SUN WU KONG

01

Vol.

Vol. 01

Birth of the Stone Monkey

Created by

WEI DONG CHEN

Wei Dong Chen, a highly acclaimed and beloved artist, and an influential leader in the New Chinese Cartoon trend, is the founder of Creator World in Tianjin, the largest comics studio in China. Recently the Chinese government entrusted him with the role of general manager of the Beijing Book Fair, and his reputation as a pillar of Chinese comics has brought him many students. He has published more than three hundred cartoons, which have been recognized for their strong literary value not only in Korea, but in Europe and Japan, as well. Free spirited and energetic, Wei Dong Chens positivist philosophy is reflected in the wisdom of his work. He is published serially in numerous publications while continuing to conceive projects that explore new dimensions of the form.

Illustrated by

CHAO PENG

Chao Peng is considered one of Chen Wei Dongs greatest students, and is the director of cartoon at Creator World in Tianjin. One of the most highly regarded cartoonists in China today, Chao Pengs fantastic technique and expression of Chinese culture have won him the acclaim of cartoon lovers throughout China. His other works include "My Pet" and "Searching for the World of Self".

Original story The Journey to The West by Wu, Cheng En Editing & Designing Sun Media, Design Hongs, David Teez, Jonathan Evans, YK Kim, HJ Lee, SH Lee, Qing Shao, Xiao Nan Li, Ke Hu Chen, Wei Dong 2011 All rights reserved. Original Chinese edition published by Anhui Fine Arts Publishing House. Scanning, uploading, and electronic distribution of this book is prohibited.

THE HANDSOME MONKEY KING'S RAFT REACHED THE SOUTHERN CONTINENT BY RIDING THE SOUTHEASTERLY WIND. HE LEARNED THE CUSTOMS AND LANGUAGE OF THE LOCALS AND LOOKED FOR THOSE WHO SOUGHT THE SECRET TO IMMORTALITY.

HE WAS THERE FOR 8 YEARS, AND ALTHOUGH HE MET EACH AND EVERY PERSON LIVING THERE, NO ONE SOUGHT ANYTHING BUT FAME AND WEALTH, SO HE WENT TO THE WESTERN CONTINENT.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER...

Ah,

man!

I'm never going to find the wizard's lair! Ive been fooled again!

Try farther down the cliff. You can find it.

Really?

There's one there?

I've been fooled before...

...And it won't happen again.

Wow! It's real! A wizard's lair!

Finally! The Handsome Monkey King has found a wizard's stronghold.

Who's making that noise? This is a sacred Buddhist court...

...where people come to meditate.

What? A monkey?

How dare you make a fuss in a place where everyone is supposed to keep quiet!

Master said that someone was coming to learn from him, but I never imagined that it would be a monkey.

Hey! Monkey! Why are you here?

Uhh...

Well umm, I want to learn the secret to eternal life by perceiving a truth--

Shut up! Follow me.

Is the master... a wizard?

A wizard?

How dare you compare my master to a mere wizard?

Master! Ive come a long way to learn from you.

WHO ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

THE HANDSOME MONKEY KING KNEELED BEFORE MASTER PUTI, WHOSE WISDOM WAS UNMATCHED AND AS OLD AS THE WORLD ITSELF.
I came from AoLai on the coast of the eastern continent. And I've spent 15 years crossing them to find you!

How dare you lie to me?

The eastern continent is two oceans and another continent from here!

COME CLOSER! REALLY? WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

My name is

Yes, Master!

Well, actually... I was hatched from a giant stone egg on top of a mountain, so I don't really have a name.

SINCE YOU ARE A MONKEY, SUN COULD BE A GOOD SURNAME FOR YOU...

... AND I WILL GIVE YOU WU THE TENTH NAME OF MY DISCIPLES, FOR THE MIDDLE NAME.

YOU SHALL BE KNOWN AS SUN WU KONG.

Sun Wu Kong!

AS SURELY AS HEAVEN AND EARTH CREATED YOU, I EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM YOU ONE DAY.

Oh! Master!

I have a name!

Did you hear that? Im one of his disciples now.

Shut up! You are just a novice. Stop bragging.

Our master hates people who brag.

FROM THAT DAY ON, SUN WU KONG STUDIED WITH MASTER PUTI AND ABSORBED THE CONFUCIAN CLASSICS WHILE DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS DOCTRINES AND LEARNING THE TEXTS.

And the master took me as one of his disciples!

"True religious doctrines cannot be expressed in words."

SEVEN YEARS LATER, MASTER PUTI GAVE A LECTURE ON DOCTRINES TO OTHER WIZARDS AND THEIR DISCIPLES.

WHEN HIS TEACHING REACHED ITS PEAK...

Yes!

SUN WU KONG! WHY CAN'T YOU PAY ATTENTION?

I'm sorry, Master. Listening to you, I have perceived the truth. I got so carried away, I couldnt help myself.

HMM...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE?

Well... I dont know.

I've picked and tasted wild peaches seven times

SUN WU KONG, OF THE 360 TEACHINGS OF TAOISM, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO LEARN THE MOST?

SEVEN YEARS.

I just follow your words!

WHAT ABOUT THE TEACHING OF AUSPICIOUS WAYS TO AVOID OMINOUS WAYS?

NO, ETERNAL LIFE IS HARD TO ACQUIRE. Im only interested in the Way.

Does it lead me to eternal life?

WHAT ABOUT THE TEACHINGS OF THE CLASSICS OF CONFUCIANISM, BUDDHISM, AND TAOISM?

NO, IT DOESN'T.

Im not interested, then.

Does it lead me to eternal life?

LET ME TEACH YOU TO FAST AND TO MEDITATE.

Im not interested in learning it unless it leads me to eternal life.

AREN'T YOU INTERESTED IN THE YIN AND THE YANG?

Does it lead me to eternal life? NO! No, I dont want to learn it.

Huh!

What a stubborn, impervious little monkey you are!

WH A

WH A

WH A

What do you... want... to... learn?!

What an idiot!

Dang

Forgive me.

SH I

AT MIDNIGHT, SUN WU KONG AWOKE AND WENT TO MASTER PUTI'S ROOM.

WHEN DID YOU ARRIVE?

WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?

You told me to come. Some time ago.

This afternoon, you hit me on the head three times and left the room before shutting the inner gate.

It means that I should come to the rear around midnight...

...So I can learn from you in a secret place.

Master, please! Teach me how to acquire eternal life.

YOU ARE A CLEVER MONKEY.

I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO FIND THE MYSTERIOUS SECRET TO ETERNAL LIFE.

SO SUN WU KONG LEARNED HOW TO REACH ETERNAL LIFE, AS WELL AS 72 TRANSFIGURATIONS.

IF YOU MASTER ALL THESE TEACHINGS, YOU WILL BECOME A BUDDHA AND A WIZARD.

SUN WU KONG, HAVE YOU LEARNED A LOT?

Oh yes, Master. I feel enlightened already!

THREE YEARS PASSED...

HAVE YOU MADE PROGRESS WITH 72 TRANSFIGURATIONS?

Let me show you.

BEARS CAN'T FLY.

How about that, Master!

Thats good, but

H AH H !

...youve overlooked something.

TH

WA ..T

HHWA

SH

IK

WHIR ..W

HIR

SHIK

REMEMBER, EVEN SHAPE-SHIFTING MUST COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF NATURE.

How about this, then?

Master! What do you think of my cloud-riding skills?

E WEE ..SHW SH

SHIK
BUT YOU ARE NOT TRULY RIDING THE CLOUDS.

IT MAY SEEM LIKE YOU ARE...

Huh? This isnt good enough?

IF YOU WERE TRULY RIDING THE CLOUDS, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY IN THE NORTH SEA IN THE MORNING AND RETURN HOME IN THE EVENING.

Master! Teach me this one final skill!

VERY WELL, I WILL TEACH YOU.

Surisuri Masuri

NOW YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FLY THOUSANDS OF MILES AT A TIME.

Whoa!

This is great! Ha ha ha! SUN WU KONG! DON'T GO TOO FAR TOO FAST!

That monkey is sure to be trouble one day.

ANOTHER FEW YEARS PASSED WHILE SUN WU KONG TRAINED UNDER MASTER PUTI.

Whoa! Cool!

How about that!

Impressed yet? Sun Wu Kong!

Why are you making such a fuss in the sacred court?

Master, please don't get angry.

Go away!

Yes, Master!

We were so impressed by Sun Wu Kongs transfigurations, we must have praised him too loudly.

Sun Wu Kong!

Yes, Master!

I think its time you leave the temple.

What?! Master, forgive me, please. If you tell me to leave, I wont know where to go!

GO BACK HOME.

Master!

Forgive me, Sun Wu Kong.

Im sorry to do this, but you are so careless and shallow. You cause trouble, time and time again.

I'll change! I won't be that way or make the same mistake! Please!

I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU TO LEAVE.

AND YOU ARE NOT TO TELL ANYONE THAT I WAS YOUR MASTER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

KEEP THAT IN MIND!

Yes, Master! Ill say that I learned them myself.

I wont bring you any harm.

MY TEACHINGS ARE TO LEAD YOU TO ENLIGHTENMENT -- THEY ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR PETTY TRICKS. IF YOU DO SO, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!

GO!

Don't worry, Master ...

Your disciple will not make any trouble.

AFTER LEAVING HIS MASTER, SUN WU KONG RETURNED TO SPRING MOUNTAIN BY RIDING THE CLOUDS. WHEN HE LEFT THE MOUNTAIN, THE JOURNEY TOOK DECADES. NOW, BY SOARING HIGH AMONG THE CLOUDS, HE WOULD REACH THE MOUNTAIN IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

SPRING MOUNTAIN

Whats... happened?

My friends lie dead in the earth.

What's happened in my absence?

Friends! Im back! Where are you?

The Handsome Monkey King is back!

Friends! Where are you?

How dare a wretched little monkey disturb the land of the Evil King?

WOOSH

The Evil King?

Quite a dodge!

How fortunate! I happen to be very hungry.

Did you just say that Spring Mountain is your land?

Thats right! The whole world knows that I, the Evil King, am the ruler of Spring Mountain!

So you're the one who killed my friends.

You mean, you ate all the monkeys?

They werent that tasty, but the Evil King needed a snack. Ha ha ha!

You shameful monster! Listen to me!

CRASH
T
HUMP

There is only one king on Spring Mountain ...

...And thats me!

The Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wu Kong !!!

koff Sun Wu Kong?

You, insignificant little monkey! How dare...

WOO H S
Perhaps you should change your name to the Horrified King.

PIN

HA HA

HA

HAA W

Come on, fat boy! Scared of a few little monkeys?!

SUN WU KONG PERFORMED ONE OF THE 72 TRANSFIGURATIONS. HE PLUCKED A HANDFUL OF HAIRS FROM HIS BODY AND TURNED THEM INTO CLONES.

From now on, anything that confronts the Handsome Monkey King on Spring Mountain will perish this way!

HA HA

HA

THE EVIL KING LOST HIS MIND FROM THE SMALL SUN WU KONGS ATTACKING HIM FROM ALL DIRECTIONS. HE COULDN'T AVOID THE CLONES' MILLION HARD BLOWS, AND HE DIED.

Stand guard carefully! The Evil King could invade at any time!

Huh?

Oh, no!

Friends! Its me. Im back.

Run! The Evil King is coming!

Hey, where are you going? It's me!

...The Handsome Monkey King?

Huh? Is that the voice of the great king...

...WOW!... IT'S REAL! ...HE'S REAL!

THE GREAT KING IS BACK!

WOW... THE HANDSOME MONKEY KING IS BACK!!!

What took you so long?

sob sob

What happened to you while you were gone?

We nearly all got killed!

You dont have to worry. From now on, I wont let anyone touch you.

But right now Im hungry, so lets burn this Evil King and throw a party!

Wow, he's so fat. There's enough for all!

LATER, SUN WU KONG GATHERED THE MONKEYS TOGETHER. HE ORGANIZED THEM INTO AN ARMY AND TAUGHT THEM HOW TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

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