1. Monkeying Around An Examination of Anthropomorphism in Journey to the West and its Adaptations
Kirk Lipsitz, Blake Weinstein,
Will Whitehurst, Molly Zhang
Austin College

2. What Is Anthropomorphism?
“an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics” (Merriam-Webster)
In this case, where human characteristics are assigned to nonhuman characters
Used in literature to give intellectual and psychological distance when describing things of a social, political, religious, etc. nature (Burke, 207)
Used in children’s literature to depict morals and responsibilities, power vs. weakness, respect, etc (Burke, )

3. Anthropomorphism in Journey to the West
Four main characters who assume human characteristics:
Monkey (Sun Wukong) - a monkey
Pig (Zhu Bajie) - a pig
Friar Sand (Sha Wujing) - an ogre/water spirit
White Dragon Horse - a dragon who takes the form of a horse, the main transportation method

4. Anthropomorphism in Journey to the West
Mostly utilized as one method of conveying the Buddhist morals, etc. that Wu Cheng’en (author) wants to emphasize
Part of the shenmo genre of fiction, depicting gods and immortals; in this work, most of them assume animal forms
Similar to Aesop’s fables or creation stories in its use of characters who assume such characteristics to espouse a moral

5. Monkey （孙悟空）- Physical Description
A monkey
Has immense strength and 72 transformations
Carries the Golden Hoop Rod that can change in length upon his command
Wears a golden band that Guanyin gives to Tripitaka to keep him under control
Can cloud somersault huge distances at a time
Add graphics perhaps?
“Sun Wu Kong” (dikky85)

6. Monkey （孙悟空）- Background History
Born from a magical stone split in half by thunder
Went on a path to obtain immortality
Steals the golden hooped rod from the Dragon King which brews fury among the Heavens
Self-proclaimed Great Sage Equal to the Heavens
Eventually gets subdued by Buddha, who traps him underneath the Five Finger Mountain
Gets pardoned by Guanyin and freed by Tripitaka
Joins his journey to the west

7. Monkey （孙悟空）- Interactions/Stereotypes
Mischievous and inquisitive
Uses his powers as a tool of manipulation
Very prideful - as shown through his interactions as King of Flower Fruit Mountain in his backstory
Very competitive
Eventually grows to respect Tripitaka and other disciples, willing to make sacrifices for them
Proofread.

8. Pig （猪八戒）- Physical Description
A pig
His weapon is the High Treasure Golden Rake (Nine Pronged Rake with divine power)
Luggage carrier of the group
Pig as he appears in Xi You Ji (1986 Chinese television drama)

9. Pig （猪八戒）- Background History
Banished from the Heavens after getting drunk and sleeping with the Moon goddess
Was supposed to be reincarnated into a human but was born from a pig’s womb instead
Several years on Earth, he tries to marry a human woman from a village
Eventually is defeated by Monkey, and decides to join their journey to the west

10. Pig （猪八戒）- Interactions/Stereotypes
He is extremely lazy, perverted and gluttonous; food is more important than life
Brute strength, no brains
Very witty, usually perceived as comic relief
Monkey always calls Pig an idiot
Struggles to keep his faith because of his love for strong drinks, food, and women
As a result, only one not promoted to Buddhahood in the end of the text

11. Friar Sand （沙僧）- Physical Description
Ogre-like creature
Dark colored skin
Looks like a monk because he shaves his head, hence his name
Carries a staff which was given to him by the Jade Emperor
“Sha Wujing” figure (John Morey)

12. Friar Sand （沙僧）- Background History
Once the curtain raising marshal of Heaven, but banished for knocking over a crystal cup at a feast
Pardoned by Guanyin, reincarnated into a sand-eating river ogre
Monkey and Pig subdue him, and he eventually joins Tripitaka’s journey to the west

13. Friar Sand （沙僧）- Interactions/Stereotypes
Calmest one of the group
Very philosophical
Extremely loyal to his faith
Not as hot-headed as the two other disciples

14. White Dragon Horse （白龙马）
Originally the Dragon Prince
Eats Tripitaka’s white horse
Banished from the Dragon King’s palace for burning it down
Granted forgiveness seconds before death
Guanyin makes him replace Tripitaka’s horse and become the main mode of transportation for their journey to the west.

15. Anthropomorphism in Adaptations

16. Media Characteristics: Art
Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints)
Monkey’s face is usually happy or playful
Wields his staff in most depictions
Wears clothes like a human - a dead giveaway of his anthropomorphic characteristics
Places much emphasis on certain physical features, instead of focusing on sheer power, etc.

17. “Monkey Carrying Gohei”
“Monkey” (Kono Bairei)
“Monkey Carrying Gohei”
(Ryuryuko Shinsai)
“Jade Rabbit - Sun Wukong #73” (Yoshitoshi Tsukioka)

18. Media Characteristics: Manga/Graphic Novels
The Monkey King (Katsuya Terada, 2002)
A graphically violent take on Journey to the West aimed at the seinen (college male) demographic
Translated in America by cult comic book publisher Dark Horse
Much more detailed art style than ukiyo-e
Monkey portrayed as demon, creating a reversal of expectations
Other adaptations usually portray him as innocent with devious streak
here, “devious” angle is played up quite significantly - immense power fully realized

19. Media Characteristics: Film/TV
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (Stephen Chow, 2013)
Serves as an unofficial “prequel” to JttW
Focuses on the demonic origins of the main characters, glossed over in the original work
Are initially portrayed as demons, but later become human, with no animalistic traits

20. Conquering the Demons: Pig
Known as K.L. Hog
Demon that preys on travelers
Is slick and shiny, a pig’s skin
Uses a false presentation, eating those who are lured into his den by the promise of a night’s stay in a classy inn
His façade is broken

21. Conquering the Demons: Monkey
First introduced as an emaciated old man trapped under Five-Phases Mountain
Homage to Buddhist Opera, with the ornate clothes and flags
“Playful” but without mercy or compassion

22. Conquering the Demons: Sand
A large river demon that looks like an angler
Kills everyone, even children
Is stopped by Tripitaka

23. Media Characteristics: Video Games
League of Legends
Wukong is a playable champion in this popular MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game
According to the lore, born from a runestone that was said to grant immortality
He wears armor and wields a staff
Wukong seeks to battle the strongest fighters in the world: the League of Legends
He joins the League of Legends in order to learn the ways of humans and become a fitting champion
Sun Wukong (original skin, as he appears in League of Legends)

24. What Have We Learned? The truth of Buddha is in all of us
If redemption can happen to a bunch of animals (albeit humanized), it can happen to you too
Adaptations of Journey to the West can challenge our expectations of the work, leading to greater understanding of it
LOL. Hope it’s more than that.

25. Resources/References
Burke, Carolyn L., and Joby G. Copenhaver. “Animals as People in Children’s Literature.” Language Arts 81.3 (2004): Print.
Cheng'en, Wu. The Monkey and the Monk: An Abridgment of Journey to the West. Trans. Anthony C. Yu. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, Print.
Journey to the West: Conquering The Demons. Dir. Stephen Chow. Perf. Shu Qi, Wen Zhang, Huang Bo, Show Lo, and Chrissie Chau. Edko Films/Magnolia Pictures, DVD.
Terada, Katsuya. The Monkey King: Volume 1. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse, Print.
“Wukong, the Monkey King - Lore.” League of Legends. League of Legends/Riot Games, n.d. Web. 5 May 2015.

26. Images Cited
Bairei, Kono. Monkey. 1890s. Woodblock print. Artelino Auctions, Munich. Digital image. Ukiyo-e.org. N.d. Web. 5 May <
dikky85. Sun Wu Kong. Digital image. DeviantArt. 9 Jun Web. 10 May <
K.L. Hog (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons). Digital image. Plum Blossoms Petals. Wordpress.com, 9 Sep Web. 5 May <
Morey, John. “Sha Wujing.” Digital image. Flickr. Yahoo!, 30 Aug Web. 10 May
Sea Monster (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons). Digital image. Fish and Chips. Wordpress.com, 2 May Web. 5 May <
Shinsai, Ryuryuko. Monkey Carrying Gohei. 1890s. Woodblock print. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Digital image. Ukiyo-e.org. N.d. Web. 5 May <
Sun Wukong (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons). Digital image. io9.com. Gawker Media, 7 Mar Web. 5 May <
Sun Wukong, Original Skin (League of Legends). Digital image. League of Legends Wiki. Wikia, 30 Oct Web. 9 May <
Terada, Katsuya. The Monkey King: Vol Book cover. Digital image. Dark Horse. Dark Horse, 18 Apr Web. 5 May <
Tsukioka, Yoshitoshi. Jade Rabbit - Sun Wukong # (re-carved edition). Woodblock print. Artelino Auctions, Munich. Digital image. Ukiyo-e.org. N.d. Web. 5 May <
Zhu Bajie (Xi You Ji). Digital image. Foreigners-in-China. N.d. Web. 10 May <