Journey to the West – Legends of the Monkey King — Season 1
About this season
Sun Wukong, who was born from a magic stone, has been imprisoned underneath a mountain for five centuries for his mischief in the heavens. One day, the Guanyin told Monkey that the Monk Tang Sanzang will set him free and Monkey will join him on a pilgrimage from China to India. The next day, Tripitaka came and set Monkey free, and the two started their Journey to the West. Along the way, they meet two new friends, Zhu Bajie and the Hermit Sha Wujing, who join them on the journey; together, they face many dangers and evil creatures and sorcerers and learn to get along.
Episodes (52)
1. The Monkey King is Born
Aired 23 July 1999 • 20 min
A stone monkey hatches from a rock on Flower Fruit Mountain and becomes king after successfully leaping behind a waterfall.
2. Obtaining Treasure from the Dragon Palace
Aired 30 July 1999 • 24 min
Seeking a suitable weapon, the Monkey King creates a disturbance in the Dragon King's underwater palace and obtains the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden-Hooped Rod).
3. Trouble While Tending Horses
Aired 6 August 1999 • 24 min
Sun Wukong is offered a minor position in Heaven as Keeper of the Heavenly Horses (Bimawen) but, feeling insulted by the title, he rebels.
4. Havoc in Heaven's Palace
Aired 13 August 1999 • 25 min
Having declared himself "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven," Wukong fights the Celestial Army and wreaks havoc in the main halls of Heaven.
5. Great Battle with Erlang Shen
Aired 20 August 1999 • 24 min
The Jade Emperor summons his nephew, the powerful Erlang Shen, who battles Wukong in a fierce duel and finally captures him.
6. Cannot Escape Buddha's Palm (1)
Aired 27 August 1999 • 23 min
Wukong is trapped in Laozi’s furnace, but he escapes; the Buddha intervenes, challenging Wukong to leap out of his palm.
7. Cannot Escape Buddha's Palm (2)
Aired 3 September 1999 • 24 min
Wukong attempts the impossible leap but fails and is imprisoned by the Buddha beneath the massive Five-Elements Mountain.
8. Happy Reunion of Master and Disciple
Aired 10 September 1999 • 25 min
The Tang Monk, Xuanzang (later Tripitaka), begins his journey to the West and passes the mountain, freeing Sun Wukong to be his disciple.
9. Cleverly Subduing the White Dragon Horse
Aired 17 September 1999 • 25 min
A dragon, son of the Dragon King, eats Xuanzang’s horse; Wukong helps subdue the dragon, who is then transformed into Xuanzang's new white steed.
10. The Evil Monk Steals the Kasaya
Aired 24 September 1999 • 25 min
The pilgrims stay at a monastery where a greedy old abbot plots to steal the precious Kasaya (monk's robe) given to Xuanzang by Guanyin.
11. Subduing the Black Bear Demon
Aired 1 October 1999 • 25 min
The abbot’s black bear demon friend steals the robe; Wukong battles and subdues the demon, recovering the garment.
12. Pigsy Becomes a Disciple
Aired 8 October 1999 • 25 min
In the Gaolao Village, Wukong subdues the lustful pig demon, Zhu Bajie (Pigsy), who agrees to join the pilgrimage as a second disciple.
13. Dangerously Passing Yellow Wind Ridge
Aired 15 October 1999 • 25 min
The group encounters a demon on Yellow Wind Ridge who uses a powerful sandstorm, forcing Wukong to seek aid from a divine helper.
14. Accepting a Disciple at the Quicksand River
Aired 22 October 1999 • 25 min
At the treacherous Quicksand River, the last disciple, Sha Wujing (Sandy), is subdued and joins the group.
15. Stealing and Eating the Ginseng Fruit
Aired 29 October 1999 • 25 min
At the Wuzhuang Temple, Pigsy and Wukong steal the temple’s precious Ginseng Fruits, which are said to grant immortality.
16. Guanyin Saves the Immortal Tree
Aired 5 November 1999 • 25 min
The angry Taoist master, Zhenyuan Great Immortal, catches the disciples; Wukong damages the immortal tree, which Guanyin must heal to resolve the conflict.
17. Three Attacks on the White Bone Demon
Aired 12 November 1999 • 25 min
A female demon tries three times to capture Xuanzang by transforming into a woman, an old lady, and an old man, but Wukong sees through her disguises.
18. Mistakenly Entering the Wave Moon Cave
Aired 19 November 1999 • 25 min
Xuanzang, furious after Wukong seemingly kills innocent people (the demon's disguises), dismisses Wukong from the pilgrimage.
19. Tang Sanzang Turns into a Tiger
Aired 26 November 1999 • 25 min
Xuanzang is captured by the Yellow Robe Demon in the Wave Moon Cave, who transforms the monk into a tiger.
20. Pigsy Invites Wukong
Aired 3 December 1999 • 25 min
Pigsy is sent to Flower Fruit Mountain to beg Wukong to return and save their Master from the demon.
21. Danger at Flat-Top Mountain
Aired 10 December 1999 • 25 min
The pilgrims encounter the Gold and Silver Horned Kings, two powerful demons armed with magical calabash gourds and ropes.
22. Subduing the Demon at Lotus Cave
Aired 17 December 1999 • 25 min
Wukong uses his cleverness and transformations to trick and capture the two demon kings, recovering the powerful magical items.
23. The Old King Entrusts in a Dream
Aired 24 December 1999 • 25 min
In the Kingdom of Wuji, Xuanzang receives a dream from the deceased old king, revealing that a fake king (a demon) has taken his place.
24. Eliminating the Demon in the Kingdom of Wuji
Aired 31 December 1999 • 25 min
Wukong finds the old king's body in a well and helps restore him, then battles and defeats the shapeshifting demon that had usurped the throne.
25. Wukong Meets the Holy Child
Aired 7 January 2000 • 25 min
The group encounters the Red Boy (Hong Hai'er), the son of the Bull Demon King, a powerful demon child who captures Xuanzang.
26. Subduing Red Boy
Aired 14 January 2000 • 25 min
Red Boy's powerful Samadhi True Fire nearly defeats Wukong, who must appeal to Guanyin to help subdue the child, who becomes her disciple.
27. Contest of Strength in the Chechi Kingdom
Aired 21 January 2000 • 25 min
In the Chechi Kingdom, the group finds three Daoist Immortals oppressing Buddhist monks; Wukong challenges them to a contest of magic.
28. Great Sage Eliminates Three Demons
Aired 28 January 2000 • 25 min
Wukong, Bajie, and Sandy defeat the three demon immortals—a Tiger, a Deer, and an Antelope spirit—in a battle of supernatural skills.
29. Night Obstruction at the Heaven-Connecting River
Aired 4 February 2000 • 25 min
The pilgrims are stopped by the vast Heaven-Connecting River, which they can't cross, due to the influence of the Great White Turtle and a demon.
30. Hard Fight with the One-Horned Monster
Aired 11 February 2000 • 25 min
The group encounters a powerful water demon known as the Lingmo, or "One-Horned Monster," who captures the Master.
31. Strange Encounter in the Women's Kingdom
Aired 18 February 2000 • 25 min
The pilgrims enter the Kingdom of Women, where Xuanzang is pressured to marry the queen, but Wukong devises a trick to escape.
32. Forced Marriage at Pipa Cave
Aired 25 February 2000 • 25 min
After leaving the kingdom, Xuanzang is captured by the Scorpion Demoness in the Pipa Cave, who tries to force him into marriage.
33. The Real and Fake Sun Wukong
Aired 3 March 2000 • 25 min
A Six-Eared Macaque appears, impersonating Wukong perfectly and causing trouble; the two look-alikes fight bitterly.
34. Buddha Recognizes the Macaque
Aired 10 March 2000 • 25 min
The two Wukongs go before the Buddha, who uses his spiritual sight to identify and expose the true identity of the Six-Eared Macaque, who is then slain.
35. Trapped in the Flaming Mountains
Aired 17 March 2000 • 25 min
The journey is halted by the immense Flaming Mountains, which are too hot to cross, and they require the magical Iron Fan.
36. Fierce Battle with the Bull Demon King
Aired 24 March 2000 • 25 min
Wukong fights his sworn brother, the Bull Demon King, to obtain the Iron Fan, which is held by his wife, Princess Iron Fan.
37. Burning the Silk-Web Cave
Aired 31 March 2000 • 25 min
Pigsy is captured by seven beautiful Spider Demons who try to lure him; Wukong attempts to rescue him and burns their lair.
38. Eliminating the Centipede Demon
Aired 7 April 2000 • 25 min
The Master is poisoned by the Centipede Demon, the sworn brother of the Spider Demons; Wukong defeats the demon with help from a divine Star Lord.
39. Redressing the Wrong at the Golden Light Pagoda
Aired 14 April 2000 • 25 min
Wukong investigates the theft of the Golden Light Treasure Pagoda relics by two demons, resolving a false accusation against two priests.
40. Suffering Misfortune in the Fake Western Heaven
Aired 21 April 2000 • 25 min
The pilgrims encounter a group of demons disguised as the Buddha and his disciples, who capture Xuanzang in a false monastery.
41. Maitreya Subdues the Demon Boy
Aired 28 April 2000 • 25 min
Wukong discovers the mastermind is the demon boy Huang Mei, who stole the magic of the Maitreya Buddha, who must come to subdue his own boy servant.
42. Wukong Becomes a Famous Doctor
Aired 5 May 2000 • 25 min
In the Kingdom of India, Wukong acts as a traveling physician to cure the Queen, whose ailment is caused by a demon.
43. Cleverly Obtaining the Purple-Gold Bell
Aired 12 May 2000 • 25 min
The Master is captured by a powerful Lion Demon armed with a magical Purple-Gold Bell that causes a lot of trouble for Wukong.
44. Bravely Charging Lion Camel Ridge
Aired 19 May 2000 • 25 min
The group faces the immense Lion Camel Ridge, where three formidable demon kings (Lion, Elephant, and Roc) hold an entire city captive.
45. Great Sage Battles Three Demons
Aired 26 May 2000 • 25 min
Wukong fights the three powerful demon kings, who are finally revealed to be mounts of Manjusri, Samantabhadra, and the Buddha himself, who subdues them.
46. Rescuing the Kingdom of Biqu
Aired 2 June 2000 • 25 min
The group encounters a king who is being advised by a deer demon disguised as a Daoist, who is secretly stealing the life essence of children.
47. Filling the Bottomless Pit
Aired 9 June 2000 • 25 min
The Rat Demoness of the Bottomless Pit captures the Master; Wukong seeks help from Heaven, as the demon is the mouse who ate the Buddha's oil.
48. The Confused Old King
Aired 16 June 2000 • 25 min
The king of the Kingdom of Xuanyang is confused and Wukong must clarify the situation surrounding the capture of Xuanzang.
49. Causing Havoc in the Linked Caves
Aired 23 June 2000 • 25 min
The Master is captured by the Rhinoceros King, who has linked his cave to the palace, causing further chaos before he is subdued.
50. Seeking a Husband in the India Kingdom
Aired 30 June 2000 • 25 min
The group arrives in the India Kingdom, where the princess announces she is seeking a husband; Wukong suspects something is wrong.
51. Chang'e Subdues the Jade Rabbit
Aired 7 July 2000 • 25 min
Wukong discovers that the princess is actually the Jade Rabbit from the moon (servant of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e), who captured the real princess.
52. Obtaining the True Scriptures at Vulture Peak
Aired 14 July 2000 • 25 min
After enduring eighty-one trials, the pilgrims finally reach Vulture Peak (Griddhrakuta) in the West and are granted the sacred scriptures by the Buddha.