Wukong is the main protagonist of Journey To The West . He is a powerful shapeshifting immortal fighter capable of many abilities and trickery.
After wreaking havoc in heaven, he is imprisoned under a mountain for 500 years by Buddha. In exchange for his freedom, he accepts the Bodhiasttva Guanyin's proposal to protect a monk of the Tang Dynasty; Tang Sanzang, as they set on a journey to India to retrieve the Buddhist sutras.
He was born from a magic rock that sits atop the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. The stone bursts open one day to produce a magical stone egg about the size of a ball. When the wind blows on the egg, it turns into a stone monkey that can strangely crawl and walk. He bows to each of the four quarters. As his eyes move, two beams of golden light shoot toward the Jade palace and startle the Jade Emperor - who sees the light he orders two of his officers to investigate.
In search of a weapon, he travels to the oceans and acquires the Golden-banded staff Ruyi Jingu Bang, a treasure of Ao Guang, the dragon-king of the Eastern Seas. Upon Sun Wukong's approach, the staff glows to signify it has found its true master. It can change its size, multiply, and fight according to its master's whim. It weighs 13,500 jin (8.1 tons). When not wielding the weapon, Sun Wukong shrinks it down to the size of a sewing needle and tucks it behind his ear.
Tang Sanzang's safety is constantly under threat from demons and other supernatural beings, as well as bandits; Sun Wukong often acts as his bodyguard to combat these threats. Alongside the addition of Pigsy and Sandy, the group encounters a series of eighty-one tribulations before accomplishing their mission and returning safely to China. There, Sun Wukong is granted Buddhahood, becoming the "Victorious Fighting Buddha", for his service and strength.
