Journey of the Monkey King

The prince of the black rooster kingdom, investigating the claims made by Sun Wukong, makes enquiries about his parents’ sex life. This episode features animal cruelty and mass animal death as well as corporal punishment. Links: Episode artwork by Chen Huiguan: https://web.archive.org/web/20190810053814/http://www.innerjourneytothewest.com/english/en-resource.html Journey of the Monkey King on Pat...

Tripitaka is visited by a ghost, who was murdered in a somewhat more mundane way than the magical shenanigans we’re used to dealing with. Links: Episode artwork is a painting of a rooster by Li Yin: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:菊鸡图.jpg Journey of the Monkey King on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/monkeykingpod Journey of the Monkey King on the Fediverse: https://mastodon.ie/@monkeyk...

The pilgrims arrive at the Precious Grove Monastery Built by Imperial Command where the abbot is not quite rolling out the red carpet. Pilgrim Sun takes this as you would expect. Links: “Vajra” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra The Rogue Gallery & Studios on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroguegallerywt/ The Rogue Gallery & Studios on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.co...

Today we finally learn the secret of the Gold and Silver Horn Demons. Links: The Rogue Gallery & Studios on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroguegallerywt/ The Rogue Gallery & Studios on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theroguegallerywt “Laozi” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozi “Nüwa” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nüwa Episode artwork is Jin and Yin...

Sun Wukong attempts to defeat the Gold and Silver Horn demons, but tries to be too clever for his own good. This episode features more animal monster death and more mentions of cannibalism as well as some sexual jokes. Links: “Nine-tailed fox” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-tailed_fox “ Lego Monkie Kid ” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Monkie_Kid The Flower Fru...

We learn about some sacred mountains and Wukong boasts about a feat even he can’t accomplish. This episode features more mentions of cannibalism as well as blood and pus. Links: “Mount Meru” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Meru “Mount Emei” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Emei “Mount Tai” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tai Episode artwork i...

Sun Wukong, recently re-pilgrimised, is warned about the Golden Horn demon and the Silver Horn demon, but is more concerned with messing with Zhu Bajie. This episode features threats of corporal punishment and mentions of cannibalism, which is a much milder set of warnings than the last few episodes. Links: “Confucius” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius Episode artwork by ChomA...

The obvious happens as Sun Wukong is convinced to return to defend Tripitaka. This episode is the last one that features the story of Hundred Flowers’ Shame and features corporal punishment, child abuse, infanticide, misogyny, a woman being blamed for her own rape and touches on suicidal ideation. Links: Episode artwork is a Ming Dynasty statue of a Jade Maiden: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...

The pilgrims have all been split up. Sun Wukong has returned to the Flower-Fruit Mountain, Tripitaka is a guest of the Precious Imagelephant Kingdom, Sha Wujing has been captured by the Yellow Robe Demon, Zhu Bajie is cowering the bushes, and the horse is chilling in the stables. This episode continues the story of Hundred Flowers’ Shame’s abuse and contains misogynist slurs, abuse, domestic viole...

Tripitaka meets Hundred Flowers’ Shame and find out how well Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing do without any help (it’s not very well). This chapter contains bride kidnapping and rape, including a woman apologising for being raped. Similar themes will continue and escalate over the next few chapters. Links: Episode artwork is an illustration of Hundred Flowers’ Shame and her sons: http://m.lsyt.net/read/Y...

Now that the Monkey King has been banished what will he do? Will he reclaim his throne at the Flower Fruit Mountain? How will the other pilgrims fare without Sun Wukong? Can Zhu Bajie act as a replacement? Why does the cover art for this episode look like that? This chapter contains animal death, human death and mentions of cannibalism. Links: “Pride flag” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/w...

On the White Tiger Mountain Sun Wukong, faced with the demon Lady White Bone decides to never learn anything ever while Zhu Bajie decides to stir the pot. This episode features death, torture and mentions of cannibalism. Links: “ A Chinese Odyssey ” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Chinese_Odyssey Episode artwork is an illustration from the 16th century of the events of this chapter:...

The Lord Equal to Earth and the Great Sage Equal to Heaven make a deal, a surprising familiar face returns, and a far less surprisingly familiar face also returns. Apologies are extended for the sound quality in this episode. We had some network issues while recording and also Caoimhe put on her washing machine before recording for some reason. This episode features mentions of the plan to try peo...

Wukong, Bajie and Wujing’s attempts to deny that they stole the ginseng fruit are going to go very well. I’m sure the Lord Equal to Earth won’t mind that they destroyed the one of a kind mystical tree that’s older than the Earth itself. This episode contains attempts at both corporal and capital punishment, including the use of boiling oil. Caoimhe and M.J. also get sidetracks discussing instituti...

The pilgrims come to the Abbey of the Five Villages, where the Daoist immortal the Lord Equal to Earth has the magical Ginseng Fruit Tree. I’m sure that’s fine. Nothing untoward will happen. No one will steal any fruit. Links: Fruit Mould: https://www.fruitmould.com/ Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh making a ham sandwich on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPB6LTWThH4 Episode artwork if a photo of...

Sha Wujing learns a lot about the people he is travelling with and Sun Wukong reveals that he has no interest in sex. Some stuff happens with Zhu Bajie too. This episode features repeated mentions of rape. Links: Episode artwork from A Modern Journey to the West by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: https://yoshitoshi.net/series/journeywest.html Journey of the Monkey King on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mon...

Caoimhe and MJ reacquaint themselves with Sha Wujing, Zhu Bajie, Sun Wukong, Tripitaka, Guanyin and the horse. Links: “Avalokiteśvara” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokiteśvara Guanyin on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin “Eamon Ryan appeared to be asleep in Dáil as vote on lower-paid workers called” on The Irish Times : https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/ea...

We are reunited with Sha Wujing, who unsurprisingly our protagonists end up fighting for two days instead of just talking to. This episode has mentions of capital punishment, cannibalism and masturbation, but not descriptions of them. Links: “Sha Wujiing” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_Wujing “'Snolf' traps Sonic in a fan-made golfing nightmare” on PC Gamer : https://www.pcgamer....

The Yellow Wind King still has Tripitaka captive. Will Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie be able to save him? Of course they will. Obviously. But we’ll have fun hearing how it goes. This episode has a suicide joke about four minutes in and we briefly discuss an animal cull towards the end. Links: Snolf Robo Blast 2 , Caoimhe’s golf mod for Sonic Robo Blast 2 : https://oakreef.ie/gallery/snolf-robo-blast-2...

With Zhu Bajie now a member of the pilgrimage the group reaches the Yellow Wind Mountain and encounters a tiger. This episode features body shaming, someone being skinned and the death of an animal monster. Rape is briefly mentioned. Links: Episode artwork by Chen Huiguan: https://web.archive.org/web/20190810053814/http://www.innerjourneytothewest.com/english/en-resource.html Journey of the Monkey...

Sun Wukong confronts the pig Zhu Ganglie and finds out something unexpected about him. This episode has frequent mention of rape and occasional mentions of alcohol and drinking. We also briefly bring up Sun Wukong’s torture headband and the attempt at executing him by burning from previous chapters. Links: “Zhu Bajie” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhu_Bajie Episode artwork is a circ...

In which the Monkey King tries to break up a marriage (with good reason). The plot of this chapter involves bridenapping and spousal abuse. Links: “Mole (unit)” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(unit) “ Wanted: Monty Mole ” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanted:_Monty_Mole Episode artwork is an illustration from a 15th century edition of Journey to the West : https://...

Pilgrim Sun decides to confront the Black Wind King over his master’s stolen cassock and ends up ruining a birthday party. This episodes features animal monsters dying and the use of the tight fillet torture magic. Links: “Subhūti” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhūti “ My Immortal (fan fiction)” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Immortal_(fan_fiction) “ A Chinese Ody...

Sun Wukong and Tripitaka decide to spend the night at the Guanyin Chan Hall Temple, where nothing could possibli go wrong. This episode has arson, attempted murder, suicide and more use of the magical torture headband. Links: “Suiren” on Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suiren Episode artwork is a photo of a Qing Dynasty Taoist robe. I admit the art I’m using for a lot of these episodes i...

…he’s doing community service, of course. Monkey and Tripitaka need to cross the Eagle Grief Stream. This episode features animal death within the first five minutes and repeated threats of beatings at various characters. Links: Episode artwork from a Ming Dynasty medical textbook: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ming herbal (painting); Horse Wellcome L0039419.jpg Journey of the Monkey Kin...