JOURNEY TO THE WEST: THE STORY OF THE MONKEY KING

Story of the Monkey King

Long, long ago, there lay a magic rock on the "Mountain of Flowers and Fruit". For many years the rock lay there and was nourished and protected by the heavens and sky. Then, suddenly one day the rock burst open, and out popped a strange young monkey. The young monkey wandered about until he came across a band of other monkeys. Invited to join them, they spent days frolicking and playing. Then one day, they come upon a curtain of water covering the entrance to a cave. The monkeys decided that whoever was brave enough to pass through the water and into the cave would become their king. Only the strange monkey born out of rock was brave enough to enter, and in doing so he became the "Monkey King". For many years, they lived peacefully at the Water Curtain Cave, playing by day and sleeping in the cave at night.

One day, an elderly monkey of their group died. The Monkey King became very distraught. He worried that he too would die someday - unable to enjoy the pleasures of life forever. To comfort him, one of the monkeys told him that it was possible for only sages, immortals and Buddhas to live forever. Upon hearing these words, the Monkey King's sadness turned to joy. He told the other monkeys that he would go out and seek immortality, wherever it was. The very next day, the Monkey King set out on a raft to travel across the sea.

The Monkey King searched the sea for many years, but was unable to learn the way to immortality. But he was determined, and continued his search on land. Many more years passed. At last the Monkey King climbed a high mountain where he discovered a cave deep in a forest. A gate stood at the entrance, so he patiently waited there for someone to come along. At last, a fairy child appeared from inside the cave. He said to the Monkey King, "My master has told me that a man who wishes to practice Buddhism is waiting outside the gate. Is it you?" The Monkey King eagerly replied, "Yes, it is I".

The fairy child then led the Monkey King inside to visit the Master. The Master took pity on the Monkey King for he was and orphan with no surname. The Master gave the Monkey Kind the name "Wu-k'ung Sun" and welcomed him to stay for a while. Wu-k'ung was given the job of sweeping the grounds, hoeing the weeds, planting flowers and trees, cutting wood and carrying water just as the senior disciples did. Wu-k'ung was very obedient and diligent in all of his efforts for the Master. After seven years passed, the Master came to believe that Wu-k'ung was honest, persistent and worthy of instruction. He began to teach Wu-k'ung the ways of immortality, including the ability to change in to seventy-two different froms and travel 180,000 miles in a single somersault. Once Wu-k'ung had learned these skills, the Master encouraged him to return to his own land - but told him that he could never use his knowledge and power to make trouble. Wu-k'ung agreed, and made his way back to the "Mountain of Flowers and Fruit".

Upon his return, Wu-k'ung discovered that his monkeys had been tormented for many years by the "Demon of Havoc". So angry was he that he immediately used his new powers to defeat the Demon. All of the monkeys joyously greeted their king, and they celebrated his victory with wine and fruit. To make sure that such a disaster wouldn't happen again, Wu-k'ung decided to teach the monkeys to defend themselves. First he drilled the monkeys with wooden swords and bamboo spears, but soon he realized that they needed real weapons. So Wu-k'ung went out and raided a nearby city, bringing back an arsenal of weapons. Now that all the monkeys had weapons, Wu-k'ung started complaining that he needed his own special weapon, one worthy of a Monkey King. One of the elder monkeys suggested Wu-k'ung visit the Dragon King, who was known to possess many magical weapons. "Why not just ask him for one", the monkey suggested.

Wu-k'ung thought this a splendid idea, and immediately used his new skills to dive directly to the bottom of the East Sea where the Palace of the Dragon King stood. Upon reaching the Palace, he was stopped by a sea beast and asked the nature of his visit. Wu-k'ung boastfully stated "I am the Sage of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. Don't you know of me?" Feeling slightly embarrassed, the sea beast quickly escorted Wu-k'ung to the palace and announcesd his arrival to the Dragon King. The King greeted his guest and they fell into polite conversation. After a while, Wu-k'ung got around to business. "I need a special weapon to guard my cave" he told the Dragon King. "I have learned that you have many magic weapons. You must let me have one." The Dragon King, fearing the strength of Wu-k'ung's powers, ordered his servants to bring a nine pronged fork, weighing 3600 pounds. Wu-k'ung held the fork in his hand and said, "Too light. Please give me another." The Dragon King was surprised, but he ordered his servants to fetch an ancient battle axe, weighing 7200 pounds. Wu-k'ung held up the battle ax and again complained that it was too light. The Dragon King replied that he had no weapons heavier than that one, but Wu-k'ung laughed and said, "You must search your palace again". The Dragon King began to get a bit flustered. Seeing this, his wife and daughters took him aside and suggested, "Why don't you give him the magic staff left by Ta Yu when he tamed the waters? Wu-k'ung can easily reshape it for his own use." The Dragon King thought this a good plan, and took Wu-k'ung over to his treasure house. The magic staff was there, lying on the ground and humming with a strange energy. Wu-k'ung went forward and touched it with his hand. "What a precious weapon!" he cried. "I must have it." He grasped the huge iron rod and effortlessly picked it up. Looking at it admiringly and said "If only it weren't so long." Instantly the staff shrank to just two feet. Wu-k'ung was delighted! He examined the staff more closely. There were golden rings on both ends and a line of words etched in the middle. The word were "Golden Ringed Wishing Staff - weight 13500 pounds."

Very pleased with his new treasure, Wu-k'ung ran back to the Dragon King's palace swinging the staff wildly over his head. Wu-k'ung made more requests, insisting on a suit of golden armor, a gold crown and a pair of cloud riding shoes. After he was dressed, he commanded the staff to the size of an embroidery needle and slipped it neatly into his ear. He thanked the Dragon King and returned quickly to the Water Curtain Cave. The monkeys who were waiting outside the cave suddenly see their king spring out of the water, shining all over. They cheered in chorus, "How beautiful you are!" The Monkey King took the magic staff from his ear and told them how he acquired the treasure. He then said the word "bigger" three times, and the magic weapon returned to its full size. Then Wu-k'ung used his magic power to make himself ten thousand feet high, and his staff now reached up to heaven and down to hell. The other monkeys were stunned. Wu-k'ung returned to his normal size and they celebrated his new treasures at a banquet for all. Soon all the monkeys were drunk, and Wu-k'ung fell fast asleep under the shade of a pine tree.

He dreamt. In his dream, two ghostly men approached him. They tied him up and took him to the "Nether World". Wu-k'ung pleaded, "Why are you taking my soul away?" The two ghosts paid no attention to his words and continued to drag him away. He was deeply distressed. Then, Wu-k'ung remembered the magic staff in his ear. He took it out, enlarged it , and fought off the ghosts. He then ran all the way into the castle of the King of the Nether World. The King saw all that happened, and was very frightened by Wu-k'ung. He called his judge to consult the book in which was recorded the life and death of all people. The book said that the "monkey who came from a stone" would live to be three hundred and forty two years old. When Wu-k'ung heard that his new immortality had not been properly recorded in the book, he angrily crossed out his name and those of all the other monkeys. He then made straight back to the cave.

Wu-k'ung had made a great disturbance in the Dragon Palace and in the Nether World. The Dragon King and the King of the Nether World petitioned the all-powerful Jade Emperor to punish Wu-k'ung. The Jade Emperor sent the spirit of Planet Venus to bring Wu-k'ung to heaven, but warned that he must be crafty. Venus arrived at the Mountain and declared to Wu-k'ung, "The Jade Emperor wants you to go to the Heavenly Palace to receive an immortal appointment." Delighted at being chosen for such an honor, Wu-k'ung happily followed him. In his excitement, Wu-k'ung rode the clouds very quickly to Heaven, leaving Venus far behind. He arrived at the gate of the South Heaven, but was stopped outside the gate by guards. Upset at not being allowed in, he turned to leave but Venus arrived and stopped him. "Please, don't be angry", Venus said to calm Wu-k'ung. "They don't know you yet." Venus then led him straight into the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor was there waiting. So eager to receive his appointment, Wu-k'ung did not give the emperor a proper greeting. The Emperor proceeded with appointing Wu-k'ung to the post of "Pi Ma Wen", keeper of the imperial stables. Wu-k'ung quickly accepted the post without expressing any gratitude to the Jade Emperor."

The Monkey King didn't know that "Pi Ma Wen" was a lowly position. He was too busy being pleased with himself to have gotten the post. He kept himself busy grooming the heavenly horses day and night. He labored in this way for half a month. One day, all of the grooms were sitting together drinking wine. The Monkey King abruptly asked, "What kind of post is 'Pi Ma Wen?" One of the grooms answered, "It's a most unimportant post, quite like head groom." Angry that he had been given a lowly position, Wu-k'ung cried out, "I am the king of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. Why does he belittle me by making me a groom to his horses?" He then pushed over a table, took the magic staff from his ear and fought his way out of the gate of South Heaven.

Arriving back at the Mountain, Wu-k'ung cried, "I have come back, my children". The monkeys welcomed him at the entrance of the cave. They said, "You have been in heaven for ten years. Today, you have come back in glory". The Monkey King angrily told them that he had only been a groom to the horses of heaven. The monkeys shared Wu-k'ung's anger. They suggested, "You are clever enough to be 'the Greatest Sage'." Wu-k'ung was very pleased with this idea. He immediately ordered his servant to put up a banner declaring his title.

The very next day, the Jade Emperor called his ministers to a meeting. The groom supervisor reported, "The monkey has returned to his mountain because he disliked the post." Angry, the Jade Emperor ordered God Chu, King Li and his son, Third Prince Nuocha, to go down from heaven to vanquish the Monkey King. King Li and the Prince led thousands of troops to the Mountain, with God Chu as their scout. Alerted of their arrival, Wu-k'ung gathered all of the monkeys to prepare for the coming fight. When King Li arrived, Wu-k'ung cried, "I have infinite powers. Why does the Jade Emperor ask me to groom horses for him? I will turn the Heavenly Palace upside down if he doesn't grant me the title of 'the Greatest Sage'."

Both sides began to fight. Wu-k'ung brandished his magic staff and God Chu ling wielded his hatchet. By the end of the first round of fighting, the hatchet of God Chu ling was cut in two and he fled. King Li was in such a fury he ordered the Third Prince Nuocha to launch an attack. Nuocha cried "Change!" and immediately he was changed into a man with three heads and six arms. He violently attacked Wu-k'ung with six kinds of weapons. Wu-k'ung then also cried out "Change!" and he too was at once provided with three heads, six arms and six kinds of weapons -- a sword, a knife, a rope, a stick, a ball and a fire wheel -- and they fought fiercely for thirty more rounds. Then the Third Prince turned the six kinds of weapons into millions of weapons, and Wu-k'ung did the same. In addition, Wu-k'ung pulled out a hair from his body and changed it into another Wu-k'ung. Overpowered, Nuocha knew he was defeated and fled.

King Li returned to heaven to ask for reinforcements. The Spirit of Venus offered, "As it appears that we can't defeat the Monkey at this time, I suggest it would be better to grant him the empty title of 'The Greatest Sage' ". The Jade Emperor nodded his agreement and requested an audience with the Monkey King. Wu-k'ung followed the spirit back to the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor proclaimed to Wu-k'ung, "Today, I grant you the title of 'The Greatest Sage.' This position should be high enough to satisfy you. Don't make trouble again." In addition, the Jade Emperor ordered a palace built for Wu-k'ung beside the peach grove of the Queen. Wu-k'ung would be allowed to care for the grove.

One day when the Wu-k'ung was inspecting the grove, the God of Earth pointed to the first row of peach trees and said, "It takes 3000 years for these trees to blossom and bear fruit. One will gain health if one eats of their fruit." Then he pointed to the second row of trees saying, "It takes 6000 years for these to blossom and bear fruit. One will never age if one eats the fruit of these trees. The third row of trees takes 9000 years to blossom and bring forth fruit. One will become a celestial being after eating of their fruit." Wu-k'ung was very pleased to hear what the God said. The peaches of 9000 years were soon ripe. Wu-k'ung was eager to taste them and managed to fool the God of Earth into leaving the grove. He took off his official clothes, climbed up a tree and ate his fill. From that time on, he often went to the grove and enjoyed the celestial peaches.

One day, the Queen was to give a peach banquet. She commanded her seven fairies to pick peaches from the grove. The fairies picked two baskets of peaches from the first stand of trees and three baskets from the second stand. When the fairies came to the last stand of trees, they found only very few ripe peaches and had to pick the unripe ones. While they were picking the fruit, they found a worm under a leaf. It is Wu-k'ung, who had turned himself into a worm. After he had eaten his fill of peaches, he had fallen fast asleep. He was now awakened by the fairies, and regained his normal appearance. With his magic staff in hand, he cried, "Who dares to steal this fruit?" The seven fairies all got down on their knees and said, "We have been ordered by the Queen to pick peaches for the banquet." At this, Wu-k'ung asked, "Has she invited me to the banquet?" The fairies answered, "She invited the gods of each palace." Wu-k'ung was angered by this. Using his powers, he put a spell on the fairies and rode a cloud straight to the jade pool of the Queen.

In no time at all Wu-k'ung reached the jade pool. He drooled at the sight of so many kinds of delicious foods, including dragon's livers and phoenix marrows, and strong wines. He quickly pulled out a hair from his body and turned it into many flying insects which bit upon the guests, causing them to fall into a deep sleep. Wu-k'ung then helped himself to all of the wonderful foods and wine. Soon he was quite intoxicated. Wu-k'ung was just able to stagger into the Palace of T'ai-shang Lao-chun. It was empty. Lao-chun had gone to lecture to the gods. Wu-k'ung entered a chamber where the elixirs of immortality were made. He found five gourds containing fresh batches of elixirs. Wu-k'ung said happily, "Since this is my lucky day I will just have to have a little taste." He poured the elixirs out of the gourds and drank them all.

As the effects of the wine wore off, Wu-k'ung whispered to himself, "I think I am causing great trouble. It might be safer for me to descend to the Mountain. Better to be a King than a Sage." With that, he disguised himself and ran away with two jars of wine. When they caught sight of their King, the monkeys said, "You have been in heaven for hundreds of years. What post were you granted this time?" The Monkey King told them of all his adventures and of stealing the peaches and elixirs of immortality. Later, in their cave, the monkeys and their king drank with great abandon.

Meanwhile in the peach grove, the spell Wu-k'ung had put on the seven fairies wore off. The fairies lost no time in reporting that the "Greatest Sage" had stolen the peaches of immortality. Soon it was also reported that the wine and elixirs had been stolen. Finally it was reported that Wu-k'ung's was no longer in the palace. The Jade Emperor was so enraged that he commanded the great kings to help. King Li, Third Prince Nuocha and one hundred thousand heavenly troops hurried to attack Wu-k'ung. They encircled the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit with eighteen nets. At the mouth of the Water Curtain Cave, Wu-k'ung ordered his monkey troops to prepare to battle the gods of heaven. The forces of heaven and the forces of the Mountain fought until the sun set. After darkness fell, Wu-k'ung put a handful of his hairs into his mouth. He bit them into pieces and cried, "Change!" At once, each hair changed into another Wu-k'ung. All of them fought the gods with their magic staffs. King Li could not defeat all the Wu-k'ungs. The Jade Emperor met with his ministers again. The Kuan-yin of the South Sea, who had been invited to the peach banquet, said "I know a god who can catch this monkey. It's your Majesty's nephew, the God Erh-lang." The Jade Emperor sent for God Erh-lang.

God Erh-lang took his troops to the Water Curtain Cave. They waved their banners and beat their fighting drums. The Monkey King fought more than three hundred rounds with God Erh-lang. Then God Erh-lang stretched himself ten thousand feet high to better attack Wu-k'ung. Wu-k'ung stretched himself as high as God Erh-lang. He held up his staff to strike at the God. The generals of God Erh-lang released their hawks and dogs and shot arrows into the cave. The monkeys fled in all directions. The Monkey King despaired when he saw his troops fleeing. He too, turned and ran. The God Erh-lang caught up to him and cried, "Where can you run? Surrender or die!" Wu-k'ung had lost all will to fight. He slipped from Erh-lang's grasp and ran for his life. But he could not pass the gate of the monkey cave. His magic staff was too broad. Quickly, Wu-k'ung shrank the staff and placed it in his ear. He then turned himself into a sparrow and hid in a tree top.

When God Erh-lang arrived at the cave entrance, he recognized the sparrow as Wu-k'ung. Erh-lang turned himself into a starving hawk and flew towards the tree top. Just in time, Wu-k'ung changed from a sparrow to a crow and flew up to the sky. Erh-lang turned into a huge sea crane and pursued the crow. Wu-k'ung dove into a brook and changed into a fish. Erh-lang reached the brook but couldn't find Wu-k'ung. He murmured to himself, "That monkey must be in the water. I can't let him escape." Erh-lang turned himself into a fish hawk, but immediately Wu-k'ung turned himself into a snake and left the water. Erh-lang realized that the snake was Wu-k'ung and changed back into a sea crane to catch the snake, but the snake changed into a wild goose and stood on the bank of the brook. Erh-lang resumed his normal appearance. He then used a sling shot to shoot at the wild goose, but the wild goose rolled down a nearby cliff.

Wu-k'ung, who now lay at the foot of the cliff, changed himself again -- this time into a temple. Wu-k'ung's mouth was open, his teeth were the doors, his eyes the window lattices and his tail a flag pole set behind the temple. When Erh-lang arrived at the foot of the cliff, he saw the temple. He looked at it carefully. "Strange," he said, "to put the flag pole behind the temple rather than on top of it. This must be the monkey playing one of his tricks. He wants to bite me as I enter. But first, I will smash this latticework and then kick in the doors". Wu-k'ung was surprised to hear God Erh-lang's words. He thought, "I can't have my teeth and eyes smashed." In a moment he changed back and sprang up to the sky and disappeared.

The God Erh-lang quickly followed by riding a cloud to the sky. Erh-lang used King Li's enchanted mirror to catch sight of Wu-k'ung, who was flying toward the mouth of the Kuan River. Above the river, Wu-k'ung disguised himself as God Erh-lang and ran straight into a nearby temple. The ghosts of the temple greeted him respectfully. While Wu-k'ung was sitting in the middle of the temple watching the burning joss sticks, a ghost entered and announced, "Another God Erh-lang has arrived." The real God Erh-lang dashed into the temple with his magic sword in hand. Wu-k'ung returned to his own appearance. The two foughtt furiously until their battle brought them back to the Mountain.

Far above the Moutain, the Jade Emperor, his Queen, Kuan-yin of the South Sea and Lao-chun watched the battle. Lao-chun volunteered, "I will help Erh-lang." He then removed a large diamond ring from his finger and threw it down from heaven. Wu-k'ung, who was entirely absorbed in the fight, did not expect a new threat from heaven. The ring struck him on the head and he fell to the ground. Before he could get to his feet, Wu-k'ung was bitten by one of Erh-lang's dogs. The diamond ring was instantly turned into a rope which tied Wu-k'ung fast. The Monkey King raised up his head, laughed and shouted, "True heroes never stab in the back."

The Monkey King was returned to the Crystal Palace by the heavenly troops and tied to a post. The Jade Emperor ordered Wu-k'ung cut into pieces, but neither sword nor spear could hurt even a hair on Wu-k'ung's body. The gods were at a loss with what to do. Lao-chun had a suggestion, "Since he has eaten the fruit and elixir of immortality and has drank the magic wine, he cannot be easily killed. We had better put him into the furnace and when his body is burned, the elixirs he will be left at the bottom." Lao-chun dragged Wu-k'ung to the Tou Shuai Palace. He pushed Wu-k'ung into the furnace and ordered the furnace keepers to fan the flames with great force.

Wu-k'ung was kept in the furnace for forty-nine days. Lao-chun was just about to open the furnace when the Monkey King leapt out. He had survived by standing in the draft of the fans. The flames never caught him, but the smoke had turned his eyes red. The furnace keepers tried desperately to hold back Wu-k'ung, but he knocked them down. Then Wu-k'ung struck down Lao-chun. The Monkey King took the enchanted staff from his ear and stretched it wide. Then he made such a great disturbance in heaven that neither the gods nor the four great heavenly kings dared to fight with him again. Wu-k'ung could not be stopped. Cheng Chun, the on-duty god, nervously dispatched thirty-six generals to besiege him. The Jade Emperor hurriedly sent for Buddha.

Buddha left the Lei Yin Temple and went to the Heavenly Palace accompanied by two gods. Buddha used his great powers to stop Wu-k'ung's attack. The Monkey King angrily cried, "Who dares to stop me?" Buddha laughed and said, "I am Buddha of the Western Paradise." Wu-k'ung said, "I am Wu-k'ung, the Greatest Sage, conqueror of all heaven. I demand to be Emperor." Buddha replied, "And what makes you think you are clever enough to be an emperor?" Wu-k'ung answered, "Everybody should have a chance to be emperor. I have mastered the seventy-two transformations, the ways of immortality and the somersault around the world, so I am qualified to be emperor." Buddha then asked, "But with all of your powers, can you jump out of the palm of my hand? If you can, I promise to let you be emperor. If not, you must leave heaven to further practice your skills." Wu-k'ung snickered and said to himself, "Buddha is so stupid. His palm is no more than nine inches long. Of course I can jump out." "Will you keep your promise?" Wu-k'ung asked. "Yes,of course," replied Buddha.

Buddha opened his right hand; it was the size of a lotus leaf. Wu-k'ung put his staff in his ear and leapt onto Buddha's palm, saying confidently, "Here I go!" He somersaulted again and again to get out of Buddha's hand. When finally he stopped, he saw before him five pink columns which reached to the sky. A cloud of smoke hovered over the columns. "I must have reached the end of the universe", Wu-k'ung thought. "The Heavenly Palace will be mine when I return. But before I go, I must leave some marks to show Buddha how far I have come." At that he pulled out a hair and turned it into a pen. On the center column he wrote, "The Greatest Sage has been here." After that, he urinated on the first column and then somersaulted back to the starting place on Buddha's hand. He shouted to Buddha, "Now that I have come back from the end of the universe, please turn the Heavenly Palace over to me." But Buddha scoffed saying, "You little stinker. You haven't jumped out of my palm. Look down." When Wu-k'ung lowered his head, he found that on the middle finger of Buddha's hand was the line of words which he has just written. And from the fingers of Buddha arose the powerful smell of monkey urine. Wu-k'ung was shocked. "What happened? I must try again!" He was just about to jump when Buddha turned his palm over and pushed Wu-k'ung out of the gate of West Heaven. Buddha's five fingers now turned into five mountains - one each of gold, wood, water, fire and earth - which together were called the "Five-Element Mountain". Where the mountains met the Earth, Wu-k'ung was held prisoner.

Buddha bade farewell to the Jade Emperor and stepped outside the gates of West Heaven. He called the god of Earth and other gods to guard the monkey and told them to give Wu-k'ung pills of iron to eat and juice of copper to drink. Buddha explained that when Wu-k'ung had suffered enough, someone would come along to rescue him.

Wu-k'ung was sealed in the mountain for five hundred years to live with his guilt and to learn from his mistakes. It was not until Master San Tsang of the T'ang Dynasty passed by on his way to the Westen Paradise that Wu-k'ung was rescued. The Master accepted Wu-k'ung as his disciple and said he would take him along to the Western Paradise. Wu-k'ung asked his Master to stand far from the mountains so he could jump clear. San Tsang was surprised at the great sound that exploded when Wu-k'ung burst from the mountain. The Master San Tsang gave Wu-k'ung a new name -- Hsing Che. Together, Hsing Che and Master San Tsang started toward the Western Paradise on their new adventure, the Pilgrimage for the Buddhist Scriptures.

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From here, the Monkey King travels on with the Monk towards the West to find the Holy Scriptures. Along the way, they pick up two more disciples - a Horse and a Pig. Their stormy journey is packed with actions and adventures that bring into full play each of the characters' insatiable aspects. In essence, "Journey to the West" is a story of morality and spiritual growth.