Reading Club: Journey to the West

After Pigsy carries the murdered king’s corpse back to the monastery, resentment begins brewing in his heart. Secretly plotting revenge against Wukong, Pigsy manipulates Sanzang into reciting the Band-tightening Spell, hoping to force Wukong to revive the king in the world of the living. To save the king, Wukong journeys to obtain a resurrection pill from the Supreme Lord Lao Zi. After restoring the king to life, Wukong disguises him as a small monk hidden inside a wooden chest and brings him before the royal court, where the Monkey King publicly exposes the imposter who has usurped the throne.

🌱 Session Focus:
In this session, we will take a closer look at the subtle dynamics between Wukong and Pigsy, who continually outwit and provoke one another throughout the journey. Beneath the humor and trickery lies a deeper exploration of resentment, immaturity, responsibility, trust, and transformation within a team.

We will also reflect on what genuine cultivation looks like when living and working closely with others.

Key Questions for contemplation:

The idiot, who was still feeling very hard done by and wanted to get his own back on Monkey, said to himself, "That ape put one over on me, and when we get back to the monastery I'm going to get my own back on him. I'll tell the master that Monkey can bring the body back to life. When he fails the master will say the Band−tightening Spell and all the brains will be squeezed out of that ape's head. That's the only way I'll be satisfied. No, that's no good," he went on to think as he walked along. "If I ask him to revive the body that'll be too easy for him. He'll only have to call on the King of Hell and ask for the king's soul back. The best way will be to ban him from going to the Underworld. He'll have to bring the king back to life in the world of the living.”
Q1: What scheme begins to form in Pigsy’s mind against Wukong?
What does this reveal about Pigsy’s character and state of mind?
Have you observed similar emotional dynamics in everyday relationships or teamwork?

When Sanzang and Friar Sand opened the doors to look they saw that the king's face was quite unchanged from what it had been in life. "Your Majesty," said the Tang Priest sorrowfully, "who knows in what earlier life you earned the wizard's hatred? That must be why when you met in this one he murdered you and snatched you from your wives and children…”
Q2: How do you understand Sanzang’s reflection on the king’s tragic fate?
What does this reveal about his understanding of karma and causality?

"Don't stop," said Pig, "carry on saying the spell."
"You stupid, evil beast," railed Monkey, "inciting the master to say that spell."
Pig was falling about with laughter. "Brother, brother, you thought you could put one over on me, but you never imagined I'd put one over on you."
Q3: What state of mind do you observe in Pigsy here?
Why does Pigsy take pleasure in seeing Wukong suffer?
Do similar dynamics sometimes arise within teams, families, or communities?
What impact does hidden resentment have on cooperation and trust?

Monkey said, “…I beg you, great Patriarch, in your mercy to lend me a thousand of your Nine−cycle Soul−returning Pills to save him with."
Said Lord Lao Zi. "A thousand? Two thousand? Do you want to make a meal of them? They're not just pellets of dirt. Clear off! I've none left."
"What about a hundred or thereabouts?" asked Monkey.
"Not even that," said Lord Lao Zi.
"Ten or so?" asked Monkey. "Stop pestering me, you wretched ape," said Lord Lao Zi. "None at all. Clear off!"
"If you really haven't got any," said Monkey with a laugh, "I'll have to ask for help elsewhere."
"Get out! Get out! Get out!" roared Lord Lao Zi, at which Monkey turned away and went.
It then suddenly occurred to Lord Lao Zi that Monkey was so wicked that even after he had announced his departure and gone, he might slip back and steal some. So he sent some immortal boys to call Monkey back. "You're so light−fingered, you monkey," he said, "that I'd better give you a Soul−returning Pill."
Q4: Why does Wukong ask for the pill in such an exaggerated way?
What do you learn from his negotiating process?
What understanding of human mind does Wukong demonstrate?

"Just a moment," thought Monkey as he accepted it. "Let me taste it. He might be trying to fool me with a fake." He popped it into his mouth, to the consternation of the patriarch, who grabbed him by the skullcap with one hand and seized his fist with the other. "Damned ape," roared Lord Lao Zi, "if you've swallowed that I'll have had you killed."
"What a face," laughed Monkey. "How petty you look. I wouldn't want to eat your pill. It's not worth tuppence, and it's nothing like it's cracked up to be. Here it is." Monkey had a pouch under his chin in which he had been keeping the pill.
Q5: Why does Wukong pretend to taste the pill before leaving?
Does this reflect distrust toward Lao Zi, caution, playfulness, or something else?
What does this reveal about Wukong’s personality even after years of cultivation?
How do trust and testing coexist in real life?

Sanzang said, “…Now that his own vital breath has gone someone has to give him a mouthful of air." Pig stepped forward to do this, only to be grabbed by Sanzang, who said, "You won't do. Get Wukong to come."
Why did the master insist on this? It was because Pig had been a vicious man−eater since childhood, which meant that his breath was impure; whereas Monkey had cultivated his conduct since he was young and lived off the fruits of pine, cypress and peach trees, which gave him pure breath. So the Great Sage stepped forward, made a terrible thunder−god face, put his mouth to the king's lips, and blew in.
Q6: Why does Sanzang ask Wukong, rather than Pigsy, to breathe life into the king?
What is meant by “pure breath” in this context?
What does this scene suggest about long-term cultivation and inner transformation?

"How heavy's the luggage, Pig?" Monkey asked.
"I've been carrying it for so long that I don't know any more," Pig replied.
"Divide the stuff into two loads," said Monkey, "and give one to the king to carry. We must be in town early to get on with the job."
"I'm in luck," said Pig. "It took me one heck of an effort to carry him here, but now that he's alive again he's doing my work for me."
The idiot asked the monastery for a carrying−pole and divided the luggage unfairly. He put all the light things into his load and the heavier ones into the king’s.
…Said Sanzang. "You'll just have to carry the stuff the fifteen miles into town.…”
Pig's comment on this was, "That means he'll only carry it for those fifteen miles, and I'll have to continue as the permanent porter.”
Q7: What habitual tendency or mindset does Pigsy reveal here?
Why does he constantly compare burdens and benefits?
Despite his flaws, what human realism does Pigsy represent?
If you had a team member like Pigsy, how would you guide or cultivate him?