Who is Sun Wukong exactly? Well, just from the picture above, people can assume that he is a monkey. Or is he a man-monkey? Or is he..? Well let me just tell you guys. Sun Wukong, aka: The Monkey King, is arguably one of China's greatest and most renowned mythical beasts. His many skills, weapons, and superhuman abilities are some reasons why he is so popular with the children and general public. However, what if I told you guys that this myth paralleled the culture and history of China.
Briefly before I get into the nuts and bolts of the significance and relationship between China's empire and this myth, I would like to give credit where credit is due. Wu Cheng'en, a novelist during the Ming Dynasty (16th century), created his mythological beast in a work titled: Journey to the West.
The fact that this novelist published this story in the midst of a long lasting dynasty was of no coincidence. Let me show you why. The Ming Dynasty was an era of great prosperity. Not only did it last nearly 300 years, but China's military and education was as advanced as ever. The Chinese did not just focus on strength in terms of fighting power, but they also refined and honed education as well. In fact one of the biggest encyclopedias was created at that time. Now what does all this have to do with Sun Wukong? The beast was the embodiment of the ideal Chinese scholar/warrior. However, he was also the epitome of arrogance and stubbornness. These characteristics alluded to the dangers that came with great knowledge and strength. Wukong's skill in education and fighting were polished at such a young age that he became as arrogant as a doctor who thinks he/she can cure any illness. His defiance to the gods can be related to the Chinese rebellions against the Ming Emperor and his imperial troops. Despite the emperor having supreme rule, rebellions would erupt because the people in China wanted freedom and equality whenever the emperor took that away from them. Even though the Monkey King was successful in rebelling and taking down some of heaven's finest emperors, it did not mean that he wouldn't face repercussions in the future. With no way to stop the Monkey, the emperors finally called upon Buddha to entrap Sun Wukong under a mountain for 500 years. It was only after his loooong life-sentence was then he released. This myth entails exactly what would happen if a rebellion were to occur in the dynasty. Even if Chinese rebels were to successfully dethrone the emperor (parallel: Monkey King defeating gods) and start a new rule, they would be faced with the punishments of Buddhism. Despite the fact that the religion came from a foreign country (India), China's men and women took the teachings to heart. One of the main teachings of Buddhism was the act of non-violence. Most would not attempt to disobey this law for the fear of throwing away their opportunity at reincarnating. Even though the Monkey King was freed from his prison, a 500 year imprisonment would just be a mock at human being's lifespan. Thus, although it is ideal and even good to aspire to be as strong and intelligent as the Monkey King, China's myth warns us that arrogance is not too far off reach when a person gains the kind of reputation and recognition the Monkey had.
The myth of the Monkey King is not just a children's story. It is used to strengthen and protect China's history and cultural values. The many adaptations of the Monkey King, whether it be from comic books to TV shows to movies, can be viewed as a fun story. But really, it was written in a time when China desired to be a great nation. The Ming Dynasty was the second to last dynasty before China experienced a Republic period. As a result, another parallel can be drawn from the myth. The Monkey King's freedom after 500 years may not only represent the inevitable freedom of an average human being who disrespected his/her government, but it can metaphorically be the freedom of the whole Chinese population. Therefore, the Monkey King served, possibly even unintentionally, as a foreshadowing text to China's coming period of freedom. It is layered with allusions to empire, religion, and culture. Each empire has its own culture, but every empire has faced rebellions. In every culture's, myths tell what is of importance and value to each empire. Although some myths may seem realistic and others, borderline ridiculous, each tells a unique story, which reflects of the conditions and morale of the people existing in their specific time and era. And a story cannot be told without influence from one's own culture, one's own world, and one's own empire.
