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In this session, Wukong devises a careful strategy to recover the corpse of the murdered King of Wuji. Rather than forcing Pigsy directly, he skillfully motivates him through desire, timing, and psychological understanding, leading Pigsy to descend into the ancient well where the king’s body has been preserved by the Dragon King of the Well with a magical pearl.

After Pigsy carries the corpse back to the monastery with great reluctance, resentment begins to brew in his heart, and he secretly plots revenge against Wukong.

🌱 Session Focus:
In this session, we will continue exploring Wukong’s growing maturity and strategic wisdom. Rather than relying merely on force or cleverness, he now understands timing, communication, evidence, and human minds. We will reflect on how wisdom works with reality, and what we may learn from this in our own relationships and responsibilities.

Key Questions for contemplation:

Monkey was too troubled to sleep. He jumped up, went over to the Tang priest's bed and called, "Master."
Sanzang was still awake too, but he pretended to be asleep because he knew that Monkey was someone who caused alarms and trouble. So Monkey rubbed Sanzang's shaven pate and shouted wildly, "Why are you asleep, Master?"
"Wicked creature," said the Tang Priest angrily, "what are you shouting for at this time of night when you ought to be asleep?"
"But Master," said Monkey, "there's something I want to talk about with you."
"What?" Sanzang asked.
Q1: How do you see Wukong’s approach to Sanzang in discussing the plan late at night?
What does this scene reveal about the evolving trust and communication between master and disciple?
Why does Sanzang pretend to be asleep at first?

Brother Monkey replied, "I can't sleep … Thinking about it I realize it would be difficult.”
"If it is difficult," said the Tang Priest, "then give up the idea of catching the monster."
"He's certainly got to be caught," said Monkey, "but it isn't right."
"You're talking nonsense, ape," said the Tang Priest. "The fiend has usurped a throne. What do you mean by 'it isn't right?’"
"All you know about is reciting sutras, worshipping the Buddha, sitting in contemplation and seeking religious instruction," said Monkey. "You've never seen the Legal Code. As the saying goes, 'You can't arrest someone for theft without the loot as evidence.' That fiend has been king for three years now without giving the game away. … I have the power to catch him all right; but it'll be hard to make the charges against him stick.”
Q2: What is the first issue Wukong wishes to discuss with Sanzang?
Do you find Wukong’s concern about evidence sensible and mature?
What does this reveal about Wukong’s transformation compared to his earlier impulsive nature?
What do you notice in Wukong’s words to Sanzang: “All you know about is reciting sutras, worshipping the Buddha, sitting in contemplation and seeking religious instruction”?

"My plan's already made," said Brother Monkey with a laugh. "The only thing is that it affects Your Reverence and your favoritism."
"How do I show favoritism?" the Tang Priest asked.
"Because Pig is so stupid he's rather a pet of yours."
"What do you mean by that?" the Tang Priest asked.
"Well, if he's not your favorite, be a bit bolder today and agree to stay here with Friar Sand while Pig and I go ahead to the capital of Wuji, find the remains of the dead king, and wrap them up in a carrying−cloth. … If the fiend tries to argue, show him the remains and the clothes and say, 'This is the man you murdered.' … That’s the only way we'll be able to win a contested lawsuit afterwards."
On hearing this the Tang Priest concealed his delight and said, "But Pig might not be willing to go.”
"There you are," said Monkey, "I said you showed favoritism. How do you know he won't want to go? It's just like the way you refused to respond for a whole hour when I kept trying to wake you. My three inches of tongue could make Pig come with me even if he were a Pig−and−a−half."
"Very well," said Sanzang, "call him if you like."
Q3: What is the second matter Wukong wishes to discuss with Sanzang?
Why does Sanzang conceal his delight after hearing Wukong’s plan?
How does Wukong adapt his communication according to different personalities?

When Monkey called him again Pig said, "Go to sleep, and stop fooling around. We've got to be on our way again tomorrow."
"I'm not fooling," said Monkey. "There's a piece of business for us two to do."
… Monkey said: "The prince told me that the fiend has a treasure that makes him a match for ten thousand men in a fight … I reckon that if the other side is stronger than you the best thing to do is to strike first. Wouldn't be best if the two of us went and stole his treasure?”
"You're trying to trick me into thieving, brother," said Pig. "I'll come in on this bit of business, and I'll be very useful to you too, but first I want to get something clear with you. When we've stolen the treasure and captured the demon I won't stand for any mean, small−minded sharing out of the treasure. I want the lot. I haven't got your gift of the gab. I can't wheedle food out of people. I'm clumsy and rough−spoken, and I can't recite sutras. When I'm really on my uppers I can always swap it for food."
Monkey replied, "I don't care about treasures. You can have it if you like." The idiot was so happy to be promised the treasure that he rolled himself out of bed, dressed, and set out with Monkey. It was a case of
Clear wine makes the cheeks go red;
Gold turns everybody's head.
Q4: How does Wukong persuade Pigsy to join him?
Why does he not reveal the true plan from the beginning?
What understanding of Pigsy’s character does Wukong demonstrate here?

As Pig was talking to himself a patrolling yaksha opened the gates and shot straight back inside again at the sight of him to report, "A disaster, Your Majesty. A monk with big ears and a long snout has just fallen into the well. He's dripping wet and stark naked. He's still alive and is talking for all he's worth."
The news was a great shock to the Dragon King of the Well, who thought, "This must be Marshal Tian Peng. Yesterday evening the Patroller of the Night came with an edict ordering me to send the soul of the king of Wuji to visit the Tang Priest and ask that the Great Sage Equaling Heaven be sent to capture the fiend. I suppose that the Great Sage and the Marshal must be here now. I must be very polite to them and go straight out to welcome them.”
Q5: How do you understand the Dragon King receiving the heavenly edict one day earlier?
What does this suggest about the relationship between heavenly plan and the westward journey for fetching the scripts?
Does this scene change how we view coincidence, destiny, or timing?

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.”
Q6: What scheme begins to form in Pigsy’s mind against Wukong?
Why does resentment arise so easily after effort and hardship?

"If you're going to moan like this then don't carry it," said Monkey.
"I won't then," said Pig.
"Then put your ankles out for twenty strokes of the cudgel," said Monkey.
"But, brother, your cudgel hits very hard," protested Pig in panic. "Twenty strokes and I'll be like this king."
"If you don't want a beating then get on with carrying him," said Monkey. As he really was afraid of a beating Pig dragged the body over, put it across his shoulder and walked out of the palace gardens with an ill grace.
Q7: Do you think Wukong bullies Pigsy into carrying the corpse?
Was Wukong being harsh, practical, or compassionate in a deeper way?

📚 Self-Study & Preparation:
https://chine.in/fichiers/jourwest.pdf
Chapter 37 and 38 (page 532 - 540).

💰 Participation Fee:
Pay-as-you-go: AUD $5 per session (via PayPal)

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