Week 7 Reading: The Monkey King, Part B

(The Monkey King by Yoshitoshi: Wikipedia)

 The Lord of the Heavens

The Lord of the Heaven sat in his castle and a saint presented the complaint of the Dragon-King and the Princes of the Dead. They told him about the wild nature of Sun Wu Kung and the Lord ordered a god to go down and take him as a prisoner. The Evening Star shared how this ape was of pure power and had gained the knowledge of eternal life. The Evening Star went to find Sun Wu Kung and told him to come with him to heaven. This made the ape feel joyful and the two mounted a cloud and went up to heaven. The ape didn't even bow before the Lord and this angered his servants. The Lord forgave him and he made the ape a stablemaster of the heavenly steeds Sun Wu Kung did his duties with great zeal.

The Great Saint

At the table, Sun Wu Kung began to question the level of his title and found he was serving a low position. This angered him and claimed he would do this job no longer. He drew the golden bar from his ear and beat his way out of the Southern gate of Heaven. When he got back to his mountain, he realized he had been gone for ten years and he shared how badly he had been treated. The other apes prepared a banquet to comfort him. While setting the table, two-horned devil-kings came and brought a yellow imperial robe as a present. The ape king put it on and appointed the devils as leaders of the vanguard. They flattered him and called him Great Saint. 

Notscha, Son of Li Dsing

The Lord of Heaven ordered his son Notscha to take the ape king as a prisoner. He was no match for Sun Wu Kung though. As they battled, the two yelled taunts at each other. Suddenly, Notscha turned into a three-headed god with six arms that held six different weapons. Then Sun Wu Kung turned into a figure with three heads with six arms and swung three gold--clamp rods. They continued to battle until Sun Wu Kung threw a blow, forcing Notscha to surrender. He returned to his father with the news and the Evening Star came up with a plan to defeat him. They suggested to temper his justice with mercy and give him an empty title as the Great Saint. 

The Queen-Mother of the West

The Lord ordered two skilled architects to build a castle for him in the peach-garden of the Queen-Mother of the West. The Saint was in his element and he idled day by day without occupation. Then one day, the Lord summoned the Great Saint and gave him the duty of watching the peaches ripen. There were many trees in the garden and apparently whoever eats the fruit is able to float in the rose-dawn without aging. This pleased the ape and when nobody was looking, he would gorge himself to his heart's content. Then one day, seven fairies went into the garden looking for him and since they couldn't find him, they began picking peaches. 

Laotzse

The Great Saint had turned himself into a peach-worm and had been taking his name when he was awakened by these fairies. The Saint was angry they had been sent to the garden and he murmured a magic incantation and the fairies were banned to the spot. The Saint lied and said he had been commanded by the Lord of Heavens to tell all the gods and saints that they are first to come to the Hall of Purity to practice rites. Then he transformed himself into the Bare-Foot god and went straight to the banquet. He enjoyed all the meals and then stumbled home to sleep. He missed his way and came to the dwelling of Laotzse. Since he found nobody was home, he went into the chamber where Laotzse was brewing the elixir of life. The Saint gobbled up the pills and made himself invisible 

Guan Yin

In the meantime, the fairies regained their freedom and they reported to the Queen what had happened. The Queen went to the Lord to complain and then Laotzse came to tell a thief stole his pills and the Bare-Foot God claimed he had been deceived. Now everyone was ordered to catch the ape but the ape withstood all attacks and withdrew to his cave. Guan Yin recommended the Lord's grandson Yang Oerland to catch him. He requested the Lord to take away the sky net to their combat wouldn't be disturbed. He went to the ape's cave with a sword and the ape began to taunt him. This angered Yang and the battle began when Yang turned into a giant with a black face and red hair. The ape claimed he could do that too.

Yang Oerlang

The battle continued and Yang slewed the other apes, making the ape's heart grow uneasy. In a moment, the ape turned the rod into a needle into his ear and became a sparrow and flew away. Yang turned into a sparrow-hawk and darted after the sparrow. Then Yang turned into a sea-crane and shot up into the clouds to seize the cormorant. The ape turned into a fish and swam down the stream. Then they were both fish until the ape turned into a snake and slithered away. The two continued to shapeshift as they battled and chased each other. The ape went into the chapel to draw Yang in and bite him but he wouldn't fall for it. Then the ape assumed Yang's form and sat on the throne. When Yang found this out, he went back and told his father and went in to kill him. They both left the temple fighting. 

Buddha

The news got back to everyone and Laotzse offered a vase made of porcelain with a circlet of diamonds that can enclose all living creatures. They threw the circlet and hit him on the head with it and he fell to the ground. Yang and his followers tied him up and thrust a hook through his collar bone so he could no longer transform himself. He was condemned to be beheaded but nothing could harm him. Laotzse took him and thrust him into the fire but the ape was not harmed by it and he used the light to ignite his magic and escape. All thirty-six hundred gods went to seize him but they couldn't. The Buddha heard of the news and asked to speak with the ape. He had come to tame him. 

The Destiny of Sun Wu Kung

The Buddha spoke with the stone ape and asked him about what he has done to deserve to be the Lord of the Heavens. They made a wager and if the ape could turn cloud somersaults then he will beg the Lord to make a way for him. The Buddha stretched out his hand with a lotus flower and Sun Wu Kung began somersaulting into the sky. The ape pulled out his hair and turned it into a brush to write "The Great Saint Who is Heaven's Equal." He laughed and was happy for he had seen the end of the world. The Buddha scolded him for his statement which frightening Sun Wu Kung. Buddha then shoved him out of the gate and formed a mountain of water, fire, wood, earth, and metal to set on top of the ape and hold him down. He was forced to lie there for hundreds of years until he reformed and offered to help the Monk. The Monk placed a circlet on him, so the ape grew into his own flesh and couldn't be disobedient. From then on, he was always polite and well-mannered. 

Journey to the West (synopsis)

This novel has 100 chapters that are divided into four parts. Chapters 1-7 is the introduction to the main story, the second part introduces the main characters and their great journey. The third and longest section involves the journey and the Buddhist. 

Journey to the West (conclusion)

This one is the abbreviated form of the final chapters in the Journey to the West. The Spiders and the Extinguisher, Sun Steals Clothing for His Master, Shaving a Whole City, The Return to China, and the Travellers Honoured are the stories in the journey. 

Bibliography:

Title: The Monkey King

Author: Wilhelm