Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part A

The Nether World by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921)

• Sun Wu Kung went to sleep and saw two men in his dream that led his spirit away to a place called, "The Nether World", also known as the place of death. 
• The Princes of Dead were shocked to see Sun Wu Kung as he threatened to hit them all. 
• Sun Wu Kung saw himself as the all mighty and wished to have the Book of Life, which had the age of death for everyone. 
• According to the book, he was to die at 324 of old age. 
• Of course, Sun Wu Kung wanted to be immortal and live forever, so he marked out his name and those of his ape family. 
• He used his rod to leave the Nether World without the Princes of Death stopping him because they were too scared of his power. 
• Later, they complained to the Lord of the Heavens about the deeds that were done in the Nether World. 
• As Sun Wu Kung left the city, he fell to the ground and woke up. 
• He then told the apes of his city all that has happened and after that no ape died, since their names were marked out of the Book of Life. 

(Animated photo of the Monkey King: Flickr)       

- I would try to give a little more background on why there were two men dragging his spirit away to the Nether World. Also, this ape has caused too much trouble, and I want a bad ending to him or an ending that will teach him not to be so egotistic. I would hope to modernize this story a little, too by maybe making Sun Wu Kung's character a human,