The Monkey King Blows His Hair Away Color woodblock print attributed to Katsushika Taitō II, Japan, 1836. In this scene, Sun Wukong creates an army of monkeys from his plucked hairs, illustrating one of his supernatural abilities in Journey to the West. The print was produced as a calendar for the Year of the Monkey. (more) Sun Wukong Chinese mythology Also known as: Monkey King Written by Frannie Comstock Frannie Comstock is a writer based in Chicago. Frannie Comstock Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated May 26, 2026 •History Sun Wukong, Chinese mythological character who first appeared in the 16th-century novel Journey to the West. Since then, he has served as the inspiration behind movies, television shows, and video games across the globe. Sun Wukong first appeared in Journey to the West, a 16th-century Chinese novel generally attributed to Wu Cheng’en. The work draws on earlier sources, including the 7th-century text Records of the Western Regions, which documents the travels of the Buddhist monk...

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