The Birth of the Handsome Monkey King

Hello there! I bet you've never met a monkey born from a stone, have you? Well, now you have! My name is Sun Wukong, and my story began on a beautiful mountain covered in flowers and fruit, where a magic rock split open and out I popped. I was strong, clever, and oh-so-mischievous, and it wasn't long before I became king of all the monkeys. But being king wasn't enough; I wanted to live forever! So I set off to find a master who could teach me the secrets of immortality and magic. This quest for power was just the beginning of a much bigger adventure, one that people now call the myth of the Monkey King and the Journey to the West. My journey starts with me learning amazing abilities, like the 72 transformations that let me become anything I want, and how to fly a hundred thousand miles in a single somersault on my magic cloud. I even visited the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea and claimed my famous weapon, a golden-banded staff that can grow as tall as the sky or shrink to the size of a needle. With all this power, I thought I was unstoppable, and I caused a whole lot of trouble in the Heavenly Kingdom, challenging gods and warriors because I thought it was fun. I didn't realize that true strength isn't just about being the strongest; it's about how you choose to use your power.

My mischief in Heaven finally went too far. The Jade Emperor couldn't control me, so he asked the most powerful being of all, the Buddha, for help. The Buddha made a bet with me: if I could leap out of the palm of his hand, I would be the new ruler of Heaven. I laughed, somersaulted with all my might, and flew to what I thought was the end of the universe. To prove I'd been there, I wrote my name on one of five giant pillars before flying back. But when I returned, the Buddha showed me his hand—my name was written on his middle finger! The pillars were his fingers all along. In an instant, his hand turned into a mountain of five elements and trapped me underneath it. For 500 long years, I was stuck, with nothing to do but think about my actions. One day, a kind and patient monk named Tang Sanzang was sent on a holy mission to travel from China all the way to India to collect sacred Buddhist scriptures. The goddess Guanyin told him that he would need protectors, and that I, Sun Wukong, was the first one he should find. Tang Sanzang freed me from the mountain, and in return, I promised to protect him on his dangerous journey. It was my chance to make up for all the trouble I had caused. To make sure I behaved, Guanyin gave the monk a golden headband to put on me. Whenever I got too angry or mischievous, he could chant a special phrase, and the band would tighten, reminding me to be patient and calm.

Our journey was not one we could make alone. Along the way, we were joined by two other fallen heavenly beings who also needed a second chance. First was Zhu Bajie, or 'Pigsy,' a greedy and sometimes lazy pig-man who was a surprisingly strong fighter with his nine-toothed rake. Then came Sha Wujing, or 'Sandy,' a quiet and loyal river ogre who carried our luggage and was the calm voice of reason in our group. Together, the four of us faced 81 trials. We battled fierce demons, crossed burning mountains, and navigated treacherous rivers, all to protect my master, Tang Sanzang, who many monsters wanted to capture. Each challenge taught me something new. I learned to work with my companions, even when Pigsy was being silly. I learned that my master's kindness was a different kind of strength, and that protecting someone was more important than showing off. After many years, we finally reached India, collected the scriptures, and returned to China. For completing our mission, we were all rewarded with enlightenment. My story, the Journey to the West, was first written down in a famous book during the Ming Dynasty, over 400 years ago. But it was told in plays and by storytellers long before that. Today, my adventures continue to inspire people to be brave and clever. You can see me in cartoons, movies, and video games all over the world, a reminder that even a naughty monkey can become a true hero. It shows us that any journey, no matter how hard, is possible with loyal friends and a good heart.

Reading Comprehension Questions

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Answer: Mischievous means being playful in a way that might cause a little bit of harmless trouble or annoyance. Sun Wukong was mischievous when he challenged the gods in the Heavenly Kingdom just for fun.

Answer: He probably felt very lonely, bored, and regretful. After being so powerful and free, being stuck in one place for so long would have been a very difficult punishment and given him a lot of time to think about his actions.

Answer: Guanyin gave the monk the headband to help control Sun Wukong. Since he was so powerful and had a history of being mischievous, the headband was a way to make sure he behaved and used his powers to protect the monk instead of causing more trouble.

Answer: He likely agreed because he was grateful to be free after 500 years and saw it as a chance to make up for his past mistakes. It was a mission that gave him a new purpose and a way to use his great powers for good.

Answer: The main problem was facing 81 trials, which included battling fierce demons and crossing dangerous lands, to protect the monk Tang Sanzang. They solved it by working together as a team, using Sun Wukong's cleverness and fighting skills, Pigsy's strength, and Sandy's loyalty.