Day Eleven: More thoughts on Monkey’s journey

At eight this morning, I took the subway to meet Rainbow and we drove to meet Mr. Hsu. He met us half way. A friend of theirs, I-Li Hsieh, translated for me. (at left: Diane & I-Li on the subway)

When I asked I-Li about Monkey King, she said, “Monkey King is like our human heart which is hard to control.  It takes Monkey a long spiritual journey to look for its eternal true self.  Monkey King can do it, we can, too!”

It was good to delve once again into the intricacies of Journey to the West. Tripitaka and Monkey King have eighty-one adventures on their way to bring back the scriptures. Hr. Hsu believes the text shows us how to progress from one spiritual state to another.

Mr. Sun told me that this text works for young men as an initiation text. Before he wears the headband, he is an explosive tyrant. Young men are frustrated when they enter society and are forced to bend their will to others. The story is a rite of passage. As with any large story, its breadth allows the viewers to see themselves and more.

Sat had told me that the story was considered revolutionary by the Chinese because it was written by Wu Cheng’en during the Ming Dynasty, and at that time the Emperor was entirely corrupt and stupid, so stupid he allowed the country to be invaded by a ragtag tribe of Manchurians. In Journey to the West the Jade Emperor is the foil for the Ming emperor. In the Ming dynasty, true wisdom was to be found outside the Chinese empire.