Ryan Patrick’s Reviews > The Rise of the Monkey King: A Story in Simplified Chinese and Pinyin 600 Word Vocabulary Level > Status Update

"... Your king is causing trouble, so I want to speak to him." The small demons went into the cave to tell the big demon, "There is an ugly monkey outside who wants to speak to you.'

The demon monster laughed: "I have heard about this monkey king who was away studying." He picked up his scimitar and said, "Where is this king?"

"You have big eyes, but you cannot see me, you foolish monster?"

... They said, "Why did you leave? We were alone when a demon came and took some of our friends. But now our king has returned."

Sun Wukong was angry: "Tell me about this demon."

"He lives to the north of here."

"I will find him." So, Sun Wukong did his cloud somersault towards the north and came to a tall mountain and saw some small demons. He said to them, "I am the monkey king of Flower Fruit Mountain..."

Now that Monkey knows the cloud somersault, he can escape the thunder, fire, and wind.

He stayed with Subodhi a few more years, until the master told him to leave because he was troubling the other students.

"Where shall I go?" he asked.

"Go home."

So, he did his somersault and in one hour, he arrived back at Flower Fruit Mountain. The monkeys all came running to greet him. They said...

"... Use your wisdom to avoid the lightning, or you will die. Then 500 years later Heaven will send fire--avoid or die. Then after 500 years, it will send a great wind--avoid or die."

Sun Wukong was afraid, but his master told him not to worry. Nothing in this world is too difficult. Then he whispered to him the secret of the cloud somersault.

"Master," said Sun Wukong, "Yesterday you gave me a secret code. I am here to learn the secret to immortality."

So, Master Subodhi told him a poem that had the secret to immortality.

Monkey memorized the poem and followed its instructions.

After three years, his teacher warned him of danger: "You know the world's secret and will live forever, but after 500 years, Heaven will give you...

Sun Wukong thinks that the master's actions indicated a secret message: Wait until the third watch and come in the back door to receive my teaching.

Monkey does just that, but he finds the master asleep in bed, so he waits. When the master awakens, he sees Sun Wukong and says, "That Monkey! Why are you here?"

"I will do as the Master tells me," said Sun Wukong.

Master Subodhi told him about all 360 paths, but for each one, Monkey asked if he would become an Immortal, and the Master answered No.

"I will not study that one then," said Monkey.

In frustration, the Master hit Sun Wukong on the head and retired to his room. The other students were angry with Monkey, but Monkey wasn't angry or unhappy...

"Please tell me my given name now," said Monkey.

"Because you seek truth, I will call you Wukong," replied the master.

"Now I am known as Sun Wukong!" rejoiced Monkey.

Sun Wukong studied with the master for seven years, and then one day, the master asked him, of all 360 paths to wisdom that he could teach him, which one would he choose to follow?

"I'm sorry!" says Monkey. "I don't have a name, because I don't have parents."
"Were you born from a tree?"
"No, from a rock."
"So, your parents are Heaven and Earth!" says Master Subodhi. "Show me how you walk."
Monkey was wearing human clothes, but he walked like a monkey.
"You walk like an ape, and your face is not pretty," says Subodhi. "You resemble an ape [husun], so your surname will be Sun."

Monkey King says, "Yes, I am the new student."

They enter into the cave where the teacher, Subodhi, is teaching about 30 students. Monkey King bows down before the teacher, and asks him to teach him.

Subodhi asks him what his name and home country are.