#Monkey Pilgrim

[journeytothewestresearch]

12th-Century Sun Wukong

I was happy to learn that the Monkey Pilgrim (Hou xingzhe, 猴行者), Sun Wukong's antecedent, appears among a large set of late-12th-century ritual scrolls portraying the famed 500 Arhats. [1] He is depicted as a monkey-headed, black robe-wearing figure with the lower half of his body obscured by clouds, making him hard to see unless you zoom in on the image. He holds what appears to be the head of a staff in his left hand (fig. 1). Our hero is located just behind Tripitaka, who is riding a white horse led by a spirit-soldier(?) or perhaps Sha Wujing’s antecedent (fig. 2). The full scroll shows this scene happening above the heads of four arhats (fig. 3), indicating that the Tang Monk is considered to be one of these Buddhist sages.

I actually found the simian immortal by accident while researching an article about Tripitaka’s Buddha title. Dr. Meir Shahar tells me that this depiction of Monkey doesn’t appear to have been mentioned in previous JTTW scholarship (personal communication, June 3, 2023). [2] Therefore, I’m so very happy that I can share this discovery with my readers!

For more ancient depictions of Sun Wukong, please see my past article:

Fig. 1 – A detail of the Monkey Pilgrim (larger version). From Lin Tinggui and Zhou Jichang, Images of the 500 Arhats (Wubai Luohan tu, 五百羅漢圖, 1178-1188 CE). Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk. Image from Nara kuniritsu hakubutsukan, Tōkyō bunkazai kenkyūjo, 2014, p. 86. Courtesy of Dr. Liu Shufen, a research fellow at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica.

Fig. 2 – A detail of Xuanzang on his his horse (larger version).

Fig. 3 – The full scroll (larger version).

Notes:

1) To learn more about these paintings, see Zhou (2021).

2) Dr. Benjamin Brose tells me that the painting appears in a Japanese source, but the Monkey Pilgrim is only listed as an “ape-like figure” (personal communication, June 3, 2023). See Nara kuniritsu hakubutsukan, Tōkyō bunkazai kenkyūjo henshū, 2014, p. 86.

Sources:

Nara kuniritsu hakubutsukan, Tōkyō bunkazai kenkyūjo henshū [Nara University Tōkyō Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Ed.)]. (2014). Daitokuji denrai gohyaku rakan zu [Daitoku Temple’s Tradition of the 500 Arhats Paintings]. Kyōto: Shitau bungaku.

Zhou, Y. (2021). The Daitokuji Five Hundred Arhats Paintings and Their Beholders [Master’s dissertation, University of Alberta]. Education and Research Archive. https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/f0bf436c-f6e5-46a2-920a-91c8b9dd5ba9

[kyri45]

We love MK, child of un-divorced. The next update will be more gay. And fluffier.

Shadowpeach Bio Parent AU (PREV / FIRST / NEXT )

before saying anything, read the stuff under the cut

About wukong and macaque

Both these bitches did wrong, but remember that MK saw the vision starting from the fight itself, not what happened before. He then read the chapters of the book and read that Macaque also attacked. I personally think he's mostly hurted by what Wukong did, not because it's worse of what Macaque did, but because he idolized Wukong for so long, and while he know he did so many wrongs in the past, his vision of a "hero" dissapeared in this moment. He s mostly dissapointed let's say. Of course it's not the best of things to put tour heroes on a pedal because you will always be dissapointed. I guess MK learned the lesson...

About what MK said in panel 8

Our monkey boy is remembering his own very stupid thing he sacrificied himself without trying to talk it out with the others AND using the circuit on Wukong.

About the posters

Yes they were Monkey King posters. MK ripped them immediately after the vision because he still was not sure was reality and vision and was scared.

About the eye

Because I would prefer no one dies of angst, his eye is fine, it s more like symbolism.

[swkbiggestdefender]

I really need wukong to talk about the pilgrims in the next season I just love how it's been centuries but he's still grieve them but doesn't talk about them

it's just shows how much he loved them and it's normal people who lose people they loved don't move on they just learn to live with the grief

he makes origami of them to watch the new year fireworks with him and keep those origami in his house on the table in front his couch that he sleeps on

For wukong they are the light in the darkness even though they're no longer here they're still the thing that saves wukong they're the thing he still seek to feel hope they'll always be a part of him

[ningadudexx]

tw// sh and suicide

save me from myself

[n0orin]

romance dawn trio in the scott pilgrim artstyle

[royaltea000]

Imagine the entirety of the heavenly army pulling up to huaguoshan and this is who they’re mad at

Qitian dasheng design update ver 2

[py-dreamer]

Little thingy that I made for a project

My hand is kinda wrecked rn and I'm personally very very tired

[italian-pastry]

is there anything more romantic than Mad Scientist x Enthusiastic Assistant/Test Subject

[digitalagepulao]

Sun Wukong, the Monkey King: just the goodies(tm)

for the folks who want the creator's commentary, click here! otherwise, just enjoy monkee <3

[quackkryak]

another draw this but with ur comfort characters

[memento-moli]

Wallace is my fave so I had to-

[journeytothewestresearch]

Is there an archive where the first versions of the journey to the west can be found?

I have two posts (one article and one archive) about the late-13th-century JTTW. It is radically different than the standard 1592 edition that we all know and love. For instance, Zhu Bajie is nowhere to be found, and Sha Wujing's precursor only briefly appears as a monster.

This article describes the 17-chapter story (part of chapter eight is missing):

And this archive hosts an English translation:

[soniclozdplove]

Tripitaka stared into the pool of water, his mind and heart in a sort of turmoil he hadn't felt since he was a young boy, learning the truth about his heritage and how he had ended up in the river where his own Master had once found him, face to face with the man who had killed his biological father and kept his mother imprisoned as his bride. Although this time, the emotions he were feeling were not caused by the actions and sins of another man... but rather presumably his own. Tripitaka knows death and suffering and what it is to take a life, he'd never told his students this, but he is jsut as guilty and on this journey of their for his own redemption just as much as they are. Only where his students made an effort to better themselves and listen to his teachings, even Wukong who had seemed to be antagonistic at best of his words would still at least acknowledge and try to obey, it appears Tripitaka himself had been actively and unknowing breaking one of his most core oaths as a buddhist monk this entire time. And it had taken being transported thousands of years into the future and meeting and older and wiser version of his most troublesome student and his excitable apprentice and violent but loving... fiancé? Suitor? Tripitaka still wasn't quite sure what the Macaque's role in Wukong's life was and how far along in their relationship the two are, but all he could gather from those around him when he asked was "it's complicated" and the assurance that the Macaque loved his student dearly and Wukong was reluctant but not against being receptive towards his feelings in turn. But it had taken meeting these three for the monk to realize this truth.

Even now the wicked image of those terrible scars branding Wukong's forehead burned into his memory, the knowledge that he had used the mantra meant to guard and protect others from Wukong's rage and chaos to inflict punishment and suffering was acid to his veins. He had failed as a teacher and a buddhist by hurting Wukong so, and yet he could tell the king held a great deal fo respect and reverence for him even after all these years in a future when he had presumably been long gone. It was written all around him from the newly painted mural on a wall to the origami figured placed upon a miniature shrine on the table to simply the way Wukong would speak and look at him when he though Tripitaka was not looking. And Tripitaka could not understand why. Why would Wukong still care so deeply for him?

Even now Tripitaka had probably hurt Wukong once more, having fled at the sight for those terrible scars without a word, ignoring Baije, Ao Lie, and Wujing's cries as he ran. How Wukong would have undoubtedly awoken from the sound of their shouting as he had always been the lightest sleeper of the group to fond Macaque had shown them a glimpse of what he had kept hidden under magic and illusions. And although he had known this Wukong perhaps a day at most, Tripitaka knew in his heart that he would be terribly worried about him. Even so, Tripitaka cannot bring himself to go back. Not without properly meditating on his actions both past and future, not without calming the turmoil on his heart.

He isn't given a chance when he hears footsteps approach.

"Master?"

Tripitaka's felt himself tensed as the one person he didn't want to see at this moment spoke up. Opening his eyes he glanced over to see Sun Wukong standing a distance away, his red eyes and scarred form hidden once more behind a glamour yet not annouce of the concern in his gaze was false. Without saying anything the monkey walked over, sitting beside him. The two remained silent, neither really sure where to go from there, but reluctant to be the first to speak.

Wukong's the one to break the silence.

"Ao Lie told me about what happened. What... what Macaque showed you."

Guess they were going to talk about it then.

"Are you angry?" Tripitaka asked, carefully avoiding Wukong's burning gaze, "That your... that he showed us what's beneath your glamour?"

"Eh... kind of." Wukong grunted, his tail tapping at Tripitaka's leg as it twitched with his emotions, "I'm not happy he showed you guys, that was pretty private and I keep a glamour on to hide it for a reason... but he meant well. Macaque is... how do I put this... he's a theatre guy. Likes to be big and dramatic, tends to blow things way out of proportion because of it. And he may act like he's the careful one, but in a lot of ways he can be even more reckless than me when it comes to the things he cares about."

"And... that's okay for you?" Tripitaka questioned, "That he went ahead and did this without your permission? That he's so reckless and doesn't seem to take your feelings into account?"

"Nothing I'm not used to." He felt Wukong's shoulders raise an lower next to him, indicating he had shrugged, "And with Macaque it's... it's different. He isn't doing this to hurt me or to make me feel embarrassed or ashamed. He's blunt and a little mean, but I see right through his tough guy act, he was trying to protect me."

Trilitaka considered his student's words, trying to figure out what he could possibly mean about the Macaque breaching Wukong's privacy to protect him up until his mind inevitably drifted to his own Wukong. The one that was presumably left back in their timeline, with the binding fillet still on him. Before he'd seen the scars on the Wukong of this timeline, he may have not thought anything about the mantra the Bodhisattva had given him to activate the relic, after all, why would any item given my the goddess of mercy and am agent of the Buddha possibly cuase harm!? But now, seeing the consequences for himself...

"He was hoping that showing me would make me more reluctant to use it against you." Tripitaka spoke in realization, finally understanding the Macaque's rage at his earlier confusion and why he had gone against Wukong so overtly. The monkey beside him laughed, and Trilitaka finally found the strength to look him in the eye.

"Yeah, that's Macaque alright. The dumbass who tries to protect me by being an absolute ass of himself." Wukong shook his head in fond exasperation, "Don't get me wrong... I won't mind not having that thing used against me ever again, you were a bit excessive about it, but it hadn't exactly been unwarranted either. My time in the mountain had truly turned me into a beast of sorts, the type of beast who needed a leash and collar to protect both myself and those around me. Guanyin had been right to entrust it to you."

Tripitaka stared at his student gobsmacked, wondering how in all the realms Wukong could possibly justify that!? And how could be speak with such wisdom and conviction when it came to his own punishments!? The monkey king smiled, extending his paw out.

"I think it's about time we get back to the others." Wukong pulled Tripitaka to his feet, "Before Baije steps on Macaque's tail and my annoying suitor kill him."

"Well we wouldn't want that." Tripitaka let out a sigh, his turbulent emotions easing into soemthign much fonder, "So it's true what your brothers are speculating. You and the Macaque together?"

Here Wukong's face turns as pink as his facial mask as he realized what he'd let slip. Tripitaka barely had a moment to register it before the monkey pulled his hand back as if burned, turning away form the monk and crossing his arms in a defiant manner.

"I-I don't know what your talking about! Macaque is just an annoying pest who thinks he can try to mess with me by playing at being a co-mentor with MK and bugging me!"

Tripitaka's huff of amusement turned into a mirthfil chuckle. It seems even after all these centuries there is still that spark of defiance and brattiness in his student.

"So it guess the bet I heard Baije and Ao Lee making about which of the two of you is going to be... what's the word... courtnapped? Is nothing to worry about?"

"I mean... I-I never said he didn't manage to... win my challenge and steal me..." At this Wukong hid his face in his scarf, embarrassed as he tried to explain himself, "He was just messing around though. Proving he could do it if he... if he wanted. He didn't actually- A-Anyways what do you mean Baije and Ao Lie made a bet!? Isn't gambling against buddhist doctrine!?"

If anything, Wukong's fluster only made Tripitaka's laughter grow louder as he happily let himself be led onto the nimbus cloud that Wukong had bragged so much about.

[swkbiggestdefender]

Can we talk about how the pilgrims are hunting the narratives in lmk almost no one talks about it

They're dead but they're still an important aspect of the story even though they're not there

And they're an important aspect to the other characters especially wukong because he can't let go of them and the reason why he doesn't get too close with the others

[kittyt4n]

[luxthestrange]

LMK Incorrect quotes#101 Too Pretty-

Wukong: We need a diversion. I say Macaque gets naked. Y/n: No. Ao Lie* Looks between the two and gets an idea hoping this stops you and Wukong from fighting* I could get naked! The Pilgrims: NO!!!

The whole pilgrims know...Ao Lie is too much in danger for being way too pretty...you and Wukong especially watch him like guard dogs-