Journey to the West: The Monkey King (the story)

	Navigation Background Information Lesson Plans Helpful Links Resources Back to Homepage Introduction The Monkey stories are mingled with Chinese fables, fairy tales, legends, superstitions, popular beliefs, monster stories as well as the Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. This makes Monkey a perfect springboard for teaching Chinese culture.

Background Information

1. Background of story
2. Summary of the story
3. A Quest story
4. Summary of Stories that the Beijing Opera will be performing in October, 2004
5. Description and Symbolism of Main characters in the story

Background of story

Journey To the West was written by Wu Chen-en, and is considered to be one of the four great classic novels written during the Ming Dynasty (c. 1500-1582). Wu Chen-en was an elder statesman who witnessed a lot in his life, both good and bad, yet ultimately came away with great faith in human nature to face hardships and survive with good humor and compassion. The story has many layers of meaning and may be read on many different levels such as; a quest and an adventure, a fantasy, a personal search (on the Monkey’s part) for self-cultivation, or a political/social satire. The story is a pseudo-historical account of a monk (Xuanzang) who went to India in the 7th century to seek Buddhist scriptures to bring back to China. The principle story consists of eighty-one calamities suffered by (Monkey) and his guardians (Tripitaka and Sandy, who are monks, and Pigsy, a pig).

During World War II, Arthur Waley translated and published about a third of Journey to the West, calling it simply Monkey; it was very popular with the general public. The stories of Monkey are so popular in China today that they have become part of the repertoire of the Chinese Opera, TV series, and comic books. Korean and Japanese children also know the Monkey story.

Summary of the story

Monkey King (or Sunwukong) was born from a stone. He wanted to be like the immortals and be free from death. He was extremely smart and capable, and learned all the magic tricks from a master Taoist. He could transform himself into seventy-two different images such as a tree, a bird, a beast of prey, or a bug as small as a mosquito so as to sneak into an enemy's belly to fight him or her inside out. Using clouds as a vehicle, he can travel 180,000 miles a single somersault.

He claimed to be king in defiance of the Great Emperor of Jade—the only authority over heaven, the seas, the earth, and the subterranean world. That act of high treason invited the relentless scourge of the Heavenly army. After many showdowns, the dove faction of the heavenly court persuaded the emperor to offer the monkey an official title to appease him. The monkey accepted this offer on a trial basis. However, he learned a few days later that he was cheated and being jeered all over the heavenly court: the position he held was nothing but a stable keeper. Enraged, he revolted, fighting his way back to earth to resume his own claim as a king.

Eventually, the heavenly army subdued him, only after many a battle, with the help of all the god warriors. However, all methods of execution failed. One attempt to kill him actually gave him a pair of fiery golden crystal eyes that can see through what people normally cannot.

At last, the emperor asked Buddha for help. The Buddha moved a great mountain known as the Mount of Five Fingers to fall upon him. Still, the tenacious monkey survived the enormous weight and pressure, except he could not move! Five hundred years later, there came to his rescue the monk Tripitaka. To insure that Tripitaka could make the journey to the West to get the Buddhist scriptures, Buddha had arranged for the Monkey King to become his disciple and escort him, along with two other disciples they later came across. There the four started their stormy journey west which was packed with actions and adventures.

Monkey, the monk, Pigsy, and Sandy work their way to the Western Paradise and the Buddhist sutras. Tall mountains, deep rushing rivers, and evil demons lie ahead. But Monkey is brave and smart, and he even learns to behave. They know this is an important mission. As many years pass, they learn to face challenges by working together. When a task is too hard, the goddess Guan Yin helps out. After traveling for 14 years and 108,000 miles, Monkey and his friends reach the Western Paradise. Buddha gives them the sacred sutras to take back to China. Buddha knows that the travelers suffered on the journey, but they also learned something new about themselves. Plus, they each earned merit for doing good deeds. Buddha rewards them for their loyalty and hard work—with immortal life and happiness.

A Quest story

Myths and legends telling of journeys and quests are among the world's oldest stories. Two of the world’s most famous quest stories are Monkey (China, 1584) and The Wizard of Oz (US, 1900). Many say that from the safety of a fictitious storyline, Wu Cheng’en boldly criticized the religious, social and political institutions of the Middle Ming dynasty, and Frank L. Baum criticized US political policies of that time.

In quests, several obstacles are usually met. In this story, some of these include:

• External obstacles (mountains, rivers, etc.)
• Demons (represent an unsteady mind: steady the mind and the demons disappear)
• Carelessness (complacent characters)
• Group unity is repeatedly upset and discord is created.

Monkey stories provide an excellent springboard to explore the connection between ancient and modern quest stories. Students can make comparisons between the fictional journeys and the challenges facing people in the real world. They can learn from the experiences of others while keeping alive a sense of adventure and wonder.

Summary of Stories that the Beijing Opera will be performing in October, 2004

• "Fighting with the Dragon King" or "The Dragon King’s Gift"
  Monkey seeks better weapons for his small monkeys from the Dragon King of the Eastern Ocean. None of the weapons please Monkey until he is offered the massive 20-foot iron instrument used by the Great Yu to pound down the beds of the rivers and seas and subdue the Great Floods. Monkey transforms it into a needle he puts behind his ear, but he can transform it into any size.
  
  
• Iron Fan Princess
  The monk Tripitaka and his disciples, escorted by the Monkey King, are on their way over the Himalayas to India to take back the Buddhist scriptures when they are blocked by the Flaming Mountain, an impassable mountain range. The Monkey King realizes that the only way through is to borrow the indestructible magic fan from the Iron Fan Princess. The Princess, however, angry with the Monkey King for having sent her son to be a disciple of the Goddess of Mercy, refuses to lend him the fan.
  
  A fight between them breaks out. Failing to snatch the magic fan, the Monkey King, master of a thousand transformations, turns himself into a bird. When the Iron Fan Princess drinks from a cup, the Monkey King leaps into the cup and is swallowed. Tumbling inside her and causing terrible stomach pains, monkey forces the Princess to relent and lend him the fan.
  
  
• Havoc in Heaven
  After complaints about Monkey King from several sources, the Jade Emperor contacts Monkey. Rather than attack him, the Jade Emperor offers Monkey work in heaven in the stables. Monkey thinks he has a very high rank. When he learns it is one of the lowest jobs, he leaves heaven in a huff.
  
  The Jade Emperor sends his general to bring Monkey back. They fight with insults and blows but they cannot capture Monkey. Monkey finally agrees to return to Heaven only if Heaven will acknowledge the title he has given himself, “Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.” Since the title is without compensation, the Jade Emperor agrees and assigns Monkey to guard the Garden of Immortal Peaches. These magic peaches take 9,000 years to ripen. Anyone who eats them lives forever.
  
  Monkey is supposed to protect the peaches for a special banquet, but he can’t resist their yummy smell, and he eats all the best ones. Then Monkey finds out he isn’t invited to the banquet. Insulted, Monkey goes anyway, and he eats all the delicious food and messes up the banquet table before the guests arrive. Realizing he has done something really bad, he runs away. The Jade Emperor calls upon his army to catch Monkey, but Monkey is too powerful and gets away.

Description and Symbolism of Main characters in the story

• Tripitaka – human, fearful, concerned with his own survival and safety, can’t make up his mind, easily deceived and does not see through the demons’ disguises.
• Monkey – symbolizes “mind”, wit, intellect, courage, perseverance, strength. Monkey’s spirit/mind must be brought under control. One method of this control was the “tight fillet spell” put on him by the Buddha – where a band around his forehead tightens when he doesn’t control his mind.
• Pigsy – appetites, greedy for physical pleasures such as sleep and food, White Bone Demon gets him into trouble by appearing as a beautiful village girl enticing him way from his friends.
• Sandy – patient service as well as being extremely strong and able to breathe underwater, Sandy retains some of his magical abilities from when he worked in Heaven. For example, he is able to transform a small gourd into a gigantic one that can be used to cross rivers. He is also a skilled alchemist.
• Jade Emperor in Heaven. - Though the Jade Emperor is ruler of Heaven and Earth, he is not so much a supreme God as a supreme administrator. In fact, he is outranked by the three top divine beings of the Chinese pantheon, Buddha, Lao Tzu, and Confucius—who are themselves subject to higher universal forces. The Chinese Heaven is modeled closely on the government of the Chinese emperors (a bureaucracy, crammed with innumerable officials with pompous titles, with a finger in every possible earthly activity.)
• Lao Tzu - Taoist masters achieved physical immortality. The “Pills of Immortality” were made from made from Elixir of Life refined by Lord Lao Tzu.
• Buddha - Buddha, or the Buddha, is the title given to Siddhartha Gautama, founder of Buddhism, now revered as a divine being. He lived in India from around 563 to around 483 B.C. The title means “Enlightened One” or “Awakened One.” As such, it is often applied by Buddhists not only to Siddhartha but to all who attain his state of mind—a state that is said to bring a perception of the true nature of reality and a release from the need for additional lives. Bodhisattva is a related title for one who has become enlightened but remains on earth to help others toward that goal.
• Kwan Yin (Kuan Yin, or Guan Yin). - The Bodhisattva Kwan Yin, commonly called the Goddess of Mercy, is China’s favorite divine being. Her name means “heeding the cry.” She hears and helps all those who cry out to her in need.

Lesson Plans

Helpful Links

• http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/036.html
  a re-telling of the first 7 Monkey stories, appropriate for all ages. Read as background information on the story, or read parts out loud to class.
• http://www.china-on-site.com/pages/comic/2.php
  the Monkey story, told with 100 illustrations, and short narration. Scroll to bottom of page and click on Page 1 to start the story.

Resources

• Chen, Debby Monkey King Wreaks Havoc in Heaven Ages 9 and up How Monkey made trouble at the Heavenly Palace and was punished by Buddha. Bi-lingual, English/Chinese. Published by Pan Asian Publications.
• Jiang, Ji-Li The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven Ages 7-10 A chapter book about how Monkey is born, becomes King of the monkeys, acquires his magical powers, and creates havoc in heaven--and what happens when he finally encounters the Great Buddha. Published by Harper Trophy.
• Kherdian, David Monkey: A Journey to the West Ages 11 and up. An abridged version of The Journey to the West that captures some of the scope and depth of the original Chinese classic.
• Kraus, Robert and Chen, Debby The Making of Monkey King Ages 9 and up Heavily illustrated account of Monkey’s beginnings—how he became king of the monkeys and how he acquired his magical powers. Bi-lingual, available in English/Spanish, English/Chinese, English/Vietnamese, and English/Hmong Published by Pan Asian Publications http://www.panap.com
• Legends of the Monkey King, VHS. Animated. A 72-minute feature that focuses on Monkey’s beginnings and how he wreaked havoc in heaven, and also introduces his journey and loyal companions. Distributed by ChinaSprout.
• Waley, Arthur (translator). Monkey: Folk Novel of China. New York: Grove Press, 1943. Grade 6 and teacher reference.
• Wriggins, Sally Hovey, The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang (Boulder, CO Westview Press, 2004) Tells the story of one of China’s greatest heroes’ life and travels. His epic sixteen-year-long journey to discover the heart of Buddhism in India and bring the scriptures back to China. Teacher reference.
• Young, Ed. Monkey King. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. Picture book all ages.