When the Monkey King returned triumphantly to his homeland, having defeated the Chaos Demon King, seized his mighty sword, and spent his time practicing martial arts, he began to train the little monkeys. He taught them to chop bamboo for targets, carve wood into weapons, fashion flags, blow whistles, and set up camp—playing around with military drills for a while. But then, in a rare moment of stillness, he paused and thought: “If we keep fooling around here, we might start to believe we’re real warriors, or worse, attract the attention of a king, or even a beastly ruler who could see this as an insurrection. We’re wielding bamboo sticks and wooden swords—how can we possibly fight like this? We need real, sharp weapons. But what now?”
The other monkeys, hearing this, were struck with fear. “Your Majesty is right, but where will we find such weapons?”
Just then, four elder monkeys appeared, two red-bottomed macaques and two long-tailed apes. They approached the Monkey King and said, “Great King, if you seek sharp weapons, it’s quite easy.”
The Monkey King, curious, asked, “How do you mean?”
The four monkeys explained, “To the east of here, two hundred miles away, lies the land of the Aolai Kingdom. That country has a vast city, with numerous soldiers and craftsmen who forge gold, silver, copper, and iron. If you go there, you can either buy or have weapons made. Once you return, we can train with them and defend our mountain, ensuring long-lasting peace.”
The Monkey King was overjoyed. “You stay here and play; I’ll be back soon.”
With that, the clever Monkey King leapt onto his cloud and in an instant crossed the two hundred miles over water. Sure enough, he arrived at the city, which had six streets and three markets. People bustled about in the daylight, and the Monkey King thought to himself, “There must be weapons ready for sale here. But why bother buying when I could use my magic to find some instead?”
He immediately began to chant a spell, took a deep breath, and with a powerful gust of wind, unleashed a mighty storm that whipped up sand and dust, causing a great commotion.
As the storm raged, the ground trembled, the air darkened, and the sea churned with fearsome waves. Fish and crabs scurried for cover, trees were uprooted, and wild beasts ran for their lives. It seemed as though the heavens themselves were in turmoil.
In the midst of this chaos, merchants and people fled indoors, locking their doors, and even the King of Aolai, who was in his palace, hurried inside, terrified. The Monkey King, undeterred, floated down, entering the palace gates and heading straight for the armory. There, he found countless weapons—swords, spears, halberds, axes, bows, crossbows, and more. His eyes lit up with excitement. “I can’t carry all of these by myself. I’ll use my clone technique to gather them.”
With a quick movement, he plucked a hair from his body, chewed it up, and blew it into the air. He muttered another incantation, and in an instant, hundreds of tiny monkey clones appeared, each grabbing multiple weapons. Some picked up five or seven items, while others carried just two or three. Soon, all the weapons were gone.
The Monkey King called upon the winds to carry them back to their mountain.
Back at the Flower-Fruit Mountain, the monkeys were playing outside the cave when they heard the winds howling. Suddenly, a vast swarm of monkeys appeared in the sky, each carrying a weapon. The sight terrified the other monkeys, who scattered in panic. When the Monkey King finally descended and settled the storm, he shook his body, gathered all the weapons in a pile, and called out, “Come, little ones! It’s time to train with your new weapons!”
The monkeys rushed over, bowing down and asking what had happened. The Monkey King explained how he had summoned the winds to bring the weapons, and they thanked him profusely. Then they spent the entire day joyfully practicing, fighting with swords, axes, and bows, shouting and laughing in excitement.
The next day, the Monkey King gathered his army. The troop numbered over forty-seven thousand monkeys. As usual, they set up camp, and soon, the entire mountain was filled with wild beasts—wolves, tigers, leopards, deer, foxes, badgers, lions, elephants, and even more exotic creatures like the savage ape, the giant panda, and the wild boar. All the demon kings, with their respective territories, arrived to pay homage to the Monkey King as their sovereign. Every year, they brought tributes and followed the royal schedule. Some demons joined in regular drills, while others came during harvest seasons to provide supplies. The entire Flower-Fruit Mountain was now fortified like an impenetrable castle. Demon kings arrived bearing drums, flags, and armor, creating a lively atmosphere as they practiced their martial arts.
Just as the Monkey King was feeling pleased with the sight of his kingdom, he suddenly spoke to the gathered crowd: “You are all skilled with bows and crossbows, and you handle weapons expertly, but this sword I hold is not working for me. It’s too heavy and unwieldy. What should I do?”
The four elder monkeys, who were the wisest among them, stepped forward and advised, “Great King, you are a divine being, and regular weapons are beneath you. But we wonder, can you enter the water?”
The Monkey King replied confidently, “Since I’ve learned the ways of the heavens, I’ve mastered seventy-two magical transformations. I possess great powers, such as the ability to travel on my cloud, vanish from sight, and even walk through walls. I can travel to the heavens and enter the earth. I move so fast that I leave no shadow, and I am unharmed by fire or water. What’s the issue with going into the water?”
The elder monkeys nodded and said, “Since you possess such amazing powers, the Iron Plate Bridge beneath us connects to the Dragon Palace under the East Sea. If you go there, you can ask the Dragon King for a weapon that will truly suit you.”
The Monkey King was thrilled and immediately leapt to the bridge. Using a water-sealing spell, he parted the waves and dove into the depths of the East Sea.
As he traveled, he suddenly encountered a sea patrol demon who blocked his path. The demon demanded, “Who goes there, causing such a disturbance in the waters? Identify yourself so we can report back to the palace.”
The Monkey King replied with a grin, “I am Sun Wukong, the Heaven-born Sage of Flower-Fruit Mountain. I live next door to your Dragon King. Why don’t you recognize me?”
The sea demon rushed back to report to the Dragon King: “Lord, there’s a being claiming to be Sun Wukong from Flower-Fruit Mountain, saying he is a close neighbor. He is heading this way.”
The Dragon King, upon hearing this, hurriedly rose from his throne and, with his dragon sons, dragon grandsons, and various sea creatures, went out to greet the visitor. “Welcome, Immortal! Please, come inside!”
Once in the palace, after offering tea and exchanging pleasantries, the Dragon King asked, “How long have you been enlightened, and what kind of divine powers do you possess?”
The Monkey King replied, “Since my birth, I have been on a path of self-cultivation, gaining an imperishable body. Recently, I have been teaching my descendants and guarding the mountain. But I find myself without a suitable weapon. I’ve heard that your palace has many marvelous artifacts, and I’ve come to request one.”
The Dragon King, not wanting to refuse, ordered his servants to bring out a large sword. The Monkey King, seeing the sword, waved it around and immediately said, “I don’t know how to wield this. Please, give me something else.”
The Dragon King, a little concerned, then sent his officials to bring out a nine-pronged spear. The Monkey King took it, swung it a few times, and declared, “It’s too heavy! Not right for me! Please, try again!”
The Dragon King, now growing anxious, ordered the servants to bring out a massive halberd. This halberd weighed over seven thousand pounds. The Monkey King took one look at it, ran over, and after a few quick spins, he tossed it aside saying, “Still too light! Still not right! This won’t do!”
At this point, the Dragon King was truly frightened. “Great Immortal, this is the heaviest weapon in my entire palace. I have nothing else to offer.”
The Monkey King laughed and said, “As the old saying goes: ‘Even the Dragon King of the Sea has no treasure!’ Go back and find something else. If it’s to my liking, I will pay whatever price it costs.”
The Dragon King, now desperate, replied, “I really have nothing more to offer.”
The next day, as Sun Wukong was enjoying himself, a voice suddenly came from behind. It was the Dragon Queen and Dragon Maiden. “Great King,” they said, “this saint is no small matter. In the depths of the sea, a mystical iron needle from the bottom of the Milky Way has been radiating auspicious light. Could it be that it is meant to appear, in the presence of this saint?”
The Dragon King asked, “That is the iron stake used by Emperor Yu during the flood to measure the depths of the river. It is a sacred metal, but what could it possibly be useful for?” The Dragon Queen replied, “Forget about what it’s for. Just give it to him and see how he uses it. Once he has it, he’ll leave the palace.”
The Dragon King agreed and told Sun Wukong about it. “Show it to me,” said the Monkey King.
The Dragon King shook his head. “You can’t lift it! You can’t carry it! You must go and see it yourself.”
Sun Wukong was intrigued and asked, “Where is it? Lead me to it.” The Dragon King led him to the center of the sea. Suddenly, rays of golden light appeared. The Dragon King pointed, “The one shining with light is the one.”
Sun Wukong waded forward and grabbed it. It was a massive iron pillar, as thick as a wine jar and over two yards long. He struck it a few times, complaining, “It’s too thick and too long! It needs to be shorter and thinner!”
To his surprise, the iron pillar shrank by several feet, and its diameter became thinner. Sun Wukong laughed with delight and continued tweaking the pillar, shortening it even further. As he held the newly refined “Ruyi Jingu Bang,” a magical staff that weighed a staggering 13,500 pounds, he felt satisfied, thinking, “This is exactly what I need!”
He took the treasure back to the Crystal Palace and started practicing with it, spinning and swinging it around. The Dragon King and his family were all terrified, as the palace trembled with each movement. Fish, shrimp, and crabs all hid in fear.
Sitting in the palace, Sun Wukong smiled and said to the Dragon King, “Thank you for your kindness.” The Dragon King, trembling, replied, “No, no, it’s nothing.”
But Sun Wukong was not finished. “This metal is indeed useful, but there’s still something missing.”
The Dragon King was confused. “What more do you need, my lord?”
Sun Wukong explained, “I now have this powerful metal in my hands, but I have no clothes to go with it. Do you have any armor to match?”
The Dragon King, flustered, admitted, “I don’t have any.”
Sun Wukong laughed. “Well, then, I can’t leave without it.”
The Dragon King panicked. “Please, let me check with my brothers; they might have something.”
The Monkey King refused. “I won’t go! As the saying goes, ‘It’s better to sit down with one person than wander to three.’ I ask you kindly, get me something!”
The Dragon King agreed reluctantly and sent for his brothers. Soon, the three other Dragon Kings arrived: Ao Qin, the South Sea Dragon King; Ao Shun, the North Sea Dragon King; and Ao Run, the West Sea Dragon King.
When they gathered in the palace, the Old Dragon King explained the situation to them. “There’s a saint from Flower-Fruit Mountain who has been demanding a weapon. First, we gave him a steel fork, but he said it was too small. Then, we gave him a halberd, but it wasn’t heavy enough. Finally, he picked up a magical iron pillar, which he immediately shrank to his liking. Now he wants armor. I don’t know what to do!”
The South Sea Dragon King, Ao Qin, was furious. “We’ll send our troops to capture him!”
But Ao Run, the West Sea Dragon King, stopped him. “No, no! We’ll just give him armor and send him on his way. Then, we can report to the heavens, and they will take care of the matter.”
The North Sea Dragon King, Ao Shun, suggested, “I have a pair of lotus silk boots that float on clouds.”
Ao Run added, “I have a set of golden armor made of lock links.”
And Ao Qin, the South Sea Dragon King, offered, “I have a purple-golden crown with phoenix wings.”
The Old Dragon King was delighted. They gave Sun Wukong the items, and he dressed himself in the golden crown, golden armor, and cloud-walking boots. With his magical staff in hand, he left the Crystal Palace, shouting, “Enough noise! Enough noise!”
The four Sea Dragons were far from pleased. They huddled together, planning to report the matter to heaven.
You see, the Monkey King, after parting the waters, made his way back to the Iron Bridge, where four elderly monkeys were leading the rest of their kin, all waiting by the bridge. Suddenly, they saw Monkey King leap out of the water, his body completely dry and shining with gold. He strode onto the bridge, causing all the monkeys to kneel in awe, exclaiming, “Your Majesty, what a glorious sight! How magnificent!”
Monkey King, grinning widely, took his seat on the throne and placed his iron staff upright in the center. The monkeys, not knowing their place, rushed to grab the treasure, but it was like trying to shake a steel tree with a dragonfly—no matter what they did, it wouldn’t budge. Each one bit their fingers and stuck out their tongues, saying, “Grandfather, how did you manage to bring this here? It’s so heavy!”
Monkey King approached and waved his hand. He lifted the staff with ease, smiling at the crowd, saying, “Every object has its master. This treasure has been lying in the sea’s treasure vault for who knows how many thousands of years, only now beginning to shine. The Dragon King mistook it for a piece of black iron, calling it the ‘Divine Needle at the Bottom of the River.’ He couldn’t even lift it, so he asked me to fetch it. Back then, it was over two meters long and as thick as a barrel. But with a flick of my hand, I made it shorter and thinner. I even reduced it more, until it became a size I preferred. When I looked at it, it had the inscription: ‘The Ruyi Golden Cudgel, 13,500 pounds.’ Stand aside, let me adjust it again.”
Monkey King held the staff in his hand and muttered, “Smaller, smaller, smaller!” In an instant, it became as tiny as an embroidery needle, small enough to hide in his ear. The monkeys, in shock, begged, “Your Majesty, please take it out and show us again!”
Monkey King grinned and took the staff from his ear, holding it in his palm. “Bigger! Bigger! Bigger!” he shouted, and the staff grew back to its enormous size, two meters long and as thick as a barrel. Pleased, he jumped onto the bridge and walked out of the cave, gripping the staff tightly. With a magical incantation, he performed a divine transformation, bending down, shouting “Long!” and suddenly the staff grew to an unbelievable size—taller than mountains, wider than the sky, with eyes like lightning, a mouth like a blood basin, and teeth like swords. The staff reached up to the Thirty-Three Heavens and down to the Eighteen Layers of Hell. The creatures—tigers, leopards, wolves, and demons—froze in fear, falling to their knees, trembling in terror.
After a moment, he reversed the transformation, reducing the staff back to the size of a needle and hid it once again in his ear. He returned to his cave, leaving all the demons and kings in shock, bowing to him.
At this point, he called for a grand feast, with drums and gongs sounding, setting up tables with exotic delicacies, and offering coconut and grape juice for everyone to drink and celebrate. Monkey King, as always, kept things in order, promoting four of the old monkeys to generals and calling two of the red-bottomed monkeys ‘Generals Ma and Liu’. Two monkeys with long backs were named ‘Generals Beng and Ba.’ Everything was managed by the four new generals, while the rest of the time, the Monkey King took to the skies, enjoying his freedom, visiting heroes, and making friends far and wide. He even formed a brotherhood with the Bull Demon King, the Flood Dragon King, the Roc Demon King, the Lion Camel King, the Monkey King, and the Langur King. The seven of them would meet daily, drink, dance, and discuss martial arts and strategy, making the most of their days, traveling across thousands of miles as if it were just a stroll down the street.
One day, he ordered a banquet in his cave and invited six kings to join him. They slaughtered cows and horses, offered sacrifices to the heavens, and ate and drank until they were all drunk. After the banquet, he sent the six kings on their way, rewarding the officers and leaders of the various caves, then settled under the shade of the Iron Bridge, falling into a deep sleep. The four generals and their followers stood guard quietly, not daring to speak loudly.
Suddenly, in his sleep, the Monkey King saw two figures approaching with a summons. The paper read “Sun Wukong” in large characters. Without any warning, they threw ropes around him, pulling his soul from his body. Stumbling, they dragged him to a city on the edge of a dark realm. As the Monkey King began to wake from his drunken stupor, he looked up and saw a sign hanging above the city gate that read: “Yomi (Underworld).”
Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. “Yomi is ruled by King Yama, but I’ve transcended the Three Realms and am beyond the Five Elements! Why am I here?” he thought. The two death demons dragged him along, explaining, “Your time has come. We’ve been sent to bring you to the afterlife.”
The Monkey King growled, “I, Sun Wukong, am beyond his jurisdiction. How dare you come for me!” The demons didn’t listen and continued to drag him, forcing him closer to the gates. Angrily, the Monkey King grabbed his Ruyi Golden Cudgel from his ear, and with a flick of his wrist, he grew it into a giant staff. With a single swing, he turned the two death demons into a pile of minced meat. He freed himself from the ropes, hurled the staff, and charged into the city, causing chaos. The demons, including the Ox-Head and Horse-Face Guardians, fled in terror, while the underworld messengers rushed to report to King Yama, shouting, “Your Majesty, trouble! Trouble! A hairy-faced thunder god is attacking the city!”
Panic swept through the ten kings of the underworld as they scrambled to adjust their clothes. Seeing the fearsome appearance of the Monkey King, they quickly fell into line, shouting in unison, “Great Immortal, please reveal your name! Great Immortal, please reveal your name!”
The Monkey King responded, “If you don’t know who I am, then why did you send someone to collect me?”
The ten kings hastily replied, “We would never dare! There must have been some mistake.”
The Monkey King retorted, “I am Sun Wukong, the born sage of the Water Curtain Cave on Flower-Fruit Mountain. What are your positions?”
The ten kings bowed deeply. “We are the ten kings of the underworld, the rulers of hell.”
Sun Wukong scoffed. “If you’re kings, then surely you must have some power. Why don’t you know any better? I, Sun Wukong, have attained immortality, outliving the heavens themselves. I have transcended the Three Realms and the Five Elements—how dare you try to collect me?”
The ten kings, nervous, explained, “Great Immortal, please calm your anger. There are many with the same name as you in the world. Perhaps it was a mistake made by those who are tasked with collecting souls?”
Wukong shook his head, “That’s nonsense! As the saying goes, ‘A government official may make a mistake, but the person they send is always right!’ Go fetch the Book of Life and Death, and I’ll prove it to you!”
The ten kings, feeling the weight of the situation, quickly summoned the Book. As Wukong stormed into the Palace of Yama, he sat at the center of the court. The ten kings ordered their clerk to retrieve the sacred records. The clerk, in a panic, gathered multiple books and began flipping through them—records of all creatures: insects, mammals, birds. But when he came to the category of “monkey,” it was noted that these creatures, resembling humans, were neither human nor animal.
Then, in the Book of Life and Death, Wukong’s name appeared in the 1,350th entry, under “Sun Wukong, born of a stone monkey, destined to live 342 years, and die a peaceful death.”
Wukong raised an eyebrow and declared, “I don’t recall my exact lifespan, but let’s just forget about the details for now. Bring me a pen!”
The clerk, trembling, quickly handed over the pen. Wukong, with a flourish, struck through all the names under “monkey” with a single stroke. “Done! I’m no longer under your jurisdiction!” With a swing of his magical staff, he charged out of the underworld.
The ten kings, too terrified to follow, rushed to the palace of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha to report the incident. They decided to petition the heavens for a solution, but their efforts were in vain.
As Wukong left the underworld, he tripped over a clump of grass, stumbling and waking up with a start. It had all been a dream.
Stretching and looking around, he heard his four generals and the other monkeys shouting, “Great King, you’ve drunk too much and slept through the night! When will you wake up?”
Wukong grinned. “It was nothing, just a dream. In it, two figures came to collect me, taking me to the gates of the underworld. But I quickly realized it was just a trick, and I used my magic to force my way into the Hall of Judgment, where I saw our names in the Book of Life and Death. I crossed out all of them, and we are free of their control now.”
The monkeys all bowed in gratitude. From that moment on, no monkeys in the mountain would age, as their names had been removed from the Book of Life and Death.
And so, the Monkey King’s tale spread, with all the other demon kings soon coming to offer congratulations. In just a few days, six of his sworn brothers arrived to celebrate. Upon hearing the news of Wukong’s name being erased from the underworld records, they rejoiced. Each day was filled with feasting, revelry, and joy.
In the vast expanse of the heavens, amidst the celestial splendor of the Jade Emperor’s golden palace, a moment of intrigue arose. As the morning assembly of heavenly ministers gathered in the Lingxiao Hall, a figure appeared, making a respectful report. This was the immortal Qiu Hongji, who stepped forward to address the Emperor. “Your Majesty, there is a report from the East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang, requesting your divine verdict on a matter.”
The Jade Emperor, seated in his grand throne, nodded for the messenger to be brought forth. Ao Guang, with his entourage, approached the hall and knelt in respectful obeisance. A divine attendant handed over the written report, which the Emperor reviewed in silence. The document read:
“From Ao Guang, the small Dragon King of the East Sea, I humbly report to the great Jade Emperor: Recently, there has been an incident involving a certain immortal from the Flower-Fruit Mountain, a monkey named Sun Wukong. This being has caused trouble by seizing control of my water domain, demanding magical weapons, and using his powers to terrorize my kin. His audacity has led to widespread panic: the Southern Sea Dragon trembles in fear, the Western Sea Dragon is distressed, and the Northern Sea Dragon has been forced to submit. I, Ao Guang, offer a gift of rare treasures, including a golden crown with phoenix wings, a chainmail armor, and my own treasured iron staff, all in the hopes of receiving divine intervention. This being is uncontrollable and wreaks havoc with no regard for the laws of heaven or earth. I submit this request, praying for your judgment.”
The Jade Emperor, upon reading the report, sighed deeply and issued a decree: “Let Ao Guang return to his domain; I shall send my generals to capture this unruly creature.” With a respectful bow, Ao Guang departed, his request granted.
Soon after, another report was brought forward by the immortal Ge Xianweng, a celestial sage. “Your Majesty, I have received a report from the King of the Underworld, Qin Guang Wang, bearing a petition from the Earth Deity, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.” The Jade Emperor nodded, and the petition was presented. Upon reading it, the report stated:
“In the underworld, the laws of yin and yang are strictly observed. However, there has been disturbance caused by a demon monkey named Sun Wukong from the Flower-Fruit Mountain. His reckless actions have disrupted the balance between life and death, causing chaos in the realms of the dead. His powerful magic has led to the breaking of the laws that govern the cycles of life, and he refuses to submit to celestial authority. We humbly request that the heavenly armies be dispatched to restore order, for the sake of maintaining harmony between the living and the dead.”
The Jade Emperor, moved by the severity of the petition, nodded and issued another decree: “Let Qin Guang Wang return to the underworld; I shall send my forces to deal with this unruly creature.”
Just as the celestial court discussed the matter, a heavenly general stepped forward and explained, “This monkey, Sun Wukong, was born three hundred years ago from a stone on the Flower-Fruit Mountain. Though he was not initially regarded as special, he has since cultivated himself into an immortal with great power, able to subdue dragons and defeat tigers. He now stands as a formidable force, and his strength is rivaled by none.”
The Jade Emperor, intrigued by the tale, asked, “Which of our generals will be sent to subdue this troublemaker?” Before anyone could respond, another celestial figure, the Great White Star of Venus, stepped forward and suggested, “Your Majesty, all creatures with nine apertures can cultivate to become immortals, and this monkey is no exception. Born from the essence of heaven and earth, he has cultivated himself through the power of the sun and moon. I propose that we offer him a position within the heavenly ranks, as a way to curb his rebellious spirit. Should he accept, we can reward him with a title and bind him to the celestial order. If he refuses, we shall take further action.”
The Jade Emperor, impressed by the wisdom of the suggestion, agreed. “Let it be as you say. We shall extend an invitation to Sun Wukong and offer him a role in the celestial hierarchy.”
Thus, a decree was issued, and the celestial emissary, the Great White Star, was dispatched to deliver the message. Upon reaching the Flower-Fruit Mountain, the emissary called out to the monkeys below, “I bring a message from the heavens. Sun Wukong is requested to come to the celestial palace and receive a position of honor in the divine ranks.”
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong, who had been contemplating ascending to the heavens himself, was overjoyed. “Ah, just as I was thinking about visiting the heavens, they come to invite me!” He quickly ordered his monkeys to prepare a grand feast to welcome the emissary. With a warm reception, the emissary led Sun Wukong up to the heavens.
Sun Wukong’s arrival was met with great fanfare, and he was granted a high-ranking position within the celestial court. His name was officially recorded in the heavenly registers, and he was honored with the title of “Great Sage, Equal to Heaven.”
From that moment on, Sun Wukong’s journey continued, his legend growing as he became a respected figure in both the heavenly and earthly realms.