#silk road retelling

[rrcraft-and-lore]

The Monkey King - Sun Wukong who first appears in Chinese stories (Journey to the West) during the Ming Dynasty period 1368 to 1644 CE, well after the introduction of Buddhism to China in about 206-220 CE.

But, was he inspired by another Monkey hero/character of myth?

The prevailing and dominant theory among Asian scholars is ...yeah, likely.

That character, Hanuman, king of the monkeys (the monkey people -Vanaras- of Vedic myth!).

The story follows a Buddhist monk who is accompanied by Sun Wukong and others to travel west to India to obtain sacred Buddhist sutras. Many of their powers and personality traits are similar as well.

We know that Vedic god such as Indra have made their way as far as Japan to take root and be worshipped because of the spread of Buddhism.

As I've talked about before and is shown in texts such as the journey's of Ibn Battuta / Ibn Fadlan, storytelling was a weapon and powerful tool for idea transfer--propagation. Philosophy was huge in the old world - and places such as Nalanda - the first residential university in the world - invited scholars from all over such as Greeks from the west, and the Japanese. Buddhism became a vehicle for trading things such as: martial arts information, medicine, sciences, and of course, myths and stories.

However, as with stories, people usually altered/coopted elements and molded them to better suit their cultures and fancy. That's a thing as old as time. I've shared how the panchatantra stories and jatka tales are thought to be the inspiration for nearly 30-50 percent of all nursery rhymes, ballads, "fairy tales".

Anyways back to this theory - Chinese Indologist Professor Liu Anwu of Peking University has dedicated chapters to the comparisons (in one of his works) to further break down this theory focusing on consistent and or similar depictions of beats in Journey to the West that of Rama's story in Ramayama and the Buddhist sutras.

Even though today the story of Sun Wukong is a wholly Chinese story - it's important to note the power of oral storytelling and how it travelled evolved over thousands of years, and, just as important, the vehicles it used to do so. Not just storytellers and philosophers and travelers but religion! Philosophy!

This is a theme heavily commented on and shown in Tales of Tremaine, which is my love letter and sort of self PhD. in comparative storytelling, mythology, and story foundry through an Asiatic lens (hence a silk road analog) stretching along a similar route the silk road did from damn near as far as you can east (complete with the oceanic routes) to as west as old venezia, portugal, and spain.

Also note: this is the most popular theory atm, but the operative word is theory. Experts likely far better than you, Internet, so chill before you comment, are still debating this. I know last week some of you were doctors in sociopolitical relations, the music industry before that, and then you were leading virologists before that. Spare us simpler folks from your mighty genius just now and sit down.

The point here is the beauty of stories and their ability to travel and morph and comment on themes/points ideologies important to cultures while being entertaining and showing that humans like certain universal moments, beats, archetypes, tropes, and progressions in tales.

Now, is that because we've naturally been predisposed liking them, or the opposite in that everyone went, yo, i dig this, took it home and someone else went, this is cool but needs to be more US (insert culture) and retold it. And thus...timemachine noises speed up. Here we are today?

You might not know that about 35,000 Chinese words ( I said this instead of Mandarin because they don't just show up in one language) are derived from Sanskrit as well as Pali (a Middle Indo-Aryan Liturgical Language -- meaning language of sacredness/religious use, in this case connected to sacred Buddhist texts). It is important to make the distinction, because, Internet!

Sanskrit did not SHAPE the Chinese languages. They evolved on their own. This is just a commentary on how words/stories shaped over travel in this case strongly through the spread of Buddhism.

Religion was the mover.

Back from quick bathroom break. Going to add again - INSPIRED is the keyword here.

INSPIRED.

Sun Wukong is his own mythos/character. Influence doesn't nor can claim dominion over everything in a later tale. Sun Wukong has gone on himself to inspire legends and characters Outside of China - re: most famously and legendary?

Son Goku - who is openly a Sun Wukong inspired character.

...hell, tbh, he might be the most famous monkey inspired super powered character now. Dude makes soccer stadiums air his fights. @_@.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Son Goku Jumps the Silk Road (1982) 孫悟空シルクロードをとぶ!!

Director: Hideo Takayashiki

Screenwriter: Yoshiyuki Fukuda

Starring: Ikue Sakakibara / Ayako Sawada / Tetsuro Igawa / Kinya Aikawa / Han Keiko / more...

Genre: Animation

Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

Language: Japanese

Date: 1982-06-17 (Japan)

Also known as: Son Goku Silk Road wo Tobu

Type: Retelling

Summary:

By order of Emperor Taizong, Master Sanzo and Goku head to the faraway Tenjiku to retrieve sutras. In a certain village, he tries to convert the youkai Hakkai and add Sagojyo, who lives in the river, with him, but Gojyo leaves. The party, who approached the flaming mountain, was surrounded by youkai due to a mysterious child’s ruse. Their true identities are generals of the heavens who were an assassins sent by the emperor out of jealousy of the popular Sanzo. With Gojyo's help, the group escaped danger and continued their journey to Tenjiku of their own accord.

Source: https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/son-gokuu-silk-road-wo-tobu

Link: N/A

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

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1. hello, I am looking for a fic where " after wei wuxian jump from cliff, lan wangji save him. then baoshan sanren rescued them from a cave and gave wei wuxian his mother's core. and wei wuxian and lan wangji become demonic cultivator and immortal."

FOUND? 🔒 Blossoming flowers in a full moon - 花好月圆 by ThisIsWhereTheMagicHappens (T, 64k, wangxian, canon divergence, happy ending, fix-it of sorts, wangxian cuddle to immortarility)

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2. Fic finder request please! 🙏

It’s an a/b/o Wangxian where WWX wasn’t used to his designation since coming back into MXY’s body and he had trouble letting go and asking LZ for what he needed. I mostly remember a lot of really hot smut and a scene near the end where LWJ tells him to present and WWX decides to tease him for it and gets spanked as a result and then gets what he wants and is very pleased about it. I’ve checked all compilations and can’t find it anywhere. 😭😭

#2 on the recent Fic finder— it’s not any of those, but they were good reads. 😭

Wangxian was already married in the one I’m looking for.

NOT FOUND! Mutual Nurture by NinaCarow (E, 9k, WangXian, Mentions of Character Death, mentions of abuse, Mentions of Rape, no rape occures tho, its speculation, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega WWX, Alpha LWJ, Past Alpha WWX, Biting, Bonding, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Knotting, WWX Has a New Golden Core, its just sex and cuteness, mostly)

NOT FOUND! In the Face of Fate by InTheGreySpaces (E, 17k, WangXian, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Mpreg, Pregnant WWX, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Pregnant Sex, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Miscarriage, reference to child death, Grief, WWX has self-image/body issues, taming the Alpha, Childbirth, Labor and Delivery, Painful Heats, malfunctioning hormones, post-cannon divergent, WWX Wants to be a Parent, desperately, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics)

NOT FOUND! You've got me feelin' like a child now by MaggieoftheOwls (E, 9k, WangXian, A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha LWJ, Past Alpha WWX, Omega MXY) though I haven't read them, all are tagged with Past Alpha WWX

NOT FOUND! Like a Needle to the North by athena_crikey (E, 87k, WangXian, ZhuiLing, Canon Divergence, A/B/O Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, WWX adapting to being an omega, societal standards, Pining, UST, Grief, Trauma, Protectiveness, Canon Retelling, Slow Burn, Menstruation, lots of bath sex for some reason, Rimming, Knotting)

FOUND! sandalwood and cinnamon by parsnipit (E, 39k, WangXian, A/B/O Dynamics, Established Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Fluff and Angst, Body Dysphoria, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Post-Canon, Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Dom/sub Undertones, Praise Kink ,Nesting, Overstimulation, Knotting, Spanking, Subspace, Light Bondage)

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3. I'm tryibg to find a wonderful Wangxian fic i read a few months ago, which I don't seem to have bookmarked or saved. Wei Ying & Lan Zhan travel one of the Silk Road caravan routes all the way to the outpost near the Jade Gate. I think Wei Ying was the one who wanted to go there, but he was vague about why. There are all kind of sub plots going on - i think some of the Wen are blending in out there, there's also a bit about ghosts (i think) of the Tarim Basin mummies - one of their resting places was violated. Ugh. It was a fascinating case fic - i've tried various keywords searching, but haven't had any luck. @emrinalex

FOUND? Bitter Plants Bearing Sweet Fruit by Kryal (M, 83k, wangxian, graphic depictions of violence, canon-typical horror elements, Worldbuilding, Desert, Misuse of Historic Setting, Original Character Death(s), Case Fic, aftermath of canon, ridiculously long author notes, Established Relationship, Nothing Explicit But Shameless Innuendo)

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4. Hello!

I'm searching for a fic where it's kind of like 5+1 things and something along the lines of '5 Times WWX unintentionally hurt LWJ'

I'm not sure if it is deleted but is it possible for me to get the link for internet archive if it isn't?

Thank you! Sorry for the trouble.

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5. Plz can you tell me which main Wei Ying Baushan Sanren's talisman has been activated by mistake and he is getting injured by breaking his memory and all the juniors are worried and call Wangji.

For 5, was it a fic where Wen Qing was a veiled vendor and wwx accidently activated the talisman with a bloody hand and then was regressed to a kid?

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6. Hello!

I’m looking for a fic I read some time ago (can’t even say I liked it, just in the mood). It was a modern AU where WWX and JC are raising JL together, but have to work at a sex line (JC) and strip club (WWX, not sure about this one) to make ends meet (there was also a scene of JL finding out). Then, they bump into the Lan brothers in separate incidents the same day and give them their cards.

That’s most of what I remember, I hope you can find the fic for me (tried all the filters on AO3, couldn’t find it).

Great work on this blog, thank you’ :) @fomalhaut48

Thank you, but it is not this one. JC's work at a sex line was much more prominent there, and the story did not start with the Lan brothers as this one does.

Not FOUND Silk & Satin by Brieeze01 (E, 171k, wangxian, JC/LXC, modern, Stripper/Exotic Dancer AU, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Pole Dancing, Falling In Love, Love Confessions, Idiots in Love, Child LSZ, Child JL, Supportive brothers, hardworking brothers, Uncles and nephews, Love Story, Emotions, brokeass pole dancers meet billionaire bachelor brothers, Kinks, Lipstick, High Heels, Blindfolds, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Gentle Sex, Lube, Strip Tease, Dancing, Dirty Dancing, First Kiss, First Time, Love Bites, Anal Fingering, Rimming, Romance, Silk, satin, Slow Burn, Happy Ending, Wholesome, Pining, kink appreciation, healthy family relationship, Healthy Relationships, Everybody uses lube, Lapdance)

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7. A) I'm looking for a fic where LZ sings a song for WY at a party or karaoke. It is a song with a vibe like "double take" by dhruv if my memory serves me correct. It is one hundred percent a song famous on tiktok by a male singer.

Anyone has any idea pls?

B) I'm also looking for a particular fic where LZ stopped playing after wangxian's falling out, then at a social gathering LZ is urged to play the piano and wy sees how much lz hurts and how much music flows through LZ's soul. @imstillthinkingaboutithmm

7B)

FOUND! Tempo Rubato by Spodumene (E, 108k, wangxian, modern, angst w/ happy ending, romance, persuasion au, separations, pining, miscommunication, depression, self-harm, reconciliation, smut)

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8. so there was a fanfic I read a while ago on archive that I really wanna find: it’s a modern au where Wei Wuxian is a flower shop owner and Lan Wangi is a law student that meets him at the flower shop. I believe Jiang Chong is also a law student at the same school and Lan Xichen is WWX’s psychiatrist.

I hope that helps a bit, if u can’t find it I thank you for the effort @weebachu

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9. Good day, The fic am looking for has a teenage breakup between Lan zhan and Wei ying. Qiren forcefully takes Lan zhan to another country making Wei ying think Lan zhan dumped him. Then forward too few years later, when Lans have to take Wei ying's help reagrding their institution making the couple remeet. Wei ying treats Lan zhan coldly and then they slowly mend. Can you pls help out? @mridhu6

FOUND? Tempo Rubato by Spodumene (E, 108k, wangxian, modern, angst w/ happy ending, romance, persuasion au, separations, pining, miscommunication, depression, self-harm, reconciliation, smut)

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10. Fic finder please! I am looking for a fic where Lan Wangji kisses Wei Wuxian soon after they eat and he screws up his face because Wuxian’s mouth was spicy from his meal. Wuxian begins to chuckle at him and tries to move away but Wangji wants to keep kissing even though it is too spicy for him. I know it isn't a lot to go on and I don't remember any of the other plot, just that this scene was super cute. If anyone remembers this, please let me know! Thank you!

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11. hello!!!

i just remembered a fic and i cannot remember the title, so i think it happens post-canon and people are talking about LSZ origins. they were like oh he could be wangxian's biological child.

i think the last part includes jingyi being drunk?? and begging wangxian to give LSZ another sibling... i thinj they were in lanling at that time

thank you! @cuddlemehun

FOUND! Wei Wuxian, God of Fertility by tired (T, 19k, WangXian, Family Feels, Crack Treated Seriously, Crack, the juniors get REAL drunk, Gossip, POV Multiple, surprisingly not an mpreg fic, Kissing, Self-Esteem Issues, Discussion of Porn and Sex, Post-Canon, SOFT SOFT SOFT, married wangxian, Fluff and Humor)

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12. Hi I would like find a fic where Wei wuxian was sugar daddy to a sugar baby Lan zhan who also happened to be a newly enrolled student in Wei wuxian uni where he's a lecturer. There's also mention of Lan zhan's favourite book frequently in the fic. Thank you

FOUND? forget-me-not by mellowflicker (E, 31k, WIP, WangXian, Modern AU, Sugar Daddy WWX, Sugar Baby LWJ, Professor WWX, Student LWJ, Bottom LWJ/Top WWX, Secret Relationship, Age Difference, Hurt/Comfort, Chronic Pain, JZX & LWJ Friendship, Family Issues, WWX Isn’t Adopted by the Jiāngs)

FOUND? Teacher's Pet by anobtra (animeobsessedtrash) (E, 43k, wangxian, modern, Dark LWJ, College/University, Age Difference, Professor WWX, Student LWJ, Degradation, mild stalking, thigh riding, WWX Talks Dirty, Frottage, Mutual Masturbation, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Bottom LWJ, Coming Untouched, Orgasm Delay/Denial, LWJ is a Brat, Consent is Sexy, Begging, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, Teasing, Hair-pulling, Semi-Public Sex, Masturbation, Consensual Sex, Rough Sex, Dry Humping, everyone is of-age, Barebacking, Possessive Behavior, Porn With Plot, Jerk Off Instructions, Service Top WWX, Protective LWJ, Pining LWJ, Light Humiliation, Possessive WWX, Possessive LWJ, Intercrural Sex)

FOUND? together, we're just enough by lulu_kitty (E, 134k, WangXian, Modern AU, Bartender LWJ, single dad wwx, Kid fic (sort of), Excessive Fluff, Yearning, barely there plot, neurodivergent wangxian, canonical parental issues, lwj in jewelry, accidental sugar gege wwx, fluff and eventual smut, Bottom LWJ/Top WWX, Service Top WWX, Bisexual WWX, Rich WWX, a-yuan is a wei but still also a wen, wwx is a-yuan's biological baba, Older WWX, Younger LWJ, Slow-ish burn, Light Dom/sub, Brief LWJ/Others, Past WWX/Other(s))

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13. Im looking for a time traveling wei wuxian where he goes to far into the past (his words) and he has to seal is memories, but from the outside it looks like he was attacked by resentful energy with a worries madam yu who then officially adopts wei wuxian. Also after he was "attacked" he also mumbles lan zhan's name in his sleep so the lans are there. @samriajack

FOUND! 🔒 Hope series by RoseThorne (T, 57k, wangxian, WWX & YZY, WWX & JFM, WWX & JYL, YZY/JFM, JC & WWX, LQR & WWX, LXC & JYL, Madam Jin & YZY, LQR & JFM, LXC & LWJ, Transmigration, Time Travel Fix-It, Illnesses, Family, Scars, Memory Loss, Angst, Crying, Music, Nosebleed, Fear, Recovery, Nightmares, Sharing a Bed, Flirting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Parent YZY, Referenced Sexual Slavery, Blood and Gore, Monsters, Sexual Tension, betrothal, Arranged Marriage, Grief, Adoption, POV Third Person, POV Alternating, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Good Parent LQR, Clairvoyance, Butterfly Effect, Kid Fic, Epistolary, Food, Secrets, Resentful Energy, Cultivation Sect Politics, Character Death)

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14. Hi! I'm looking for a fic (WIP) where LWJ and WWX travel back in time. LWJ still has his older core so the Lans think he's the reincarnation of Lan An when he's destroys the Wall of Rules. WwX avoids getting adopted by the Jiangs by becoming a rogue cultivator and gets nicknamed a sparrow. JFM found him though and somehow during a night hunt JC loses his golden core to a taotie. I can't seem to find it on AO3 anymore and hope you know it or it's name!. Thanks so much!

FOUND? A Life Without Regrets by naqaashi (M, 74k, wangxian, JFM & WWX, JC & WWX, WRH & WWX, LXC & LWJ, LQR & LWJ, LWJ & NHS, Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-It, Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Crack Treated Seriously, musical cultivation, Slow Burn, Pining, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Murder Husbands, PTSD, BAMF WWX, Demonic Cultivation, POV WWX, Cultivation Sect Politics, Worldbuilding, No Yīn Iron, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Artist WWX, Musician WWX, Night Hunts, Fate & Destiny, Bad Parent JFM & YZY, Golden Core, Cultivation Theory, Sentient Burial Mounds, Father-Son Relationship, Dysfunctional Family, Grief/Mourning, Parent-Child Relationship, Angry WWX, Pining WWX, WWX is Not Okay, No Golden Core Transfer, BAMF LWJ, Pining LWJ, POV LWJ, Angry LWJ, One-Braincell Wangxian, Love Confessions, Idiots in Love, WIP)

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15. Hello! I'm looking for a fic, it was post canon and relatively short. Wei Wuxian accidentally lets slip that Lan Xichen called him a mistake during the whole temple thing, and Sizhui and Lan Wangji get upset and end up confronting Lan Xichen. I remember there was a seen where Wei Wuxian recited everything Lan Xichen said to him to Lan Wangji. It points out how unfair it was to expect Wei Wuxian to realize Lan Wangji was in love with him, and that even if he did, he shouldn't be expected to drop everything je was doing (you know, like protecting the Wens) just to make Lan Wangji "happy."

Thank you so much, you're all awesome!

FOUND! 🔒💖 When has silence saved anyone? by Vrishchika (T, 6k, wangxian, LSZ & WWX & LWJ, post-canon, LXC  critical, family feels, angry LWJ & LSZ, LXC gets scolded)

NOT FOUND! Wei Ying Was Not A "MISTAKE" by Jeeny271196 (Not rated, 6k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, BAMF LWJ, confrontation, hurt/comfort, protective LWJ, not LXC friendly)

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16. Hello, I have a fic finder request! Read it ages ago on ao3 and now cannot find.

Set during the time skip and then postcanon. Some Lan elders took advantage of LWJ's punishment to sexualy abuse him, taking him out of the cold cave blindfolded once a month. Afterwards, warmth was a trauma trigger and he only felt comfortable with the younger generation of Lans because he knew they were too young to have been involved. After canon and getting together with wwx he has a breakdown after realising that sex isn't suposed hurt and goes to sleep outside soaking wet so he can feel cold.

FOUND? 🔒 even the proud probably die on their knees by yuer (vintageblueskies) (E, 14k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, LQR & LWJ, LWJ/Other(s), rape/non-con, Rape, Gang Rape, PTSD, Whump, Dissociation, Flashbacks, Recovery, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Bottom LWJ, breaking all the rules of empathy, tiny tiny mention of unacted upon xiyao, two mentions of a character throwing up, the non-con isn't wangxian)

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17. hello! thank you for doing this!

i was looking for this where wwx befriends lwj early on in school days and gets to know he's gay and defends him against everyone and people think he's lgbt+ because he attends everything on lwj's behalf. he didn't actually realize he was bi until they get into college and he meets mianmian there and starts dating her.

they have a mutual break up later and wwx sort of realizes he has feels for lwj and gets all weird about it?

hope it made sense.

thank you again!

FOUND? Walk the Circle in the Other Direction by notevenyou (E, 31k, wangxian, modern, College/University, High School, Coming Out, Homophobia, Bad Parenting, Alcohol, Recreational Drug Use, Vomiting, Panic Attack, Bullying, Minor Injuries, Blood, Fighting, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Oblivious WWX, honestly not as dark as the tags make it seem, bisexual WWX, WWX/MM, sex between a man and a woman)

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18. Hey do you guys know a fashion industry fic where people grow plants out of their bodies? I thought i had it in my bookmarks but i can't find it anymore @imstillthinkingaboutithmm

FOUND! The Roots Grow Riotous by hansbekhart (E, 104k, wangxian, modern, fashion au, garment company, casual sex, group sex, implied/referenced cheating, switching, recreational drug use, angst w/ happy ending, single dad WWX, panic attacks, implied/referenced self-harm, grief/mourning, catharsis, body horror, floral horror) but I don't think it's available online

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19. hello!! i'm looking for a fic where wwuxian, jiang cheng, and jin ling get invitations to some backwater-areas of yunmeng? but it's a trap. i cant remember the name but there's two significant parts i remember; they're served shrimp wine(?), and wwx gets whipped by zidian and promptly collapses later. thanks!!

FOUND? Light a Match / Watch Us Burn by athena_crikey (T, 24k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Post-Canon, Whump, h/c, Kidnapping, Angst, yunmeng bros reconciling, jin ling too)

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20. Hello, I’m looking for a fic where wwx runs into lwj in yiling after the core transfer

FOUND? these colours fade for you only by doodlebutt (T, 36k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Everybody Lives, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, ...eventually, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, bed sharing, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Sunshot Campaign)

FOUND? nothing gold can stay by rikke (M, 10k, WangXian)

FOUND? to hell and back for you by blumeraki (G, 5k, WangXian, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Universe, Protective WWX, Protective LWJ, Everything Hurts, Implied/Referenced Torture, Hurt WWX, Hurt LWJ, Branding Iron, Whipping, discipline whip, jc saves the day, Canon Divergence)

FOUND? no step had trodden black by Stratisphyre (T, 32k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Madam Lan lives, Past Rape, Golden Core Reveal, Hurt/Comfort, References to Attempted Suicide and Suicidal Thoughts, Canon-Typical Violence)

FOUND? Instead by apathyinreverie (T, 27k, wangxian, fix-it, darker gusu lan, manipulative elders, but in a good way?, golden core transfer fix-it of sorts, not Jiang friendly, or anyone friendly, except wangxian, cultivation world critical, fluff, sunshot, politics, courting rituals, genius WWX, no demonic cultivation, talismans, possessive LWJ, protective LWJ, WIP)

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[speculativepages]

I recently started world-building for a new story idea (I know—bad when I'm supposed to be in the middle of revising my current project) and in trying to figure out the level of technology and feeling of my new world I got lost in google searches about the different punk genres.

So I decided to make a master list.

According to Wikipedia (a highly reputable source by all accounts) a punk genre can be described as “a world built on one particular technology that is extrapolated to a highly sophisticated level (this may even be a fantastical or anachronistic technology, akin to retro-futurism) a gritty transreal urban style, or a particular approach to social themes.”

There are so many (so so many) and some people roll their eyes at every new addition but I think the names and distinctions are interesting and fun (I mean, Magicpunk may just be regular fantasy, but it sounds so much cooler). I love the idea of scientific fantasy, and of blurry the lines between the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Who’s to stop you from mixing the culture of the Japanese samurai with an epic space opera in the stars?

This is an incomplete list. I've organized it by time period (loosely, because some overlap or can go anywhere). I've also provided an example of a published work (for those that have them).

Established Fantasy Punk Genres: An Incomplete List

Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk: Fantasy punk genre where the “one particular technology” that the world is build on is magic. You have trains running on lines of sorcerer-fueled energy and ships powered by wind magic and computers running on sub-dimensional energy from the demon realm. Popular examples include The Sleeping Dragon by Jonny Nexus and The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams.

Aetherpunk: Subgenre mix of Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk where the magic source of the technology is specifically the element of Aether. Often, if not always, also has Steampunk elements. The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher is the only example that comes to mind.

Mythpunk: A punk genre that is inspired by or incorporates myths and legends. These aren’t usually a retelling of a popular myth, but rather one that includes elements of the myth, or twists and changes the story around to it’s own ends. Popular examples would be American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Deathless by Catherynne Valente.

Stonepunk: Set in the stone age, this genre is characterized by the use of non-technology as technology, creating pseudo-tech and modern inventions with natural, basic resources like stone, wood, water, fire, clay, and rope. The Flintstones would be the best example.

Sandalpunk: Sandalpunk is on thin ice as a punk genre. Rather than being inspired or defined by a technology, it instead focuses on the period of time of the ancient world before the Middle Ages, often set in Greece or Rome. There aren’t many examples of it. But the name is cool.

Steampunk: Arguably the most popular punk genre (after Cyberpunk) featuring science fantasy stories set in Victorian era, with advanced technology powered by steam engines and clockwork mechanics. Doctor Who perhaps described it best, “The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam.” There are many examples, both in literature and film, including His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves and The Parosol Protectorate by Gail Carriger.

Clockpunk: Close-cousin subgenre of Steampunk, characterized by a lot of clocks and inspired by the pre-steam energy period of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Pasquale’s Angel by Paul J. McAuley is more Clockpunk than Steampunk.

Silkpunk: Silkpunk is another subgenre of Steampunk, one generation removed. While steampunk is defined by it’s Victorian era brass and steam aesthetic, Silkpunk is inspired by East Asian culture during the period of the Silk Road. Examples include The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu and The Tea Master and The Detective by Aliette de Bodard.

Cattlepunk: Yet another subgenre of Steampunk, Cattlepunk is the across-the-ocean-bastard-cousin set in the wild west of early America. Cowboys, bank robberies, and train heists meet robots, warmechs, magic, and super-weapons. The Wild Wild West and Firefly verse are classic movie examples. Book examples would be the Mistborn Era II series by Brandon Sanderson and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. (And I didn’t realize until I just did all this research but based on examples this is like my favorite punk.)

Dieselpunk: This genre is set in the aesthetic of the 1920s-1950s era and is characterized by the use of diesel-powered technology. Commonly incorporates alternate history elements, as well as themes surrounding the Great Depression and World War II. It’s been called the darker and dirtier version of Steampunk with an emphasis on air travel and combat, dirigibles, and air pirates. Examples include The Iroon Dream by Norman Spinrad, Dreadnough by Cherie Priest, and Pirate Utopia by Bruce Sterling.

Atompunk: A retro-futuristic punk genre set in during the Cold War and characterized by atomic nuclear technology, ray guns, robots, hover cars, and interdimensional travel. Atompunk often deals with the themes of nuclear power gone wrong and alternate versions of the Cold War. The most popular example of this would be the Fallout games by Bethesda.

Capepunk: Capepunk is just superhero fiction set in the modern-era world where people have powers. Example would be any superhero story ever. I just think the name’s cool.

Gothicpunk: Gothicpunk is also usually set in the modern-era, but incorporates The Goth. Generally characterized by an underworld of supernatural creatures lying in wait and secretly controlling the workings of our world where humans are but cattle. This is basically dark Urban Fantasy, but it’s popular enough to get a distinction. Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire is an okay example. The movies Priest and Daybreakers are much better ones.

Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk, the grandfather of all of the punk genres. Characterized by dystopian and cynical future world in which technology has brought about cultural nihilism and a crap society. Often combined with Film Noir or detective fiction. (Fantastic Noir is a fantasy version of Cyberpunk). Heroes are most prone to be some form of hacker, rebel, or antihero fight against a totalitarian police state or corporate empire oppressing the people. Examples Neuromancer by William Gibson and the movie Blade Runner.

Post-Cyberpunk: This is Cyberpunks chipper, more optimistic sibling. It has all of the vision of a scientifically advanced cyber-culture without the gritty, dark, and edgy world elements. It still share’s the Cyberpunk elements of analyzing how technology interacts and impacts with society, just without such a grimdark view of humanity. Examples would be Agent G by C.T. Phipps and The Peace War by Vernor Vinge.

Biopunk: Biopunk is Cyberpunks genetically engineered half-sibling. This punk centers around organic technology with a healthy smattering of bio-augmentation and biotechnology. Examples include In the Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling, West of Eden by Harry Harrison, and Wolfish Nature by Vladimir Vasilyev.

Nanopunk: Also a subgenre of Cyberpunk with characterized by the use of nanites and nanotechnology as the predominate form of technology. Examples are Tech Heaven by Linda Nagata and Micro by Michael Crichton.

Solarpunk: Solarpunk is a genre characterized by it’s environmentally friendly technology meshed with African and Asian cultures and an emphasis in community, art, and a bright solar future where humanity has found a balance between technology and nature. Can also include many elements of Biopunk, but with a much more optomistic, for-the-future-of-species-and-environment outlook. Example works include Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor, Maurai by Poul Anderson, and Songs from the Stars by Norman Spinrad.

Apunkalypse: This genre is defined by the collapse of civilization where society is replaced by lawless bands of roving scavenger gangs or cities collapsing into decay or the rise of punks overthrows the rules of the past. Examples include Mad Max and Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves (which is also Steampunk, so it’s a good example of book incorporating more than one punk genre).

Desertpunk: Punk genre characterized by sand. Who doesn't love a good desert planet? Often features roaming tribes, wandering heroes, desert bandits, and sand storms. Can be combined with Cattlepunk, for a Western desert, or Apunkalypse, for an-after-the-end-of-the-world setting. Examples include Dune by Frank Herbert and Railsea by China Mieville.

Oceanpunk: This punk is set on the high seas. Often features floating cities of wood and iron lashed together and mighty nations fighting for dominion of the watery world and may also feature civilizations and cultures below the waves in underwater cities. Sometimes called Pirate Punk, because nothing breed pirate stories like ocean cities and sailing ships. Examples include The Scar by China Mieville, Tranquilium by Andrey Lazarchuk, and Dark Life by Kat Falls.

Did I Miss a Punk? Can you guys think of any other punks to add? Either ones you've thought up, or any you've heard of that I don't have listed. I'd love to keep this list updated. I find it's useful to look through when creating a new world to get the overall feeling of what I'm going for with the story and world-building.

What punk are you writing in for your current WIP?

[mysticmonkiebusiness]

ISSUE 69 BLOCKS MAGAZINE PAGE 35 + 36

[ID 1: Two magazine pages. The first shows several pieces of digitally painted concept art of; MK, a roughed-up couch, a game controller, a polaroid of an early design of Mei, and another polaroid of Monkey King from the film “Havoc in Heaven”.  Below it is an image of a LEGO designer referencing a piece of concept art, one of MK flying on a hoverboard, to design MK’s minifigure, which is being drawn on his tablet. ] 

[ID 2: On the left, between the text, minifigures of MK, Mei, Sandy, Pigsy, and Monkey King descend vertically. On the right is an ink sketch of Monkey King, who wears a crescent fillet and has a large forehead. He sits atop his cloud, below him is an early version of MK, who has a skateboard, spiky black hair, and a shirt with a star on it. Next to this image is a digital painting of Monkey King, who closely resembles his minifigure but has a full cape and golden sleeves. Under this is a picture of Monkey King’s minifigure, who stands on a LEGO cloud and wields his staff.]

Transcript:

The Characters

MK Monkie Kid, the theme's titular character, Is chosen by the Monkey King to be his successor and defend against the Demon Bull. He's a brand new character in the story.

ΜΕΙ Mei is part of the Dragon Family, a descendant of the legendary White Dragon Horse, which the monk Tang Sanzang rode down the Silk Road on his epic pilgrimage to India and Central Asia.

SANDY Once a soldier, Sandy is now a relaxed, tea drinking nature lover. He's based on the character of Sha Wujing. the most kind-hearted, loyal and logical of Tang Sanzang's three disciples.

PIGSY Head Chef of Pigsy's Noodle Shop, the character takes a great deal of pride in his kitchen. He's based on Zhu Bajie, a part-human, part-pig monster who embodies the sins of sloth, gluttony and lust in the original story.

MONKEY KING After vanishing centuries earlier on a magical cloud, Monkey King is back to train the Monkie Kid. He's based on Sun Wukong, who like Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie was forced to accompany Tang Sanzang on his quest by the goddess of mercy.

Developing Monkie Kid

It wasn't just name recognition that the Monkey King story enjoyed: it was also ripe for a LEGO adaptation. 'I knew something about the Monkey King and Journey to the West because key beats from that story have been reinterpreted in Hollywood so many times,' Simon says. 'When we were discussing retelling it, we were just listing out the big, iconic aspects.'

The biggest of all is of course the Monkey King himself. 'The Monkey King is such an amazing superhero because he can transform himself into so many different things. He can fly on a magic cloud, he's slightly cheeky, he slightly breaks the rules and he's not perfect. He's got that likable character; he's not the typical square-jawed hero that's just going to save the day.

'The team in China started saying, 'There's the Bull Demon and he has a wife that has this huge fan that creates tornadoes, and a son who can control fire, then all the other demons like the Spider Queen...' You just think wow, these demons are awesome and we can bring them to life in brand new ways.'

That early meeting set so much direction for the theme - not just for the villains, but also for the title. As with all great moments of invention, though, no one person can claim the credit. 'I wish I could remember who it was, but somebody said, 'It's the next generation of the Monkey King and he's just a boy,' and somebody said, 'The Monkie Kid.' That was the spark moment.'

Testing proved that children could identify with the Monkie Kid, or MK as he is also known, seeing the possibility that they could be the Chosen One.

Returning to Billund in September 2018, it was time to present the concept. 'We had a 'portfolio gate' as we call it at LEGO, which is where the senior team meets and we have to pitch what we have been working on, and get their approval to move forward. Everyone was like, 'Wow!' and the China team supported it 1000% - they gave us the green light to move forward and we went into the full development phase of sculpting new characters and building models.'

"HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE WE AREN'T JUST SPRINKLING A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURAL DUST ON TOP?"

[ryin-silverfish]

Chapter 15: Your Horse is Dead

Fun Fact #1: budding legends around the historical Xuanzang already featured an extraordinary horse.

Fun Fact #2: and it's not a white horse, but a skinny red one.

-The unnamed old horse was gifted to Xuanzang by an elderly foreign man, who was an experienced traveller of the western roads. Later, while Xuanzang was crossing the desert, he lost his way and was about to die of thirst; suddenly, the horse took a different road on its own accord and saved the day by bringing him to an oasis.

-Because red is associated with fire, and horses turning into dragons was already a well-known trope in Chinese legends and folklore, said horse evolved into a Fire Dragon Horse in folk operas and retellings.

-In Yang Jingxian's JTTW Zaju, the horse was originally a fire dragon of the South Sea, who, strangely, was sentenced to death for failing to summon rain on schedule.

-Precious Scroll of the True Scriptures (真经宝卷), which came into existence around early Ming, also featured the Third Fire Dragon Prince, and his role was a lot more prominent than in the novel; after Sandy was forced to retreat into the river by SWK, he gave chase and stirred up the whole water body, and when this version of the seven spider demonesses used their silk to seize the pilgrims' weapons, the horse reverted to his dragon form and burnt away the silk with his flames.

-But since "White Horse Carrying the Scriptures" is a keystone imagery in the legends of Buddhism's spread to China, the horse also got a recolor in the Journey stories, and its association with fire gradually weakened, until all that was left was the arson of the dragon pearl in JTTW novel.

-Sidenote: the book only explicitly associated Metal with SWK, Wood with Pigsy, and Earth with Sandy, since in the specific tradition of internal alchemy it followed, Water is basically packaged together with Metal, and Fire with Wood.

-However, if you really wanna associate each of the pilgrim with one of the Five Elements? Tripataka would be Water (River-Float Boy) and the Dragon Horse would be Fire, based on his earlier incarnations as the Fire Dragon Horse.

-The Six Gods of Light and Six Gods of Darkness(六丁六甲) was based on the Ten Celestial Stems, a system of ordinals that, combined with the Twelve Earthly Branches, formed the 60 days/years calendrical cycle. As the personifications of those ordinals, these gods had a long history of being summoned by Daoists for divination and bodyguard duty, going all the way back to Eastern Han.

-The Yu edition might have translated them as the gods of Light and Darkness because traditionally, the Six Ding Gods were female and thus Yin-aligned, while the Six Jia Gods were male and Yang-aligned.

-When Guanyin turned the white dragon into a horse, the Yu translation said he "[holds] the bit in his mouth". Well, in the original Chinese, it says 口衔着横骨, literally "holding the horizontal bone in his mouth".

-This is a reference to the old Chinese folk belief that animals couldn't talk because there were a piece of hard bone inside their mouths/throats; only cultivated animals would be able to get rid of it.

-So yeah, the white dragon was very, very dedicated to his horse roleplay, down to the fantastical throat cartilage part.

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

[queen-rainy-love]

Cookie of the Week: Oyster Cookie

This Cookie of the Week is...

Cookie name: Oyster Cookie

Pronouns: She/Her

Rarity: Super Epic

Position: Rear

Type: Support

Lore: Oyster is the head of House Oyster of the Crème Republic as well as part of the Council. Clotted Cream constantly visits her for advice. She is why Espresso figured out the Magic Candy formula, thanks to her family giving him pearls in Cookie Odyssey. She was the first Elder to suggest a traitor amongst the council. Despite living in the upper city, Oyster does advocate for Mud Town along with Captain Caviar. In the Legend of the Duskgloom Sea, it was revealed that Oyster was the reason why Captain Caviar is cautious about the Duskgloom Sea. She approaches him after a martial arts tournament and asks him to help her check out the Duskgloom Sea since it was crucial for House Oyster. It was revealed that the Duskgloom Sea Sovereign, Black Pearl, has history with a dated House Oyster figurehead (*couch* Lord Oyster *cough*). The story between them was told to Oyster as a child (revealed in Crunchy Dreams) which was a twisted retelling of the truth.

Personality: Oyster is calm, collected, and observant. She was able to conclude one of the Elders was working with the White Masks and kept calm while being accused of being said traitor. She also questions situations or plans that could affect her family or herself. She also has a silver tongue, able to get what she wants (items, favors, or information).

Skills: Oyster's Skill is called Might of House Oyster. This skill has Oyster summon soldiers of House Oyster and increase the CRIT% DMG for herself and allies for a certain time (first Cooldown will shortened). The soldiers will charge at the enemies, dealing damage as well as getting an extra DEF boost until the HP of their shields hits zero. Their shields will also resist Knockbacks and Flying. When Oyster receives a Cooldown reduction buff, the number of Oyster Soldiers and their ATK will increase. She will become resistant to interrupting effects.

Costumes: Oyster has one costume: Silk Road Magnate. It cannot be obtained at any point in the game (time-limited), is not part of a costume set, and does have a special effect on her skill.

Cookie Decor: Oyster does have a Cookie Decor called Ivory Pearl Fountain. This hinted at Black Pearl before she debuted. The way Oyster interacts is impressive and slightly shows us a side of her.

Thoughts: Looking through my page, we all know how I feel about her. She’s one of the best Super Epic out there. Also, in the Japanese dub documents, she is said to be around 40 to 50. I love that.

[wufflesvetinari]

Kind of a random question, but do you have any recommendations for character/relationship driven short stories?

!!! oh i LOVE this question. i'm assuming you're referring to original fiction but correct me if i'm wrong

the silk & steel anthology is a good collection of relationship-driven SFF/romance short fiction that falls on the lighter side of the spectrum: "Princess and swordswoman, lawyer and motorcyclist, scholar and barbarian: there are many ways to be a heroine. In this anthology, seventeen authors find new ways to pair one weapon-wielding woman and one whose strengths lie in softer skills."

as for stories available free online:

a really powerful horror piece is "We, The Girls Who Did Not Make It" by EA Petricone. involves the ghosts of abducted and murdered women contending with being dead in a basement together; i would not call this a happy story by any stretch of the imagination but it's vivid and well-written and cathartic. i'd attribute a lot of that to the ghosts' relationships with one another

"AP Practical Literary Theory Suggests This Is A Quest (Or: What Danny Did Over Spring Break)" by Isabel J. Kim is an extremely voice-y story of a teen road trip to bring your friend who died in a stupid skateboard stunt back to life, goddammit danny

"The Sigilist's Notes on the Fell Lord's Staff" by Stephen Granade is a very short villain romance piece on the relationship between a dark lord and his (perhaps a bit obsessive) loyal servant. actually pretty heartwarming!

"Yes / YES" by P.H. Low is a retelling of the myth of the minotaur focusing on the minotaur's experience of isolation and hunger, eased somewhat by visits by his sister the princess, and the attempt to be, like, a person. lyrical prose

“Mr. Death” by Alix E. Harrow is about a reaper being assigned to reap a 2-year-old and doing everything in his power to stop or delay it. it’s a heavy story but i promise it’s not quite as sad as it sounds

"A Study of Sage" by Kel Coleman is about uhhh scripting a necessary conversation in your head again and again instead of doing it out loud. sort of. but with scifi

"Sour Milk Girls" by Erin Roberts is a story about girls growing up in a group home in a near-future where memories can be wiped or shared. their relationships are pretty complicated since, you know, traumatized orphans

(...and i will slide in two of my own, "The Dame With the Earth at Her Back" and "Cloth Mother.")

generally, imo you can expect to find character-driven pieces in uncanny magazine and diabolical plots also

[meitoscringe]

reminder to myself of all the books I gotta read/read again

really blurry images ahead

Here we go.

Arte dell' Oceania:

Small fascicolo about Polynesian art (not read)

Anima sonora:

Poetry book my teacher/the writer gave me for free (read again)

Mythical irish wonders:

Book about mythical irish wonders (not read)

La donna dal kimono bianco:

Post ww2 Japan, historical piece about the struggles of mothers of mixed Japanese/American kids (Read again in 5 years this shit destroyed me)

Botteghe di Tokyo:

A book illustrating different Tokyo shops in watercolor (read ?, look at)

Storie segrete della Via della Seta:

Book about the silk road. (Not read, got to page 31)

Spiriti e creature del giappone:

Book about Japanese spirits and creatures (Not read)

Samurai:

Book about samurai (not read, got to page 42 but I should definitely restart)

La vera arte é non farsi beccare:

Book about street art + interviews with Bansky (not read)

La ragazza che cadde in fondo al mare:

Ancient Korean myth (not read) /could be a modern retelling I'm unsure/

Cien años de soledad:

This one doesn't need a description. (Not read)

+ ALL 42 PDFS ABOUT VENEZUELAN HISTORY I SAVED!!! INCLUDING THE 2 BOOKS I DOWNLOADED

[iviarellereads]

The Shadow Rising, Chapter 20 - Winds Rising

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Waves icon) In which these two clowns are, regrettably, with us.

PERSPECTIVE: Elayne. The ship has lurched, and Nyn and El rush up to the deck right behind Jorin and Coine. They know somehow that Rand caused the wave, and Nyn says no doubt El's second letter touched a nerve. In the middle of her speech about this, she does a double take and asks what THEY'RE doing here. Two men stand among the Sea Folk on the deck: Thom and Juilin.

Coine says they request passage, and she cannot refuse them, but... she would do so, if the wondergirls asked it. Reluctance to break custom is clear as day in her manner. She does say that Juilin is a good man, and a gleeman can lighten tired hours aboard ship. Nyn asks if she knows Juilin, and Coine says yes, he's found those who pilfered from them, quickly too. Nyn suggests they find out why the men are here before denying them anything. El asks to do the talking, so that Nyn can watch to see if they're hiding anything. Nyn sees through the ruse, but agrees.(1)

El finds something familiar about Thom, though she can't quite place it. Her mother certainly never had gleemen in Caemlyn. She asks Juilin first, why they're here. After some hemming and hawing, he says that a fellow named Lan roused him, gave him a great pile of gold, and asked him to accompany them on behalf of a... mutual friend, a shepherd. Both Lan and the shepherd were emphatic that if the young women fail to return from this journey, Juilin would do better to drown than return to Tear. But he does have many useful skills, in combat and tracking.

Nyn pipes up to ask Thom the same question, and he says that a lady of their mutual acquaintance asked him to go with them. He also has some useful skills besides juggling, and he's familiar with the city. El is struck by some deep, buried memory and reaches up while Thom's talking to tug on one of his mustaches. She embarrasses herself further trying to explain why.

Nyn demands that both men agree to do as they're told, and both eventually give in. She sends them off to find quarters, and El says she's being a bit harsh. Nyn says she's just starting off as she means to continue: Thom certainly knows they're not fully raised Aes Sedai, and Juilin's sure to find out. They might think they're a match for an Accepted, and she won't give them any weakness to start trying to tell her or El what to do.

They cast off, and there's a bunch of scenery and such. And more fuss about the women going topless at sea. Late in the evening, El is following dolphins up the length of the ship when she realizes Thom's right in front of her, looking at the dolphins sadly. He says they're free, they have no decisions to make, no prices to pay, nothing to worry about. They go on to talk about the end of an age and how it's marked, and prophecies. Even if he composes an epic about Rand's life, it will only be a seed. Two dozen generations of retelling, and Elayne may be the hero, or Mat, or Lan. Maybe even Thom. This goes on for a while, about how history changes as it's written, rewritten, and retold to new generations. "Did Mosk and Merk really fight with spears of fire, and were they even giants?"(2) Were Anla and Elsbet even sisters?

Eventually they come to the question of 'what animal ivory comes from, or what plant makes silk', and when El says you could ask the Sea Folk, Thom says they don't know either. He's asked around for years, and neither the Sea Folk, nor the Cairhienin when they had their Silk Road travel through the Waste, ever saw more than high-walled trade cities, and any ship that docked elsewhere, or anyone who wandered further into the land beyond the Waste was never seen again. El says the ship was meant for Shara, Thom might learn a little more than he expected here. He's never heard of Shara, so perhaps he does have a little more to learn.(3)

They keep talking and laughing a little. She has the oddest feeling she can trust him, and wants to pull his mustaches again. She excuses herself quickly, though, when she realizes what's going on on the other end of the ship. Jorin is embracing saidar, weaving flows of air and water intricately, delicately. El stops well back to watch Jorin, and when she's done, climbs the ladder quietly. She asks if this is why they deny Aes Sedai passage, and Jorin says the White Tower would interfere, try to reach onto the ships, tie itself to them. They send a few girls to Tar Valon so the Aes Sedai won't come looking, but now she's given up the game.(4)

El promises by the honour of House Trakand that she'll do her best to keep the secret, and if she must reveal it, to protect her people from interference. Jorin seems unconvinced. El says there was a damane on the Seanchan ship after all, wasn't there? Jorin says she sees much for one so young. She has daughters older than El.(5) She didn't know the damane was captive, and wishes she could have freed her.

El finally asks why the Atha'an Miere call all ships "he", and Jorin says a ship is alive, with a man's heart. Care for him properly, and he'll fight for you against the worst sea. Neglect him, ignore the small warnings he gives, and he will drown you himself. El hopes Rand isn't that fickle.

El asks how long to Tanchico, thinking of how she wants to help Thom with whatever puzzle he's puzzling on. Jorin says ten days, if she can weave the winds well enough. Maybe as few as seven or eight. El thinks it's impossible, but Jorin points out El said herself a Sea Folk raker is the fastest ship in the world. Most ships take at least twice as long.

“Jorin, would you teach me to do what you were just doing?” The Windfinder stared, her dark eyes wide and shining in the fading light. “Teach you? But you are Aes Sedai.” “Jorin, I have never woven a flow half as thick as those you were handling. And the scope of it! I am astounded, Jorin.” The Windfinder stared a moment more, no longer in amazement, but as if trying to fix Elayne’s face in her mind. Finally she kissed the fingers of her right hand and pressed them to Elayne’s lips. “If it pleases the Light, we both shall learn.”(6)

=====

(1) She really can't argue that she wouldn't lose her cool at them. Nynaeve's self-awareness doesn't show itself very often but, withered as it may be, it does exist. (I'm allowed to say this, she's my very favourite character in the series and it's not close.) (2) WELL, they certainly fought a cold war about it. Spears of fire as a comparison for nukes is something, though. (3) Huh. So all silk and all ivory only come from one place: the mysterious Shara, on the other side of the Aiel Waste, which not even Thom's heard of. (4) Hard to keep it a secret when another can feel the channeling from a distance and you're the primary means of navigation, hence almost always refusing Aes Sedai passage. Fascinating that they throw a few of their weakest to the Aes Sedai to pretend that stronger channelers don't exist, though. Do you think the Aes Sedai suspect that it's a ruse? There have been notes that overall, until the Wondergirls and with a few exceptions, channelers have been getting weaker on average every generation. How much more don't they know, that they would never admit to not knowing? (Also, can you now perhaps guess what she might have in common with Aviendha, and why Avi has been summoned back by the Wise Ones?) (5) And THIS point raises a hint about Nynaeve. Remember that Jorin looks so much younger than her sister that El was a bit perplexed at the familial tie. Jorin says she has daughters older than El. What's one of Nynaeve's biggest pet peeves? Not being taken seriously because she looks so young. (6) What a reputation they must have the world over for being stuck up jerks, to get this reaction out of Jorin. Thankfully, Elayne hasn't had enough time in the Tower to really internalize the bullshit of the party line, and Jorin is willing to believe in her honesty and earnestness. Love to see an intergenerational friendship.

[clementinatehasperdido]

My 2023 in books. Part I

Okay. This is going to be long. Sorry. This year was fucking horrible. But I had readings so... here they go. These are all personal opinions, it is worth remembering.

January

Circe -  Madeline Miller   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 

I loved this book, I already knew it because it was a reread. I am a sucker for a good retelling. There is something very deep in Circe's story, her feeling of rejection, her unreceived love, her loneliness, her power. It made me cry, laugh. Sometimes I identify with Circe. I wish I could say more, but sometimes silence fills more space.

“But there was no wound she could give me that I had not already given myself.” 

The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World - Peter Frankopan ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 

It is a non-fiction book. In my daily life I read a lot of academic texts, whether for work or studies, so when it comes to leisure I tend to stay away from these books. But Frankopan does not fail to capture the reader's attention and question the changes that are taking place in the world and where the future is going, especially if we start to analyze our consumption of natural resources. It is an important book.

Anna Karenina -Leo Tolstoy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  5/5 

Ok, they are right in saying that it is one of the best novels in the world. I read it in high school, I didn't give it any importance. This year I read it again. I fell in love. I love this book because it is…human. Each part of the book gives us a lesson about what it means to have defects and isn't there anything more human than that? Each part of the book gives us beauty but also the cruelty of reality, linked to political themes, morality, gender, and social class.

“Sometimes she did not know what she feared, what she desired: whether she feared or desired what had been or what would be, and precisely what she desired, she did not know.”

The Cruel Prince - Holly Black  ⭐⭐ 2/5

yeah...

February

The Song of Achilles-  Madeline Miller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  5/5

I was obviously going to read this book. I arrived late to the hype. But for me, it was worth it. I am a sucker for love stories. I know that many do not like this interpretation. But that's an interpretation, and I like it. It is a story of pain. And love is often pain, although it shouldn't be. Wars are also pain. It is a war story. And as the Pat Benatar song “Love Is a Battlefield” says. So.. yeah.

“Have you no more memories?" I am made of memories. "Speak, then.” 

They Both Die at the End- Adam Silvera ⭐⭐⭐  3/5 

I freaking loved the premise of this book. Made me cry? Yes. I enjoyed it yes. It left a strange void in my heart, yes. But it also left me with a feeling of anticlimax. I think it deals with important themes, found family is one of them, and it was quite unexpected. 

“...stories can make someone immortal as long as someone else is willing to listen.”

After Dark - Haruki Murakami ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  5/5

Ugh. This book. Murakami's damn dual narrative always wins me over. This book squeezed my heart, it is the story of two sisters. Like all Murakami books, it challenges reality in a way that only he can do. The story is a journey of colors through a city at night and takes place between reality and dream. What more could you want?.

 “That people’s memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. Whether those memories have any actual importance or not, it doesn’t matter as far as the maintenance of life is concerned. They’re all just fuel.” 

March

Normal People - Sally Rooney⭐⭐⭐⭐4/5

I really enjoyed this book. Sally is the millennial writer by definition. I love her. It is a book that explores academic privilege, issues of class and social division. But it also explores a frustrating relationship with a lack of communication. Important issues such as substance abuse, family violence emerge. It is a love story at times lonely, at times pretentious. Sally knows how to write characters you love to hate. I ended up crying. The adaptation of the series is very good, in fact at times it is even better than the book itself.

“He has sincerely wanted to die, but he has never sincerely wanted Marianne to forget about him. That’s the only part of himself he wants to protect, the part that exists inside her. ” 

Conversations with friends - Sally Rooney ⭐⭐⭐3/5

I liked. But I couldn't empathize with the characters. Rooney's writing is still very good and I like it. I hate Nick, he makes me want to throw up. Maybe that's the point of the book. The adaptation to the series, as with Normal People, seemed perfect to me, in this case I enjoyed it more than the book, I still hated Nick. I think the dialogues are very intelligent and that makes it an interesting and very bearable text.

"Everyone’s always going through something, aren’t they? That’s life, basically. It’s just more and more things to go through."

Klara and the Sun-  Kazuo Ishiguro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE YEAR. It's obviously by Kazuo Ishiguro. Ishiguro has been one of my favorite authors for several years. It is a dystopian book but one that provides calm. The book is narrated by an Artificial Intelligence. Ishiguro does science fiction like no one else, he brings humanity and mystery to each story. This book reduced me to tears. Every line is intentional. It's a beautiful book.

“Hope,’ he said. ‘Damn thing never leaves you alone.”

“I suppose I’m saying Josie and I will always be together at some level, some deeper one, even if we go out there and don’t see each other any more. I can’t speak for her. But once I’m out there, I know I’ll always keep searching for someone just like her.”

 “Do you believe in the human heart? Do you think there is such a thing? Something that makes each of us special and unique? And if we just suppose that there is. Then don’t you think, in order to truly learn Josie, you’d have to learn not just her mannerisms but what’s deeply inside her? Wouldn’t you have to learn her heart?”

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt⭐⭐⭐ 3/5

I liked it, but when I finished it I felt relieved. It is a book that at the beginning catches you and leaves you breathless. It made me stop for a while and say: ugh, how dense, how strong everything is. How sad, almost poetically beautiful and tragic. But then, I got tired. It made me cry a little (a recurring theme in all the books I read it seems)

“I guess that anything we manage to save from history is a miracle”

[rrcraft-and-lore]

Just arrived today at home.

The first foreign edition of The First Binding in hardcover.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Havoc in Heaven (2019) 大闹天宫

Director: Cheng Lu Starring: Wang Lu / Li Zhe / Wei Xuelei / Zhan Lei Genre: Opera Country/Region of Production: Mainland China Date: 2020-09-18 (Mainland China) / 2019-10 (Fuzhou Silk Road Film Festival) Duration: 100 minutes Also known as: Havoc in Heaven (Peking Opera) / 大闹天宫(京剧) Type: Retelling

Summary:

"Havoc in Heaven" is based on "Journey to the West". Wukong goes to the Dragon Palace and borrows the treasure to obtain the golden hoop. The Dragon King complained to the Heavenly Palace. Li Changgeng proposed a plan to lure Wukong to the Royal Horse Stables to raise horses, but Wukong made a fuss in the Royal Horse Stables and returned to Flower Fruit Mountain. Li Changgeng deceived Wukong to go to the Heavenly Palace for the second time, hoping to ambush and capture him. Wukong made trouble in the peach gardens, stole the golden elixir, refined his fiery eyes and golden eyes in the Bagua furnace, fought against the heavenly soldiers and generals, and won the victory.

Source: https://movie.douban.com/subject/34851657/

Link: https://www.nunuyy3.org/dianying/79994.html

[saratogaroadwrites]

For King and Country (83/122)

For King and Country | saratogaroad rating: T total wordcount:  280,466 characters: Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane, Aranella, Batu, Tani, Lofty, Leander Aristidies, Bracken Meadows relationships: Roland Crane & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Aranella & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane & Aranella, Batu & Tani, Batu & Evan, Tani & Evan, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum & Lofty, Rolander other tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Mother-Son Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Place Slowly Becomes Home People Slowly Become Family, Found Family, For Want of A Nail warnings: none

Pulled from his world by mysterious powers, former president Roland Crane finds himself caught in the middle of a coup meant to take the life of the young King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum. Joining forces with Aranella, the pair of them set out to aid Evan in making his dream of a kingdom where everyone can live happily ever after a reality.

But the road to peace is a long and treacherous one and there is no promise of success in a world where darkness spreads ever thicker with each passing day. If they are to stand a chance, they must stand together, for king and for country.

(A retelling.)

=

”Knight Pouncey said I was doing quite well with my form,” Evan said with a smile, attention only half on his plate. Cutlery chimed against china as Nella ate silently off to his right, though he was sure she had plenty to say anyway. “And, in a few more months, I might be able to go up to a larger sword if I keep it up.”

“I’m certain you will,” King Leonhard said proudly. He was a sight in his velvet dressing gown and silk sleepwear, his mane rumpled beyond all measure of containment, but he seemed more alive than Evan had seen him in weeks. “Furrdinand is an excellent teacher. He even gave me a few pointers when I was your age.”

“Really?” Evan’s ears pricked forward. “I didn’t think that Knight Pouncey was that old—” He stopped himself, clapping a hand to his mouth. Oh, that had been very rude! King Leonhard chuckled, reaching for his water goblet.

“He’s hardly that much older than me, Evan. Are you calling your Father old?”

“No!” Evan scrambled to say, “N-no, of course not, I—”

He caught sight of the teasing gleam in his father’s eye and sat back, trying not to pout.

“Father…”

Evan didn’t think his reaction was truly that funny, but King Leonhard must have, because he threw back his head and laughed. Caught up in the amusement, Evan couldn’t hold back a smile.

The smile slipped off his face as King Leonhard’s laughing became a fit of horrendous coughing instead. Evan gasped, lurching to his feet; beside him, Nella half rose out of her chair before King Leonhard held up a hand to still them both. Evan’s heart raced with worry and fear as the seconds stretched on, seeming like years, before his father could gather himself. Still coughing faintly, the tired King cleared his throat.

“My apologies,” he said hoarsely, taking a painful sip from his water goblet. It did nothing to take the rasp from his voice. “It seems I have…overestimated my strength tonight. I believe I shall retire early.”

“O-of course,” Evan bowed his head, eyes flicking to the King’s still mostly full plate and ears flicking forward. His sensitive hearing could just make out a rasp in King Leonhard’s breathing as he rose from the table, chair pushing back against the plush carpets. “…Rest well, Father.”

“I shall. Goodnight, Evan. Aranella.”

“Your Majesty.”

Evan raised his head in time to see King Leonhard head for the door. He slipped down the corridor on shuffling footsteps, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed. He looked so tired…

"Nella," Evan mewled pitiably once his father was out of earshot, "Will Father be alright?"

Nella didn't answer right away, and her silence added to the worry dragging at Evan’s heart.

"I certainly hope so, Evan," Nella finally said, "I certainly hope so."

It took effort to shake off the memory. Sitting at the head of the conference table, Evan watched silently as Nella ran down the list in her hand.

“Three bottles of prepared Soreaway,” she was saying, going over the supplies the rest of the Cabinet had smuggled into the conference room when they had come for their weekly meeting. It was the only safe place to talk in the castle where they wouldn’t look suspicious meeting up, and the last time Roland would be in the room for some time. He slipped the supplies into his arms band as Nella continued, “Three rolls of bandages, two Soreaway Sweets in case of emergency. One Lockety-Clicker, one frog pill, one Higgledy…” She squinted, “Flash bang?” Raising her head, she looked to a beaming Bracken. “Do I even want to know?”

“Probably not,” Bracken leaned her chin on one hand. “I mean, not unless you want to know how bright some of those Light Higgledies can get.” She turned to Roland and added, “If you end up using those, I want data when you get back. I’m still figuring out how to mesh tech with magic. Just remember—” She held up a stern finger, “Cover your eyes if you use the flash bang. It can get pretty bright.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s the point,” Roland chuckled, “But noted.”

Nella cleared her throat. “Continuing on…your sword, your pistol and a spare gun…”

“Hig!” Tove interjected.

“Tove, of course, and three changes of clothes.” She flipped the paper over with a frown, then raised her head. “That’s it? Packing awfully light, aren’t you?”

Too light. Evan looked up from the fine grain of the table to find that Roland had his back to Evan. This in itself wasn't an odd occurrence; he had grown to be comforted by the sight of Roland walking or standing ahead of him protectively. But now, with the memory bubbling so close to the surface...

The last thing he had seen of his birth father alive and remotely well had been his back.

“This whole plan hinges on making it seem like you all think that I really have turned on you,” Roland explained, “Having a fully stocked go-bag kind of stinks of a ruse.”

“Or of being prepared for not having time to pack,” Leander said, adjusting his glasses for the eighth time in nearly as many minutes, “I suppose it all depends on how you want Mausinger to think you think of us. Are you concerned that we would uncover your treachery, or do you feel confident enough that we would not notice?”

Roland inclined his head. “That’s a good point,” he admitted, “I’ll pack a few more changes of clothes. But yeah, that should do it.”

“I suppose it’ll have to,” Nella said with a sigh. “The rest all hinges on you actually pulling this off. Gods, Roland…” She shook her head. “You really never do anything by halves, do you?”

Roland’s smile was audible. “Never have, never will.”

How could they joke about all of this? Evan bent over his aching stomach, sour rising into the back of his throat. Things could go so very wrong so very quickly, and they were talking about it as if were a simple walk to Goldpaw! How could they—did they not know—

“Yer as prepared as we can get ye, Roland,” Batu rumbled lowly, “But are ye sure ye want us to do it this way? Ye ain’t exactly the most, well…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s just say ye ain’t exactly built for takin’ yer knocks, yeah?”

“No one really is, Batu,” Roland agreed, “but yes. For the fifth time, I’m sure. We have to sell this somehow, and we all know how…aggressively defensive you two can get. Besides.” He and Nella exchanged a look. “I think I can take a punch from Aranella better than I could take one from you.”

“No kidding,” Tani drummed her fingers on the table. “Boss’s hands are nearly as big as your whole head! One whack from them and wham.” She slipped her hand across the table, mimicking a fall. “Out like a light.”

“An’ there goes this plan o’youers,” Lofty scoffed. He planted his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Too much fibbin’ if you ask me. We oughta just go in and clobber the cur.”

“We risk starting a war if we do such a thing, Lofty,” Leander said, adjusting his glasses again. He frowned, taking them off to clean them on his cravat. “That is not an option, either. Too many lives would be lost if we did so.”

Evan eyed Roland for a long moment. Was that another part of this? Roland knew how much he hated the idea of going to war with Dell. Was he doing this to try and keep that from happening? Was he risking his own life to save Evan the hardship? He didn’t want that! Roland had done enough—more than enough—for him already!

“Alright then. Let’s go over this plan once more.” Nella said. Evan sat up straight. “You enter Dell and get into Mausinger’s good graces. And then?”

“Head for Evan’s old room as fast as possible—”

“As fast as is safely possible,” Evan interjected, “Even if Mausinger attacks, we can hold out for a little while. Don’t make any risky moves.”

For a moment, Roland looked at him with an unreadable expression. Then he smiled and tipped his head.

“As fast as safely possible,” He repeated. Turning back to Nella he said, “Get into the hidden chamber by activating the statue in the corner, get the Mark, and then head out through the sewers just like last time.”

“Yes. Do you remember what book activates the doorway?”

Roland closed his eyes, thinking. “…The Collective Works of Mortimer Feta?”

“The Collected Works of Micheal Gouda,” Nella corrected with a sigh. Roland grimaced. “There shouldn’t be any books on that shelf with a remotely similar title, so you should be alright.” A wry smile crossed her face. “If all else fails, just pull them all out. There are no safeguards on that doorway.”

“Good to know.” Roland took a deep breath. “I guess it’s time, then.”

Time to say their goodbyes. There would be no time in the morning, after all, no reason to say goodbye then. Not with the plan in full swing. Swallowing back one more “Are you sure about this”, Evan slipped around the table. Roland turned, but before he could say anything Evan surged forward, wrapping his arms around Roland’s middle and hiding his face in blue wool. He gripped the cloth possessively, as if that alone would convince Roland to stay.

“Evan?”

“Promise me you’ll be careful,” Evan said, his voice thick and muffled by more than just Roland’s coat. “Mausinger is…if he catches on, he’ll…”

He couldn’t say it. King Leonhard’s still form laying in his bed flashed behind his eyes, his image overlaid by Roland’s. He couldn’t lose someone else!

“Hey…” Roland’s hands came down onto Evan’s shoulders. Gently, he disentangled them until he was able to go down to a knee and look Evan in the eye. “I’m coming back. You won’t be rid of me this easily.”

Evan sniffled. He nodded, swallowing hard, though his eyes still burned. He cursed himself for it; he wasn’t a kit anymore! Roland was going to come back and everything would be fine. It would be!

…Wouldn’t it?

As if he could tell Evan was unsure, Roland smiled gently.

“Don’t worry so much,” he said, shifting one hand to the top of Evan’s head. His ears folded to the sides. “I’ll be fine.”

He wanted to believe, he really did! It was just…

Roland must have been able to read the concern written across his face, because his smile softened a touch more.

“Hey. You trust me, right?” When Evan nodded, he continued, “Then trust me when I say I’m coming back. I’ll come home.”

He would try, at least. Evan knew that much. It was really just that…well, he had already lost one father to the monster that reigned in Dell. He couldn’t imagine losing another, but as he tried to gather the words to say that they caught in his throat. He hadn’t even managed to find the courage to tell Roland what they both already knew, and now he was marching off into the Wyvern’s den? Evan shuddered, resolving to tell Roland the truth when he returned. For now, however, he had to settle for something else.

“Promise me,” He repeated, voice firmer than he truly felt. Somehow his voice didn’t shake as he said, “Promise me that you’ll be careful. Don’t take any unnecessary risks, and…” He drew in a heavy breath. “Come home soon.”

Roland nodded.

“I promise,” He said, his voice warm. “I’ll be home before you know it.”

[the-knights-who-say-book]

hey! Do you have any wlw fantasy book recs? thank you!!

Hi! (As always) sorry this took so long to answer! Here's my current favorite wlw fantasy books

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust: A standalone YA Snow White retelling with a duel pov (Snow White character & stepmother character) where the prince is replaced with a female love interest. A pretty slow, intimate kind of book, with lots to say about feminist retellings imo.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson: A dark, complex adult fantasy full of political intrigue, about imperialism, the erasure of cultures under empires, and how long you can pretend to play a part before you become the mask. The first in a series.

The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher: A standalone YA retelling of The Snow Queen where the main character falls in love with the robber girl instead of the boy she set out to rescue. I love Kingfisher's writing, it's so fun and magical.

The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke: A YA urban fantasy about a misfit teenage witch who ends up forming an intense friendship with the popular girls when they realize first that they can do powerful magic together, and then that there's a mysterious group who want to steal their magic. Book 2 comes out this year, I believe it's meant to be 2 total.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski: YA fantasy, with one sequel already published (it is set in the same world as a previous series by the author, but can be read on its own). It's so lovely and romantic and has a dashing butch love interest

The Queen of Ieflaria and the rest of the Tales of Inthya series by Effie Calvin, if you're looking for something fun and fluffy: it's a series of five short fantasy books, each with a f/f couple. My favorite, Daughter of the Sun, can be read as a standalone. It's about a paladin and a minor goddess of chaos falling in love on a road trip

If you're open to short stories, I also recommend the Silk & Steel anthology edited by Janine A. Southard, which collects stories about f/f couples with silk&steel-vibes (think sword girl & diplomacy girl)

[journeytothewestresearch]

Sun Wukong and Hanuman

This is my answer to the following Quora question:

Who is Sun Wukong? Is he a Taoist version of Hanuman or the reverse, Hanuman is a Buddhist version of Sun Wukong?

It is important to begin by saying that Sun Wukong has been associated with Buddhism since his earliest known appearance, that being an 11th-century mural from the Eastern Thousand Buddha cave grotto complex in Gansu province, China, near the end of the silk road. He represents the “monkey of the mind” (xinyuan, 心猿), the disquieted thoughts and emotions that bar humanity from enlightenment. His association with Daoism came later.

Hanuman is of course a Hindu god who appears in Valmiki’s Ramayana (c. 5th to 4th-century BCE), which predates the final Ming dynasty edition of the Chinese classic Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西遊記, 1592) by nearly 2,000 years. Various retellings of the Ramayana appear in Buddhist scriptures that came to China (see here), but it’s clear that Hanuman played a very minor role in the religion. For example, Tibetan folklore states the six tribes of man were the offspring of a magic monkey, the avatar of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and a stone ogress, an avatar of the Tara Bodhisattva (this myth appears in Tibetan Buddhist writings as old as the 12th to 13th-century). Some scholars suggest this monkey, sometimes called “Hilumandju” or “Ha-lu ma-da”, was inspired by Hanuman (see the bottom of this article).

Many people believe Sun Wukong is a direct carbon copy of Hanuman. The evidence doesn’t support this, however. Given the fragmentary nature of the Ramayana in Buddhist records, the influence, if any, was likely indirect. In my opinion, the greatest single influence on Sun Wukong’s characterization from the Ming Journey to the West is actually a magic white ape from Chinese literature. Appearing in “A Supplement to Jiang Zong’s Biography of a White Ape” (Bu Jiang Zong Baiyuan Zhuan, 補江總白猿傳, c. late 7th-century), this unnamed primate antagonist(!) is depicted as a Daoist priest who uses his magic to kidnap a general’s wife in order to add her to his harem. He shares a number of surprising traits with the Monkey King:

A supernatural primate capable of human speech.

A one thousand-year-old practitioner of longevity arts.

A master of Daoist magic with the ability to fly and change his appearance.

A warrior capable of single-handedly defeating an army.

Has an iron-hard, nigh-invulnerable body immune to most efforts to harm him.

Has eyes that flash like lightning.

Lives in a verdant mountain paradise like Flower Fruit Mountain.

His dwelling is a stone chamber like the Water Curtain Cave.

The White Ape’s association with Daoism likely influenced Sun’s portrayal as a practitioner of the Daoist arts. This was added to Monkey’s already lengthy association with Buddhism.

Interestingly, a 15th-century Zaju play that predates the Ming Journey to the West by nearly 200 years depicts Sun Wukong having a wife whom he had kidnapped from a neighboring country (see here). This is an obvious nod to the white ape and related stories. These magic primates appear in a body of Han (206 BCE-220 CE) and Tang (618–907 CE) dynasty tales in which they kidnap human women to father their children. One such tale recorded in the third-century is quite interesting because it claims the ape has fathered most of the people, surnamed Yang (楊), in “southwestern Shu”, an area corresponding to modern Sichuan, which is home to many Tibetans and related ethnic groups. Said groups, including the Qiang, Miao, Yao, and others, hold the belief that their respective peoples were fathered by a primate (heaven-sent or otherwise) (again see the bottom of this article).

This should remind readers of the magic monkey from the Tibetan origin myth mentioned above. Admittedly, the oldest known pictorial depiction of the monkey-stone ogress myth appears in a 7th-century mural from Jokhang Temple. But the similarities between the magic ape myths of the Han and the primate progenitor myths of Sichuan and Tibet point to a wider myth complex, suggesting the material that influenced the white ape that in turn influenced Sun Wukong could have ties to Tibetan peoples. And since Hanuman may have influenced the Tibetan monkey Hilumandju/Ha-lu ma-da, he could have also influenced the primate progenitors of said myth complex.