Chapter 1: The Monkey King is Born and Gains Immortality

Summary

This chapter describes the origins of the Monkey King. Born from a sacred stone on Huaguo Mountain, the stone monkey comes into being by absorbing the celestial energies of the universe. His piercing golden gaze alarms the heavens, but the Jade Emperor dismisses him as insignificant. The stone monkey enjoys an uninhibited life among the mountains and animals, showcasing his courage when he volunteers to explore a waterfall's mysterious source.

Content

At the beginning of the world, when Pangu separated the heavens from the earth, the world was divided into four great continents: Dongsheng Shenzhou (Eastern Continent of Divine Victory), Xiniu Hezhou (Western Continent of Ox-Cart), Nanzhan Buzhou (Southern Continent of Jambu), and Beiju Luzhou (Northern Continent of the Gloomy Reed). In Dongsheng Shenzhou, there was a kingdom called Aolai, located near the Eastern Sea. In this sea lay a mountain called Huaguo (Flower-Fruit Mountain), adorned with exotic flowers and herbs, brilliant pheasants, colorful brocades of chickens, long-living deer, and mystical cranes.

At the summit of this mountain stood a sacred stone, thirty-six feet and five inches high and twenty-four feet in circumference. Each day, this stone absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, as well as the radiance of the sun and moon. One day, the stone suddenly split apart, and from it emerged a stone egg. Upon meeting the wind, the egg transformed into a stone monkey.

The stone monkey opened its eyes and gazed around, and from his gaze shot two beams of golden light that pierced the heavens, alarming the gods in the celestial palace. The Jade Emperor immediately commanded, "Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Accompanying Ear, go and investigate!" The two divine messengers obeyed and soon returned to report: "Your Majesty, upon your command, we have observed that the phenomenon originates from a sacred stone on Huaguo Mountain in Aolai of Dongsheng Shenzhou, which has split and given birth to a stone monkey."

The Jade Emperor, hearing this, said dismissively, "Ah, so it is just a stone monkey. There is no need to concern ourselves with it."

Meanwhile, the stone monkey lived freely and happily in the mountain, leaping and running, feasting on wild fruits, drinking from mountain springs, and befriending the wild animals.

One day, the stone monkey and a group of monkeys went to bathe in a mountain stream. After some time, one monkey suggested they trace the water to its source. The group followed the stream upstream and soon came upon a magnificent waterfall cascading down from the mountain heights.

The monkeys exclaimed in excitement, "Who dares to enter? Who dares to enter?"

The stone monkey stepped forward and declared, "I dare to go in!"