Sun Wukong

Sun Wukong, widely known as the Monkey King, is an iconic figure in Chinese literature who stars in the 16th-century novel *Journey to the West*. Born from stone and mastering supernatural powers through Taoist practices, he rebels against heaven and faces imprisonment under a mountain by Buddha. After five centuries, he gains redemption by joining the monk Tang Sanzang, along with disciples Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, on a quest to retrieve Buddhist sutras from the Western Paradise.

His extraordinary abilities defy ordinary limits. Sun Wukong possesses strength enough to carry two mountains while running at meteor-like speeds, and can traverse 108,000 li (54,000 km) in a single somersault. As ruler of the monkeys, he maintains perfect memory of every monkey ever born, fulfilling his duty to protect them all. His mastery of the 72 Earthly Transformations grants him diverse powers, including shapeshifting and the ability to create duplicates from his magical hair, which can also transform into weapons. He commands limited control over weather, can immobilize others, and render himself invisible.

When *Journey to the West* was written, readers generally interpreted these supernatural capabilities as "magic powers," regardless of their distinct origins in various religious traditions. This simplified understanding carried over into many translations of the work.