Reading Notes: Monkey King, Part B

Sun Wu Kung: Yang Oerlang & Buddha

The Chinese Fairy Book compiled by R. Wilhelm & Frederick H. Martens

(Image Source: Flickr)

Plot Points

• After several days of fighting, Yang's spirits manage to capture many of Sun Wu Kung's apes
• At this, Kung grew uneasy and began to attempt to flee the fight by changing forms repeatedly
• Many times Yang loses track of him and has to ask Li Dsing to use the mirror of heaven to find him
• In one of their final encounters, they are in Yang's temple and Sun is eventually defeated with aid from the Heavens in the fight
• Sun is carried up to Heaven and is tortured for many months in an attempt to rid him of his immortality
• After being in a furnace for 49 days, Sun sees a chance at escape and seizes upon it

Reading Notes: Monkey King, Part A

 Sun Wu Kung: The Nether World

The Chinese Fairy Book compiled by R. Wilhelm & Frederick H. Martens

(Image Source: Pixy)

Plot Points

• Sun Wu Kung, the Handsome Monkey King, falls asleep after a meal and is visited in his dream by two men who fetter him
• They take him down beneath the Earth in his dream to the Nether World
• Once there, he realizes what they are trying to do
• Having achieved immortality, Sun Wu Kung is outraged that they are trying to bring him to his death
• He lashes out with the rod from the  Dragon King and smites the two who are escorting him
• The ten princes of the Nether World come to see what the commotion is at the gates
• Sun Wu Kung confronts them and demands to see the book of life, which sets the limits of the times of men and animals and gods
• Fearful of the Monkey King, they offer the book to him
• Sun Wu Kung takes a pen and scratches out he times of death for he and all of his fellow monkeys from the Island of Flowers and Fruits
• Now protected from the grasp of the Nether World forever, the Monkey King exists the dream and reawakens back in reality
• Once there, he tells his monkey army of what eh has done and they throw a huge party for their King