"Monkey" was a Shaolin Monk!
King Monkey The identity of Sun Wu Kung (King Monkey) first popularised in fiction by Wu Cheng En (1500-82 CE) in 'Journey West' needs clarifying due to the lack of knowledge of Kung Fu, Qigong, Feng Shui and of many other fundamental aspects of Chinese culture by the original translators.
This article suggests his origin, at least as far as the circumstances Wu Cheng En describes, was in fact the Northern Shaolin Temple in Henan.
Some readers may be aware of the 72 Secret and Consummate Arts of The Shaolin Temple.
These Secret Fighting Exercises are referred to in Wu Cheng En's 14th Century Classic, 'The Journey West' when Sun Wu Kung (the Monkey King) is described as 'Master of the 72 Transformations' not that you would know if you read most of the English translations currently available.
The Victorians (and most of their successors) lacking knowledge of Kung Fu, Qigong, Feng Shui, Lion Dance, 5 Elements theory etc.
, (unsurprisingly) entirely omitted these from their translations of Chinese History and Literature, or transmuted them into 'something rich and strange' (but definitely not Kung Fu, Qigong etc.
)! Such ethnocentrism operates still, militating against proper understanding of Chinese Culture, especially if these sources are considered authoritatative and is entirely to our detriment.
The Journey West The journey West of Hsuan Tsang (600-664 CE) is obviously the subject of this stunning Ming Historical Novel, dealing with events immediately following the establishment of the Tang Dynasty under Li Shi-Min (599-646 CE) as Emperor Tai Zhong, thanks to the support of the Shaolin Temple (and you can read a plethora of Western histories without even a hint of this).
That's right, Hsuan Tsang was a Shaolin Monk-moreover Wu Kung ('Martial Strong') was his alter-ego i.
e.
they were one-and-the-same person! The Shaolin Temple Unfortunately, the Victorians (and their successors who consider them great authorities) were unaware of Kung Fu, Qigong and Feng Shui, inter alia, never mind that (certain kinds of) Buddhist Monks (especially from the Tang Dynasty onwards) could be red-hot exponents of all these and more.
As for them knowing that Monkey-Style (Houquan) Kung Fu Champions (Monkey Kings) could actually be Monks-forget it! This would be way beyond their dismal ethnocentrism.
The Modern Day Unfortunately, even the highly enjoyable Japanese TV series ' Monkey!' suffered similarly.
Due to a certain historical patriarchalism characterising Japanese society the Bodhisattva/Daoist Immortal Kuan Shih Yin had to become Male (and Buddha Female)! Nothing could have been further from Wu Cheng En's original perceptions, the true historical record of events on which his work is based, or contemporary informed Chinese opinion (as the statues of both, with traditional gender attributions, in the Northern Shaolin Temple's Main Hall make abundantly clear).
Many Chinese accounts of events have been little-understood, e.
g.
Chinese views on evolution, internal energies and even world-history.
However, more details of Monks' Secret Martial activities i.
e.
the Shaolin Temples' Secret Fighting Arts aka the 'Kungs' of Kung Fu, are filed separately on the website below, for those who might wish to discover a little more.
This article suggests his origin, at least as far as the circumstances Wu Cheng En describes, was in fact the Northern Shaolin Temple in Henan.
Some readers may be aware of the 72 Secret and Consummate Arts of The Shaolin Temple.
These Secret Fighting Exercises are referred to in Wu Cheng En's 14th Century Classic, 'The Journey West' when Sun Wu Kung (the Monkey King) is described as 'Master of the 72 Transformations' not that you would know if you read most of the English translations currently available.
The Victorians (and most of their successors) lacking knowledge of Kung Fu, Qigong, Feng Shui, Lion Dance, 5 Elements theory etc.
, (unsurprisingly) entirely omitted these from their translations of Chinese History and Literature, or transmuted them into 'something rich and strange' (but definitely not Kung Fu, Qigong etc.
)! Such ethnocentrism operates still, militating against proper understanding of Chinese Culture, especially if these sources are considered authoritatative and is entirely to our detriment.
The Journey West The journey West of Hsuan Tsang (600-664 CE) is obviously the subject of this stunning Ming Historical Novel, dealing with events immediately following the establishment of the Tang Dynasty under Li Shi-Min (599-646 CE) as Emperor Tai Zhong, thanks to the support of the Shaolin Temple (and you can read a plethora of Western histories without even a hint of this).
That's right, Hsuan Tsang was a Shaolin Monk-moreover Wu Kung ('Martial Strong') was his alter-ego i.
e.
they were one-and-the-same person! The Shaolin Temple Unfortunately, the Victorians (and their successors who consider them great authorities) were unaware of Kung Fu, Qigong and Feng Shui, inter alia, never mind that (certain kinds of) Buddhist Monks (especially from the Tang Dynasty onwards) could be red-hot exponents of all these and more.
As for them knowing that Monkey-Style (Houquan) Kung Fu Champions (Monkey Kings) could actually be Monks-forget it! This would be way beyond their dismal ethnocentrism.
The Modern Day Unfortunately, even the highly enjoyable Japanese TV series ' Monkey!' suffered similarly.
Due to a certain historical patriarchalism characterising Japanese society the Bodhisattva/Daoist Immortal Kuan Shih Yin had to become Male (and Buddha Female)! Nothing could have been further from Wu Cheng En's original perceptions, the true historical record of events on which his work is based, or contemporary informed Chinese opinion (as the statues of both, with traditional gender attributions, in the Northern Shaolin Temple's Main Hall make abundantly clear).
Many Chinese accounts of events have been little-understood, e.
g.
Chinese views on evolution, internal energies and even world-history.
However, more details of Monks' Secret Martial activities i.
e.
the Shaolin Temples' Secret Fighting Arts aka the 'Kungs' of Kung Fu, are filed separately on the website below, for those who might wish to discover a little more.
Source...