What is the name of the monkey king in 'Journey to the West'?

The monkey king in *Journey to the West* is Sun Wukong. He is one of the central characters in the classic Chinese novel, where his extraordinary strength, rebellious nature, and supernatural abilities make him both a trickster and a heroic protector.

According to the story, Sun Wukong is born from a magical stone on Flower Fruit Mountain. He learns Taoist techniques from the immortal teacher Subhuti, including the 72 transformations and the ability to travel enormous distances on a somersault cloud. He also wields the magical staff known as the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

Sun Wukong’s defiance of Heaven eventually leads to his imprisonment beneath a mountain by the Buddha for 500 years. He is later released to protect the monk Tang Sanzang on a pilgrimage to obtain Buddhist scriptures from India. Along the way, a magical headband helps restrain his impulsiveness.

“Monkey King” is Sun Wukong’s famous title, not a separate character. King Kong is a modern film monster, Mowgli belongs to *The Jungle Book*, and Hanuman is a distinct Hindu deity and epic figure.