They often quarrel and seem to disagree with each other on the surface. However, they are actually a great team.
Although they tease and argue a lot, they never leave each other behind when facing dangers. They have different personalities but complement each other well. They go through all kinds of difficulties together and become true good partners in the end.
However Wukong and Bajie are not good partners always. In fact, Bajie consistently defies Wukong’s authority throughout the pilgrimage.
- Lazy evasion: Sleeping during mountain patrol duties
- Active sabotage: Undermining fights (e.g., fueling conflict during White Bone Demon incident)
- Half-hearted compliance: Performing tasks superficially
In the article, we will analyze Bajie’s persistent disobedience and the roots of his rebellion.
Clash of Identities
Zhu Bajie’s pedigree:
Former Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds; Commander of Heaven’s naval forces.
Sun Wukong’s origins:
Started as Horse Tender (lowly stablemaster); Later granted hollow title: Great Sage Equal to Heaven
Bajie views Wukong as a “wild monkey co-opted by the system,” breeding innate contempt for his leadership.
Polar Opposites in Personality
Sun Wukong:
- Goal-driven: Protect Tang Monk at all costs
- Endures hardship willingly
- No retreat; must complete mission
Zhu Bajie
- Pleasure-seeking: Gluttony, sloth, lust
- Prioritizes comfort instantly
- Minimal effort; escape routes always open
Tactical Power Struggles
Bajie’s marginal role:
- Inferior to Wukong in combat;
- Less loyal than Sha Wujing
His disobedience becomes a tool for:
- Asserting “indispensability”
- Preventing total invisibility
Tang Monk’s manipulation:
- Needs Wukong’s power but fears his autonomy, thus uses Bajie as counterbalance.
- Bajie’s gambit: Exploits this “divide-and-rule” tactic to elevate himself while restraining Wukong.
Irreconcilable Objectives
Wukong:
Sun Wukong’s pilgrimage was a non-negotiable quest for redemption — a chance to regain his immortal status through unwavering dedication. For him, failure was unthinkable; no alternative path existed.
Bajie:
In stark contrast, Zhu Bajie viewed the journey merely as an escape from celestial punishment, accepting Bodhisattva Guanyin’s offer out of convenience rather than conviction. His mantra of “good enough is sufficient” reflected his half-hearted commitment, always reserving the cozy exit strategy of returning to Gao Village as a son-in-law should the mission falter.
In a previous article discussing why Zhu Bajie chose to join Bodhisattva Guanyin’s pilgrimage project instead of following the Venerable Crow’s Nest, this point was also mentioned.
Thus, Bajie resented being driven by Wukong to push himself harder, or even risk his life. To know more about Bajie, we recommend this guide – Zhu Bajie’s Hidden Wisdom: The “Fool” who saw through the game.
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