As one of the most brilliant images in Journey to the West, one of China's "Four Famous Works", the image of Sun Wukong has always been deeply liked by the broad masses of the people. However, there are also many theories about the prototype of Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong on stage
Some say that Sun Wukong's prototype is Shi Pantuo, the prototype of the Tang monk Xuanzang on the westbound road, a "monkey-shaped man with long hairs, two rings of eyes, nostrils forward, and fangs exposed", and he was also the first apprentice of the Tang monks on the westbound journey.
Some people also believe that Sun Wukong's prototype is wuzhiqi from the Classic of Mountains and Seas - shaped like a gorilla, with a collapsed nose, a convex forehead, a white head and a blue body, and a golden eye of fire. He often made waves in Huaishui and endangered the people, and was later subdued by Dayu when he ruled Huaishui.
Others believe that it is the Tang Dynasty monk Che Fengchao, because his master's Fa name is also called Sanzang, and his own Fa name is Wukong, and he is also strong in martial arts, and once went to the Western Regions to learn the scriptures.
There is also a saying that it is not easy for Chinese to accept emotionally, that is, Hu Shi, Ji Xianlin and others advocate the "image of Wukong outside" - that is, the image of Sun Wukong comes from the Indian god Monkey Hanuman.
Leaving aside the first three, let's talk only about this last one, that is, the most difficult one to accept: How did our famous Chinese writers become from India? What kind of monkey is Hanuman, the Hindu god monkey? How could it be considered by Hu Shi and Ji Xianlin to be the prototype of Sun Wukong?
Monkey king
In fact, at first, the author was also half-convinced of this statement, until I saw the Indian epic "Ramayana".
The Ramayana was written no earlier than 300 BC, that is, not earlier than the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in China. Together with the Mako Brahta, it is known as the two great epics of India. Legend has it that it was compiled by the Indian poet Ant-Ann. The main story is written about Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, and his wife Siddhartha. Because Rama's wife Siddhartha was snatched away by the King of Lenga Island, Lobona, Rama asked for help from the Monkey King, who sent his most powerful assistant Hanuman to inquire, and finally got the news of Siddhartha and successfully rescued Siddhartha.
Hanuman was not a mortal, but the son of the wind god Vayu. As soon as he was born, he saw that the sun was red and very cute, and thought it was a big fruit, so he wanted to eat it, which made the Emperor Indra furious, so he took out the vajra pestle and gave it a moment.
Hanuman
Hanuman was hit in the upper jaw and cried out in pain. The wind god Vayu was angry, so he hid in the cave with the little monkey. When the gods saw that there was no wind in the world, they had to bring the gods to apologize to Vayu, and later in order to show compensation, the gods gave Hanuman various gifts--the divine weapons, the power of pulling up mountains, the wisdom of change, the courage of people, and the power of water and fire. Brahma himself named him "Hanuman", that is, "the one whose jaw was struck".
Similarly, these abilities can also be highlighted in our monkey king Sun Wukong.
It is said that its weapon is the Tiger Head Ruyi Golden Stick (I look like a hammer, I don't know if it is the reason for the translation), which is the same as Sun Wukong's Ruyi Golden Hoop Stick, is it also the same?
In terms of appearance, Hanuman's face is like ruby, his coat is golden, his body is tall, and his tail is unusually long.
In the original "Journey to the West", Sun Wukong's appearance is: round eyes, check ears, full of hair, Lei Gong mouth, face wins thin, sharp mouth shrinks cheeks, body less than four feet, like a pine cone eating fox, although like a human, but less than a person's cheeks.
Why does Sun Wukong have one less cheek than a person out of thin air? Just because it's a monkey? Didn't he borrow hanuman's image?
In addition, Sun Wukong has three heads and six arms, and Hanuman has all hands on all sides, which is even more powerful than Sun Wukong.
Hanuman image
Not only that, but Brahma also gave it the same skill - the ability to deform at will and grow and shrink at will. Is it very similar to Sun Wukong's Seventy-Two Transformations?
Hanuman initially studied with the Sun God and later became a subordinate of the Monkey King Miaoxiang, who was loyal to Miaoxiang and was ordered to go to the Country of Lengya to hear the news after Myo-ting agreed to Rama's request to find his wife.
Hanuman led a group of monkeys through the forest, passing through the ocean, seeing the endless ocean, the monkeys began to feel hairy, thinking how to get to the other shore at such a long distance. At this time, hanuman was told that he was so talented and extraordinary that he could jump directly to Lenga Island. Is this a fight with Sun Wukong and a heel over a hundred and eighteen thousand miles?
Encouraged, Hanuman grew larger and flew upwards, while his wind god father gently pushed his body from behind. This also seems to be very similar to Sun Wukong's Fa Tianxiangdi.
On the way to Lenga Island, he met a huge Rakshasa woman who said that the gods had given her a favor, and that anyone who passed by would enter her mouth.
So Hanuman turned into a fly and flew in and out of the mouth of the Rakshasa woman. And the mouth of the Luocha woman was still empty and open. And that wasn't all, and then Hanuman met another, even bigger Woman, who ate Hanuman. But Hanuman tore his intestines with his fingernails and punched her body with his fists.
Seeing this, do you feel like the plot of Sun Wukong entering the belly of the Iron Fan Princess? Coincidentally, in "Journey to the West", the Iron Fan Princess is also known as the "Luocha Girl".
Sun Wukong and the Iron Fan Princess
Later, Hanuman finally arrived on Lenga Island, found Princess Siddhartha, and handed Siddhartha's seal to Siddhartha.
Seeing Rama's relic, Siddhartha gave him his jewelry and asked him to bring it to Rama.
Is this paragraph also familiar in "Journey to the West"? Yes, Baihua Shame was also a princess, and she also gave the relics to Tang Monk and others. Of course, this kind of plot may abound in this kind of story, but there is nothing to be surprised about.
Later, Hanuman became larger, destroyed the cities and pools of the Lengya kingdom everywhere, and frantically smashed the buildings, killing countless Luosha.
Of course, the demon king Lobona was not an idle man, and he sent his most powerful son, Indra Qi, to fight. Indra qi unleashed Brahma's weapons against Hanuman. In order to give Brahma a little face, Hanuman allowed himself to be captured by the Soldiers of the Luocha.
The demon king Robbona also punished Hanuman with various punishments, and also burned Hanuman's tail. Unexpectedly, Hanuman was not at all unwell, but instead he tore the rope that bound it and ignited everything around him with his big tail.
Is this chaotic situation very similar to the situation when Sun Wukong just came out of the Bagua Furnace and made a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace?
Later, Hanuman led Rama and an army of monkeys to a great battle with the demon king Lobona, and Rama's brother Roshmana was killed by Robona, and the crowd was devastated. At this time, it was Hanuman who flew to the distant mountain, held the whole mountain in the palm of his hand (because he could not find the dead grass), brought it back so that everyone found the dead grass, and saved Rama's brother.
Is this somewhat similar to the situation in which Sun Wukong was still able to fly like a fly with Mount Meru and Mount Emei on his back?
Later, of course, good naturally triumphed over evil, rama managed to rescue his wife, and the hero Hanuman followed his master back to his original territory.
Because many of Hanuman's skills are too similar to Sun Wukong, and its appearance time is far earlier than other theories, and before the writing of "Journey to the West", Hanuman's image had been circulated in the folk. Therefore, Ji Xianlin said: "I see that the character of Sun Wukong is basically borrowed from the Indian "Ramayana", and it is mixed with the legend of Wuzhiqi and dyed with the color of Wuzhiqi. I am afraid that this is closer to reality.
Ji
Since Mr. Ji has said so, and the facts are in front of us, if we deny it out of national feelings, I am afraid it is not very realistic!
After all, a good literary image is not necessarily derived from a culture, and the cultures of the world are also influencing each other.