Sejong the Great
fourth king of Joseon (Korea), creator of Hangul
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There have been many saguek were the king is powerless and the ministers seem to have all the power, is this accurate or just a convenient plot device, after all it is the king. I ask this because a lot of sagueks are based on history and creative speculation around actual events.
Instead of all the bullshit, I'm just here to discuss one of my favorite Characters of all time.
Whatever I am going to say, I will Cite it directly from the book. Feel free to disagree with me as long as you can cite from the book, otherwise your opinion is invalid to me.
First of all, why Great Sage Heaven's Equal and not 'The Monkey King'. Let me start by saying that the Monkey King is a title for Plebs. Don't believe me?
Chapter 4 Journey to the West
"Get me a banner made at once with the words 'Great Sage Equaling Heaven' in big letters on it, and put up a pole to hang it from," he ordered his four Stalwart Generals. "From now on I am to be called 'Great Sage Equaling Heaven,' not 'Your Majesty' or 'King'. Pass this order on to all the other kings of the monsters." We will leave him at this point.
Chapter 80 Journey to the West
"Five hundred years ago, when I made havoc in heaven," Monkey thought, "I wandered to the very corners of the oceans and ran wild at the end of the sky. I led a host of spirits and called myself the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. We subdued dragons and tigers, and I took us off the registers of death. I used to wear a triple golden crown and a coat of golden mail, and with my gold−banded cudgel in my hands and my cloud−treading shoes on my feet I had 47,000 demons under me. They all used to call me Lord Great Sage. I really was someone in those days. But ever since being rescued from Heaven's punishment I've been a small−time nobody as his disciple. I reckon that as the master has such an aura of auspicious clouds over his head things are sure to turn out well for us on our way back to the East and I'm bound to win the true achievement."
It'll probably shock most people to know that the Words 'Monkey King' and the Variants like Handsome Monkey King has only been used 50 times after the Early Chapters (Chapter 7).
It might shock Non-Book Readers to know that there is Only 4 Times In the ENTIRETY of their Journey where Sun Wukong is referred to 'Monkey King' by another character in the Novel after Chapter 7.
And Only 1 TIME where it used in a conversation with Sun Wukong Addressing him directly (Chapter 62) in a conversation.
The Immortal Zhengyuan - Chapter 25
"Brother Monkey really is a splendid Monkey King. I had heard that when he turned the Heavenly Palace upside−down, he could not even be caught with a Heaven and Earth Net, and now I see it must be true. I wouldn't mind your escaping, but why did you leave four willows tied up here to impersonate you? He shall be shown no mercy. After him!" As the words "After him" left his mouth, the Great Immortal sprang up on a cloud and looked West to see the monks carrying their bundles and spurring their horse as they went on their way. Bringing his cloud down he shouted, "Where are you going, Monkey? Give me back my manfruit tree."
White Bone Spirit/ Baigujing - Chapter 27
The evil spirit, who had not been killed the second time Monkey hit it either, was full of admiration as it floated in mid−air. "What a splendid Monkey King," it thought, "and what sharp eyes. He saw who I was through both my transformations. Those monks are travelling fast, and once they're over the mountain and fifteen miles to the West they'll be out of my territory. And other fiends and monsters who catch them will be laughing till their mouths split, and I'll be heartbroken with sorrow. I'll have to have another go at tricking them." The excellent evil spirit brought its negative wind down to the mountainside and with one shake turned itself into an old man.
Bai Long Ma/ Yu Long - Chapter 30
"Of course he won't hit you," said the dragon. "He's a kind and decent Monkey King. When you see him don't tell him that the master's in trouble. Just say, 'The master's missing you.' Once you've lured him here and he sees the situation he won't possibly be angry. He's bound to want to fight the monster. I guarantee that he'll capture the monster and save our master."
Pigsy/Zhu Bajie - Chapter 62
"There you are, being carried by eight men in a carrying chair under a royal yellow canopy," said Pig. "Isn't that the way the Handsome Monkey King should travel? That's why I said you're yourself again."
Yes that's all the times, Sun Wukong has ever been addressed as 'Monkey King' After Chapter 7.
Do you know many times the Words 'Great Sage' appears in the book?
Over ONE THOUSAND.
He's addressed by his Subjects as Great Sage.
By Local Deities and pretty much everyone that shows him respect.
If I had to Cite every time it's used I might as well copy and paste the entire novel.
In Regards to Lore, the Reason why Sun Wukong himself doesn't care about the title of 'Monkey King' is because that title doesn't hold any weight. He fought the armies of Heaven to gain a Title worthy of him and y'all still using 'The Monkey King'. I'll never understand why.