Journey to the West

2. The Golden-Hooped Staff

This volume is adapted and illustrated based on the third chapter of the classical literary masterpiece "Journey to the West." It depicts the return of the Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong, after mastering his skills. Finding himself without a suitable weapon, he sneaks into the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea to demand a weapon from the Dragon King Ao Guang. Unable to withstand the disturbance, the Dragon King presents him with the Ruyi Jingu Bang, a staff left behind by Yu the Great. The Dragon Kings of the Northern, Southern, and Western Seas are also compelled to offer him a set of armor and a crown. Having obtained the Jingu Bang, Sun Wukong revels in a feast with his fellow demons. In the midst of the revelry, however, his soul is taken away by the Black and White Impermanence. Upon reaching the Underworld, Wukong awakens, becomes furious, and causes havoc in the Hall of the Netherworld. He coerces the Ten Kings of the Underworld to erase his and his fellow monkeys' names from the Book of Life and Death, returning triumphantly to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.