BiMaWen

  • Zhu Bajie’s Hidden Virtues [Journey to the West]

    In Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie is often portrayed as a comic figure – gluttonous, lazy, and lustful. Yet a closer reading of the original text reveals many overlooked virtues. Far from being merely a foil, he is a reliable companion whose contributions are vital to the journey’s success.

  • How old is Sun Wukong? [Journey to the West]

    We previously roughly calculated Tang Monk’s age in the novel Journey to the West. Today, let’s examine how old Sun Wukong was. Unlike Tang Monk, Wukong was not an ordinary mortal; he was both a demon and an immortal, so his lifespan was naturally much longer than a human’s. Now, let’s attempt to calculate…

  • Monkey King or Monster?

    Sun Wukong, the main character in Journey to the West, has several names and titles, including Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Handsome Monkey King, Heaven-born Stone Monkey, Bi Ma Wen, etc. Find out why his name is Sun and what his name Wukong means. Today, we will talk about his titles and…

  • Journey to the West – Episode 12 – Picture story

    Seething with resentment, the Dragon King of the Eastern Ocean ascended to the Heavenly Court after Wukong’s departure. He petitioned the Jade Emperor, accusing the Monkey King of ransacking his palace, stealing the Divine Sea-Anchoring Iron, and terrorizing the aquatic realm. He begged the emperor to dispatch troops to subdue the demon.

  • Why does Wukong hold great respect for the Gold Star of Venus?

    In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong(the Monkey King) is notoriously prideful, showing little deference to most gods and buddhas—even high-ranking figures like the Jade Emperor, Tathagata Buddha, and Laozi. However, he harbors genuine respect for two deities: Guanyin Bodhisattva and Taibai Jinxing (the Great White Star, also known as the Golden Star of…

  • What does “BiMaWen” imply in Journey to the West?

    In the classic novel Journey to the West, the Jade Emperor mockingly appoints the Monkey King, ‌Sun Wukong‌, as the “Bimawen” (also translates to “BanHorsePlague”, or “epidemic-avoiding monkey”) to oversee heavenly horses.