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journeytothewestresearch · 1 year

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12th-Century Sun Wukong

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes:

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

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

Sources:

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

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

#Sun Wukong #Monkey King #Monkey Pilgrim #Journey to the West #JTTW #Song Dynasty #Arhats #Luohan #Chinese art #Buddhism #Lego Monkie Kid #LMK #MK

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swkbiggestdefender · 1 month

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

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

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

#lego monkie kid #lmk sun wukong #monkei kid #lmk monkey king #sun wukong #lmk #lmk ao lie #lmk tang sanzang #lmk tripitaka #lmk sha wujing #lmk zhu bajie #lmk jttw #lmk pilgrims

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quackkryak · 5 months

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another draw this but with ur comfort characters

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digitalagepulao · 11 months

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

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

#jttw #journey to the west #jttw fanart #xiyouji #sun wukong #jttw sun wukong #monkey king #sun pilgrim #bell dragon art #expedition to the west au

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memento-moli · 6 months

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Wallace is my fave so I had to-

#Kidlaw #trafalgar law #eustass kid #monkey d. luffy #one piece #scott pilgrim takes off

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kittyt4n · 6 months

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#anime #my art #one piece #manga #my artwork #monkey d. luffy #scott pilgrim #trafalgar law #lawlu

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maidenofthecloud · 7 months

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Everyone jokes about how MK has to deal with Monkey King's evil exes

but no one talks about the fact that the Pilgrims were there

DURING THE BREAKUP.

#lego monkie kid #lmk sun wukong #lmk monkey king #lmk mk #lmk qi xiaotian #shadowpeach #lmk tripitaka #lmk zhu bajie #lmk sha wujing #lmk ao lie #lmk pilgrims #lmk journey to the west #lionpeach

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luxthestrange · 9 months

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LMK Incorrect quotes#63 King of Bottoms

Wukong*Existing*

The Pilgrims: We can fix him!

The Brotherhood: Yeah well, We can make him worse!

F!Y/n: and I can peg him!! So you y'all can get your asses outta here!!-and you!!*Points to Wukong*Get your ass over here!

Pilgrims & Brotherhood:!?!

Wukong*Zoomies his way to you*Yes my queen

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seaweedoverlord · 1 year

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I was rewatching scott pilgrim vs the World and the rest is history

#shadowpeach #lmk #lmk fanart #lego monkie kid #monkie kid #lmk sun wukong #lmk six eared macaque #lmk macaque #lmk wukong #lmk monkey king #shadowpeach au #lmk au #scott pilgrim au #lmk shadowpeach #my art #lego monkie kid fanart #tearex art

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enzo-is-tired · 8 months

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Very specific kind of show...

Of Western conceived stories inspired/influenced by anime animated by Japanese studios.

#oban star racers #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #scott pilgrim #scott pilgrim anime #scott pilgrim takes off #srmthfg #anime #animation

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journeytothewestresearch · 3 months

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

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

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

And this archive hosts an English translation:

#Journey to the West #13th century #oral storytelling #JTTW #Sun Wukong #Monkey King #Sha Wujing #Monkey Pilgrim #Lego Monkie Kid #LMK #Chinese mythology #Buddhism

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swkbiggestdefender · 2 months

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something about wukong love for the pilgrims keeps him in pain no matter how many times have past he can't stop wishing they were here with him, he never even talk about them that much properly because he still grieving them

I think that's why he didn't want to get closer with anyone in the first seasons especially tang, pigsy, and sandy It's probably awkward and painful to be around them sometimes