Journey to the West Characters
Meet the main characters, gods, and demons from the first part of Journey to the West, which follows Sun Wukong from his birth from a stone, through his training in magic, to his rampage in Heaven and his capture. From Chinese gods and Buddhist figures such as the Jade Emperor, Laozi (Taishang Laojun), and Guanyin, to characters who return later in the story such as the Bull Demon King and Nezha, each entry gives a simple explanation based on the original novel.
All characters22
Sun Wukong
The unbeatable monkey born from a stone
Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, is the hero of the Chinese novel Journey to the West: a monkey born from a magic stone on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.…
Appears in 6 episodes: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6Patriarch Subhuti
Sun Wukong's one and only teacher
Patriarch Subhuti is the immortal sage in Journey to the West who gives Sun Wukong his name and his magic powers, making him Wukong's first and only teacher. He lives…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 2The Jade Emperor
The supreme god who rules Heaven
The Jade Emperor is the highest god in Chinese Taoism, believed to rule Heaven. In Journey to the West he appears as the emperor of Heaven, presiding over the gods from…
Appears in 5 episodes: Episode 1, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6Taibai Jinxing (the Great White Planet) Taibai Jinxing
Heaven's elderly peacemaker
Taibai Jinxing is the god of the planet Venus, the morning and evening star, and an elder minister of Heaven. In Journey to the West he appears as a gentle old man with…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 3, Episode 4Erlang Shen (the Illustrious Sage Erlang) Erlang Shen, the Illustrious Sage True Lord
The shape-shifting master who cornered Wukong
Erlang Shen is a god widely worshipped in Chinese folk religion. In Journey to the West he is the Jade Emperor's nephew, lives at Guanjiangkou, and is the one who…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 6Nezha Nezha, the Third Prince
The boy warrior god with three heads and six arms
Nezha is a boy warrior god from Chinese mythology and fiction, the third son of Heavenly King Li, the Pagoda Bearer. In Journey to the West he is called Nezha the Third…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 4, Episode 6Heavenly King Li, the Pagoda Bearer
Commander-in-chief of Heaven's army
Heavenly King Li, the Pagoda Bearer, is a warrior god of Heaven who holds a jeweled pagoda in his hand. In Journey to the West he serves as commander-in-chief of the…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 4, Episode 6Laozi (Taishang Laojun) Taishang Laojun
The Taoist god who makes elixir pills
Laozi (Taishang Laojun) is the deified form of Laozi, regarded as the founder of Taoism. In Journey to the West he lives in the Tushita Palace in Heaven and makes…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 5, Episode 6Guanyin Bodhisattva
The compassionate bodhisattva who recommended Erlang
Guanyin Bodhisattva is a Buddhist bodhisattva believed to save people from suffering. In Journey to the West she lives on Mount Potalaka in the Southern Sea and watches…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 6The Queen Mother of the West
The goddess who hosts the Peach Banquet
The Queen Mother of the West is a goddess from ancient Chinese mythology. In Journey to the West she is called Wangmu Niangniang and hosts the Peach Banquet at the Jade…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 5, Episode 6Ao Guang, Dragon King of the East Sea
The sea king who lost the As-You-Will Staff
Ao Guang, Dragon King of the East Sea, is the dragon king who rules the Crystal Palace beneath the Eastern Sea. The dragon kings of the Southern, Northern, and Western…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 3, Episode 4The Bull Demon King
Eldest of Wukong's sworn brothers
The Bull Demon King is a bull demon in Journey to the West and the eldest of the seven demon kings who swore brotherhood with Sun Wukong.
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 3The Ten Kings of the Underworld
The ten judges of the dead
The Ten Kings of the Underworld are the ten rulers believed to judge the dead in the afterlife. King Yama (Yanluo Wang) is one of them.
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 3, Episode 4The Demon King of Havoc
The demon who raided the monkeys' mountain
The Demon King of Havoc is a demon in Journey to the West who lives in the Water-Belly Cave on Kanyuan Mountain, north of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. While…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 2The Mighty Spirit God (Juling Shen) Juling Shen
Heaven's vanguard whose axe was broken
The Mighty Spirit God (Juling Shen) is a giant god from Chinese mythology. In Journey to the West he leads the vanguard of the heavenly army commanded by Heavenly King…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 4The Seven Fairy Maidens in Seven Colors
Seven fairies sent to pick the peaches
The Seven Fairy Maidens in Seven Colors are seven fairies who serve the Queen Mother of the West. They are named for their robes in seven colors: red, blue, white,…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 5The Barefoot Immortal
The barefoot sage tricked by Wukong
The Barefoot Immortal is an immortal known for going barefoot. In Journey to the West he appears as one of the guests invited to the Peach Banquet.
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 5The Six Brothers of Plum Mountain
Erlang Shen's sworn brothers in battle
The Six Brothers of Plum Mountain are six warrior gods who are Erlang Shen's sworn brothers. They are the four marshals Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, and the two generals…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 6Erlang's Hound (Xiaotian Quan) Xiaotian Quan
Erlang Shen's loyal hunting dog
Erlang's Hound (Xiaotian Quan) is the hunting dog that accompanies Erlang Shen. In Chapter 6 of the original novel it is simply called a "slender hound," and only in…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 6The Old Gibbon (Tongbei Yuanhou) Tongbei Yuanhou
The old gibbon who urged the king to set out
The Old Gibbon (Tongbei Yuanhou) is a kind of ape living on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit in Journey to the West. At the start of the story, one of them inspires…
Appears in 5 episodes: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5Thousand-Mile Eye Qianliyan (Thousand-Mile Eye)
Heaven's far-seeing guardian
Thousand-Mile Eye is a god who can see things far away. In Journey to the West he is one of two officers serving the Jade Emperor, appearing as a pair with…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 1, Episode 3Wind-Following Ear Shunfeng'er (Wind-Following Ear)
Heaven's far-hearing guardian
Wind-Following Ear is a god who can hear sounds from far away. In Journey to the West he is one of two officers serving the Jade Emperor, appearing as a pair with…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 1, Episode 3