In legend, there is a grand number in the universe called 129,600 years, and this long period is referred to as a “Yuan.” This “Yuan” is divided into twelve stages, much like how a day has twelve hours, namely Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai.
For example, let's talk about the hours of a day: Zi hour is midnight when the yang energy begins to rise; by Chou hour, the rooster starts to crow; Yin hour is still dark, but by Mao hour, the sun rises. Then, during Chen hour, people finish breakfast, and by Si hour, they start their work; Wu hour is when the sun is at its peak, and Wei hour is when it starts to move westward; Shen hour is the afternoon when the sun is setting, and by You hour, it has set; Xu hour is dusk when people should rest, and Hai hour is when it’s completely dark.
Back to the grand cycle, at the end of the Xu phase, the world is dark, and all things vanish. After 5,400 years, at the beginning of the Hai phase, the world is a chaotic void. Another 5,400 years pass, nearing the end of the Hai phase, and life begins to revive, approaching the Zi phase, with the world gradually brightening. As Shao Yong said, “At the winter solstice, halfway through Zi, the heavenly heart remains unchanged. At the initial movement of yang, all things are yet unborn.” This is when the heavens start to take root.
Another 5,400 years pass, reaching the Zi phase, and light things rise, forming the sun, moon, stars, and constellations, known as the four phenomena. Thus, the heavens began in the Zi phase. After another 5,400 years, nearing the end of the Zi phase and approaching the Chou phase, the world becomes solid. The Book of Changes says, “Great is the origin of Qian! Majestic is the origin of Kun! All things are born, following the heavens.” At this time, the earth begins to solidify.
Another 5,400 years pass, reaching the Chou phase, and heavy things sink, forming water, fire, mountains, rocks, and soil, known as the five forms. Thus, the earth began in the Chou phase. After another 5,400 years, the Chou phase ends, and the Yin phase begins, with all things starting to grow. The almanac says, “Heavenly energy descends, earthly energy rises; heaven and earth unite, and all creatures are born.” At this time, the world is clear, and yin and yang harmonize.
Another 5,400 years pass, reaching the Yin phase, and humans, beasts, and birds begin to emerge, establishing the three talents of heaven, earth, and humanity. Thus, humans began in the Yin phase.
Now, let's talk about Pangu creating the world, the Three Sovereigns governing the land, and the Five Emperors establishing order, dividing the world into four continents: the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity, the Western Continent of Cattle-Offering, the Southern Continent of Jambu, and the Northern Continent of Kuru. Our story mainly takes place in the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity. In the overseas region, there is a country called Aolai. This country is near the sea, and in the sea lies a mountain called Flower and Fruit Mountain. This mountain is the ancestral vein of ten continents and the source of three islands, standing since the separation of heaven and earth, formed after the chaos was first divided. What a wonderful mountain it is!
On this mountain, there is a celestial stone, measuring 36 feet and 5 inches high and 24 feet in circumference. The height of 36 feet and 5 inches represents the 365 degrees of the celestial sphere; the circumference of 24 feet represents the 24 solar terms. It has nine holes and eight openings, symbolizing the nine palaces and eight trigrams. With no trees to shade it, only fragrant orchids surround it. Since the creation of heaven and earth, this stone absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, the brilliance of the sun and moon, and over time, it gained spiritual energy. One day, the stone cracked open, revealing a stone egg, round like a ball. When it encountered the wind, it transformed into a stone monkey, complete with all its limbs and features.
This little monkey learned to crawl and walk, bowing to the four directions. Its eyes emitted two beams of golden light, reaching straight to the heavens. This startled the Jade Emperor in heaven, who quickly sent Clairvoyant and Clairaudient to investigate. The two divine generals received the order, exited the Southern Heavenly Gate, and saw everything clearly and heard everything distinctly. They returned to report: “We saw in the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity, at the border of Aolai Country, a Flower and Fruit Mountain. On the mountain, there was a celestial stone, which gave birth to an egg. The egg met the wind and turned into a stone monkey, bowing to the four directions, with its eyes emitting golden light, reaching straight to the heavens. Now it has started drinking water and eating food, and the golden light is about to disappear.” The Jade Emperor mercifully said, “Things of the lower world, born of the essence of heaven and earth, are nothing extraordinary.”
In the mountains, he lived freely, eating grass and fruit, drinking from mountain springs, picking flowers, and finding fruits on trees, living a life of bliss. He befriended wolves, insects, tigers, leopards, deer, and other animals, sleeping under stone cliffs at night and wandering among peaks and caves by day. Truly, as the saying goes, “In the mountains, there is no reckoning of time; the cold ends without knowing the year.” One hot day, he and a group of monkeys hid in the shade of pine trees to play. Look at them:
Jumping from tree to tree, picking flowers and seeking fruit, playing joyously. Some were throwing pebbles, some building towers in the sand; some chased dragonflies, others caught butterflies; some worshipped the heavens, others the Buddha; some pulled vines, others wove grass ropes; some caught lice, biting and pinching; some groomed fur, others trimmed nails; some leaned against each other, some rubbed against each other; some pushed, some pressed; some pulled, some tugged. In short, they played freely under the green pine trees and washed carefreely by the green water streams. After a while, they went to the mountain stream to bathe. Watching the stream flow endlessly, it was like a rolling gourd splashing. As the ancients said, “Birds have bird language, beasts have beast language.” The monkeys said, “We don’t know where this water comes from. Today, with nothing to do, why don’t we follow the stream up to see where it originates? What do you all think?” Everyone shouted in agreement, and males, females, brothers, and sisters all ran together, following the stream up the mountain until they reached the source, discovering a waterfall. They saw:
A white rainbow rising, a thousand feet of snowy waves flying; the sea breeze cannot break it, the river moon still shines upon it. Cold air divides the green peaks, the remaining flow moistens the emerald depths; the murmuring is named waterfall, truly like hanging curtains.
The monkeys clapped their hands in praise, “What great water! What great water! So, this water flows directly from the foot of the mountain into the sea.” Then they said, “Whoever has the ability to go in and find the source without getting hurt, we will make him our king.” After shouting three times, a stone monkey suddenly jumped out from the bushes, excitedly shouting, “I'll go in! I'll go in!” What a good monkey! It was him:
Today his name is revealed, his fortune and luck align; destined to reside here, the king sends him into the immortal palace.
Watch him close his eyes, squat down, and leap into the waterfall spring. When he opened his eyes, he found there was no water inside; it was bright, like there was a bridge. He steadied himself and looked closely, discovering it was an iron bridge. The water below the bridge gushed from a stone cave, cascading down and covering the bridge entrance. He then stepped onto the bridge and continued forward, finding it looked as if someone had lived there before; it was truly a wonderful place. He saw:
Green moss piled like blue, white clouds floating like jade, light shimmering with pieces of rosy clouds. A quiet window and room, with smooth benches and boards growing flowers. Milk caves with dragon pearls hanging, winding around the ground with exotic flowers. Stove and cauldron by the cliff with traces of fire, goblets and jars on the table with remnants of food. Stone seats and stone beds were truly lovable, stone basins and stone bowls were especially praiseworthy. There were also a few bamboo poles and plum blossoms, a few pine trees always covered in rain, like a real home.
After observing for a while, he jumped to the middle of the bridge, looked around, and saw a stone tablet in the center. On the tablet, in regular script, was engraved “Blessed Land of Flower and Fruit Mountain, Water Curtain Cave Paradise.” The stone monkey was overjoyed and quickly headed out, closed his eyes, squatted down, and leaped out of the water, excitedly shouting, “Great fortune! Great fortune!” The other monkeys gathered around and asked, “How is it inside? How deep is the water?” The stone monkey replied, “No water! No water! It's actually an iron bridge. Beyond the bridge is a naturally created home.” The monkeys asked, “What kind of home?” The stone monkey laughed and said, “The water gushes from below the bridge through a stone cave and cascades down to cover the door. By the bridge, there are flowers and trees, and it's a stone house. Inside, there are stone nests, stone stoves, stone bowls, stone basins, stone beds, and stone benches. In the center, there is a stone tablet engraved with 'Blessed Land of Flower and Fruit Mountain, Water Curtain Cave Paradise.' It's truly a place to settle down. It's spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of families. Let's all move in and avoid the wrath of the heavens. Inside:
There's shelter from the wind, a place to stay when it rains. No fear of frost or snow, thunder is never heard. Smoke and clouds always illuminate, auspicious signs often rise. Pine and bamboo are evergreen, exotic flowers bloom daily.”
Hearing this, the monkeys were all delighted and said, “You lead the way, take us in, take us in!” The stone monkey closed his eyes again, squatted down, and leaped in, shouting, “Follow me in! Come in!” The bold monkeys all jumped in; the timid ones hesitated, scratching their heads and ears, shouting loudly, but eventually, they all went in too. They jumped past the bridgehead, each grabbing basins and bowls, fighting for stoves and beds, moving things around, their monkey nature mischievous, never a moment of peace until they were exhausted. The stone monkey sat above them and said, “Everyone, 'Without trust, one knows not what can be done.' Earlier, you said whoever could come in and out unscathed would be made king. I have now come in and out, and found this paradise for everyone to rest and enjoy family life. Why not make me your king?” Hearing this, the monkeys all bowed in submission, one by one lining up to pay respects, all calling him “Thousand-Year Great King.” From then on, the stone monkey ascended to the throne, dropping the word “stone” from his name and becoming known as the Handsome Monkey King. A poem bears witness: “Three yangs unite to birth all beings, the immortal stone contains the essence of sun and moon. Borrowing an egg to transform into a monkey, completing the great path, borrowing a name and surname to match the elixir's success. Internally observing without recognition due to lack of form, externally knowing clearly due to having shape. Throughout the ages, everyone belongs to this, becoming king and sage, free to roam.”
The Handsome Monkey King led a group of apes, macaques, and other monkeys, assigning roles of ministers and aides, exploring Flower and Fruit Mountain by day and residing in Water Curtain Cave by night, living as brothers, not mingling with birds or beasts, ruling independently, and enjoying himself immensely. Thus: “In spring, picking hundreds of flowers for sustenance, in summer, seeking various fruits for livelihood. In autumn, harvesting taro and chestnuts to mark the seasons, in winter, finding Solomon's seal to pass the years.”
The Handsome Monkey King lived a carefree and leisurely life, with no changes for three to five hundred years. One day, while he was happily gathering with the monkeys, he suddenly looked worried and even shed a few tears. The monkeys hurriedly gathered around and asked, “Great King, what's wrong?” The Monkey King sighed and said, “Although I'm happy now, I'm a bit worried, which troubles me.” The monkeys laughed and said, “Great King, you really don't know how good you have it! We live happily in this blessed land of the immortal mountain, free from the control of the qilin and phoenix, and not bound by human laws, living freely. What is there to worry about?”
The Monkey King said, “Today we are unrestrained, but in the future, when we grow old and our vitality declines, the old King Yama will come to control us. Once we die, wouldn't that mean we've lived this life in vain? We won't be able to enjoy this heavenly life for long.” Hearing this, the monkeys were stunned and began to cry, worrying about the inevitability of death.
At this moment, a gibbon jumped out from the group and said loudly, “If the Great King has such long-term considerations, then a path to enlightenment has truly sprouted in your heart! Currently, there are only three types of beings in the world who are not under the jurisdiction of old King Yama.” The Monkey King quickly asked, “Which three types?” The gibbon replied, “They are the Buddha, immortals, and sages. They can escape the cycle of reincarnation, neither born nor destroyed, living as long as the heavens, earth, and mountains.” The Monkey King asked, “Where do these three types of beings live?” The gibbon said, “They reside in the ancient caves and immortal mountains of the mortal world.” Upon hearing this, the Monkey King was overjoyed and said, “Tomorrow I will bid you farewell, descend the mountain, and travel the world to find these beings. I must learn the way to immortality and escape King Yama's control.” This decision set him on the path to transcendence, leading to his legendary title as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. The monkeys clapped and praised, “Great! Great! Tomorrow we will gather some fruits and hold a banquet to send off the Great King.”
The next day, the monkeys indeed gathered celestial peaches, exotic fruits, dug up yams, and unearthed Solomon's seal, along with fragrant orchids, rare flowers, and herbs, all neatly arranged on stone tables and benches, preparing celestial wine and dishes. They presented:
Golden marbles and pearl-like cherries, red and plump; golden marbles and pearl-like preserved cherries, sweet and luscious; red and plump ripe plums, fragrant and tart. Fresh longans, sweet flesh and thin skin; fiery lychees, small seeds and red flesh. Green apples offered in clusters, loquats with yellow husks and leaves upheld. Pears shaped like rabbit heads and jujubes like chicken hearts, quenching thirst and relieving fatigue. Fragrant peaches and ripe apricots, delicious like nectar and jade; crunchy plums and bayberries, sweet and sour like creamy cheese. Watermelons with black seeds and red flesh, large yellow-skinned persimmons in quarters. Pomegranates split open, revealing fiery crystal-like seeds; taro and chestnuts split open, firm flesh like gold and agate. Walnuts and ginkgo nuts for tea, coconuts and grapes for wine. Hazelnuts, pine nuts, and chestnuts fill the plates, oranges, sugarcane, mandarins, and tangerines overflow the table. Roasted yams, cooked Solomon's seal, ground poria and coix seeds, slowly simmered in a stone pot. Even the finest delicacies of the human world cannot compare to the joy of the mountain monkeys.
The monkeys respectfully invited the Handsome Monkey King to the seat of honor, each taking their place according to rank, presenting wine, flowers, and fruits in turn, and drinking heartily for a whole day. The next day, the Handsome Monkey King rose early and instructed, “Little ones, gather some dry pine branches to make a raft, find a bamboo pole for a punt, and prepare some fruits. I'm setting off.” He indeed boarded the raft alone, pushing off with all his might, drifting towards the sea, riding the wind, and crossing to the Southern Continent. This journey marked:
The celestial monkey born with great potential, leaving the mountain on a raft, riding the heavenly wind. Sailing across the sea in search of the immortal path, determined to achieve great success. With fate and destiny, he renounces worldly desires, meeting the primal dragon with no worries. Surely he will encounter a kindred spirit, revealing the origins and understanding all methods.
It was his good fortune that, after boarding the raft, the southeast wind blew continuously for several days, carrying him to the northwest shore, reaching the territory of the Southern Continent. He tested the water with his pole, found it shallow, abandoned the raft, and jumped ashore. There he saw people fishing, hunting geese, digging clams, and extracting salt. He approached them, performing a trick to appear as a frightening creature, causing them to drop their baskets and nets and flee. He caught one who couldn't run, stripped him of his clothes, and dressed himself like a human, swaggering through the towns, learning human manners and speech. By day he ate, by night he lodged, single-mindedly seeking the way of the Buddha, immortals, and sages, hoping to find a method for immortality. But he found that people in the world were all chasing fame and fortune, with no one caring about life. As the saying goes:
“When will the pursuit of fame and fortune end? Rising early and sleeping late, never free! Riding donkeys and mules, dreaming of fine horses, officials aspiring to be princes. Worrying about food and clothing, laboring tirelessly, fearing not the summons of King Yama. Planning for descendants' wealth and status, none willing to turn back!”
The Monkey King searched everywhere for the immortal path but had no luck. Wandering the Southern Continent, visiting cities and counties, unknowingly eight or nine years passed. Suddenly, he reached the shore of the Western Ocean, thinking there must be immortals overseas. So he once again built a raft and drifted across the Western Sea, reaching the territory of the Western Bull Continent. He landed and searched everywhere, suddenly seeing a high mountain, incredibly beautiful, with deep forests. Fearless of wolves, insects, and tigers, he climbed to the top to observe. Indeed, it was a good mountain:
Thousands of peaks like halberds, ten thousand cliffs like screens. Sunlight reflects on mist, lightly locking in green, rain clears, and indigo hues coolly embrace blue. Withered vines entwine old trees, ancient crossings mark secluded paths. Exotic flowers and auspicious grasses, tall bamboo and towering pines. Tall bamboo and towering pines, eternally green, rivaling blessed lands; exotic flowers and auspicious grasses, never fading, surpassing Penglai. Birds sing nearby, springs murmur clear. Valleys filled with orchids, cliffs overgrown with moss. Rolling hills, dragon veins flourish, surely a sage hides his name.
Once upon a time, the Handsome Monkey King was cheerfully wandering through the mountains when he suddenly heard voices coming from deep within the forest. He quickly sped up, darted into the woods, and listened closely. It turned out someone was singing. The lyrics went like this:
“Watching chess, the board wears out; chopping wood, the axe rings. Leisurely walking by the clouded valley. Selling firewood for wine, laughing wildly in delight. In the crisp autumn air, resting by the pine roots under the moon, sleeping till dawn. Recognizing old forests, climbing cliffs and crossing ridges, wielding the axe to cut dead vines. Gathering a load, singing on the way to the market, exchanging for three measures of rice. No disputes, no competition, prices fair and stable, no cunning tricks, no fame or disgrace, living peacefully. Where you meet, either immortal or sage, sitting quietly discussing the Yellow Court.”
Hearing this song, the Monkey King's heart burst with joy: “So, immortals are hiding here!” He quickly jumped in and took a closer look, only to find a woodcutter chopping wood. Just look at his unique outfit:
On his head, he wore a bamboo hat made from new bamboo shoots. He was dressed in a cloth robe woven from cotton fibers. Around his waist was a sash made from silk spun by old silkworms. On his feet were straw sandals woven from dried grass. In his hand, he held a steel axe, and over his shoulder, a hemp rope. He was expertly splitting dead wood against a pine tree, truly a skilled woodcutter!
The Monkey King approached and called out, “Old Immortal! Your disciple greets you!” The woodcutter hurriedly put down his axe, turned around, and replied, “Oh, no, no! I'm just a simple man, struggling to make ends meet, how could I dare call myself an 'immortal'?”
Perplexed, the Monkey King asked, “If you're not an immortal, how come you speak like one?” The woodcutter looked puzzled, “What did I say that was like an immortal?” The Monkey King explained, “I just heard you say: 'Where you meet, either immortal or sage, sitting quietly discussing the Yellow Court.' The 'Yellow Court' is a sacred text on virtue, isn't that something only an immortal would talk about?”
The woodcutter laughed, “To be honest, this piece is called 'Man Ting Fang,' taught to me by an immortal. He lives next door to me. Seeing my family burdened with worries, he taught me to recite this when troubled. It helps ease the mind and solve problems. I was just a bit troubled earlier, so I recited a few lines, didn't expect you to hear it.”
The Monkey King then asked, “Since you're neighbors with an immortal, why not learn the ways of cultivation from him, to achieve immortality? Wouldn't that be great?”
The woodcutter sighed, “I've had a hard life. Raised by my parents until I was eight or nine, just starting to understand things. Sadly, my father passed away, leaving my mother a widow. No siblings, just me, so I had to care for her day and night. Now that she's old, I can't leave her. Plus, our land is barren, and we lack food and clothing. I can only chop some wood to sell at the market for a bit of money, buy some rice, cook for myself, and support my elderly mother, so there's no way to pursue cultivation.”
Hearing the woodcutter's story, the Monkey King thought he was truly a filial son and would surely be rewarded in the future. He eagerly asked, “Can you tell me where the immortal lives? I'd like to visit him.” The woodcutter replied, “Not far, not far. This mountain is called Spirit Platform Mountain, Square Inch Mountain. In the mountain, there's a cave called Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave. An immortal named Subhuti lives there. He has countless disciples, and there are currently thirty or forty people learning from him. Just follow this path south for seven or eight miles, and you'll find it.”
Upon hearing this, the Monkey King excitedly grabbed the woodcutter, “Brother, come with me! If I gain any benefits, I won't forget your guidance.” The woodcutter laughed and shook his head, “You're really clueless. I just told you, I have to chop wood to support my family, how can I accompany you? Go on your own, don't delay my work.”
With no choice, the Monkey King bid farewell. He left the forest, followed the path, climbed over a hill, and indeed, after seven or eight miles, he saw a cave mansion. Wow, what a place! He saw:
Mist swirling, sun and moon shining. Thousands of ancient cypresses, countless green bamboos. Ancient cypresses with rain, lush and green in mid-air; green bamboos in mist, a vast expanse. Exotic flowers and rare herbs outside the gate, fragrance wafting by the bridge. Moss moist on the rock cliffs, long green moss on the hanging walls. Sometimes hearing the cries of cranes, occasionally spotting flying phoenixes. The cries of cranes echo through the clouds, the feathers of phoenixes shimmer in myriad colors. Mysterious apes and white deer appear and disappear, golden lions and jade elephants roam freely. Looking closely, this place truly surpasses paradise!
The Monkey King saw that the cave door was tightly closed, and everything around was quiet. He hesitated about whether to knock when he suddenly turned around and saw a stone tablet on the cliff. It read, “Mountain of the Mind and Heart, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.” The Monkey King was overjoyed: “The people here are indeed honest; this mountain and cave truly exist.” He looked at it for a while but didn't dare to knock, so he jumped onto a pine tree to pick pine nuts for fun.
After a while, he suddenly heard a “creak” as the cave door opened, and out came an immortal boy. Oh, what a majestic and extraordinary little immortal he was, different from ordinary people. He had his hair styled in two buns, wore a wide robe, and had a handsome face with an extraordinary aura.
The immortal boy came out and loudly asked, “Who is causing a disturbance here?” The Monkey King quickly jumped down from the tree and respectfully said, “Immortal boy, I am a disciple seeking the Way and learning from immortals, and I dare not cause any disturbance here.” The immortal boy laughed and said, “Are you here to seek the Way?” The Monkey King replied, “Yes.” The immortal boy said, “My master just finished giving a lecture and hadn't yet stated the reason but asked me to open the door, saying that someone pursuing cultivation had arrived outside and wanted me to receive them. It must be you?” The Monkey King happily said, “Yes, it's me.” The immortal boy said, “Then follow me inside.”
The Monkey King tidied his clothes and followed the immortal boy into the cave dwelling, where he saw layers of deep pavilions and jade towers, truly an indescribable serene and secluded place. They walked to the jade platform, where they saw Patriarch Bodhi sitting with thirty little immortals standing by his side. Indeed, he was:
The Great Enlightened Golden Immortal, pure and unblemished, the Western wondrous form, Patriarch Bodhi; neither born nor perished, practicing the three threes, full of energy and spirit, with boundless compassion.
Upon seeing this, the Monkey King quickly prostrated himself, kowtowing countless times, while continuously calling out, “Master! Master! Your disciple sincerely pays respects!” The Patriarch asked, “Where are you from? Explain clearly before you bow.” The Monkey King replied, “Disciple is from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Aolai Country of the Eastern Continent.” The Patriarch, upon hearing this, shouted, “Throw him out! He is originally a deceitful and mischievous person; how can he cultivate the Way?” The Monkey King hurriedly kowtowed and said, “Everything I say is true, without any falsehood.” The Patriarch asked again, “If you are honest, how could you say you are from the Eastern Continent? That place is separated from here by two great seas and another continent, how did you get here?”
The Monkey King kowtowed and said, “Disciple crossed the seas and traveled various lands, spending over ten years to find this place.” The Patriarch said, “If you came all the way, then so be it. What is your surname?” The Monkey King said, “I have no surname. If someone insults me, I don't get angry; if someone hits me, I don't get upset, I just offer a courtesy and that's it. I have no surname in life.”
The Patriarch said, “That's not what I mean. What was your parents' original surname?” The Monkey King said, “I have no parents either.” The Patriarch asked, “If you have no parents, were you born from a tree?” The Monkey King said, “Although I wasn't born from a tree, I did come from a stone. I only remember that there was a celestial stone on Flower-Fruit Mountain, and when it split open, I was born.”
Hearing this, the Patriarch was secretly pleased: “So, you are born of heaven and earth. Stand up and walk around for me to see.” The Monkey King jumped up and bounced around in circles. The Patriarch laughed and said, “Your build is rough, but you resemble a monkey that eats pine nuts. I will give you a surname from your appearance, and call you 'Hu.' If you remove the animal radical from 'Hu,' it becomes 'Gu Yue' (ancient moon). 'Gu' means old, 'Yue' means moon. The old moon cannot nurture, so it's better to call you 'Sun.' If you remove the animal radical from 'Sun,' it becomes 'Zi Xi' (childlike). 'Zi' means son, 'Xi' means delicate. It fits the nature of a child. Let's call you 'Sun.'”
The Monkey King was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed, saying, “Good! Good! Good! Today I finally know my surname. Please, Master, kindly give me a name, so I have something to be called by.” The Patriarch said, “In my sect, there are twelve characters used for naming. You are the tenth generation of disciples.” The Monkey King asked, “What are these twelve characters?” The Patriarch said, “They are Guang, Da, Zhi, Hui, Zhen, Ru, Xing, Hai, Ying, Wu, Yuan, Jue. For you, it is the character 'Wu.' I will give you the Dharma name 'Sun Wukong,' how about that?” The Monkey King laughed and said, “Good! Good! Good! From now on, I shall be called Sun Wukong!”
Indeed: In the beginning of chaos, there was no surname; breaking through ignorance, one must understand emptiness. As for what Dao fruit Sun Wukong later achieved, we will discuss in the next chapter.
