I've discovered a secret: Sun Wukong was actually done in by Buddha as early as Chapter Fifty-Eight.

by wangweimei on 2011-08-26 17:51:42

Today, out of boredom, I flipped through "Journey to the West" and made a significant discovery. Wu Cheng'en actually left a major foreshadowing clue in "Journey to the West."

In Chapter Fifty-Seven of "Journey to the West," it says that the "Six-Eared Macaque" transforms into Sun Wukong's appearance, injures Tang僧, and then gets into a big fight with Sun Wukong... This false Sun Wukong, needless to say about his strength, is exactly the same as the real Sun Wukong. He battles Monkey King fiercely, causing chaos both in heaven and on earth. In front of Tang僧: when reciting the Tightening Spell, both of them cry out in pain, so naturally it's impossible to tell who's real or fake; at the Heavenly Palace: when Nezha uses the Demon-Identifying Mirror, he can't tell either; even at Guanyin's place: Guanyin herself can't distinguish. Finally, they go to the Underworld to see King Yama. After "Diti" listens carefully, "Diti" says, "I've figured it out, but I dare not speak.".. In the end, it's still Buddha Sakyamuni who reveals the true identity of the Six-Eared Macaque and traps him under the golden bowl, and he is killed by Sun Wukong with one blow of his staff.

The whole story seems very simple and complete on the surface, but I have discovered a huge foreshadowing clue.