The Monkey King was named Wukong (悟空) by his first master. What does “Wukong” signify?
In Chinese tradition, the Monkey King is the tenth-generation disciple of Master Subhuti. Each generation is assigned a specific character for names, and the tenth generation uses the character Wu (悟), meaning “to awaken,” “to comprehend,” or “spiritual enlightenment.” The second character, Kong (空), originates from the Sanskrit term śūnyatā (emptiness or voidness), a core Buddhist concept.
- Wu (悟): Symbolizes awakening to truth, breaking free from ignorance, and achieving spiritual clarity.
- Kong (空): Represents the Buddhist doctrine of “emptiness”—not literal nothingness, but the absence of inherent, fixed essence in all phenomena. Everything is interdependent, impermanent, and devoid of permanent substance. By embracing this truth, practitioners relinquish delusions, attachments, and suffering, cultivating peace amid life’s transience.
Historical Context
In Tang Dynasty China, a monk named Wukong (secular name: Che Fengchao) became the last recorded monk in Tang annals to travel westward to India for Buddhist scriptures. Like Xuanzang (Tang Sanzang), he dedicated his life to retrieving sacred texts, translating sutras, spreading Buddhism, and fostering cultural exchange between China and other regions.
Why “Wukong”?
The name encapsulates Buddhist ideals: awakening to emptiness (悟 + 空) as a path to liberation. For the Monkey King, it foreshadows his journey from a rebellious, ego-driven figure to one who gradually grasps the nature of reality and achieves spiritual maturity. The historical monk Wukong’s legacy further ties the name to perseverance, devotion, and cross-cultural bridging—themes central to Journey to the West.
About his surname
The name, surname and titles of the Monkey King hold profound symbolic meanings. Check out Why is the Monkey King surnamed Sun here?
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