View source for Sun Wukong

{{Short description|Character in Chinese mythology}}
{{Redirect|Qi Tian Da Sheng|Pu Songling's story|The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|Wukong|Monkey King}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Sun (surname)|Sun]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Sun Wukong<br/>{{small|孫悟空}}
| image = Xiyou.PNG
| caption = A 19th century illustration
| gender = Male
| species = [[Monkey]]
| religion = [[Buddhism]] and [[Daoism]] (also known as [[Taoism]])
| lbl21 = Birthplace
| data21 = [[Mount Huaguo|Flowers and Fruit Mountain]]
| lbl22 = Source
| data22 = ''[[Journey to the West]]'', {{c.|1592}} (print)
| lbl23 = Ability
| data23 = Immortality, 72 Bian (Morphing Powers), Jin Dou Yun (Cloud Surfing), Jin Gang Bu Huai Zhi Shen (Superhuman Durability), Jin Jing Huo Yan (True Sight)
| lbl24 = Weapon
| data24 = [[Ruyi Jingu Bang]]/Ding Hai Shen Zhen
| lbl25 = Height
| data25 = 1.3m
| lbl31 = Master/Shifu
| data31 = [[Puti Zushi|Patriarch Subodhi]], [[Tang Sanzang]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = '''Sun Wukong'''
| t = {{linktext|孫悟空}}
| s = 孙悟空
| w = Sun<sup>1</sup> Wu<sup>4</sup>-k'ung<sup>1</sup>
| zh-dungan = Сүн Вўкун
| wuu = Shu'n<sup>平</sup>-Wh'khong<sup>入</sup>
| h = Shu'n<sup>24</sup> Whiu-khong<sup>2</sup>
| p = Sūn Wùkōng
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|s|un|1|-|wu|4|.|k|ong|1}}
| xej = صٌ ءُ کوْ
| bpmf = ㄙㄨㄣ ㄨˋ ㄎㄨㄥ
| lmz = Sen Ngu-khon
| poj = Sun Ngō͘-khong
| tl = Sun Ngōo-khong
| j = Syun<sup>1</sup> Ng<sup>6</sup>-hung<sup>1</sup>
| y = Syūn Ngh-hūng
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|s|yun|1|-|ng|6|.|h|ung|1}}
| gan = Sun¹ Ng⁵ kung¹
| mc = Swon Ngu-kuwng
| qn = Tôn Ngộ Không
| chuhan = 孫悟空
| khm = ស៊ុន អ៊ូខុង<hr />[[Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN|UNGEGN]]: {{Transliteration|km|Sŭn Ukhŏng}}<br />[[Romanization of Khmer#ALA-LC Romanization of Khmer#ALA-LC Romanization Tables|ALA-LC]]: {{Transliteration|km|S′un ʿ′ūkhung}}<br />[[Help:IPA|IPA]]: {{IPA|km|sun ʔuːkʰoŋ|}}
| tha = ซุนหงอคง
| rtgs = Sun Ngokhong
| msa = 
| hok = Sun-gō·-khong
| hangul = 손오공
| hanja = 孫悟空
| rr = Son Ogong
| mr = Son Ogong
| ungegn = 
| kanji = 孫悟空
| hiragana = そん ごくう
| katakana = ソンゴクウ
| romaji = Son Gokū
| my = မျောက်မင်း (စွန်းဝူခုန်း)
| bi = [[Help:IPA|[mjaʊʔ mí̃]]] (Myouk Minn)
| c = 
| altname = 
}}

'''Sun Wukong''' ({{Lang-zh|t=孫悟空}}, <small>Mandarin pronunciation:</small> {{IPAc-cmn|s|un|1|-|wu|4|k|ong|1}}), also known as the '''Monkey King''', is a literary and religious figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel ''[[Journey to the West]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shahar|first1=Meir|author-link=Meir Shahar|title=The Shaolin monastery: History, religion, and the Chinese martial arts|date=2008|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|location=Honolulu|isbn=9780824831103|pages=92–93}}</ref> In the novel, Sun Wukong is a [[monkey]] born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through [[Taoism|Taoist]] practices. After rebelling against heaven, he is imprisoned under a mountain by the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]]. Five hundred years later, he accompanies the monk [[Tang Sanzang]] riding on the [[White Dragon Horse]] and two other disciples, [[Zhu Bajie]] and [[Sha Wujing|Sha Heshang]], on a journey to obtain [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] [[sutras]], known as the [[Western Regions|West]] or [[Western Paradise]], where Buddha and his followers dwell.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 August 2024 |title=Journey to the West {{!}} Author, Summary, Characters, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Journey-to-the-West |access-date=21 August 2024 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

Sun Wukong possesses many abilities. He has supernatural strength and is able to support the weight of two heavy mountains on his shoulders while running "with the speed of a meteor".<ref>Wu Cheng'en and Anthony Yu. ''The Journey to the West: Vol. 2'' (Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press), 108-109.</ref> He is extremely fast, able to travel 108,000 [[li (unit)|li]] (54,000{{spaces}}km, 34,000{{spaces}}mi) in one somersault. He has vast memorization skills and can remember every monkey ever born. As king of the monkeys, it is his duty to keep track of and protect every monkey. Sun Wukong acquires the 72 Earthly [[Shapeshifting|Transformations]], which allow him to access 72 unique powers, including the ability to transform into animals and objects. He is a skilled fighter, capable of defeating the best warriors of heaven. His hair has magical properties, capable of making copies of himself or transforming into various weapons, animals and other things. He has partial weather manipulation skills, can freeze people in place, and can become invisible.<ref name="jttw_book">Wu Cheng'en (1500–1582), ''Journey to the West'', Translated by Foreign Languages Press, Beijing 1993.</ref>

The supernatural abilities displayed by Wukong and some other characters were widely thought of as "magic powers" by readers at the time of ''Journey to the West''<nowiki/>'s writing,<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=10 May 2023 |title=Journey to the West |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Journey-to-the-West |access-date=22 May 2023 |publisher=[[Encyclopedia Britannica]] |language=en}}</ref> without much differentiation between them despite the various religious traditions that inspired them and their different and varied functions, and were often translated as such in non-Chinese versions of the book.

==History==
[[File:Journey to the West Gods.jpg|thumb|The golden statues of [[White Dragon Horse]], [[Sha Wujing]], Sun Wukong, [[Tang Sanzang]] and [[Zhu Bajie]] at the Rua Yai City Pillar Shrine in [[Suphan Buri]], [[Thailand]]]]

As one of the most enduring Chinese literary characters, Wukong has a varied and highly debated background and colorful cultural history. His inspiration might have come from an amalgam of influences, generally relating to religious concepts.
 
One source for inspiration came from differing ways [[gibbon]]s were venerated during the Chinese [[Chu (state)|Chu kingdom]] (700–223 BC), and various legends about gibbons and monkeys in Chu and its successors.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Hera S. |date=September 1998 |title=Indigenous or Foreign? A Look at the Origins of the Monkey Hero Sun Wukong |url=https://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp081_monkey_sun_wukong.pdf |website=[[Sino-Platonic Papers]] |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania]] |pages=53–55, 77–78}}</ref> These legends and religious practices, alongside [[doctrine]] from [[Taoist]] organizations that reinforced them and combined elements from [[Taoism#Daoist traditions|all five kinds of traditional religious Taoism]] gave rise to stories and art motifs during the [[Han dynasty]], eventually contributing to the Sun Wukong figure.<ref name=":1"/>

Some believe the association with [[Xuanzang]] is based on the first disciple of [[Xuanzang]], {{ill|Shi Pantuo|zh|石槃陀}}.<ref>{{citation|url=http://lyglibrary.com/tsg/xyjwx/xyjyj/%E8%A5%BF%E6%B8%B8%E8%AE%B0%E8%AE%BA%E6%96%872011/%E5%AD%99%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA%E8%A7%92%E8%89%B2%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6%E5%8F%8A%E5%85%B6%E6%84%8F%E4%B9%89%E6%8E%A2%E8%AE%A8.pdf|title=孙悟空角色研究及其意义探讨|author=陈明吾|access-date=20 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220230540/http://lyglibrary.com/tsg/xyjwx/xyjyj/%E8%A5%BF%E6%B8%B8%E8%AE%B0%E8%AE%BA%E6%96%872011/%E5%AD%99%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA%E8%A7%92%E8%89%B2%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6%E5%8F%8A%E5%85%B6%E6%84%8F%E4%B9%89%E6%8E%A2%E8%AE%A8.pdf|archive-date=20 December 2018|language=Chinese|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Hu Shih]] first suggested that Wu Cheng'en may have been influenced by the [[Hindu]] deity [[Hanuman]] from the ''[[Ramayana]]'' in his depictions of the Monkey King.<ref name="MK2">{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Hera S. |date=September 1998 |title=Indigenous or Foreign? A Look at the Origins of the Monkey Hero Sun Wukong |url=https://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp081_monkey_sun_wukong.pdf |website=[[Sino-Platonic Papers]] |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania]] |pages=81}}</ref><ref name=Subbaraman>Ramnath Subbaraman, [http://www.sino-platonic.org/complete/spp114_journey_to_the_west_monkey.pdf "Beyond the Question of the Monkey Imposter: Indian Influence on the Chinese novel The Journey to the West"], ''Sino-Platonic Papers'', 114 (March 2002)</ref> The Ramayana was first translated into Chinese in the 20th century, 500 years after Journey to the West was written, by Mi Wenkai, Sun Yong and Ji Xianlin. Although Ji Xianlin speculated that some related stories might have circulated in China before that, he also acknowledged that most scholars believe the Ramayana had not been translated into Chinese prior to this.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Xianlin |first=Ji |date=February 2012 |title=The Ramayana in China |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000944551104800210 |journal=China Report |language=en |volume=48 |issue=1–2 |pages=187–198 |doi=10.1177/000944551104800210 |issn=0009-4455}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deepak |first=B. R. |date=8 August 2020 |title=How Lord Ram reached China |url=https://sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/lord-ram-reached-china#:~:text=A%20direct%20translation%20of%20the,8%20volumes%20published%20in%201984. |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=The Sunday Guardian Live |language=en-US}}</ref> Others such as [[Lu Xun]] point out there is no proof that the Ramayana has been translated into Chinese or was accessible to Wu Cheng'en before the time when Journey to the West was written.<ref name = Luxun>Lu Xun, [https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E5%B0%8F%E8%AA%AA%E7%9A%84%E6%AD%B7%E5%8F%B2%E7%9A%84%E8%AE%8A%E9%81%B7/%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%AC%9B "The Historical Changes of Chinese Literature"], March 1925</ref> Instead, Lu Xun suggested the 9th-century Chinese deity [[Wuzhiqi]], who appears as a sibling of Sun Wukong in older Yuan dynasty stories, as the inspiration.<ref name = Luxun/> [[Anthony C. Yu]] writes in his unabridged translation of ''The Journey to the West'' that [[Wuzhiqi]] "has provided many scholars with a prototype of Sun Wukong" and that the author of ''Journey'' himself had "certainly" read of Wuzhiqi.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yu |first=Anthony |title=The Journey to the West |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-226-97132-2 |edition=Revised |location=Chicago |pages=Vol. I, Introduction, pages 10–17 |language=American English}}</ref> Sun Wukong may have also been influenced by local folk religion from [[Fuzhou]] province, where monkey gods were worshipped long before the novel. This included the three Monkey Saints of Lin Shui Palace. Once fiends, they were subdued by the goddess [[Chen Jinggu]], the Empress Lin Shui. The three were Dan Xia Da Sheng ({{Lang|zh|丹霞大聖}}), the Red Face Monkey Sage, Tong Tian Da Sheng ({{Lang|zh|通天大聖}}), the Black Face Monkey Sage, and Shuang Shuang San Sheng ({{Lang|zh|爽爽三聖}}), the White Face Monkey Sage.<ref>{{cite web|title=齊天大聖vs.丹霞大聖 @台灣多奇廟 - 探路客 部落格|url=https://www.timelog.to/a5710755|access-date=24 March 2021|website=www.timelog.to|language=zh-TW}}</ref> The two traditional mainstream religions practiced in Fuzhou are Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. Traditionally, many people practice both religions simultaneously. However, the roots of local religion dated back many years before the institutionalization of these traditions.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}

These diverse religions embodied elements such as gods and doctrines from different provincial folk religions and cultures, such as totem worship and traditional legends. Though there are primarily two main religions in China since it is so big, different folk stories will vary from towns, cities, and provinces with their own myths about different deities. Sun Wukong's religious status in Buddhism is often denied by Buddhist monks both Chinese and non-Chinese alike, but is very welcomed by the general public, spreading its name around the world and establishing itself as a cultural icon.

==Background==
{{Tone|date=September 2023}}

===Birth and early life===
[[File:Sun Wukong at Beijing opera - Journey to the West.jpg|thumb|225px|Depiction of the Forbidden Temple's Sun Wukong as depicted in a scene in a [[Peking opera]]]]

According to ''[[Journey to the West]]'', Sun Wukong is born from a strong magic stone that sits atop the [[Mountain of Flowers and Fruit]]. The stone is said to receive the nurture of heaven ([[Yin and yang|yang]]), which possesses a positive nature, and earth ([[Yin and yang|yin]]), which possesses a negative nature, and thus is able to produce living beings, according to [[Taoist]] philosophies. The stone develops a magic womb, which bursts open one day to produce a stone egg about the size of a ball.<ref>{{Citation |title=1. Who Is Sun Wukong? The Image of the Monkey King in Journey to the West |date=2018-12-31 |work=Transforming Monkey |pages=15–35 |url=https://doi.org/10.1515/9780295743202-004 |access-date=2025-04-25 |publisher=University of Washington Press |doi=10.1515/9780295743202-004 |isbn=978-0-295-74320-2|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

When the wind blows on the egg, the egg becomes the stone [[monkey]]. As his eyes move, two beams of golden light shoot toward the Jade palace and startle the [[Jade Emperor]]. When he sees the light he orders two of his officers to investigate. They report the stone monkey, and that the light is dying down as the monkey eats and drinks. The Jade Emperor believes him to be nothing special.

On the mountain, the monkey joins a group of other wild monkeys. After playing, the monkeys regularly bathe in a stream. One day, they decide to seek the source of the stream and climb the mountain to a waterfall. They declare that whoever goes through the waterfall, finds the stream's source, and comes out again will become their king. The stone monkey volunteers and jumps into the waterfall.

The stone monkey finds a large iron bridge over rushing water, across which is a cave. He persuades the other monkeys to jump in also, and they make it into their home. He then reminds them of their prior declaration, so they declare him their king. He takes the throne and calls himself Handsome Monkey King ({{lang|zh|美猴王}}). This happiness does not last. When one of his older monkey friends dies, the Monkey King is very upset. He decides to strike out from his island on a self-made raft, in search of an Immortal to teach him how to beat death.

He comes ashore and wanders around. Humans see him and flee, uncertain of his ape-like appearance. He takes some clothes that were left out to dry and continues on foot. His face hidden by a hood, he travels through towns and sees many examples of human degeneracy and vice. He continues on and into a forest. The Monkey King hears a woodcutter singing an interesting song, and when questioning the woodcutter about the origin he learns it was taught to the woodcutter by an Immortal who resides in the forest.

The Monkey King comes to the entrance of a temple in which a magical Taoist martial artist named [[Puti Zushi]] resides. Puti Zushi initially refuses to let him in, but the Monkey King refuses to leave and waits outside the entrance for months. Puti Zushi is impressed by the Monkey King's persistence and allows him to enter. He accepts the Monkey King as a student, giving him his religious name, "Sun Wukong", and teaches him many advanced Taoist practices, including the Way of Immortality.

He later advises Sun Wukong never to needlessly show off his skills, because others might ask him to teach them, and if he does teach them, they may go on to cause trouble, but if he doesn't teach them, they will resent him for it. He then forbids Sun Wukong from ever revealing who it was that taught him, and the loyal Monkey King promises never to reveal the identity of his Master. Later, whenever Sun Wukong is asked about his powers and skills, he honestly replies that he learned everything in his dreams. Throughout the rest of the book, however, Sun Wukong is, repeatedly, referred to as a member of the "[[Monism#Buddhism|Monad]] [[Sect]]".

After the Monkey King returns home, he learns that a demon called the Demon King of Confusion is kidnapping the monkeys of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit to use as slaves. He subsequently kills the demon and his minions, saving the kidnapped monkeys. He also brings the entire weapon storage of a nearby country for his subjects but is unable to find a weapon fit for himself. Upon hearing that Dragon Kings possess many treasures, he travels the oceans and finds the palace of a Dragon King.

At the entrance, Sun Wukong asks for an introduction, but Dragon King [[Ao Guang]] tells his guards to turn him away. Sun Wukong barges in anyway, brushing off protests from the guards, insisting the Dragon King must be confused to turn away a fellow king. Inside, he introduces himself and encourages the Dragon King to give him a weapon. Quickly realizing Sun Wukong is quite formidable, the Dragon King feigns willingness and hospitality, ordering his underlings to bring out weapon after weapon, starting from basic spears and swords but quickly escalating to genuine treasures. Sun Wukong tests each weapon, but none are robust enough for the Monkey King, who is unhappy with the situation.

Sun Wukong then acquires the golden-banded staff [[Ruyi Jingu Bang]]/Ding Hai Shen Zhen ({{lang|zh|如意金箍棒/定海神针}}), the stabilizer of the Four Seas and a treasure of [[Ao Guang]]. The Monkey King is the only creature strong enough to wield the staff-like weapon and there is an instant affinity between them. The golden-banded staff can change its size, elongate, fly, and attack opponents according to its master's will. It weighs 13,500 ''[[catty|jīn]] ''or 7960{{spaces}}kg. When not wielding the weapon, the Monkey King shrinks it down to the size of a sewing needle and stores it in his ear.

In addition to taking the magical staff, the Monkey King encourages the Dragon King to gift him attire fit for a King. The Dragon King calls upon the Dragon Kings for assistance, and they arrive and give Sun Wukong a golden [[chain mail]] shirt ({{zhi|c=鎖子黃金甲|p=Suǒzihuángjīnjiǎ}}), a [[Phoenix (mythology)|phoenix]]-[[Lingzi|feather cap]] ({{zhi|c=鳳翅紫金冠|p=Fèngchìzǐjinguān}}), and cloud-walking boots ({{zhi|c=藕絲步雲履|p=Ǒusībùyúnlǚ}}). Sun Wukong thanks the Dragon Kings and leaves happy.

Upon his return to the mountain, Wukong demonstrates the new weapon to his monkey tribe and draws the attention of other beastly powers, who seek to ally with him. He forms a [[fraternity]], the '''Seven Sages''' ({{lang|zh|七聖}}), with the [[Bull Demon King]] ({{lang|zh|牛魔王}}), the Saurian Demon King ({{lang|zh|蛟魔王}}), the [[Roc (mythology)|Roc]] Demon King ({{lang|zh|鵬魔王}}), the Lion Spirit King ({{lang|zh|獅狔王}}), the [[Macaque]] Spirit King ({{lang|zh|獼猴王}}), and the [[snub-nosed monkey]] Spirit King ({{lang|zh|禺狨王}}).

The Monkey King, now sentenced to death for extorting the Dragon Kings, then defies [[Diyu|Hell]]'s attempt to collect his soul. He wipes his name out of the Book of Life and Death, a collection of books claimed to have every name of every mortal alive and the ability to manipulate lifespan, along with the names of all monkeys known to him. The kings of the Diyu report him to the [[Jade Emperor]].<ref name="jttw_book" /> The heavenly army uses everything, even trying to erase him from existence altogether, but ultimately fails.

===Chaos in Heaven===
[[File:The Journey to the West, Shidetang Hall of Jinling in 1592 (cropped 孫悟空 鐵扇公主).jpg|thumb|Sun Wukong and [[Princess Iron Fan]], as depicted in the 1592 ''[[Journey to the West]]'', Shidetang Hall of Jinling edition]]
Hoping that a promotion and a rank among the gods will make him more manageable, the [[Jade Emperor]] invites the Monkey King to Heaven. The Monkey King believes he is receiving an honourable place as one of the gods as he is told he will be made "Protector of the Horses", a fancy term the Heavens coined for a stable boy, the lowest job in heaven. When he discovers the importance of status in Heaven, and how he has been given the lowest position, the Monkey King sets the Cloud Horses free from the stable, then returns to his own kingdom and proclaims himself [[The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal#Background|The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal]].

The Heavens reluctantly recognize his [[Courtesy title|self-proclaimed title]] after [[Taibai Jinxing|Gold Star]] advises the Jade Emperor against rushing into military action against the "brash, rude, and impudent"<ref>{{Citation |title=3. From Trickster to Hero: National Mythmaking in Wartime and Maoist China |date=2018-12-31 |work=Transforming Monkey |pages=60–90 |url=https://doi.org/10.1515/9780295743202-006 |access-date=2025-04-25 |publisher=University of Washington Press |doi=10.1515/9780295743202-006 |isbn=978-0-295-74320-2|url-access=subscription }}</ref> monkey, warning that failing to defeat Monkey would harm the reputation of Heaven. Gold Star advises the Jade Emperor to superficially appease Sun Wukong's vanity while treating him as a pet, and invite him back to Heaven to keep him from causing trouble on earth. The Jade Emperor agrees after Gold Star laughs that, in reality, the fanciful title is a meaningless joke revealing Sun Wukong's overconfidence and ignorance of the important workings of Heaven.

Sun Wukong suspects a trap but is happy when Gold Star, acting as an envoy, addresses him as the Great Sage Equal of Heaven and presents him with official papers. Gold Star tells Sun Wukong he has been granted a far more important position as "Guardian of the Heavenly Peach Garden", which peach-loving Sun Wukong accepts. Later, when seven heavenly maidens are sent by Queen Mother [[Queen Mother of the West|Xi Wangmu]] to pluck peaches for the Royal Banquet, Sun Wukong discovers every important god and goddess has been invited to the banquet except for him. When he tells the maidens he is the Great Sage Equal of Heaven, the maidens giggle, replying that everyone in Heaven knows he is merely an immortal who tends to the peach garden. The Monkey King's indignation then turns to open defiance.

During the preparations for the Royal Banquet, Sun Wukong sneaks in to taste the fine foods and drink royal wine. In a tipsy state, the Monkey King roams Heaven while all the gods and goddesses are on their way to the banquet. He reaches high levels of the palace that the authorities of Heaven leave unguarded, for they can only be accessed by deities of the highest and purest spiritual power. Upon realizing that he is at the top of the 33 layers of the heavenly palace, Sun Wukong steals and consumes [[Laozi]]'s [[Pill of Immortality|Pills of Immortality]] and [[Queen Mother of the West|Xi Wangmu]]'s [[Peaches of Immortality]], takes the remainder of the Jade Emperor's royal wine, and then escapes back to his kingdom in preparation for his rebellion.

The Jade Emperor refuses to accept Gold Star's counsel to find another peaceful way to deal with Sun Wukong and orders his forces to mobilize. Laughing continuously and fully enjoying himself, and with a combination of martial prowess, guile, and quick-witted creative responses to many different types of powerful Heavenly weapons used against him, the Monkey King single-handedly defeats the Army of Heaven's 100,000 celestial warriors, all 28 constellations, [[Nezha]], and all of the [[Four Heavenly Kings]].

Then [[Guanyin]], the Boddhisattva of Mercy, and her disciple [[Muzha (deity)|Muzha]]/Moksha arrive. Guanyin sends Muzha to inspect the situation and fight Sun Wukong. Muzha is defeated, and then Guanyin suggests the Jade Emperor's nephew [[Erlang Shen]] fight Wukong. Wukong and Erlang are evenly matched and eventually, both turn into terrifying figures, which scares Wukong's monkey army away. Sun Wukong is disheartened and turns into a fish to run away, then both of them keep shapeshifting to turn into more powerful things than the other, finally, [[Laozi]] throws his Diamond Jade ring at Wukong from behind while he is fighting, knocking him senseless and enabling Erlang to bind him up.

After several failed attempts at execution, Sun Wukong is locked into Laozi's [[Ba gua|eight-way trigram]] [[crucible]] for 49 days to be distilled into an elixir by [[samadhi]] fires; this will allow Laozi to regain his pills of longevity. The fire of the crucible is hot enough to burn beings of so much unspeakable power that they rival Buddha himself.

When the cauldron is opened 49 days later, the Monkey King jumps out, having survived by hiding in a corner marked by the wind trigram, where there is less fire. The heat from the samadhi fires has reinforced his bodily frame, making him stronger than ever before and impervious to greater damage. The heat gives him a new ability; the Monkey King can now recognize evil with his new {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|huǒyǎn-jīnjīng}} ({{lang|zh|火眼金睛}}, {{literal translation|fiery eyes and golden pupils}}). Sun Wukong then proceeds to destroy the crucible and makes his way to Heaven's main chamber to confront the Jade Emperor and his senior advisors.

===Imprisonment===
The Jade Emperor and the authorities of Heaven appeal to the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]], who arrives from his temple in the West in person. After listening to Sun Wukong, who makes a case that he should be the new Jade Emperor, the Buddha makes a bet that the Monkey King cannot escape from his palm. The Monkey King smugly accepts the bet. He leaps and flies all the way to the edge of the universe. Seeing nothing there but five towering pillars, the Monkey King believes that he has reached the end of all existence.<ref name="jttw_book" />

To prove his trail, he marks a pillar with a phrase declaring himself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and urinates on the middle pillar. He then leaps back and returns to Buddha's palm to claim his victory in winning the bet. Sun Wukong is then very surprised to find that the five "pillars" he found are merely fingers of the Buddha's hand, finding it impossible to believe. When the Monkey King tries to escape the palm, Buddha turns his hand into a mountain of rocks, sending Sun Wukong hurtling back down to earth.<ref name="jttw_book" />

Before the Monkey King can lift the mountain off, the Buddha seals him there, using a paper talisman bearing the [[mantra]], ''[[Om Mani Padme Hum]]'', in gold letters. The Monkey King remains imprisoned in [[stocks]] for five hundred years, to "learn patience and humility",<ref>{{Citation |title=6. Of Monkey, Human, and God: The Performance of Asian American Identity |date=2018-12-31 |work=Transforming Monkey |pages=135–168 |url=https://doi.org/10.1515/9780295743202-009 |access-date=2025-04-25 |publisher=University of Washington Press |doi=10.1515/9780295743202-009 |isbn=978-0-295-74320-2|url-access=subscription }}</ref> with only his head and hands protruding from the base of the mountain. The Buddha arranges two earth spirits to feed the Monkey King iron pellets when he is hungry, and molten copper when he is thirsty.<ref name="jttw_book" />

===Disciple to Tang Sanzang===
[[File:A Modern Journey to the West7.jpg|thumb|225px|Sun Wukong with [[Tang Sanzang]]]]
[[File:A Modern Journey to the West3.jpg|thumb|225px|Sun Wukong fighting a wind demon]]
Five hundred years later, the [[Bodhisattva]] [[Guanyin]] searches for disciples to protect a pilgrim on a journey to the West to retrieve the Buddhist [[Sūtra|sutras]]. Upon hearing of this, the Monkey King offers to serve the pilgrim, [[Tang Sanzang]], a monk of the [[Tang dynasty]], in exchange for his freedom after the pilgrimage is complete. Understanding Sun Wukong will be difficult to control, [[Guanyin]] gives Tang Sanzang a gift from the Buddha: a magical circlet which, once the Monkey King is tricked into putting it on, can never be removed. When Tang Sanzang chants a certain sutra, the band will tighten and cause an unbearable headache. Guanyin gives the Monkey King three special hairs, only to be used in dire emergencies. Under Tang Sanzang's supervision, the Monkey King is allowed to journey to the West.

Throughout the novel, the Monkey King faithfully helps Tang Sanzang on his journey to [[India]]. They are joined by "Pigsy" ({{zhi|c=猪八戒|p=[[Zhu Bajie|Zhū Bājiè]]}}) and "Sandy" ({{zhi|c=沙悟淨|p=[[Sha Wujing|Shā Wùjìng]]}}), both of whom accompany the priest to atone for their previous crimes. Tang Sanzang's safety is constantly under threat from demons and other supernatural beings, as well as bandits, as they believe that by eating Tang Sanzang's flesh, one will obtain immortality and great power. The Monkey King often acts as Tang Sanzang's bodyguard to combat these threats. The group encounters a series of eighty-one tribulations before accomplishing their mission and returning safely to China.<ref name="jttw_book"/>

During the journey, the Monkey King learns about virtues and the teachings of Buddhism. There, the Monkey King attains [[Buddhahood]], becoming the "Victorious Fighting Buddha" ({{zhi|c=鬥戰勝佛|p=Dòu-zhànshèng-fó}}), for his service and strength.<ref name="jttw_book"/> The Monkey King is revealed to know about the fate of Tang Sangzang and also of his knowledge in many other things, as on three occasions he knew that the monk was supposed to suffer and he also cured a king who had been ill for many years, and knew properties of herbs no one knew of. Wukong also mentions being sworn brothers with [[Erlang Shen]].

==Names and titles==
Sun Wukong is known/pronounced as {{Transliteration|yue|Syun<sup>1</sup> Ng<sup>6</sup>-hung<sup>1</sup>}} in [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]], {{Transliteration|ja|Son Gokū}} in Japanese, {{Transliteration|ko|Sonogong}} in [[Korean language|Korean]], {{Transliteration|nan|Sun Ngō͘-Khong}} in [[Southern Min|Minnan]]/[[Hokkien language|Hokkien]], {{lang|vi|Tôn Ngộ Không}} in [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]], {{Transliteration|jv|Sung Ghokong}} or {{Transliteration|jv|Sung Gokhong}} in [[Javanese language|Javanese]], {{Transliteration|th|Sun Ngokong}} in [[Thai language|Thai]], {{Transliteration|my|Wu Khone}} in [[Burmese language|Burmese]], and {{Transliteration|ms|Sun Gokong}} in [[Malay language|Malay]].
[[File:Bai Gu Jing at Long Corridor 1.JPG|thumb|300px|A painted mural depicting Sun Wukong, in yellow, and other main characters of the novel]]
Listed in the order that they were acquired:
;{{zhp|p=Shí Hóu|c=石猴|}}: "Stone Monkey". This refers to his physical essence, being born from a sphere of rock after millennia of incubation on the [[Bloom Mountains]]/Flower-Fruit Mountain.
;{{zhp|p= Měi Hóuwáng|c=美猴王}}: "Handsome Monkey-King", Houwang for short. The adjective {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Měi}} means "beautiful, handsome, pretty". It also means "to be pleased with oneself", referring to his ego. {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Hóu}} ("monkey") also highlights his "naughty and impish" character.
;{{zhp|p=Sūn Wùkōng|c=孫悟空}}: The name given to him by his first master, Patriarch Bodhi ([[Subhūti|Subodhi]]). The surname {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Sūn}} was given as an in-joke about the monkey, as monkeys are also called {{zhp|p=húsūn|c=[[Wiktionary:猢猻|猢猻]]}}, and can mean either a literal or a figurative monkey (or a [[macaque]]). The [[surname]] {{zhp|p=Sūn|c=[[Wiktionary:孫|孫]]}} and the "monkey" {{zhp|p=Sūn|c=[[Wiktionary:猻|猻]]}} only differ in that the latter carries an extra "dog" ({{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|quǎn}}) [[Radical (Chinese character)|radical]] to highlight that {{lang|zh|[[Wiktionary:猻|猻]]}} refers to an animal. The Monkey King later conferred his new surname to his entire clan back on [[Mount Huaguo]]. The [[given name]], {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Wùkōng}}, means "[[Wu (awareness)|awakened to]] [[shunyata|emptiness]]", sometimes translated as "aware of vacuity". The name ''Sun Wukong'' first appeared in the play ''Drama of Journey to the West'' ({{lang|zh|西遊記雜劇}}) by Yang Jingxian ({{lang|zh|楊景賢}}, d. early 1400s).<ref name=mcmahonmm>{{cite journal |last1=McMahon |first1=Keith |title=Monkey and Masculinity |date=2024 |volume=26 |issue=2 |doi=10.1163/15685268-02602054 |pages=183–217 |journal=Nan Nü}}</ref> In the play, Bodhisattva [[Guanyin]] gives him the name during a scene in which she has a circlet put on his head and presents a robe to cover his animal body.<ref name=mcmahonmm/>
;{{zhp|p=Bìmǎwēn|c=弼馬溫}}: The title of the keeper of the Heavenly Horses, a [[pun]]ning of {{zhp|p=bìmǎwēn|c=避馬瘟|l=avoiding the horses' plague}}. A monkey was often put in a [[stable]], as people believed its presence could prevent the horses from catching illness. Sun Wukong was given this position by the [[Jade Emperor]] after his first intrusion into Heaven. He was promised that it was a good position to have and that he would be in the highest position. After discovering it was one of the lowest jobs in Heaven, he became angry, smashed the entire stable, set the horses free, and then quit. From then on, the title bìmǎwēn was used by his adversaries to mock him.
;{{zhp|p=Qítiān Dàshèng|c=齊天大聖}}: Means "[[The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal]]". Wùkōng took this title suggested to him by one of his demon friends, after he wreaked havoc in heaven people who heard of him called him Great Sage ({{zhi|p=Dàshèng|c=大聖}}). The title originally holds no power, though it is officially a high rank. The Jade Emperor later granted the title the responsibility to guard the Heavenly Peach Garden, keeping Sun Wukong busy so he would not make trouble.
;{{zhp|p=Xíngzhě|c=行者}}: Meaning "[[Asceticism|ascetic]]", it refers to a wandering monk, a priest's servant, or a person engaged in performing religious austerities. Tang Sanzang calls Wukong {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Sūn-xíngzhě}} when he accepts him as his companion. This is pronounced in Japanese as {{Transliteration|ja|gyōja}}, making him {{Transliteration|ja|Son-gyōja}}.
;{{zhp|p=Dòu-zhànshèng-fó|c=鬥戰勝佛}}: "Victorious Fighting Buddha". Wukong was given this name once he ascended to [[Buddhahood]] at the end of the ''Journey to the West''. This name is also mentioned during the traditional Chinese Buddhist evening services, specifically during the eighty-eight Buddha's repentance.
;{{zhp|p=Língmíng-shí-hóu|c=靈明石猴}}: "Intelligent Stone Monkey". Wukong is revealed to be one of the four spiritual primates that do not belong to any of the ten categories that all beings in the universe are classified under. His fellow spiritual primates are [[List of Journey to the West characters#Six-Eared Macaque|the Six-Eared Macaque]] ({{lang|zh|六耳獼猴}}), who is one of his antagonists in the main storyline, the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey ({{zhi|c=赤尻馬猴|p=Chìkāo-mǎ-hóu}}), and the Long-Armed Ape Monkey ({{zhi|c=通臂猿猴|p=Tōngbì-yuánhóu}}), neither of who make actual appearances, only mentioned in passing by the [[Buddha]]. The powers and abilities of each are equal to that of the others. 
;{{zhp|p=Sūn Zhǎnglǎo|c=孫長老}}: Used as an honorific for a monk.

In addition to the names used in the novel, the Monkey King has other names in different languages:
*{{Transliteration|nan|Kâu-chê-thian}} ({{lang|nan|猴齊天}}) in [[Southern Min|Minnan]] (Taiwan): "Monkey, Equal of Heaven".
*{{Transliteration|yue|Maa<sup>5</sup> lau<sup>1</sup> zing<sup>1</sup>}} ({{lang|yue|馬騮精}}) in [[Standard Cantonese|Cantonese]] (Hong Kong and [[Guangdong]]): "Monkey Imp", called so by his enemies.

==Abilities==
Apart from his powerful staff, martial arts skills, and superhuman physical prowess, Sun Wukong is notable for wielding a sundry of magic powers, some featured many times throughout the novel and others only once, and most of them cultivated during his [[Taoist]] training under [[Puti Zushi]]. Said powers include, but are not limited to:
*'''Cloud Somersaulting''' ({{zhi|t=觔斗雲|p=Jīndǒuyún}}):
:The Monkey King's infamous ability to travel or "leap" 108,000 [[li (unit)|li]] (54,000{{spaces}}km, 34,000{{spaces}}mi) in one somersault. The ability, oft portrayed as Wukong riding a nimbus-like cloud, requires a magic hand sign, an oral spell, a fist clench, and a body shake. Wukong's master Puti Zushi taught this ability to the monkey to give him a style of flying that compliments his penchant for jumping.
*'''Seventy-two Transformations''' ({{zhi|t=七十二般變化|p=Qīshí'èr-bān Biànhuà}}):
:Also known as '''Multitude of Terrestrial Killers''' ({{zhi|t=地煞數|p=Dìshà Shù}}). A power originally learned by the Monkey King from his master Puti Zushi to avoid the Three Calamities ({{zhi|t=三災利害}}), sent by heaven to punish those who attain immortality by means of Taoist self-cultivation. The Monkey King was given the choice between either learning the "Multitude of the Heavenly Ladle" ({{zhi|t=天罡數}}) that permits 36 changes, or the "Multitude of Terrestrial Killers/Earthly Fiends" that allows for 72, and chose the latter. It allows the monkey to transform his body into virtually anything, from humanoid forms to animal ones, including small insects, to miscellaneous objects and even entire buildings, or to simply change his size (from gigantic to microscopically small). While fighting [[Nezha]], the Monkey King copied the latter's war form with '''three heads and six arms''' ({{zhi|t=三頭六臂}}), showcasing his ability to precisely alter specific parts of his body. Overall, the "Seventy-two Changes" metaphorically designate an endless variety of transformations (not limited to just 72 in a literal sense), and in addition, it is suggested that for each of the 72 Changes, Sun Wukong has an extra life as well.
*'''[[Xian (Taoism)|Immortal]] Breath''' ({{zhi|t=仙氣|p=Xiānqì}}):
:The Monkey King's magic breath, which is what allows him to transform his hairs and staff, among other such mystic effects as: manipulating his own spirit, healing wounds, or divinely empowering others.
*'''Bod(y/ies) Beyond The Body''' ({{zhi|t=身外身法|p=Shēnwàishēn Fǎ}}):
:The Monkey King's ability to transform any one of his 84,000 hairs into whatever he wishes upon the command "Change!" ({{zhi|t=「變！」|p="Biàn!"}}): from humanoid figures to animals (like insects), to miscellaneous items (tools, money, and even food). However, the monkey mainly uses this power throughout the novel to spawn clones of himself, with Wukong boasting that a single hair can be multiplied into millions and even billions. A seemingly separate ability (denoted as such in the novel) is called '''Method of Bodily Division''' ({{zhi|t=分身法|p=Fēnshēn Fǎ}}), also allowing the Monkey King to create clones of himself.
*'''Method of Imitating/Modelling Heaven and Earth''' ({{zhi|t=法天象地|p=Fǎtiān Xiàngdì}}):
:An extension of the Monkey King's shapeshifting powers, it allows him to grow into a monstrous, giant-sized form upon uttering the command "Grow!" ({{zhi|t=「長！」|p="Zhǎng!"}}). Such form is described as being 10,000 [[Zhang (unit)|zhang]] ({{zhi|t=萬丈}}) in height, but this may be metaphorical for a much larger, cosmically proportioned size, since Sun Wukong boasts about his ability to fill the universe with his body should he will it.
*'''Three Live-Saving Hairs''' ({{zhi|t=三根救命的毫毛|p=Sāngēn Jiùmìng de Háomáo}}):
:Three special hairs created from willow branch leaves that are gifted to the Monkey King by [[Guanyin]], allowing him to create anything he wishes specifically in fulfillment of his duties as Tripitaka's guardian; they are notably distinct from Wukong's other magic hairs.
*'''Diamond Body''' ({{zhi|t=金鋼之軀|p=Jīngāng zhī Qū}}); AKA '''Copper Head, Iron Limbs''' {{zhi|t=銅頭鐵臂|p=Tóngtóu Tiěbì}}):
:Refers to the Monkey King's near-invulnerable body, immune to hits from blades or mallets, lightning, fire, poison, etc.
*'''Fiery Eyes, Golden Pupils''' ({{zhi|t=火眼金睛|p=Huǒyǎn Jīnjīng}}):
:Truth-seeing eyes, able to distinguish certain dualities (good from evil, truth from lies, the rich from poor, etc.) as well as see through illusions and magical disguises/transformations. It also allows Wukong to see far distances in a [[Clairvoyance|clairvoyant]] fashion (1,000 li during the day and between 300 to 500 li at night).
*'''Method of Bodily Concealment''' ({{zhi|t=隱身法|p=Yǐnshēn Fǎ}}):
:A spell that allows Wukong to become invisible to the eyes of humans and even gods and spirits. See also '''Gathering Mists, Intangible Form''' ({{zhi|t=聚形散气|p=Jùxíng Sànqì}}), a method of stealth, by means of transforming, almost, into air and wind, used by Wukong.  
*'''Body-Departing Spirit''' ({{zhi|t=身出一個神|p=Shēnchū Yīgè Shén}}):
:AKA '''Means of the Spirit Leaving the Body''' ({{zhi|t=出神的手段|p=Chūshén de Shǒuduàn}}); essentially the ability of [[astral projection]].
*'''Body-Fixing Method''' ({{zhi|t=定身法|p=Dìngshēn Fǎ}}):
:A spell that lets the Monkey King freeze humans, gods, and spirits alike in place, for up to a full day's worth of time. This is usually done by repeatedly saying the command "Freeze!" ({{zhi|t=「住！」|p="Zhù!"}}) and pointing at a target.
*'''Lock-Breaking Method''' ({{zhi|t=解鎖法|p=Jiěsuǒ Fǎ}}):
:Allows Wukong, with only a point of his finger or staff, to open any lock.
*'''Protective Circles''' ({{zhi|t=圈子|p=Quānzi}}):
:The Monkey King draws a circle on the ground with his staff, which functions as a protective ward or barrier as tough as an iron wall. Used to protect [[Tang Sanzang|Tripitaka]], it dissuades enemies from approaching, whether they be tigers, wolves, ogres, or demons.
*'''Fire Avoidance Spell''' ({{zhi|t=避火訣|p=Bìhuǒ Jué}}):
:Allows Wukong to survive fire; it does not work against the True [[Samādhi]] Fire ({{zhi|t=三昧眞火|p=Sānmèi Zhēnhuǒ}}).
*'''Water Avoidance Spell''' ({{zhi|t=避水訣|p=Bìshuǐ Jué}}); '''Method of Water Restriction''' ({{zhi|t=閉水法|p=Bìshuǐ Fǎ}}):
:Spells that, respectively, allow the Monkey King to ward off water and to travel through water unimpeded, by opening waterways. Still, the monkey is unable to properly fight underwater.

==Immortality==
Sun Wukong is said to have gained immortality through nine different means and instances, which together made him one of the most immortal and invincible beings in all of creation.

===Disciple to Puti Zushi===
After feeling down about the future and death, Wukong sets out to find the immortal Taoist patriarch Puti Zushi to learn how to be immortal. There, Wukong learns spells to grasp all five elements and cultivate the way of immortality, as well as the 72 Earthly Transformations. After seven years of training with the sage, Wukong gains the secret formula to immortality. It is noted that the Court of Heaven does not approve of this method of immortality.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|title=Journey to the West|last=Wu|first=Cheng−en|publisher=Foreign Languages Press|year=1982|isbn=0835110036|location=Beijing|translator-last=Jenner|translator-first=William John Francis}}</ref>

===Book of Mortals===
In the middle of the night, Wukong's soul is tied up and dragged to the World of Darkness. He is informed there that his life in the human world has come to an end. In anger, Wukong fights his way through the World of Darkness to complain to "The Ten Kings", who are the judges of the dead. The Ten Kings try to address the complaint and calm Wukong by saying many people in the world have the same name and the fetchers of the dead may have gotten the wrong name. Wukong demands to see the register of life and death, then scribbles out his name, thus making him untouchable by the fetchers of death, along with the names of all of the monkeys in his tribe. It is because Wukong has learned magical arts as a disciple to Puti Zushi that he can scare the Ten Kings, demanding from them the book of mortals and removing his name, thus making him even more immortal. After this incident, the Ten Kings complained to the [[Jade Emperor]].<ref name=":0" />

===The Peaches of Immortality===
Soon after the Ten Kings complained to the Jade Emperor, the Court of Heaven appoints Sun Wukong as "Keeper of the Heavenly Horses", a fancy name for a stable boy. Angered by this, Wukong rebels, and the Havoc in Heaven begins. During the Havoc in Heaven, Wukong is assigned to be the "Guardian of the [[Peaches of Immortality|Heavenly Peach Garden]]". The garden includes three types of peaches, each of which grants over 3,000 years of life. The first type blooms every three thousand years. Anyone who eats it will become immortal, and their body will become both light and strong. The second type blooms every six thousand years. Anyone who eats it will be able to fly and enjoy eternal youth.<ref name=":0" />

The third type blooms every nine thousand years. Anyone who eats it will become "eternal as heaven and earth, as long-lived as the sun and moon". While serving as the guardian, Wukong does not hesitate to eat the peaches, thus granting him immortality and the abilities that come with the peaches. If Wukong had not been appointed as the Guardian of the Heavenly Peach Garden, he would not have eaten the Peaches of Immortality and would not have gained another level of immortality.<ref name=":0" />

===Heavenly Wine===
Because of Wukong's rebellious antics, Wukong is not considered as an important celestial deity and is thus not invited to the [[Queen Mother of the West]]'s royal banquet. After finding out that every other important deity was invited, Wukong impersonates one of the deities that was invited and shows up early to see why the banquet is important. He immediately is distracted by the aroma of the wine and decides to steal and drink it. The heavenly wine has the ability to turn anyone who drinks it into an immortal.<ref name=":0" />

===Pills of Longevity===
While drunk from the heavenly wine, Wukong stumbles into [[Laozi]]'s alchemy lab, where he finds Laozi's [[Pill of Immortality|pills of longevity]], known as "The Immortals' Greatest Treasure". Filled with curiosity about the pills, Wukong eats a gourd of them. Those who eat the pills will become immortal. If Wukong had not been drunk from the heavenly wine, he would not have stumbled into Laozi's alchemy lab and eaten the pills of longevity.<ref name=":0" />

===The Aftermath of Immortality===
Following Wukong's three cause-and-effect methods of immortality during his time in heaven, he escapes back to his home at the [[Mountain of Flowers and Fruit]]. The Court of Heaven finds out what Wukong has done and a battle to capture Wukong ensues. Due to the five levels of immortality Wukong has achieved, his body became nearly invincible and survives the multiple execution attempts by heaven. In the notable last execution, Wukong was placed inside Laozi's furnace in the hope that he would be distilled into the elixir of the pills of immortality. Wukong survives 49 days of the samadhi fire in Laozi's furnace and gains the ability to recognize evil.<ref name=":0" />

Meanwhile, being refined in the crucible extracts yet more of the impurities of mortality and leaves him with another immortality. In desperation, the Court of Heaven seeks help from [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]], who imprisons Wukong under a mountain, after having tricked him into agreeing to a wager. Wukong's immortality and abilities ultimately come into use after [[Guanyin]] suggests he becomes a disciple of [[Tang Sanzang]] in the ''[[Journey to the West]]''. In the story, he protects Sanzang from evil demons who wish to eat Sanzang to achieve immortality. Wukong's own immortality protects him from the various ways the demons try to kill him, such as fighting, beheading, disembowelling, poisoning, and boiling oil.<ref name=":0" />

Early in the [[Pilgrimage]], Wukong ate another Pill of Immortally, meant for the Black Wind Bear Guai. Sometime during the journey, Wukong and his companions obtain ginseng fruit ({{lang|zh|人參果}}; Man-fruit), a fruit even rarer and more powerful than the Peaches of Immortality, as only 30 of them will grow off one particular tree only found on the Longevity Mountain ({{lang|zh|萬壽山}}) every 10,000 years. While one smell can grant 360 years of life, consuming one will grant another 47,000 years of life.

In addition to all of the immortality-granting wines and medicines that the Monkey King had consumed while in heaven, upon reaching the Buddha's temple, pilgrims were provided with Buddhist equivalents of such foods, therefore making Sun Wukong even more immortal; a 9-fold immortal.

==In ''Xiyoubu''==
The brief satirical novel {{zhp|p=[[Xiyoubu]]|c=西遊補|tr=Supplement to the Journey to the West}}, c. 1640, follows Sun Wukong as he is trapped in a magical dream world created by the Qing Fish Demon, the embodiment of desire ({{zhi|c=情|p= qing}}). Wukong travels back and forth through time, during which he serves as the adjunct [[Yama|King of Hell]] and judges the soul of the recently dead traitor [[Qin Hui]] during the [[Song dynasty]], takes on the appearance of a beautiful concubine and causes the downfall of the [[Qin dynasty]], and faces King [[Paramita]], one of his five sons born to the demoness [[Princess Iron Fan]],<ref>King Paramita is the only son to make an appearance and to be called by name in the novel. These sons did not originally appear in ''Journey to the West''.</ref> on the battlefield during the [[Tang dynasty]].<ref>Tong, Yue, Shuen-fu Lin, Larry James Schulz, and Chengẻn Wu. ''The Tower of Myriad Mirrors: A Supplement to Journey to the West.'' Michigan classics in Chinese studies, 1. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, The University of Michigan, 2000</ref>

The events of the ''Xiyoubu'' take place between the end of chapter 61 and the beginning of chapter 62 of ''Journey to the West''.<ref>Tong, ''The Tower of Myriad Mirrors'', p. 5</ref> The author, Tong Yue ({{lang|zh|童說}}), wrote the book because he wanted to create an opponent—in this case, desire-itself—that Sun Wukong could not defeat with his great strength and martial skill.<ref>Tong, ''The Tower of Myriad Mirrors'', p. 133</ref>

==Influence==
{{Further|List of media adaptations of Journey to the West}}
{{In popular culture|section|date=June 2021}}
[[File:Sun Wukong shrine at Thiên Hậu Temple in Saigon (13527817455).jpg|thumb|Sun Wukong's shrine at [[Thien Hau Temple (Cholon)|Thien Hau Temple]], [[Ho Chi Minh City]], Vietnam]]

[[File:Sun Wukong Statue (Waterloo Street, Singapore).jpg|alt=Sun Wukong statue and shrine at Waterloo Street, Singapore.|thumb|Sun Wukong statue and shrine at [[Waterloo Street]], Singapore]]
In ''The Shaolin Monastery'' (2008), [[Tel Aviv University]] professor [[Meir Shahar]] claims that Sun influenced a legend concerning the origins of the [[Shaolin Monastery|Shaolin]] staff method. The legend takes place during the [[Red Turban Rebellion]] of the [[Yuan dynasty]]. Bandits lay siege to the monastery, but it is saved by a lowly kitchen worker wielding a long fire poker as a makeshift staff. He leaps into the oven and emerges as a monstrous giant big enough to stand astride both [[Mount Song]] and the imperial fort atop [[Shaoshi Mountain]], which are five miles apart. The bandits flee upon seeing him. The Shaolin monks later realize that the kitchen worker was the Monastery's [[Tutelary deity|local guardian deity]], [[Vajrapani]], in disguise. Shahar compares the worker's transformation in the stove with Sun Wukong's time in [[Laozi]]'s crucible, their use of the staff, and the fact that Sun Wukong and his weapon can both grow to gigantic proportions.<ref>Shahar, Meir. ''The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts''. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2008 ({{ISBN|0-8248-3110-1}})</ref>
*The Chinese [[DAMPE]] satellite is nicknamed after Wu Kong. The name could be understood as "understand the void" literally, relates to the undiscovered [[dark matter]].<ref name="Wukong">{{cite news|title=China's new Monkey King set for journey into space|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/16/c_134924136.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090725/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/16/c_134924136.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2015|access-date=27 November 2017|agency=Xinhua|date=16 December 2015}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
[[File:Cartoons on Streets of Lianyungang.jpg|thumb|Cartoon-style models of Monkey King on the streets of [[Lianyungang]]]]
[[File:Sun Wukong Lantern Display.jpg|alt=Sun Wukong Lantern Display|thumb|Sun Wukong lantern display during a Mid-Autumn Festival event in Singapore.]]
{{in popular culture|date=October 2024}}
Sun Wukong has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. Some of the notable ones are highlighted below.

* [[Journey to the West (1986 TV series)|''Journey to the West'']]<ref>{{cite web |title=西游记（电视剧） |url=https://tv.cctv.com/2012/12/03/VIDA1354534828865268.shtml |website=CCTV |access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref> is one of the most well-known TV series in mainland China and is broadcast by TV stations every winter and summer vacation. In the series, Sun Wukong is played by [[Liu Xiao Ling Tong]], 
* [[Shadow play|Shadow puppetry]] animation, Sun Wukong Battles Baigujing Three Times ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: 孙悟空三打白骨精),<ref>{{cite web |title=皮影动画《孙悟空三打白骨精》完整版 |url=https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1dh4y1t76Q/?vd_source=a116569c565e06861d8bcd0bb6ddd9c4 |website=www.bilibili.com |publisher=皮影动画王 |access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref> tells one of the classic stories from [[Journey to the West]]. In this story, Sun Wukong is expelled by his master, [[Tang Sanzang]] (Chinese: 唐三藏, pinyin: Táng Sānzàng), after killing Baigujing (Chinese: 白骨精, pinyin: Bái gǔ Jīng), whom his master mistakenly believes to be an innocent person. Angered, Wukong leaves. In the end, Tang Sanzang realizes the truth—that Wukong killed a demon, not an innocent person—and the two are reconciled.
* ''[[A Chinese Odyssey]]'' is a fantasy comedy film made in Hong Kong 1995. Sun Wukong, portrayed by [[Stephen Chow]], is remembered by a wide Chinese-speaking audience for the film's comedic elements and the profound meaning behind its abstract presentation.
* ''[[Journey to the West: Legends of the Monkey King]]'' consists of 52 episodes,<ref>{{cite web |title=西游记 1998版 |url=https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjIyOTcwMDIw.html?tpa=dW5pb25faWQ9MTAzNTY1XzEwMDAwMV8wMV8wMQ |website=v.youku.com/ |access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref> each no longer than 25 minutes. It is regarded as a classic of Chinese animation from the 1990s.
* Martial Arts Superstar [[Donnie Yen]] plays Sun Wukong in the 2014 movie ''[[The Monkey King (2014 film)|The Monkey King]]''; despite mixed reviews surrounding the film's pacing, it was a huge box office success grossing almost US$200{{spaces}}million worldwide, doubling its budget with Donnie Yen's performance being lauded.<ref name="BOM">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1717715/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|title=The Monkey King Havoc in Heavens Palace|work=Box Office Mojo|access-date=2 July 2020}}</ref>
* The character of Monkey in [[Netflix]]'s ''[[The New Legends of Monkey]]'' (2018–2020), portrayed by [[Chai Hansen]], is based on ''[[Journey to the West]]'' by [[Wu Cheng'en]].
* The character of [[Goku|Son Goku]] in ''[[Dragon Ball]]'' is based on Sun Wukong, as attested by his monkey tail, staff, flying cloud, and name (which is simply the Japanese reading of the same name in Chinese: 孫悟空).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://graphicnovel.umwblogs.org/2015/09/01/from-sun-wukong-to-son-goku-mythology-in-graphic-novels/|title=From Sun Wukong to Son Goku: Mythology in Graphic Novels – The Graphic Novel|date=September 2015}}</ref>
* The manga-anime series ''[[Saiyuki (manga)|Saiyuki]]''{{'}}s Sun Wukong counterpart also uses the Japanese reading Son Goku.
* The character of Mushra in the [[Toei Animation]] anime ''[[Shinzo]]'' is based on Sun Wukong, retaining the character's golden headband and telescoping staff.
* The character of Monkey in the 1978 Japanese television series ''[[Monkey (TV series)|Monkey]]'' is based on Sun Wukong.
* The character of Kongo in ''[[Monkey Magic (Japanese TV series)|Monkey Magic]]'' is based on Sun Wukong.
* In the webtoon ''[[The God of High School]]'' and its derivative media, the protagonist Mori Jin is based on the God Sun Wukong.<ref>{{cite web|title=Episode 11: "lay/key"|url=http://goh-anime.com/story/11.html|access-date=14 September 2020|website=アニメ「THE GOD OF HIGH SCHOOL ゴッド・オブ・ハイスクール」公式サイト}}</ref>
* The character Sun Wukong in ''[[RWBY]]'' is based on the lore; but instead of using his hair to make the clones, he can make the clones using RWBY's magic system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://roosterteeth.com/show/rwby|title=RWBY episodes|website=roosterteeth|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>
* The character of Sun Wukong, explicitly said to be the trickster of legend, plays a major role in the DreamWorks animated series ''[[Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny]]''. 
* The main character of ''[[Starzinger]]'', Jan Kugo, is based on the Monkey King. They wear a golden band around their heads that is controlled by the princess, and which may induce agony as well. The golden band is also his primary weapon, a long javelin that decreases in size and shape. In the English-dubbed version featured in the [[Force Five]] TV series, he is renamed Jesse Dart, after [[D'Artagnan]] of [[The Three Musketeers]].
* [[Marvel Comics]] features their own version of Sun Wukong. This version was a crime lord, styled after the famed character, who steals the original staff and encounters the spirit of the real Monkey King. After being punished by being sent to hell, he escapes and decides to devote himself to fighting evil as repentance.
* [[DC Comics]]' Sun Wukong has a human son named Marcus Sun who discovers his parentage and takes up the superhero codename of [[Monkey Prince]].
* The 2020 cartoon ''[[Lego Monkie Kid]]'' depicts a new generation of the classic tale where a delivery boy named MK is chosen to be Sun Wukong's successor, calling himself the "Monkie Kid".
* In 2021, [[Sunrise (company)|Sunrise Inc.]] has released an animation series ''[[SD Gundam World Heroes]]'',<ref>{{cite web|title=SD GUNDAM WORLD HEROES {{!}} GUNDAM.INFO {{!}} The official Gundam news and video portal|url=https://en.gundam.info/about-gundam/series-pages/sdw-heroes/|access-date=1 July 2021|website=SD GUNDAM WORLD HEROES {{!}} GUNDAM.INFO {{!}} The official Gundam news and video portal}}</ref> under the ''[[SD Gundam]]'' franchise which features Sun Wukong as a protagonist along other mythical characters in the novels.
* The storyline of the 2023 film ''[[The Monkey King (2023 film)|The Monkey King]]'' is derived from the origin stories of the Monkey King, ending with his release from imprisonment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tallerico |first=Brian |title=The Monkey King movie review & film summary (2023)|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-monkey-king-movie-review-2023 |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=rogerebert.com|language=en}}</ref>
* The 2023 TV series ''[[American Born Chinese (TV series)|American Born Chinese]]'' features the character Sun Wukong, played by [[Daniel Wu]].
* The novel ''[[Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint]]'' features their own version of Sun Wukong. He is a constellation that goes by the modifier of Prisoner of the Golden Headband, Great Sage, Heaven's Equal.

===Video games===
* In ''[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]]'', the design of the starter Pokémon Infernape is inspired by the appearance of Sun Wukong.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sun |first=Hongmei |url=https://doi.org/10.1515/9780295743202 |title=Transforming Monkey |date=2018-12-31 |publisher=University of Washington Press |doi=10.1515/9780295743202 |isbn=978-0-295-74320-2}}</ref>
* Sun Wukong appears as a playable character in [[Koei Tecmo]]'s ''[[Warriors Orochi]]'' franchise, starting with ''[[Warriors Orochi 2]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=Keating |first=Barry |date=24 September 2008 |title=Warriors Orochi 2 |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/warriors-orochi-2-10/ |access-date=9 August 2024 |website=GamesRadar+ |quote=We did have some enthusiasm for the new character Sun Wukong, because he's basically 'Monkey' from the cult Seventies' TV show. He whizzes around on a magic cloud and knocks over entire legions just by breathing on them.}}</ref>''
* In ''[[Dota 2]]'', there is a hero called Monkey King. His backstory also roughly follows the story of ''Journey to the West''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dota2.com/hero/monkeyking/|title=Dota 2|website=Monkey King|access-date=30 September 2024}}</ref>
* In ''[[Heroes of the Storm]]'', a legendary skin is based on Sun Wukong.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/-FZ-aYSeNz0 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20171021031451/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZ-aYSeNz0 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{citation|title=Heroes of the Storm Samuro Monkey King Skin announcement 风暴英雄 猴王（孙悟空）萨穆罗皮肤| date=4 December 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZ-aYSeNz0|access-date=1 October 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* ''[[Enslaved: Odyssey to the West]]''{{'}}s plot and protagonist, Monkey, are loosely based on ''Journey to the West'' and Wukong, respectively.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 November 2009 |title=Enslaved |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/enslaved-interview |access-date=19 August 2024 |work=Eurogamer.net |language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[League of Legends]]'' has a champion based on and named after Wukong.<ref>{{cite web|title=THE MONKEY KING WUKONG|url=https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/champions/monkeyking/|access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
* In ''[[Guild Wars 2]]'', the items Mini Monkey King and Endless Monkey King Tonic are based on Sun Wukong.
* ''[[Warframe]]'' features a playable character named Wukong, who is modelled on the Monkey King and possesses abilities based on those described in ''Journey to the West''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.warframe.com/game/warframes/wukong|title=Warframe: Wukong|website=Warframe|access-date=12 December 2019}}</ref>
* In ''[[Mobile Legends: Bang Bang]]'', the character Sun is based on Wukong.<ref>{{cite news |title=Monkey King: Hero is Back is not the groundbreaking experience it could have been |url=https://www.abacusnews.com/reviewed/monkey-king-hero-back-not-groundbreaking-experience-it-could-have-been/article/3034407 |work=Abacus |date=28 October 2019}}</ref>
* In ''[[Honor of Kings]]'', the character Sun Wukong is based on the Monkey King.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pvp.qq.com/web201605/herodetail/167.shtml|title=王者荣耀孙悟空-王者荣耀官网网站-腾讯游戏|website=pvp.qq.com|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref>
* Sun Wukong is one of twelve mythological heroes that civilizations can summon in ''[[Civilization VI]]''{{'}}s Heroes and Legends Mode.<ref>{{citation|title=Civilization VI - November 2020 DLC {{!}} New Frontier Pass| date=9 November 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyLmqlvgdBI?t=151}}</ref>
* The player plays as a reincarnation of Sun Wukong with the goal of collecting his 6 relics in the [[Action role-playing game|action role-playing]] video game ''[[Black Myth: Wukong]].''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Holiday |first1=Charming |title=Black Myth: Wukong Confirms 2024 Release Date |url=https://gamerant.com/black-myth-wukong-release-date/ |website=Game Rant |date=8 December 2023 |access-date=23 April 2024 |archive-date=10 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210163348/https://gamerant.com/black-myth-wukong-release-date/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* In the [[Kemono Friends]] 3 app, Sun Wukong appears as a playable character.<ref>{{Cite web| title=＼ボイス実装／... | url-status=live | url=https://x.com/kemono_friends3/status/1489485558711668739?t=elcJHZZJvWToa2rkLh7yFA&s=19 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250609021236/https://x.com/kemono_friends3/status/1489485558711668739?t=elcJHZZJvWToa2rkLh7yFA&s=19 | archive-date=2025-06-09}}</ref>
* In ''Ravenswatch'', Sun Wukong appears as an unlockable character. His backstory references characters from ''Journey to the West.''<ref>{{cite web|title=Ravenswatch Homepage|url=https://ravenswatch.com/en/|access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
* In ''[[Smite (video game)|Smite]]'', Sun Wukong is a playable God, part of the Chinese pantheon in the mythologic MMORPG.

===Music===
* Sun Wukong is the inspiration and titular character of K-Pop boy group [[Seventeen (South Korean band)|Seventeen]]'s song "[[Super (Seventeen song)|Super]]" ({{Lang|ko|손오공}}).
* ''Journey to the West'' was adapted into the stage musical ''[[Monkey: Journey to the West|Monkey]]'' as a collaboration between [[Damon Albarn]] and [[Jamie Hewlett]] (comprising the band [[Gorillaz]]) and Chinese actor and director [[Chen Shi-Zheng]]. Originally staged as an opera, Albarn released a Gorillaz-style album ''[[Journey to the West (soundtrack)|Monkey]]'' which takes its name from Sun Wukong.
* [[San Francisco Opera]] premiered ''[[The Monkey King (opera)|The Monkey King]]'', an opera by composer [[Huang Ruo]] and librettist [[David Henry Hwang]] on 14 November 2025.<ref>[https://www.sfopera.com/operas/the-monkey-king/ Website for the SF Opera production ''The Monkey King''.].</ref><ref name="kqed-16nov2025">{{cite news |last1=Meline |first1=Gabe |title=In World Premiere, ‘The Monkey King’ Is a Dazzling Triumph at SF Opera |url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/13983779/monkey-king-review-san-francisco-opera-world-premiere |access-date=November 18, 2025 |work=[[KQED Inc.]] |date=November 16, 2025}}</ref>

===Poetry===
* Hungarian poet [[Lőrinc Szabó]] wrote his poem ''Szun Vu Kung lázadása'' ("Sun Wukong's mutiny") about Sun Wukong.<ref>[http://szjptk.iif.hu/toronyor/IV_evf_4/szun_vu_kung.htm Szabó Lőrinc: Szun Vu Kung lázadása (SZÉKELY JÁNOS PEDAGÓGUS TÁRSAS KÖR)]</ref><ref>[https://szepi.hu/irodalom/vers/tvers/tv_046.html Szabó Lőrinc: Szun Vu Kung lázadása (SzePi)]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Birthday of the Monkey God]]
* [[Dafo Temple (Zhangye)]] – contains a Qing dynasty mural featuring Monkey and other characters from the novel)
* [[Hanuman]], a Hindu deity
* [[Jambavan]], king of the bears in Hinduism
* [[List of media adaptations of Journey to the West|List of media adaptations of ''Journey to the West'']]
* [[Monkey King Festival]] 
* [[Pha Trelgen Changchup Sempa]]
* [[Sun Wukong Fossa]], a [[Fossa (planetary nomenclature)|Fossa]] on Pluto, named as a nod for the Monkey King's journey in the Chinese Underworld, the realm of King [[Yama]].

{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}

* [http://www.vbtutor.net/Xiyouji/psunwukong.htm Sun Wukong Character Profile] A detailed character profile of Sun Wukong, with character history, listing and explanations of his various names and titles, detailed information on his weapon, abilities, powers, and skills, and personality.
* [http://www.china-on-site.com/pages/comic/comiccatalog1.php Story of Sun Wukong with manhua]
* [http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/chinese-mythology.php?deity=MONKEY Sun Wukong's entry at Godchecker] is a tongue-in-cheek take on the Great Sage.
* {{in lang|zh}} ''[https://ctext.org/xiyouji/zhs Journey to the West]''

{{Journey to the West}}
{{Portal bar|China|Books}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sun Wukong| ]]
[[Category:Male characters in literature]]
[[Category:Journey to the West characters]]
[[Category:Monkeys and apes in Chinese mythology]]
[[Category:Trickster gods]]
[[Category:Magic gods]]
[[Category:Buddhist gods]]
[[Category:Chinese gods]]
[[Category:Deities in Chinese folk religion]]
[[Category:Buddhism in China]]
[[Category:Confucianism in China]]
[[Category:Taoism in China]]
[[Category:Taoist deities]]
[[Category:Mythological monkeys]]
[[Category:Gautama Buddha]]
[[Category:Guanyin]]
[[Category:Buddhas]]
[[Category:Miracle workers]]
[[Category:Chinese Buddhist deities]]