Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong is a character in the Chinese classical novel Journey to the West. He overpowers Ox-Head and Horse-Face after his soul is dragged to hell in his sleep. He crosses out his name and those of all non-human primates on earth from the record of living souls, granting immortality to himself and his monkey children.
↻ synthesized from 4 sources
When
- First attested
- 1500 CE
- Attested period
- 1500 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Appears in Wu Cheng'en's late 16th-century novel Journey to the West.
Relationships
- enemy of
- Horse-Face, Ox-Head, Jade Rabbit, Erlang Shen, Jade Emperor, Laozi, Muzha, Demon King of Confusion, Hundred-Eyed Demon King
- co occurs with
- Taiyin Xingjun, Heavenly Tumbleweed, Seven Sages of Meishan, Six Brothers of Meishan, Seven Monsters of Meishan, Yuan Hong, Zhang Wulang, Chen Jinggu, Dan Xia Da Sheng, Tong Tian Da Sheng, Shuang Shuang San Sheng, Nezha, Gold Star, Erlang Shen, earth spirits, Chang E, Xiwangmu, Guanyin, Four Heavenly Kings, Buddha
- sibling of
- Wuzhiqi
- student of
- Puti Zushi
Mentioned by
Sources
Source passages
“In the Chinese classical novel Journey to the West, Ox-Head and Horse-Face are among the underworld denizens overpowered by Sun Wukong after his soul is dragged to hell in his sleep. He then crosses out his name and those of all non-human primates on earth from the record of living souls”
#14570 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“During a heavenly festival of immortal peaches (after Sun Wukong's banishment)...had to be retrieved by Chang'e and Taiyin Xingjun before Sun Wukong killed the rabbit”
#18645 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“the legendary transformation contest between Erlang Shen and Sun Wukong in Journey to the West. Some scholars interpret Journey to the West as recasting Yuan Hong from Investiture of the Gods into the role of Sun Wukong”
#21609 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“the Monkey King offers to serve the pilgrim, Tang Sanzang...the Monkey King faithfully helps Tang Sanzang on his journey to India...the Monkey King attains Buddhahood, becoming the 'Victorious Fighting Buddha'”
#21720 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5