The book follows the story of a humble Buddhist monk named Tang Sanzang who travels from his home in Southern China to India in order to bring back holy texts and enlighten his countrymen. The legend of Sun Wukong first appeared in the Song Dynasty-era adventure novel Journey to the West. Prior to joining the Jade Emperor’s court, he lorded over a group of wandering monkeys who took care of him and regarded him as their leader. Sun Wukong does not have any blood relatives, as he was born from a magical rock.
After devoting himself to the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang, Wukong is generally shown in full warrior gear with special items such as a golden chainmail shirt, a phoenix feathered cap, cloud-walking boots, and an eight ton staff that can shrink to the size of a needle. Prior to his enlightenment, Wukong is usually depicted as a naked macaque. #Attributesīeing a monkey, Sun Wukong has a very distinct appearance that sets him apart from the other gods. His name literally translates as the “monkey awakened by the emptiness.” Wukong’s name is meant to represent his spiritual journey from an ignorant, short-tempered monkey to a benevolent, enlightened being. Though the character sūn (孫) usually refers to grandsons, in this context it refers to monkeys. Sūn Wùkōng’s name is comprised of the characters for “grandson” (孫), “awakened” (悟) and “space”(空). Characterized by his short temper, impatience and proclivity towards anger, Sun Wukong is one of the most important and beloved literary figures in Chinese culture. Each of his hairs have transformative powers, and he can magically manipulate wind, water and fire as well. Wukong is blessed with unmatched superhuman strength and the ability to transform into 72 different animals and objects. In Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong (孫悟空), also known as the Monkey King, is a trickster god who plays a central role in Wu Cheng’en’s adventure novel Journey to the West. After the Jade Emperor informed the Buddha of Sun Wukong’s misdeeds, the Buddha imprisoned him beneath a mountain for five hundred years.