Dec 11, 2021
Sun Wukong, Guardian of the Immortal Peaches
I suggest in my recent article that the episode in chapter four of Journey to the West where Sun Wukong (孫悟空) serves as a guardian of immortal peaches might be based on a Song-era story of the Warring States military strategist Sun Bin (孫臏) guarding fruit (Ming fiction identifies it as immortal peaches).
Both stories include:
Characters surnamed Sun (孫) (Sun Bin VS Sun Wukong) guarding special fruit.
Supernatural primates stealing the fruit for consumption (a white ape VS Sun Wukong).
So the Monkey King serves as both the guard and the thief!
#Sun Bin#Master Ghost Valley#Guiguzi#Guigu zi#Pang Juan#Warring States#immortal peaches#magic peaches#Ming fiction#Ming dynasty#Song fiction#Song dynasty#white ape#magic primate#magic ape#magic monkey#immortal fruit#Sun Wukong#Monkey King#guardian of immortal peaches#white ape steals peach#Journey to the West#Xiyouji#Saiyuki#Buddhism#Taoism#Daoism#Great Sage#Great Sage Equaling Heaven#Chinese religion
