 Sun Wukong and the historical Buddha.

Fig. 2 – The “Great Monkey” carving from the western torana at Sanchi (c. 1st-century BCE/CE) ( larger version ). He is the uppermost yellow figure reaching for the green tree. Take note of his testicles. The colored and labeled elements are used in my article to describe this “continuous narrative” scene .

2.3. Feminine Title

A: Sun Wukong calls himself the “Handsome Monkey King” ( Meihou wang , 美猴王), but the character for handsome, “ mei (美),” traditionally means “beautiful.” So, it would make more sense for Monkey to call themself beautiful if they were a cis-woman.

CA: I think that there is a much better explanation. Recall that the 1592 JTTW depicts our hero as an ugly creature. For instance, part of a descriptive poem in chapter 44 reads:

A bumpy brow, and golden eyes flashing; A round head and a hairy face jowl-less; Gaping teeth, pointed mouth, a character most sly; He looks more strange than thunder god […] (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, p. 276). 磕額金睛晃亮，圓頭毛臉無腮。咨牙尖嘴性情乖。貌比雷公古怪。 …

In fact, Sun’s association with being ugly goes back centuries. For example, writing in the 1250s, the Song -era poet Liu Kezhuang (劉克莊, 1187-1269) used Monkey as a metaphor to describe his own failing appearance:

A back bent like a water-buffalo in the Zi stream, Hair as white as the silk thread issued by the “ice silkworms”, A face even uglier than Hou xingzhe [“Monkey Pilgrim”] (emphasis added), Verse more scanty than even He Heshi (Dudbridge, 1970, p. 46). 背傴水牛泅磵髪白氷蠶吐絲 貌醜似猴行者 詩痩於鶴何師

Therefore, the primate monarch definitely is not “handsome” or “beautiful.”

I suggest instead that Sun refers to himself as mei (美) because of his egotistical personality. He is after all an allegory for the Monkey Mind . This same overinflated sense of self leads him to later challenge the primacy of the Jade Emperor ( Yuhuang dadi , 玉皇大帝 ) . Monkey’s self-conceit is best illustrated by the rebellious poem that he recites to the Buddha in chapter seven. The latter part reads:

[…] In Divine Mists Hall none should long reside, For king may follow king in the reign of man. If might is honor, let them yield to me. He only is hero who dares to fight and win!” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 193). […] 靈霄寶殿非他久，歷代人王有分傳。 強者為尊該讓我，英雄只此敢爭先。

See the 08-09-2023 and 09-27-23 updates below for another reason why he might have been called Meihou wang (美猴王).

2.4. Etymology of Surname

A: In chapter one, the Patriarch Subodhi ( Puti zushi , 菩提祖師 ) relies on Monkey’s appearance to derive a surname for them. Some of the etymology mentions feminine concepts, adding support to the idea that Sun Wukong was originally a cis-woman:

The Patriarch laughed and said, “Though your features are not the most attractive, you do resemble a pignolia-eating monkey ( husun [猢猻]). This gives me the idea of taking a surname for you from your appearance. I intended to call you by the name Hu [猢]. If I drop the animal radical [犭] from this word, what’s left is a compound made up of the two characters, gu [古] and yue [月]. Gu means aged and yue [“moon”] denotes feminine yin energy [陰], but aged yin cannot reproduce (emphasis added). Therefore, it is better to give you the surname of Sun [猻]. If I drop the animal radical from this word, what we have left is the compound of zi [子] and xi [系]. Zi means a boy and xi means a baby, and that name exactly accords with the fundamental Doctrine of the Baby Boy. So your surname will be ‘Sun’” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 115). 祖師笑道：「你身軀雖是鄙陋，卻像個食松果的猢猻。我與你就身上取個姓氏，意思教你姓『猢』。猢字去了個獸傍，乃是個古月。 古者，老也；月者，陰也。老陰不能化育 ，教你姓『猻』倒好。猻字去了獸傍，乃是個子系。子者，兒男也；系者，嬰細也，正合嬰兒之本論。教你姓『孫』罷。」

CA: Our hero’s association with the surname Sun predates the 1592 JTTW by centuries, appearing as early as an early-Ming JTTW zaju play . Therefore, Subodhi’s etymological breakdown is just an excuse to change husun (猢猻), one of the historical terms for the macaque , into Sun. It’s also an excuse to tie the surname to historical Daoist longevity practices .

Also, Sun has been used since at least the Tang Dynasty (618-907) as a surname for monkeys associated with Buddhist monks. According to the Tang poet Li Shen (李紳, d. 846):

There are many monkeys in the [Lingyin and Tianzhu] monasteries. They are called the Sun group (or the group of Sun, “Sun tuan” [孫團]). They have been reared there for a long time (Shahar, 1992, pp. 202-203).

2.5. Stable Monkeys

A: It was a common historical practice to place female monkeys in horse stables because their menstruation was believed to ward off equine sickness ( see my past article for a source ). Hence, Sun’s time as the heavenly stable master supports the idea that he was originally a cis-woman.

CA: Just because something influenced a character in a story doesn’t mean that thing and all of its traits become the character. That’s like saying Son Goku is Superman just because Dragon Ball Z -era Akira Toriyama borrowed the “alien sent to earth” element from the Man of Steel’s mythos. But that isn’t the case since each character and their respective stories have definable differences. And it’s the same for the female stable monkeys and Sun Wukong.

After becoming the Bimawen ( 弼馬溫 ) (fig. 3), Sun dotingly cares for nearly 1,000 horses day and night, making sure that they are all well-fed, exercised, and rested. At no point does the 1592 JTTW even hint that their health is in any way tied to menstruation. But having said that, I suggest the reason that Monkey gets so upset when people call him Bimawen , what Yu (Wu & Yu, 2012) translates as “BanHorsePlague” (vol. 1, p. 354), is because it references the homophonous term for the historical practice, Bimawen (避馬瘟, lit: “avoid the horse plague”). Surprisingly, the latter phrase does not appear in the novel.

Fig. 3 – A 2014 stamp featuring a scene from the classic 1960s animation Havoc in Heaven in which Sun Wukong serves as the Bimawen ( larger version ). Image  found here .

3. Final Counterarguments

3.1. Historical Male Depictions

I don’t know of any historical oral, published, or pictorial sources that portray or describe Sun as a cis-woman in their regular form . To my knowledge, he has always been depicted as a cis-man .

I won’t pretend to know the full extent of our hero’s history. But I always strive to learn more about the subject. Just look at the following as a brief survey.

The earliest art depicting the aforementioned Monkey Pilgrim shows him as either a simian cleric or soldier accompanying the monk Tripitaka . But I think the best example to present for this discussion is the 13th-century Kaiyuan Temple stone pagoda carving (fig. 4) , which portrays him as a muscular, sword-wielding protector deity.

Fig. 4 – The Kaiyuan Temple stone pagoda carving of the Monkey Pilgrim (1237) ( larger version ).

3.1B. Oral literature

The Story of How Tripitaka of the Great Tang Procures the Scriptures ( Da Tang Sanzang qujing shihua , 大唐三藏取經詩話 ), the  aforementioned 13th-century oral version of JTTW, first introduces the Monkey Pilgrim as a “scholar dressed in a white robe” ( Baiyi xiucai , 白衣秀才 ) (Wivell, 1994, p. 1182). The word translated here as scholar, “ xiucai “ (秀才; lit: “cultivated talent”), was “[f]rom antiquity a categorical rubric under which talented men were nominated to be considered for official appointments” (Hucker, 1985, p. 284). During the Song dynasty (960-1279), when this tale was first recorded, the xiucai was an informal term for candidates of the metropolitan-level exams (Hucker, 1985, p. 284). That is to say they were educated commoners who had yet to receive an official office. Dudbridge (1970) suggests that disguising oneself as a traveling, white-robed scholar would have then “conferr[ed] anonymity on the wearer” (p. 32). [2] This means that Monkey is likely using the disguise to walk among mortals without them realizing his divine nature.

Dudbridge (1970) also notes that this disguise was used by male characters in later published media (p. 32 n. 1). These examples instead use “ xiushi ” (秀士; lit: “cultivated scholar”). For instance, in chapter 81 of the Water Margin ( Shuihu zhuan , 水滸傳, c. 1400), a literary version of Song Emperor Huizong (宋徽宗) dresses this way in order to meet in secret with his favorite sex worker: 

Accompanied by a young eunuch , the sovereign arrived through the secret tunnel at the rear door of the courtesan’s house. He was dressed in the white garb of a scholar (emphasis added) (Shi & Luo, 1993/2021b, p.1715). 只見道君皇帝引着一個小黃門，扮做 白衣秀士 ，從地道中逕到李師師家後門來。(Shi & Luo, 1975/2021b, p. 1104)

The male disguise even carried over into the 1592 JTTW. For example, in chapter ten, the Dragon King of the Jing River ( Jinghe Longwang , 涇河龍王 ) takes on such a form to investigate a fortune teller with dangerously accurate predictions that threaten the fish of his kingdom: 

[H]e abandoned his sword and dismissed the clouds and the rains. Reaching the river bank, he shook his body and changed into a white-robed scholar (emphasis added) (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 239). 龍王 … 遂棄寶劍，也不興雲雨，出岸上，搖身一變，變作一個 白衣秀士 )

3.1C. Zaju play

The early-Ming Journey to the West zaju play ( Xiyou ji zaju , 西遊記雜劇 ) contains many familiar episodes that would come to appear in the 1592 JTTW. [3] But despite these parallels, there are many interesting differences. For example, in act nine (of 24), Sun Wukong is said to be the brother of several divine siblings:

We are five brothers and sisters: my older sister is the Venerable Mother of Mount Li , my younger sister is the Holy Mother Wuzhiqi , my older brother is the Great Sage Equaling Heaven , I myself am the Great Sage Reaching Heaven (emphasis added), and my younger brother is the Third Son Shuashua (based on Dudbridge, 1970, p. 110). 小聖弟兄、姊妹五人，大姊驪山老母，二妹巫枝祗聖母，大兄齊天大聖， 小聖通天大聖 ，三弟耍耍三郎。

(That’s right! The play refers to Monkey as the “Great Sage Reaching Heaven” instead of “… Equaling Heaven.”)

He also has a wife, a princess whom he had kidnapped from the “Country of the Golden Cauldron” ( Jinding guo , 金鼎國 ) (Ning, 1986, pp. 63-66). This portion of the play draws directly from a genre of  Han to Song -era tales in which magic apes kidnap young maidens in order to rape and impregnate them. [4]

The most apparent differences are the addition of bawdy elements like sex, cursing, and dirty jokes by the author, the 15th-century Mongol playwright Yang Jingxian (杨景賢). For instance, act 18 sees the pilgrims travel through the famous Woman Kingdom , where Sun, Zhu, and Sha all fall prey to temptations of the flesh. But whereas the latter two are successful in their sexual ventures, poor Monkey is struck by a bout of erectile dysfunction caused by the painful constricting of his headband :

Master, listen and I’ll tell you. There I was pinned down by a woman. My lustful nature was about to come forth, when suddenly the iron hoop on my head tightened, and the joints and bones up and down my whole body began to ache. The throbbing conjured up a bunch of vegetable names in my brain. My head hurt so my hair stood up like radish-tops, my face turned as green as smartweed sprouts, my sweat beaded up like the moisture on an eggplant soaked in sauce, and my cock fell as limp as a salted cucumber (emphasis added). When she saw me looking for all the world like chives sizzling in hot oil, she came around, suppressed her itch and set me free (Ning, 1986, pp. 138-139). 聽行者告訴一遍：小行被一個婆娘按倒，凡心卻待起。不想頭上金箍兒緊將起來，渾身上下骨節疼痛，疼出幾般兒蔬菜名來：頭疼得髮蓬如韭菜，面色青似蓼牙，汗珠一似醬透的茄子， 雞巴一似醃軟的黃瓜 。他見我恰似燒蔥，恰甫能忍住了胡麻。他放了我 …

(Notice that ta (他) is used in the quote above to refer to the girl. Refer back to section 2.1 for a reminder of the significance.)

Later in act 19, Monkey attempts to seduce Princess Iron Fan ( Tieshan gongzhu , 鐵扇公主 ) in order to gain access to her magic Banana leaf fan. Sun does this by reciting a poem in which he makes a veiled allusion to his penis being the right size for her vagina:

The disciple’s not too shallow , the woman’s not too deep (emphasis added). You and I, let’s each put forth an item, and make a little demon (Ning, 1986, p. 141). 弟子不淺，娘子不深 。我與你大家各出一件，湊成一對妖精。

When this plan fails and the Princess threatens him with her sword, Sun angrily explains that the supernatural durability of his body and penis renders him impervious to physical harm:

Why this lowdown wench has no manners at all! I am the Lord of the Crimson Cloud Cavern, the Great Sage [Reaching Heaven]! I plundered Laozi’s gold Pill of Immortality, and have endured so many alchemical transformations that my muscles are brass, my bones iron, my eyes fire, my pupils gold, my asshole lead and my prick is pewter. Why should I fear a steel [sword] slicing off my pizzle? (emphasis added) (Ning, 1986, p. 142). 這賊賤人好無禮。我是紫雲羅洞主，通天大聖。我盜了老子金丹，煉得銅筋鐵骨，火眼金睛，金俞石屁眼， 擺錫雞巴。我怕甚剛刀剁下我鳥來？

I want to highlight that this play did not influence the story cycle; it only reflects characters and episodes that were common to the cycle at that time. The bawdy elements were solely added to spice up the tale, making it more entertaining for zaju audiences. Therefore, this sex-crazed, dirty-mouthed version of the Monkey King should be considered a separate entity from his counterpart in the 1592 JTTW. However, I have included him here because the play clearly establishes that the character is a cis-man.

3.1D. Other Published Literature

A Supplement to the Journey to the West ( Xiyoubu , 西遊補 , 1640) is an unofficial sequel to the 1592 JTTW with a trippy, time-jumping story that mentions Sun Wukong fathering children with a woman. The first reference to his offspring appears in chapter 13 when actors in a royal play describe an alternate timeline where our hero had settled down:

His wife is so beautiful, his five sons so dashing. He started out as a monk, but came to such a good end! Such a very good end! (Dong, Lin, & Schulz, 2000, p. 114). 你看他的夫人這等標致，五個兒子這等風華。當初也是個和尚出身，後來好結局，好結局!

Later, in chapter 15, Monkey meets one of these sons, King Pāramitā ( Boluomi wang , 波羅蜜王 ), on the battlefield. This general recounts his family history to the stranger, revealing that, although he’s never met his father ( jiafu , 家父), he’s the son of the Great Sage and the Rakshasi ( Luocha nu , 羅剎女 ), Princess Iron Fan (Dong, Lin, & Schulz, 2000, pp. 123-124). In addition, he suggests that he was conceived during an event from chapter 59 of the original novel: 

[Sun Wukong] changed into a tiny insect and entered my mother’s belly. He stayed there a while and caused her no end of agony. When my mother could no longer bear the pain, she had no choice but to give the Banana-leaf Fan to my father, Monkey. [5] When my father, Monkey, got the Banana-leaf Fan, he cooled the inferno at Flaming Mountain and left. In the fifth month of the next year, my mother suddenly gave birth to me, King Pāramitā. Day by day I grew older and more intelligent. If you think about it, since my uncle [the Bull Demon King] and mother had never been together, and I was born after my father, Monkey, had been inside my mother’s belly, the fact that I am his direct descendant is beyond dispute (Dong, Lin, & Schulz, 2000, p. 124). 後來又變作小蟲兒鑽入家母腹中，住了半日，無限攪炒。當時家母認痛不過，只得將芭蕉扇遞與家父行者。家父行者得了芭蕉扇，扇涼了火焰山，竟自去了。到明年五月，家母忽然產下我蜜王。我一日長大一日，智慧越高。想將起來，家伯與家母從來不合，惟家父行者曾走到家母腹中一番，便生了我，其為家父行者之嫡系正派，不言而可知也。」

The novel doesn’t elaborate on how the other four sons are conceived. But in the case of Pāramitā, Sun’s presence in Iron Fan’s stomach acts as sperm fertilizing an egg.

Anyways, it should be evident from the examples presented above that the Monkey King was portrayed or described in his regular form as a cis-man throughout the long course of his character development.

This by itself should put the idea of a canonically trans Sun Wukong to rest, but there is one more counterargument that I think is even stronger.

3.2. Spiritual Gender Transitions in Buddhism

Buddhist literature actually includes instances of girls or women transforming into men upon enlightenment or rebirth. [6] The former is best exemplified by the “ Dragon Girl ” ( Longnu , 龍女 ) from chapter 12 of the Lotus Sutra ( Miaofa lianhua jing , 妙法蓮華經 ; a.k.a. Fahua jing , 法華經, c. 3rd-century) (fig. 5), a work mentioned in the 1592 JTTW six times . She is first introduced to an assembly of Buddhist deities as the eight-year old daughter of the Dragon King Sāgara ( Suojieluo longwang , 娑竭羅龍王 ) and one of an unfathomable number of dragonfolk enlightened by the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī ’s ( Wenshu shili , 文殊師利 ) lessons on the Lotus Sutra . Her teacher describes her as a great student prodigy with a deep knowledge of Buddhist Law , as well as having many advanced spiritual achievements. But this upsets some among the assembly because the notion of a young girl approaching Buddhahood so quickly flies in the face of convention, which normally calls for untold aeons of severe austerities before one can achieve awakening . Her accomplishments are called into question at first, but everyone is appeased when she offers a priceless jewel to the Buddha, and he quickly accepts it as a symbolic gesture. Then:

The girl said [to the assembly], “Employ your supernatural powers and watch me attain Buddhahood. It will be even quicker than that!”  At that time the members of the assembly all saw the dragon girl in the space of an instant change into a man (emphasis added) and carry out all the practices of a bodhisattva, immediately proceeding to the spotless World of the south, taking a seat on a jeweled lotus, and attaining impartial and correct enlightenment. With the thirty-two features and the eighty characteristics [of a Buddha], he expounded the wonderful Law for all living beings everywhere in the ten directions (Watson, 1993, p. 188). [7] 女言：「以汝神力，觀我成佛，復速於此。」 當時眾會，皆見 龍女忽然之間變成男子 ，具菩薩行，即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮華，成等正覺，三十二相、八十種好，普為十方一切眾生演說妙法。

This kind of spiritual gender transition  was certainly known to the host of historical oral storytellers [8] and author-compilers who contributed to the formation of the novel  due to their vast shared knowledge of Buddhist and Daoist religion and lore.

T herefore, if the Sun Wukong from the 1592 JTTW was originally intended to be trans, he would have been OPENLY portrayed as such, without the need for subtle hints, due to scriptural precedent. And the fact that he wasn’t makes this what I consider to be the most damning argument against a canonically trans Sun Wukong.

Fig. 5 – A frontispiece to a Song-era edition of the Lotus Sutra ( larger version ). Image found here .

4. Final Thoughts

I hope that anyone unfamiliar with the Monkey King’s history can now make an informed judgement about online comments making claims about his gender.

And for those who still might want to go beyond an allegorical reading of the novel, you need to answer two questions:

• Why did the 1592 JTTW hint that Sun Wukong is FTM trans despite him being depicted as a cis-man for centuries?
• Why were said hints used in place of scriptural examples of spiritual gender transition?

Answering these questions will require evidence, not an interpretation. I’m honestly not sure what that evidence would be since the evidence against it is so overwhelming. 

I would be willing to accept the “possibility” of a trans Sun Wukong, though, if anyone can find an analysis of the character by a pre-20th-century Chinese literary critic expounding the same view. Please do not misinterpret this as me saying that there were no trans people prior to the 20th-century. I’m sure there have been many throughout history, and I’m sure the terms applied to or used by them in the past were wildly different from the ones used today. But without some kind of historical support, the reality of a canonically trans Monkey King, beyond a personal interpretation, is nothing more than a wish. 

Update : 05-19-2023

It’s recently come to my attention that this article has upset some people, namely those who are aware of the Monkey King’s worship and those who disagree with the concept of transgender people. The first group needs to understand that, while a religious figure, Sun Wukong is far more widely known around the world as a literary figure. And since people primarily view him as a fictional character—one who is in the public domain , in fact—they are free to interpret the simian immortal however they see fit. This means that both the Monkey God and the literary Monkey King should be viewed as two separate entities.

For the second group, the trans identity is outside my area of research and personal experience. Therefore, I can’t really say anything about the subject that would affect your point of view. My advice would be to ignore political pundits and instead start a dialogue with someone in the trans community to understand their thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

I’ve also learned that my article has apparently been weaponized by some on discord in an attempt to invalidate the views of trans individuals who identify with Sun Wukong. I don’t like that my work is being used to harass people. I want to make it clear that this article was not written to attack the trans community. It was solely made to place Monkey in his correct historical context. My first concern as a student of JTTW is that the history of the novel and its characters are presented accurately. But I am fully aware that perceptions of popular characters can and do evolve over time. That’s why I mentioned in the opening that viewing Sun as trans is perfectly fine as long as it’s clear that this is a personal interpretation. So, if you are a trans person and some troll presents my article as proof that your personal allegory is wrong, please have the confidence to tell them, “off you fuck.”

Update : 05-27-23

I found this lovely drawing of the Dragon Girl online (fig. 6). The image depicts her at the moment when she hands the Buddha the priceless jewel, just prior to transforming into a man.

Fig. 6 – A drawing of the Dragon Girl and the priceless jewel ( larger version ). Image found here .

Update : 08-09-23

It just occurred to me that another reason why Sun Wukong might be called Meihou wang (美猴王), or “Handsome or Beautiful Monkey King,” is because it’s a pun on mihou (獼猴), another word for macaque. The 1592 JTTW already includes a separate character named Mihou wang (獼猴王) in chapters three, four, and 41. And most importantly, even the Buddha’s past life as a king of monkeys is called Mihou wang (獼猴王). See the article below for more info.

The Female Monkey King: A Brief Study of the Term Mihou (獼猴) in Journey to the West

Update : 09-27-23

It just dawned on me that Sun Wukong’s precursor, the Monkey Pilgrim” from the 13th-century JTTW , is also called Mihou wang  (獼猴王). Chapter two refers to him as  Huaguo shan ziyun dong bawan siqian tongtou tie’e Mihou wang  ( 花果山紫雲洞八萬四千銅頭鐵額獼猴王 , the “Bronze-Headed, Iron-Browed King of the Eighty-Four Thousand Monkeys of the Purple Cloud Grotto on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits”) (Wivell, 1994, p. 1182).

This might lend support to the suggestion in my 08-09-23 update above.

Update : 01-03-2024

Apart from the Lotus Sutra , there is another way to make Sun Wukong a woman. The idea is a byproduct of my recent “ How to Kill Sun Wukong ” article. It details a ritual (from another famous vernacular novel) that secretly steals an immortal’s spirit, tethers it to a straw effigy, and then kills the target by shooting it with arrows. In that article, I introduced a story idea where Zhu Bajie and/or Sha Wujing could race to stop the ritual. But what if they failed and the Monkey King was killed?

The rite only terminates the immortal’s physical body. It doesn’t destroy the spirit. And since Wukong hasn’t yet achieved Buddha-Nature, meaning he is still subject to the wheel of rebirth, his spirit would report to the underworld for processing. He could definitely be transferred to a new reincarnation; however, considering the journey would still be ongoing and the Tang Monk is always in trouble, heaven might rush to find our hero a new body. This actually happens to a minor character in the 1592 JTTW.

The ledgers of hell show that the deceased wife of a Tang official was fated to live a long life (i.e. she wasn’t supposed to be dead). Therefore, the underworld bureaucracy takes the timely passing of the Tang Emperor’s sister as an opportunity to force the soul of the official’s wife into the princess’ body. The best part is that she still retains her memories from her past life (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 268-269)!

Heaven might find the only suitable body that can contain Monkey’s soul is a recently deceased demoness (fox, yaksha, tree, etc.). [9] I imagine this would result in Sun Wukong being weaker, not because she’s now a woman, but because few beings can match Monkey’s original physical and magical might. This would naturally lead to her coming to terms with a loss of power. She could still be a very strong fighter, just not as strong as her past life. This might cause her to use more cunning when dealing with especially powerful evils encountered along the journey.

The choice is yours if you want to keep her a woman or have her become a male Buddha (like the Dragon Girl).

1) One of the suggested earliest meanings for wang (王) is “big man,” and it was used as a title by the tribal chieftains that would evolve into Chinese emperors (Qi, 1991). 

2) Yes, I am aware that Dudbridge (1970) also associates white robes with female demons (p. 32 n. 3). However, the Monkey Pilgrim is expressly associated with the white clothing of the historically male xiucai scholar candidates.

3) These similar episodes include the reincarnation of a heavenly being as Tripitaka, the murder of his father , Sun Wukong stealing immortal peaches from heaven and eventually being imprisoned under a mountain , his punishment with the restricting headband , the subjugation of Zhu Bajie ( here and here ) and Sha Wujing , the addition of a royal dragon-turned-white horse , the ordeal at Fire Mountain, the Country of Women , etc. This shows that the centuries-old story cycle was starting to become standardized by the 14th or 15th-century.

4) One example is “ A Supplement to Jiang Zong’s Biography of a White Ape ” ( Bu Jiang Zong Baiyuan Zhuan , 補江總白猿傳 , c. late-7th-century). In the story, a general’s young wife is kidnapped by a mysterious force, but he and his soldiers later find her living among a large harem of women in a mountain paradise. They tell the commander that their captor is a magic white ape who uses them night after night to fuel his Daoist sexual alchemy . The women also warn him and his men that they are no match for the beast’s great power, so the captives devise a plan that eventually leads to the primate’s death. In the end, the general learns that his wife is pregnant with the spirit’s child.

What’s interesting for the purposes of this blog is that the titular white ape shares many surprising parallels with the Sun Wukong from the 1592 JTTW. Both:

• Are supernatural primates possessed of human speech. 
• Are one thousand-year-old practitioners of longevity arts. 
• Are masters of Daoist magic with the ability to fly and change their appearance. 
• Are warriors capable of single-handedly defeating an army. 
• Have a fondness for armed martial arts. 
• Have an iron-hard, nigh-invulnerable body immune to most efforts to harm them. 
• Have eyes that flash like lightning. 
• Live in verdant mountain paradises (like the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit). 
• Reside in caves with stone furniture (like the Water Curtain Cave). 

5) See Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 129.

6) An example of the latter appears in Chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra . Women are promised a male rebirth in paradise for having heard and practiced the scripture  (Watson, 1993, pp. 287-288).

7) For the Dragon Girl’s story, see Watson, 1993, pp. 187-189.

8) The Lotus Sutra , which contains the story of the Dragon Girl, is given prominence in the 13th-century oral JTTW. It is painted as an important scripture, one even hailed in heaven.  Chapter three sees the monk Tripitaka (referred to here by his historical name Xuanzang ) give a detailed lecture on the sacred text:

The arhats said: “We thank the Master for coming to the [heavenly] palace today. Does the master excel in explaining sutras?” Xuanzang replied: “If it is a sutra, I can explain it. If it is not, I do not.” “Can you explain the Lotus Sutra ?” the arhat asked. Xuanzang replied: “That’s easy.” (emphasis added) Thereupon the five hundred arhats, the [king of heaven] Mahabrahma Devaraja , and in all a company of over a thousand gathered to listen to the sutra. Xuanzang recited flawlessly without pausing for breath. Like pouring water from a vase, he clarified the obscurities of the text (emphasis added). Everyone praised his marvelous delivery ( Wivell, 1994, p. 1184 ). 羅漢問曰：「今日謝師入宮。師善講經否？」玄奘曰：「是經講得，無經不講。」 羅漢曰：「會講《法華經》否？」玄奘：「此是小事。」 當時五百尊者、大梵王，一千餘人，咸集聽經。 玄奘一氣講說，如瓶注水，大開玄妙。 眾皆稱贊不可思議。

9)  I even considered Princess Iron Fan as the receptacle. However, she is said to having a positive fate in the novel: “In the end she, too, attained the right fruit [i.e. Buddhist merit] and a lasting reputation in the sutras” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 163). I think choosing her would muddy our Lady’s accomplishments.

Dong, Y., Lin, S. F., & Schulz, L. J. (2000). The Tower of Myriad Mirrors: A Supplement to Journey to the West . Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, The University of Michigan.

Dudbridge, G. (1970). The Hsi-yu chi: A Study of Antecedents to the Sixteenth-Century Chinese Novel . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hucker, C. O. (1985). A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China . Taipei: SMC Publishing Inc.

Ning, C. Y. (1986). Comic Elements in the Xiyouji Zaju (UMI No. 8612591) [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Michigan]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Qi, W. (1991). An Inquiry into the Original Meaning of the Chinese Character for King (wang). Chinese Studies in History , 25(2), 3-16, DOI: 10.2753/CSH0009-463325023

Shahar, M. (1992). The Lingyin Si Monkey Disciples and The Origins of Sun Wukong. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies , 52(1), 193-224. https://doi.org/10.2307/2719331

Shi, N., & Luo, G. (2021a). Shuihu zhuan ( shang , zhong , xia ) [ Tale of the Water Margin (Vols. 1-3)]. Beijing: Renmin wenxue chubanshe. (Original work published 1975)

Shi, N., & Luo, G. (2021b). Outlaws of the Marsh (Vols. 1-4) (S. Shapiro, Trans.). Beijing: Foreign Languages Press. (Original work published 1993)

Watson, B. (Trans.) (1993). The Lotus Sutra . New York: Columbia University Press.

Wivell, C.S. (1994). The Story of How the Monk Tripitaka of the Great Country of T’ang Brought Back the Sūtras . In V. Mair (Ed.), The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature (pp. 1181-1207). New York: Columbia University Press.

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

How Tall are the Main Characters from Journey to the West?

Last updated : 04-27-2024

A member of a Monkey King Facebook group I belong to posted a Chinese informational picture titled “ Journey to the West : The Four Body Height Ratios of the Master and His Disciples” ( Xiyou ji: Shitu siren shengao duibi , 西游记 师徒四人身高对比) (fig. 1). Each character is depicted with their correct corresponding height, ranging from Sun Wukong as the shortest to Sha Wujing as the tallest. The bottom of the picture provides some measurements:

The original novel describes Bajie’s body as being 1 zhang tall. Three chi is 1 meter. One zhang is around 3.3 meters. Sha Monk is 1.2 zhang , which is close to 4 meters. The Tang monk is 1.8 meters. The Lord Great Sage is 4 chi , or approximately 1.3 meters. 原著描述八戒身高一丈，三尺为一米，一丈是三米三左右。沙僧一丈二接近四米，唐僧一米八，大聖爺四尺，大约一米三。

The information is overgeneralized and at times conjectural, but I figured the picture would be interesting to my followers on Twitter. Little did I know that it would explode in popularity. As of this writing, my tweet has 940 likes (most of these received in a few days). This indicates that not many people were aware of the great height disparity between the pilgrims. I’ve therefore decided to write an article recording what Journey to the West actually says about each character’s height. 

I believe that the creator of the informational picture got their measurements from this essay , for it has the exact same title and very similar material (Zhongshi Damei Shenghuo [ZDS], 2020). I will use the claims therein to compare and contrast with the actual text from the novel.

Fig. 1 – The Chinese informational picture listing the pilgrims’ heights ( larger version ). I unfortunately don’t know who the original artist is. A reverse image search didn’t turn up anything. This page has the earliest appearance of the informational picture that I can find.

1. Measurements

ZDS (2020) uses a mixture of the ancient Chinese chi (尺) and zhang (丈) and the modern meter ( mi , 米). The chi (and subsequently the zhang ) varied at the local level at different times. During the Ming (1368-1644), when Journey to the West was published, the measurements equaled:

• One chi (尺) = roughly 31.8 cm (12.3 in)
• Ten chi = one zhang (丈)
• one zhang (丈) = roughly 3.18 m (10.43 ft) (Jiang, 2005, p. xxxi).

Yes, the novel is set during the Tang (618-907), but many elements of the story (e.g. language, religion, mythos, martial arts, etc.) are filtered through the lens of the Ming. Therefore, it’s appropriate to use Ming-era measurements.

The characters are listed below from shortest to tallest.

( Note : I will be relying on the Wu & Yu (2012) translation . But since it uses “feet” instead of the original chi or zhang , I’ll alter the source throughout the article for more accuracy.)

2.1. Sun Wukong

See my previous articles discussing Monkey’s height ( here and here ).

ZDS (2020) states that Sun is “4 chi , that is less than 1.3 m [4.26 ft] or the same height as a child” ( 4 chi, yejiushi budao 1.3 mi, gen haitong yiban gao , 4尺，也就是不到1.3米，跟孩童一般高). But they miss an important distinction. The novel twice describes him as being “not four chi  tall” ( buman sichi , 不滿四尺 ), meaning that Monkey is an unknown height below 1.272 m (4.17 ft).

The phrase is first spoken by the Monstrous King of Havoc ( Hunshi mowang , 混世魔王) in chapter 2:

When the Monstrous King saw him, he laughed and said, “You’re not four chi tall (emphasis added), nor are you thirty years old; you don’t even have weapons in your hands. How dare you be so insolent, looking for me to settle accounts?” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 128). 魔王見了，笑道：「你身不滿四尺，年不過三旬，手內又無兵器，怎麼大膽猖狂，要尋我見甚麼上下？」

The second is said hundreds of years later by the Great King Yellow Wind ( Huangfeng dawang , 黃風大王) in chapter 21:

The old monster took a careful look and saw the diminutive figure of Pilgrim— less than four feet (emphasis added), in fact—and his sallow cheeks. He said with a laugh: “Too bad! Too bad! I thought you were some kind of invincible hero. But you are only a sickly ghost, with nothing more than your skeleton left!” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 408). 那怪仔細觀看，見行者身軀鄙猥，面容羸瘦，不滿四尺。笑道：「可憐，可憐。我只道是怎麼樣扳翻不倒的好漢，原來是這般一個骷髏的病鬼。」

Some readers may wonder why such a powerful character can be so tiny. This is because the novel describes Sun as a literal monkey. Refer back to this article for more information.

( Note : See the 4-27-24 update below for a more precise measurement. )

2.2. The Tang Monk

I have yet to formally write about Tripitaka ‘s height.

ZDS (2020) suggests that the “Tang Monk should be about 1.8 m [5.90 ft]” ( Tangseng yinggai zai 1.8 mi zuoyou , 唐僧应该在1.8米左右). This estimate is based around the size of a stone box used in chapter 49 to imprison him:

Pilgrim … mov[ed] towards the rear of the palace. He looked, and sure enough there was a stone box, somewhat like a trough that people use in a pigpen or a stone coffin. Measuring it, he found it to be approximately six chi in length (emphasis added). He crawled on top of it and soon heard the pitiful sound of Tripitaka’s weeping coming from inside (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, p. 347). 行者 … 徑直尋到宮後看，果有一個石匣，卻像人家槽房裡的豬槽，又似人間一口石棺材之樣，量量足有六尺長短。卻伏在上面，聽了一會，只聽得三藏在裡面嚶嚶的哭哩。

Six chi is 1.9 m or 6.25 ft. Tripitaka would obviously be shorter given the inside thickness of the stone walls, but the novel doesn’t provide such detailed information. This means that the 1.8 m estimate is conjecture. So, what other proof is there?

ZDS (2020) also cites a poem from chapter 54 as evidence that the Tank Monk is “tall and handsome” ( yougao youshuai , 又高又帅):

What handsome features! What dignified looks! Teeth white like silver bricks, Ruddy lips and a square mouth. His head’s flat-topped, his forehead, wide and full; Lovely eyes, neat eyebrows, and a chin that’s long. Two well-rounded ears betoken someone brave. He is all elegance, a gifted man. What a youthful, clever, and comely son of love, Worthy to wed Western Liang’s gorgeous girl! (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol.  3, p. 55). [1] 丰姿英偉，相貌軒昂。齒白如銀砌，唇紅口四方。頂平額闊天倉滿，目秀眉清地閣長。兩耳有輪真傑士，一身不俗是才郎。好個妙齡聰俊風流子，堪配西梁窈窕娘。

But, as can be seen, the verse mentions nothing about his height, only his beauty.

Hence, there isn’t enough information in the novel to officially say how tall Tripitaka is. But for those demanding some sort of answer, we can always speculate using real world data.

According to one study , out of a sample size of 28,044 Chinese men from 31 provinces/autonomous regions, the average modern height is 169 cm (5.54 ft). Additionally, this Chinese article references a study claiming that men from ancient times up to the Ming were between 165 cm (1.65 m or 5.41 ft) and 167 cm (1.67 m or 5.47 ft). This is obviously shorter than the 1.8 m suggested above.

Therefore, the most we can say is that the Tang Monk would be average historical height.

2.3. Zhu Bajie

I’ve written about Zhu Bajie’s height in the past ( see here ).

ZDS (2020) writes that Zhu’s “snout is 3 chi long” ( zui chang 3 chi , 嘴长3尺). This is based on a descriptive poem from chapter 85:

A snout, pestlelike, over three chi long  (emphasis added) And teeth protruding like silver prongs Bright like lightning a pair of eyeballs round, Two ears that whip the wind in hu-hu sound. Arrowlike hairs behind his head are seen; His whole body’s skin is both coarse and green. His hands hold up a thing bizarre and queer: A muckrake of nine prongs which all men fear. (Wu & Yu 2012, vol. 4, p. 149). 碓嘴初長三尺零，獠牙觜出賽銀釘。 一雙圓眼光如電，兩耳搧風唿唿聲。 腦後鬃長排鐵箭，渾身皮糙癩還青。 手中使件蹊蹺物，九齒釘鈀個個驚。

But, again, an important distinction is missed. Zhu’s nose is “over three chi long,” or   larger than 95.4 cm (3.12 ft) , which is over half the height of an average human .  ZDS (2020) says this measurement indicates that: “According to the laws of biology, (Zhu’s) body is approximately 3.5 m [11.48 ft]” ( Anzhao shengwuxue de guilu, shenti yue 3.5 mi zuoyou , 按照生物学的规律，身体约3.5米左右). However, they never explain what laws they are referring to.

The only other information about Zhu’s size that I’m aware of appears in chapter 29. Upon entering a new kingdom, Tripitaka describes his two remaining disciples. [2] He starts with the pig spirit:

“My elder disciple has the surname of Zhu, and his given names are Wuneng and Eight Rules. He has a long snout and fanglike teeth, tough bristles on the back of his head, and huge, fanlike ears. He is coarse and husky, and he causes even the wind to rise when he walks (emphasis added) …” (Wu & Yu 2012, vol. 2, p. 51). 我那大徒弟姓豬，名悟能八戒，他生得長嘴獠牙，剛鬃扇耳，身粗肚大，行路生風 …

This tells us that Zhu has a large body capable of stirring the wind when he moves. But it’s important to note that Tripitaka’s subsequent dialogue assigns Sha Wujing a specific height (see below). This points to Zhu being shorter in comparison.

Therefore, just like the Tank Monk, there isn’t enough info to officially say how tall Zhu is. But we can again speculate using real world data.

My friend Barbara Campbell ( blog ) suggested that I use extinct prehistoric pigs as reference. A prime example is Megalochoerus homungous , which has been estimated to be 3.8 m (12.46 ft) long, 1.8 to 2.2 m (5.9 to 7.21 ft) at the shoulder, and up to 1,600 kg (3,527.39 lbs) (Uchytel, n.d.). A reconstruction by the paleo artist Roman Uchytel presents a towering creature with a head half as long as a man’s body (fig. 2). This is quite similar to the size of Zhu’s nose. Even with it’s head facing forward, a bipedal M. homungous would still be around 3.8 m (12.46 ft) tall. But as you’ll read below, this is too tall if Zhu is supposed to be shorter than Sha.

So how tall is Zhu? Your guess is as good as mine. But for those demanding some sort of answer, we can use human arm span to body height ratio , which is roughly 1:1. Using 1.8 m (5.9 ft), or the lower estimate for M. homungous ‘ shoulder height, Zhu could be as much as 3.6 m (11.81 ft). But I am in no way comfortable with this estimate. It’s 100% pure conjecture, and I think it is still too tall.

Fig. 2 – A reconstruction of M. homungous by Roman Uchytel ( larger version ). Mr. Uchytel graciously gave me permission to use a watermarked version of his art for free. Please consult his website here .

2.4. Sha Wujing

I’ve previously mentioned Sha’s height in an article about Zhu Bajie’s appearance ( refer back to here ).

ZDS (2020) writes that Sha is “One zhang 2  chi , nearly 4 m” ( yizhang erchi, chabuduo 4 mi le , 一丈二尺，差不多4米了). This is based on Tripitaka’s continued dialogue with the foreign king in chapter 29:

“… My second disciple has the surname of Sha, and his religious names are Wujing and Monk. He is one zhang two chi tall and three span wide across his shoulders (emphasis added). His face is like indigo, his mouth, a butcher’s bowl; his eyes gleam and his teeth seem a row of nails” (Wu & Yu 2012, vol. 2, p. 51). 第二個徒弟姓沙，法名悟淨和尚，他生得身長丈二，臂闊三停，臉如藍靛，口似血盆，眼光閃灼，牙齒排釘。他都是這等個模樣，所以不敢擅領入朝。

This tells us that the monstrous monk is a whopping 3.816 m (12.51 ft) tall, with an exceptionally broad body.

Fun fact: Sha Wujing’s height is based on his giant antecedent, an obscure desert spirit appearing in the 7th-century biography of  the historical monk Xuanzang (on whom Tripitaka is based). The spirit comes to the cleric in a dream to admonish him for sleeping on the journey to India:

[Xuanzang] dreamed that he saw a giant deity several zhang tall (emphasis added), holding a halberd and a flag in his hands. The deity said to him, “Why are you sleeping here instead of forging ahead?” (based on Huili & Li, 1995, p. 28). 即於睡中夢一大神長數丈，執戟麾曰：「何不強行，而更臥也！」

“[S]everal zhang ” would be 3 zhang (9.54 m or 31.29 ft) or more tall! That’s one big spirit!

3. Conclusion 

“ Journey to the West : The Four Body Height Ratios of the Master and His Disciples” is an informational picture that depicts the pilgrims with their correct corresponding heights. The bottom of the picture also provides measurements to supplement the illustration. These numbers were likely borrowed from ZDS (2020), an online article with the exact same name and very similar material. According to the essay, Sun Wukong is less than 1.3 m (4.26 ft), the Tang Monk is about 1.8 m (5.90 ft), Zhu Bajie is 3.5 m (11.48 ft), and Sha Wujing is nearly 4 m (13.12 ft). However, this information is overgeneralized and at times conjectural.

The original Chinese text of Journey to the West naturally gives more accurate information. But, unfortunately, the book only lists specific heights for two characters: Monkey is shorter than 1.272 m (4.17 ft) and Sha is 3.816 m (12.51 ft). As for the other two, not enough information is given for Tripitaka or Zhu to officially say how tall they are. However, speculating with real world historical height data suggests that the literary monk could be somewhere between 1.65 m (5.41 ft) and 1.67 m (5.47 ft), which is obviously shorter than the 1.8 m cited above. But even using prehistoric pigs as a reference, Zhu Bajie is the hardest to calculate since the novel indirectly implies that he is shorter than Sha. I used the lower end shoulder height estimate of the extinct M. homungous to suggest that Zhu could be as much as 3.6 m (11.81 ft) tall. But I think this is still too big.

On an interesting note, Sha’s great height is based on his giant antecedent, a desert spirit appearing in the historical Xuanzang’s 7th-century biography. The spirit is described as being 9.54 m (31.29 ft) or more!

Update : 08-26-23

Tumblr user digitalagepulao has drawn lovely versions of the JTTW pilgrims (fig. 3). And while some of their heights may differ slightly from those discussed above, the overall ratios are correct. I love the designs.

This is for digitalagepulao’s own “ Expedition to the West au ” (alternate universe) JTTW storyline based on a previous article of mine .

Fig. 3 – The height ratios for digitalagepulao’s JTTW character designs ( larger version ). Used with permission.

Update : 04-27-24

Chapter 37 gives a more precise measurement for Monkey’s height. He first transforms into a “tiny monk about two cun tall” ( 二寸長的小和尚兒 ) (based on Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, p. 172). He shortly thereafter grows even bigger when a prince makes fun of him:

Tripitaka pulled open the box’s cover; Pilgrim [Sun Wukong] leaped out and began to hobble all over the place. The prince said, “This little midget! What can he know?” When Pilgrim heard this remark about his size, he at once resorted to magic. Straightening up his torso, he grew about three chi and four or five cun instantly (emphasis added). “If he can grow that rapidly,” said the soldiers, highly startled, “it will only be a few days before he pierces the sky.” When Pilgrim reached his normal height, however, he stopped growing (emphasis added) (based on Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, pp. 174-175). 三藏扯開匣蓋兒，那行者跳將出來，呀的兩邊亂走。太子道：「這星星小人兒，能知甚事？」行者聞言嫌小，卻就使個神通， 把腰伸一伸，就長了有三尺四五寸 。眾軍士吃驚道：「若是這般快長，不消幾日，就撐破天也。」 行者長到原身，就不長了。

As mentioned in section 1, one chi (尺) is roughly 12.3 in or 31.8 cm (Jiang, 2005, p. xxxi). Expanding on this, one chi equals 10 cun (寸; a.k.a. “Chinese inches”) (Jiang, 2005, p. xxxi). One cun would be about 1.25 in or 3.18 cm. Two cun would therefore be 2.5 in or 6.36 cm. Growing the stated additional height would then put our hero at 3 chi and 6 or 7 cun , which is roughly 3.86 ft or 1.176 m . This agrees with the aforementioned estimate of “not (or less than) four chi  tall” ( buman sichi , 不滿四尺 ) (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 128 and 408).

1) “Western Liang’s gorgeous girl” is referring to the Queen of Womanland .

2) The Tang Monk had previously expelled Monkey from the group in chapter 27 (Wu & Yu, vol. 2, pp. 26-28).

Huili, & Li, R. (1995).  A Biography of the Tripiṭaka Master of the Great Ci’en Monastery of the Great Tang Dynasty . Berkeley: Numata Center for Buddhist translation and research.

Jiang, Y. (2005). The Great Ming Code / Da Ming Lu . Vancouver, Wa: University of Washington Press.

Uchytel, R. (n.d.). Megalochoerus . Prehistoric Fauna. Retrieved from https://prehistoric-fauna.com/Megalochoerus .

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012).  The Journey to the West  (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

Zhongshi Damei Shenghuo. (2020, August 18). Xiyou ji: Shitu siren shengao duibi [Journey to the West: The Four Body Height Ratios of the Master and His Disciples] . Sohu. Retrieved from https://www.sohu.com/a/413598842_120113471

Archive #39 – Journey to the West Adaptations

The Journey to the West Research blog is proud to host an entry by our friend Monkey Ruler ( Twitter and Tumblr ). They have graciously written an essay on the global nature of Journey to the West adaptations, as well as provided a link to their ongoing project recording JTTW media (fig. 1). As of the publishing of this article, it includes a long list of almost 570 movies, 90 TV shows, and 160 video games! – Jim

Fig. 1 – Depictions of Sun Wukong from adaptations produced over 50 years apart: (left) Havoc in Heaven (Danao tiangong, 大鬧天宮 , 1961) and (right) Monkey King: Hero is Back (Xiyouji zhi Dasheng guilai, 西遊記之大聖歸來,  lit: “Journey to the West: Return of the Great Sage,” 2015) ( larger version ). Courtesy of Monkey Ruler.

I. Media adaptations

This started out as a collection of Xiyouji ( 西遊記 ; lit: “Journey to the West,” 1592) movies and TV shows for the sake of a Master’s class project; it was simple enough to look for Xiyouji media and start adding them to a collection datasheet. But even when the project was over, I kept finding more and more adaptations, even stumbling across others trying to show the magnitude of how much this novel has encompassed popular culture throughout the centuries. It has been told and re-told again and again in oral and published literature, plays, art, songs, poems, etc., and now on the big and small screens. Audiences are re-introduced to the image of Sun Wukong and his fellow pilgrims with every new media addition.

What really inspired me was the book Transforming Monkey: Adaptations and Representation of a Chinese Epic (2018) by Hongmei Sun, where she explained in depth the cultural impact that Sun Wukong (fig. 2) and Xiyouji has had on Chinese media, as well as how this loose set of franchises have come to represent Chinese culture as these shows and movies have become more globally accessible. Xiyouji is such an iconic cultural universe that it can be both heavily entertaining while still being so personal to audiences of any generation depending on how the artist/writer portrays their interpretation of these characters and their stories. 

There hasn’t been a lot written about how these interpretations influence modern Xiyouji adaptations despite how the story has greatly influenced popular culture.

Fig. 2 – The front cover of Transforming Monkey (2018) ( larger version ).

Xiyouji  is such an influential story, one that will continue to grow more and more globally known throughout time because it is such an all-encompassing piece that can cover politics, identities, and allegories, while still being a very personal and interpersonal work that artists or writers can relate to. 

However, even with these layers of meaning and symbolism to be found, the story never loses the charming and entertaining aspects that can and have captured audiences. D espite being published over 430 years ago (with a history stretching back even further ), Xiyouji is still able to relate to modern audiences through its allegories of oppression, rebellion, and self-identity. It has the capability to resonate with any generation depending on what artists or writers at the time wish to highlight or personally connect with themselves or their current world around them, using Xiyouji as a medium for their own struggles.

As Xiyouji starts to become more and more globally known, it is important to understand and resonate that this is still a Chinese story and how to address further adaptations with cross-nation gaps in both translation and cultural differences.  There are media forms that are far more exploitative of the mythical journey, creating impractical scenarios of the narrative and thus changing the message of the story and characters completely. However, there needs to be an acknowledgment of what doesn’t work as Xiyouji adaptations due to the ever-changing zeitgeist in not only its home of origin but introducing it to a global sphere as it adds influence. 

In order to see what works for adaptations, there needs to be an acknowledgment of what is the core of the story and just why it remains popular, story-beat or character-wise. For example, Sun Wukong can be used as a great model for positive ambivalence in media, moving away from set limits of a single stereotype and rather being a constant motion of new ideas and new identities. Monkey has been changed from a mischievous monkey to a revolutionary hero to a post-modern rebel against authority throughout the years. But even throughout the constant changes and interpretations, people never lose sight of what the nature of Sun Wukong is: rebelliousness, variability, optimism, and persistence. 

Monkey is a transcending character as he is able to mediate contradictions within his own design, one being his gold-banded staff , a symbol of breaking barriers, and his golden filet (fig. 3) , a symbol of limits. These two simple but prominent pieces of iconography immediately tell audiences who the character is supposed to be and what they are about.

Fig. 3 – A modern replica of Monkey’s golden filet or headband ( larger version ).

While it is entertaining and able to be enjoyed by younger audiences, Xiyouji still has a deeper meaning that can be interpreted and recognized into adulthood. This is one of the few stories that I imagine can be adapted again and again without the issue of overlap as there are so many ways people can personally connect with these characters. 

Having that any generation, anyone really can find enjoyment in this media, and perhaps even be inspired to read the novel itself .

II. Archive link

Please consult the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet linked below. They are listed as “Movie Information,” “Movie Links,” “Honorary Shows,” “Game Information,” “Game Pictures,” “Honorary Games,” and “Sources.” – Jim

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GsiCGzE1DZDy2Vpc85wiVXSyLWpxMbxj/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112097376285754662736&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Dragon ball: bulma's real origin is more mythic than most fans realize.

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Goku & Vegeta Become Deadpool & Wolverine In Glorious New Crossover Fanart

New dragon ball game marks a series' first, sign up for the beta now, ”i sometimes feel like they get it wrong”: even akira toriyama admitted how dragon ball's anime couldn't match the manga.

Like many characters who appear early on the in early Dragon Ball   manga, Bulma Briefs was loosely based on a character from the story Journey to the West , but many Dragon Ball fans may not know that her origin is tied all the way back to real world events. Bulma Briefs was one of the first characters ever introduced in Dragon Ball and has remained a series mainstay ever since. Her character was meant to contrast the naive and plucky Goku as they traveled the world looking for the Dragon Balls .

When she is introduced in chapter 1 of Dragon Ball , Bulma is seen looking for the Dragon Balls with her patented Dragon Radar before eventually bumping into Goku in the woods. Their initial meeting is fraught with tension as Goku believes her car is a monster and for some reason Bulma immediately resorts to shooting a child . Despite her outlandish behavior, Bulma was actually based on the character Tang Sanzang, a monk from Journey to the West , known for his compassion. Bulma as a character couldn’t be too similar to this initial mold of Tang Sanzang as it would fall too far in line with Goku’s character who also acts out of compassion most of the time. Despite this, Bulma’s role in the early plot of Dragon Ball narratively matches that of Tang Sanzang’s role in Journey to the West , which also means that the existence of her character is due to a real person named Xuanzang.

Related:  Even Dragon Ball Fans Don't Know Goku's Real Name (& It's Not Kakarot)

The backstory for Bulma in Dragon Ball  can be traced all the way back to a man named Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who lived in the early 7th century. He is most well known for his journey to India, or Tianzhu as it was known in Chinese then. Xuanzang tasked himself with a mission to obtain original, untranslated Buddhist scrolls written in Sanskrit from India in order to resolve debates in China about potentially misinterpreted texts. Xuanzang eventually left at the age of 27 and traveled to India and back, successfully completing his mission. Upon arriving back, he was told by the Emperor Taizong to complete a written record of his travels, which he eventually did. Though this record is filled to the brim with extremely implausible and even fictional events, it still served as a direct inspiration for Wu Cheng’en’s novel Journey to the West centuries later.

In Journey to the West , the protagonist Tang Sanzang, who is tasked with retrieving Buddhist sutras from India, is based on Xuanzang and his travels. Bulma herself fills the role of Tang Sanzang in Dragon Ball as the person who gathers helpers in order to obtain items of a certain importance throughout their journey. Much like Tang Sanzang gathers the warriors Sun Wukong, Zhu Baije, and Sha Wujing; Bulma gathers the characters Son Goku, Yamcha, and Oolong respectively. Though Bulma’s persona is night and day from that of Tang Sanzang, she still fulfills the same role as he did within his own story centuries before Dragon Ball .

Bulma Briefs is one of the most important characters in the entire Dragon Ball series and can be considered the linchpin of the first arc’s main cast as she is the one who eventually brings them all together.  Bulma's legacy in Dragon Ball began with Tang Sanzang’s legacy in Journey to the West , who was previously inspired by the real life Xuanzang of ancient China. As if the series wasn’t already fascinating enough, the real-life origins of  Bulma Briefs , and by extension Dragon Ball , go back centuries.

More:  Dragon Ball's Krillin Proves His Power in Jaw-Dropping Stop-Motion Video

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How a Magical Weapon from Journey to the West Connects Dragon Ball & Naruto

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10 Best Dragon Ball Super Villains Exclusive to the Manga (For Now)

9 dragon ball characters goku should’ve lost to, the strongest character in every dragon ball z saga.

The Chinese novel Journey to the West has been a massive inspiration across shonen anime. Originally written in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty, the novel describes the adventures of four protagonists in quests to recover lost sacred texts, discover magical weapons, fight demonic forces and liberate nations. One of these leads, the Monkey King Sun Wukong, directly inspired  Dragon Ball 's Goku.  Journey to the West  is so foundational in East Asian culture -- and so extensively emulated in Dragon Ball  -- that subsequent anime must carefully navigate either to tell their own stories.

However, creators have found ingenious ways to adapt elements of these classic stories within their own. One example of this is the differing depictions of a magical tool from Journey to the West, the Bashōsen. This magical fan's migration from  Journey to the West  to  Dragon Ball , and finally to its shonen successor Naruto , illustrates how shonen anime borrow from mythology.

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Journey to the West's Bashosen in Dragon Ball

The Bashōsen of Dragon Ball ( named "Bansho Fan" ) reflects the series' playful yet intensive relationship to Journey to the West . Owing to its nickname of "Banana Leaf Fan," it resembles a green, rounded fan with red trim. The Bansho Fan was briefly possessed by Master Roshi , who first used it as a potholder before, in classic  Dragon Ball fashion, throwing it away after spilling wonton soup on it.

Master Roshi describes the Bansho Fan's power as "raising a typhoon with a single wave, a thunderstorm with two, and a monsoon with three," a description mirroring the original in Journey to the West . Predictably, in a filler arc toward the end of the series, the Bansho Fan again becomes important, as Goku and Chi-Chi -- herself based on Princess Iron Fan, another character from Journey to the West  -- need its magical properties to put out the flames threatening Fire Mountain. This typifies Dragon Ball's relationship with the classic Chinese novel, playfully yet scrupulously intertwining the old with the new.

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Journey to the West's Bashosen in Naruto's Fourth Great Ninja War

In contrast,  Naruto 's interpretation of the Bashōsen is much more limited in scope within the backdrop of its own complex worldbuilding . Here, the Bashōsen was originally one of the Treasured Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths. It later became the property of Kumogakure's Demon Brothers Ginkaku and Jinkaku --  themselves based on a pair of so-named villains from Journey to the West . Consequently, their resurrection in the Fourth Great Ninja War coincides with the Bashōsen's appearance in Naruto .

In the anime, the fan resembles a broad shock of fronds with alternating red and white bands; its powers allow it to generate any of the five chakra natures with a verbal command. While its role in Naruto is limited, more peculiarities from Journey to the West nevertheless find their way into the story. For example, before using the Bashōsen, Kinkaku pulls it out of his own mouth -- another direct reference to Journey to the West , in which the Bashōsen is hidden under the tongue of Ginkaku's wife. This highly specific yet still peripheral approach allows Naruto 's creators to bring in different aspects of the original source material, while distinguishing the overall story from Journey to the West and Dragon Ball alike.

The powerful influence of Journey to the West in Dragon Ball and Naruto, centuries after its creation, testifies to its outsized effect on all aspects of culture. As such, creators strive to both pay their respects to these progenitors while still telling their own stories. The differing interpretations of the Bashōsen between these two famous anime illustrate how the breadth and reach of even minor elements of this classic novel continue to inspire new forms of creativity.

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