Nearly four decades after the release of the film “Journey to the West” (1986), the information surrounding the characters and storylines in the film continues to captivate audiences.
Although it is considered a “classic film of the past” related to the 80s and 90s generations, “Journey to the West” still contains intriguing elements that many people may still be unaware of.
In fact, if we consider – the main character in the great work of Wu Cheng’en has up to seven different names, and the significance of each name can be quite elusive for many.
So who is this character?
The main character of “Journey to the West” is Sun Wukong.
The seven names of Sun Wukong in “Journey to the West” are as follows:
The seven names listed do not include the name Sun Wukong. This name is the first title of the “monkey king” given by the Bodhi Patriarch. According to legend, “Sun” means monkey; “Wukong” means enlightened and aware.
1. Stone Monkey
This is the real name of Sun Wukong. Stone Monkey means a monkey born from a stone that the Sun Wukong emerged from on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.
2. Handsome Monkey King
This is the name that Sun Wukong self-bestowed while residing in the Flower and Fruit Mountain. He is a king among monkeys with a handsome appearance.
3. Great Sage Equal to Heaven
After mastering many miraculous spells, Sun Wukong firmly believed he could match the heavens and no longer hesitated to confront anyone. Wukong even claimed the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
4. Victorious Fighting Buddha
To erase his previous identity as a rebellious monkey, the Buddha granted Sun Wukong the title of Victorious Fighting Buddha, a title that signifies the supreme protector of the heavenly realm.
However, later on, when he witnessed the true nature of the heavenly realm, Sun Wukong discovered he was merely a lowly servant. This realization led him to become a pivotal figure in the struggle against the three realms.
5. Tathagata’s Disciplinary Officer
After Sun Wukong caused a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace, he was punished by the Buddha to guard the Mountain of Five Elements for 500 years.
500 years later, when the Tang Dynasty emperor passed through this area to collect Buddhist scriptures, he discovered Wukong, and the monkey was released. When Sun Wukong recognized the Tang emperor as his master and decided to follow him to obtain the scriptures, the emperor bestowed this name upon him, meaning he was a disciple of the Tang family.
6. Great Sage of Victory
After successfully completing the journey to the Tang dynasty and overcoming 81 calamities, Sun Wukong finally brought the scriptures back to the Tang emperor.
Upon arriving at Ling Shan to present the scriptures to the Buddha, Sun Wukong was honored with the title of Great Sage of Victory.
7. Great Saint of the West
The title Great Saint of the West does not appear in the 1986 film “Journey to the West.” It only comes into play during the later events in the sequel “Journey to the West,” when Sun Wukong defeats the Demon King and is then granted this esteemed title by the Buddha.
Source: Sohu, Sina, Baidu
