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It’s Never Too Late to Start Reading ‘Journey to the West’

The classic novel from Ming dynasty China functions as a swashbuckling allegory for the pursuit (and attainment) of enlightenment. 

Even if you have not read Journey to the West , a 16th-century Chinese novel attributed to the Ming dynasty poet and politician Wu Cheng’en, you have probably heard of one of its main characters: Sun Wukong. Wukong, better known in English-speaking countries as the Monkey King, or simply Monkey, is an ambitious and mischievous warrior whose unending quest for power and wisdom leads him to challenge just about every demon and deity in the Chinese pantheon. After being defeated by the Buddha, who dares him to jump out of the palm of his hand, Wukong spends 500 years imprisoned under a mountain topped by an unbreakable seal. His freedom arrives in the form of a traveling monk named Xuanzang, who promises to remove the seal if the prisoner agrees to become his peace-loving disciple and come on a long and perilous journey to India to retrieve a set of Buddhist scriptures.

The reasons for Wukong’s enduring popularity are as numerous as they are difficult to explain. As a character, he is simple yet complex, easy to appreciate but tough to analyze. A charismatic trickster in the image of Loki or John Milton’s Lucifer, his archetype is familiar to readers from all walks of life, and his active and impulsive temperament stands out favorably next to that of the calm and collected Xuanzang. True to his species, he is also fond of pranks, at one point tricking three Taoist priests into drinking his urine after mistaking it for “holy water.” Wukong’s untrained mind—his reckless behavior, emotional volatility, and childish sense of humor—contrasts with his unparalleled skill as a martial artist, a compelling duality that can also be found in many modern fictional heroes, from best-selling manga One Piece ’s Monkey D. Luffy and Dragon Ball ’s Son Goku to award-winning animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender ’s Aang.

But just as Wukong’s magnetic personality has historically overshadowed the other characters of Journey to the West (also embarking on the journey are Pigsy, a gluttonous pig demon, and Sandy, a complacent water demon), so too can the novel’s swashbuckling plot—which largely consists of Wukong saving Xuanzang and the other disciples from various monsters-of-the-week—distract from its spiritual subtext. This subtext is so buried that the Chinese diplomat and literary scholar Hu Shih (1891–1962), a leading interpreter of Journey to the West during the 20th century, argued the novel should be accepted for what it appears to be on the surface: an entertaining story without a deeper meaning. C. T. Hsia (1921–2013), a historian and literary theorist, disagreed, writing that Wukong and Xuanzang’s misadventures through China reveal an “unreconciled tension” between its three principal schools of thought: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

According to Hsia, Journey to the West embraces intellectual and religious pluralism, imploring its readers to accept “life in all its glory and squalor.” Of the three schools, Buddhism plays the most significant role in the story. It is the Buddha who manages to stop Wukong’s rampage against the gods, the bodhisattva Guanyin who guides him and Xuanzang on the road to India, and the Buddhists who tend to suffer under the corrupted rule of the other religions. Upon closer inspection, their entire pilgrimage appears to function as an allegory for the winding path toward enlightenment, explaining and illustrating key Buddhist concepts like karma , compassion , and emptiness . This makes the novel a particularly engaging read for anyone who is interested in Buddhism but feels intimidated by its notoriously esoteric canon.

In essence, Journey to the West is an allegory for how to gain wisdom to perceive truths about reality. Xuanzang, described by one scholar as a “well-meaning practitioner whose obsession with the outward forms of piety hinders him from true perception,” proves to be a terribly slow learner. Throughout the novel, he routinely places his trust in demons that take on the appearance of adorable animals, abandoned children, and kindly grandmas, despite repeated warnings from Wukong, who instantly sees through their disguises. One particularly striking example of Xuanzang’s ignorance happens in chapter fourteen, where he lashes out at the Monkey King for killing a group of robbers who stopped them in their tracks. “How can you be a monk when you take life without cause?” Xuanzang asks, oblivious to the dramatic irony embedded in his question. Not only are readers supposed to think that Wukong did have a cause—self-defense—but they may also notice that the robbers seem to represent touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste: the very senses clouding Xuanzang’s judgment.

Although Wukong is Xuanzang’s student, he tends to act like the teacher. His name, which he received from a Taoist priest after completing his training and gaining immortality (as well as the ability to transform into seventy-two different creatures and objects), literally means “monkey awakened to the void,” a quality he demonstrates through his frequently insightful dialogue. “Seek not afar for Buddha on Spirit Mount,” he lectures Xuanzang, “Mount Spirit lives only in your mind. Maintain your vigilance with the utmost sincerity, and Thunderclap will be right before your eyes. But when you afflict yourself like that with fears and troubled thoughts, then the Great Way and, indeed, Thunderclap seem far away.”

Thunderclap is the monastery where Xuanzang must collect the holy scriptures, a place that ends up taking him more than seventeen years to reach. That’s a long time, especially when considering that Wukong—in addition to all his other superhuman feats—is capable of riding on top of a cloud and traversing 54,000 kilometers in a single somersault. Readers often wonder why the Monkey King doesn’t put Xuanzang on his back and jump over all the trials and tribulations slowing them down. When one of his fellow disciples, Pigsy, asks him that same question, Wukong responds that “it is required of Master to go through all these strange territories before he finds deliverance from the sea of sorrows; hence even one step turns out to be difficult. You and I are only his protective companions, guarding his body and life, but we cannot exempt him from these woes, nor can we obtain the scriptures all by ourselves.”

In other words, Wukong is telling Pigsy that the journey is the destination—an adage that, though reduced to a cliché at present, would have still sounded fresh in the 16th century. Its meaning turns literal when, later in the story, the pilgrims discover that some of the demons blocking their path were sent there by none other than Guanyin. “What a rogue is this Bodhisattva!” Wukong shouts, after somersaulting back and forth to confront her. “She even promised that she herself would come to rescue us when we encounter grave difficulties, but instead, she sent monster-spirits here to harass us. The way she double-talks, she deserves to be a spinster for the rest of her life.” Despite his frustration, he understands her motivations: the demons aren’t preventing them from completing their pilgrimage; they are an indispensable part of the pilgrimage itself. 

All this symbolism comes full circle on the steps of Thunderclap, where the pilgrims discover—to Xuanzang’s dismay as well as the reader’s—that the scriptures they came all this way for do not contain a single word; they are completely blank. 

The sinologist Andrew H. Plaks, subscribing to Shih’s proposition that Journey to the West is a surface-level narrative devoid of deeper meaning, regards the empty texts as a final joke played on the overly analytical reader, suggesting that “the illusion of progress may itself be the greatest impediment to its ultimate attainment.” Francisca Cho Bantly, a professor of Buddhist Studies at Georgetown University, begs to differ, interpreting the novel’s conclusion as a profound statement on the attainment of nirvana. In an article titled “ Buddhist Allegory in the Journey to the West ,” she writes that “enlightenment does not exist beyond the self and thus cannot be an object of attainment.”

Journey to the West maintains that personal transformation and self-improvement are best achieved through active involvement in the world , rather than through meditation, asceticism, and isolation. Where Xuanzang acts as an ambassador of the latter enclave, Wukong thoroughly embodies the former. Receiving the title of Victorious Fighting Buddha and ascending to Buddhahood upon completing the pilgrimage, Wukong demonstrates that you don’t need to be an apathetic sage to cultivate your spirituality, nor renounce your own identity in order to live in perfect harmony with the rest of the universe. For all its crude humor and explosive battles, Journey to the West leaves its readers with a characteristically unpretentious yet surprisingly wise message: if a monkey can do it, so can you. 

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I read this classic in my teens. The analysis in this article with the analogies resonantes with my understanding now. The monkey remains my favorite character in the story and more so after reading this piece. I found his ending interesting as he thought he could out do QuanYin with his somasault. Alas, not. I guess he did not awaken to emptiness as his given name suggests. On the other hand, he might not be in the proverbial samsara nor nirvana.

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'Journey to the West': Why the classic Chinese novel's mischievous monkey – and his very human quest – has inspired centuries of adaptations

O ne summer afternoon in the late 1980s, my mother and I passed by a tea house on our trip out of town. The crowded building was usually a boisterous place filled with chatter, laughter, and the happy, clacking shuffle of mahjong tiles. At the moment we were passing, however, a great hush came over the teahouse: People were held spellbound by the black-and-white glow of a small TV in a corner, playing an episode of the series “Journey to the West.”

The TV series was adapted from a 16th century Chinese novel with the same title that has undergone numerous adaptations and has captured the imagination of Chinese people to this day. Like many kids in China, I was fascinated by the magic Monkey King, the beloved superhero in the novel, who went through amazing adventures with other pilgrims in their quest for Buddhist scriptures. While I had to quickly walk by the teahouse in order to catch our bus that day, this moment flashed back to me from time to time, making me wonder what made “Journey to the West” so fascinating for people of all ages and backgrounds.

After graduating from college, I embarked on the next chapter of my academic journey in the United States and reconnected with “Journey to the West” from a different perspective. Now, as a scholar with expertise in traditional Chinese literature , I am interested in the development of literary and cultural traditions around the story, including how it has been translated and reimagined by many artists .

While deeply enmeshed in Chinese traditions, the story also resonates with readers from diverse cultures. “Journey to the West” creates shared ground by highlighting the quest for a common humanity, epitomized by its best-loved character, the Monkey King – a symbol of the human mind.

One journey, many stories

Scholars usually trace the beginning of this literary tradition to a Buddhist monk, Xuanzang , who set out on an epic pilgrimage to India in 627 C.E. He was determined to consult and bring back Sanskrit copies of Buddhist scriptures, rather than rely on previous Chinese translations. He did so after nearly 17 years and devoted the rest of his life to translating the scriptures.

The journey has inspired a wide variety of representations in literature, art and religion, making a lasting impact on Chinese culture and society. Legends began to emerge during Xuanzang’s lifetime. Over centuries, they gradually evolved into a distinct tradition of storytelling, often focused on how Xuanzang overcame obstacles with the help of supernatural companions.

This culminated in a 16th century Chinese novel, “Journey to the West.” By this point, the hero of the story had already shifted from Xuanzang to one of his disciples: the Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, who serves as Xuanzang’s protector. The Monkey King possesses strong magical powers – transforming himself, cloning himself and even performing somersaults that fly him more than 30,000 miles at once.

Despite this novel’s dominance, the broader tradition around “Journey to the West” encompasses a wide variety of stories in diverse forms. The canonic novel itself grew out of this collective effort, and its authorship is still debated – even as it continues to inspire new adaptations.

The deeper journey

Central to all Journey to the West stories is a theme of pilgrimage, which immediately raises a question regarding the nature of the novel: What is the journey really about?

Centuries-long debates about the journey’s deeper message center on the 16th century novel. Traditional commentators in late imperial China adopted a variety of approaches to the novel and underscored its connections with different religious and philosophical doctrines: Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and syntheses of those teachings.

For example, all these teachings highlight the role of the “xin” – a Chinese word for mind and heart – in self-cultivation. While Confucian readers might see the plot of “Journey to the West” as the quest for a more moral life, Buddhists might decipher it as an inward journey toward enlightenment.

In the early 20th century, Chinese scholar and diplomat Hu Shi criticized traditional allegorical interpretations, which he feared would make the novel seem less approachable for the general public.

His opinion influenced Arthur Waley’s “Monkey ,” an abridged English translation of “Journey to the West” published in 1942, which has contributed to the canonization of the novel abroad . To a considerable extent, “Monkey” turns the pilgrims’ journey into Monkey’s own journey of self-improvement and personal growth.

Recent scholarship has further underlined religious and ritual connotations of the novel from different perspectives, and debates over the issue continue. But few people would deny that one idea plays a crucial role: the Monkey King as a symbol of the mind.

Mind monkey

There has been a long tradition in Chinese culture that associates the image of a simian creature with the human mind. On the one hand, a monkey often symbolizes a restless mind, calling for discipline and cultivation. On the other hand, an active mind also opens up the opportunity to challenge the status quo and even transcend it, progressing to a higher state.

The Monkey King in the novel demonstrates this dual dimension of the mind . He vividly displays adaptability in exploring uncharted territories and adjusting to changing circumstances – and learning to rely on teamwork and self-discipline, not merely his magic powers.

Before being sent on the pilgrimage, the Monkey King’s quest for self-gratification wreaked havoc in heaven and led to his imprisonment by the Buddha. The goddess Guanyin agreed to give him a second chance on the condition that he join the other pilgrims and assist them. His journey is fraught with the tensions between self-discipline and self-reliance, as he learns how to channel his physical and mental powers for good.

The Monkey King’s human qualities, from arrogance to fear, endow him with universal appeal. Readers gradually witness his self-improvement, revealing a common human quest. They may frown upon how the Monkey King is entrapped within his own ego, yet respect his courage in challenging authority and battling adversity. While his mischievous tricks give a good laugh, his loyalty to the monk Xuanzang and his sense of righteousness make a lasting impression.

Reviewing Waley’s “Monkey” in 1943 , Chinese-American writer Helena Kuo commented of the pilgrims: “Humanity would have missed a great deal if they have been exemplary characters.” Indeed, each one depicts humanity’s quest for a better self, particularly the main character. Monkeying around on the path of life, this simian companion captivates readers – and makes them consider their own journey.

This article is republished from The Conversation , a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.

The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters .

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Ji Hao does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

clock This article was published more than  8 years ago

Nearly Nirvana in ‘Journey to the West’

The road to enlightenment is long and filled with teachable incidents. Take “Journey to the West,” the pocket extravaganza from the sorcerers of 14th Street, Constellation Theatre. En route to a higher plane it confronts you with battles and rescues, gods and magic, much of it involving a hotheaded monkey.

This is delightful, until at the 90-minute mark the journey wears thin. The lesson: Too much of even a good thing can make you feel woozy.

The 1995 "Journey" is an early work from Mary Zimmerman, whose " Arabian Nights " and " Metamorphoses " were imaginatively handled inside the cozy Source Theatre by Constellation artistic director Allison Arkell Stockman. Epic design in intimate space is the company brand, and Constellation can be as good at its sharply refined skill as the acclaimed Synetic Theater ­(another largely non-Equity outfit) is at its equally particular movement-based aesthetic.

Nuanced acting is the variable with both troupes. As gorgeous and lively as this "Journey" is, it could use a more supple human touch. Zimmerman's own productions are typically packed with laughs and surprises that come less from the look than from the performers. Playing the gods, beasts and mortals of this sprawling 16th-century Chinese tale, Stockman's likable ensemble has verve, but not always enough variety or vulnerability to keep you fascinated for the long haul.

Still, the show is like diving into the deep end of a colorful storybook pool. Designer A.J. Guban's set features a large oval tilted above the stage that's sturdy enough to walk on or swing from. The walls are rippling panels and bamboo curtain, and tucked in the back, as he often is with Stockman's epics, is composer and sound designer Tom Teasley . His globally knowing live accompaniment helps catapult this tale across borders and even into the clouds.

Or so we believe, as Stockman and her team find vivid ways to suggest, for instance, how a chest­y Monkey King (played by the bouncy and acrobatic Dallas Tolentino) gets buried for his sins under a mountain range. Or how the spiritual pilgrim Tripitaka Tang (a soulful Ashley Ivey) and his sidekicks fall through a sheet of ice and under a river, conjured by floating blue silk and savvy lighting by designer Colin K. Bills. The adventures are adventurous, and the sonic and visual approaches are almost never cliched or stale.

Add Kendra Rai's costumes to the roster of fabulousness that creates characters such as a gluttonous pig (an amusingly blunt Ryan Tumulty), the warrior Sha Monk (a robust Michael Kevin Darnall), plus divine characters and townsfolk — all handled, to be sure, with discipline, energy and a fair amount of flair by Stockman's 13 actors. The masks, too, are first-rate: Constellation is a typically sharp outfit that raked in an armload of nominations for this year's still-to-come Helen Hayes Awards . Yet at the end of the road, can the show's spirit of self-discovery equal the swelling spectacle of its telling? That's a hard riddle to resolve.

Journey to the West, by Mary Zimmerman. Directed by Allison Arkell Stockman. Choreography, Pauline Grossman. With Natalie Cutcher, Megan Dominy, Marquis D. Gibson, David Mavricos, Justine "Icy" Moral, Lilian Oben, Matthew Pauli, Rafael Sebastian and Jacob Yeh. About 2 hours and 40 minutes. Through May 22 at Source Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets $20-$45. Call 202-204-7741 or visit constellationtheatre.org .

In  Chinese mythology , Sun Wukong (孫悟空), also known as the Monkey King, is a trickster god who plays a central role in  Wu Cheng’en’s  adventure novel  Journey to the West .

Wukong is blessed with unmatched superhuman strength and the ability to transform into 72 different animals and objects. Each of his hairs have transformative powers, and he can magically manipulate wind, water and fire as well. Characterized by his short temper, impatience and proclivity towards anger, Sun Wukong is one of the most important and beloved literary figures in Chinese culture.

Sūn Wùkōng’s name is comprised of the characters for “grandson” (孫), “awakened” (悟) and “space”(空). Though the character sūn (孫) usually refers to grandsons, in this context it refers to monkeys. His name literally translates as the “monkey awakened by the emptiness.” Wukong’s name is meant to represent his spiritual journey from an ignorant, short-tempered monkey to a benevolent, enlightened being. In Japan, he is known as Son Goku.

Being a monkey, Sun Wukong has a very distinct appearance that sets him apart from the other gods. Prior to his enlightenment, Wukong is usually depicted as a naked  macaque . After devoting himself to the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang, Wukong is generally shown in full warrior gear with special items such as a golden chainmail shirt, a phoenix feathered cap, cloud-walking boots, and an eight ton staff that can shrink to the size of a needle.

Sun Wukong does not have any blood relatives, as he was born from a magical rock. Prior to joining the Jade Emperor’s court, he lorded over a group of wandering monkeys who took care of him and regarded him as their leader.

The legend of Sun Wukong first appeared in the Song Dynasty-era adventure novel  Journey to the West . The book follows the story of a humble Buddhist monk named Tang Sanzang who travels from his home in Southern China to India in order to bring back holy texts and enlighten his countrymen. After being released from the mountain he was trapped under for 500 years, Wukong serves as the monk's bodyguard throughout his journey.

In ancient times, a magical rock rested on top of  Mount Huagou . One day, a stiff breeze blew upon the rock and caused a fully formed monkey to burst forth from its stone face. Despite having just been born, the young monkey was already able to walk and speak.

When Wukong opened his eyes, golden beams of light shot forth from his pupils, piercing the clouds and startling the  Jade Emperor  (玉皇). When the Jade Emperor looked for the source of the strange light, all he could see was a baby monkey. Thinking that the light could not possibly emanate from such a source, the Jade Emperor dismissed the incident from his mind.

As he began exploring the forest, Sun Wukong discovered other monkeys and decided to live with them. One day the group was relaxing near a waterfall when they decided to play a game: whoever was brave enough to jump through the falls and find the stream’s source would be named the King of Monkeys.

Sun Wukong immediately leapt through the waterfall and traveled up the stream to find its source. His mission was successful, and he quickly returned and declared himself king. With the support of the forest monkeys, Sun Wukong quickly established himself as a powerful forest demon that would go on to battle the  Dragon King  and other sea demons. His exploits earned him a number of powerful weapons, including his signature gold chainmail shirt, phoenix cap, cloud-walking boots, and magical eight ton staff.

When the time came for  Yan Wang  (閻王) and the Kings of Hell to collect Wukong’s soul, Wukong was ready. He tricked Yan Wang into allowing him to return to earth without undergoing reincarnation. Before leaving Hell, Wukong managed to erase his and every other forest monkey’s name from the Book of Life and Death. Troubled that the balance of life was being upset by a mere monkey, Yan Wang appealed to the Jade Emperor for assistance.

Sun Wukong and the Jade Emperor

Upon hearing about the irascible demon of Mount Huaguo, the Jade Emperor felt the best way to subdue Wukong was to let him live in Heaven with the other gods so that he would feel a sense of importance. He issued an invitation to Wukong, who eagerly accepted. After saying goodbye to his friends, the Monkey King set off for the Jade Palace.

Once he got there, however, Sun Wukong discovered he was assigned to the lowest task in all of Heaven: guarding the Jade Emperor’s horses. He quickly realized that because he was a monkey, the other gods would never see him as a peer. In hopes of finding a way to prove himself an equal, the Monkey King became obsessed with the idea of immortality and devoted himself to the pursuit of everlasting life. When the Jade Emperor encouraged him to take up other, more fruitful pursuits, Wukong scorned him:

‘Can this sort of practice lead to immortality?’ asked Wukong. ‘Impossible! Impossible!’ said the Patriarch. ‘I won't learn it then,’ Wukong said.

One day, the Jade Emperor held a party to celebrate his wife,  Xiwangmu  (西王母). Having been unknowingly excluded from the party, Wukong decided to drop by and was laughed out of the hall by the other gods. Hurt by the actions of his peers, Wukong declared himself to be Qítiān Dàshèng (齊天大聖), or the “Great Sage Equal to Heaven". He also made an enormous banner to taunt the Emperor.

The Jade Emperor sent a battalion of soldiers to arrest Wukong for his insolence, but they proved to be no match for him. After defeating the last solder, the Monkey King shouted victoriously, “Remember my name, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong!”

The Monkey King's victory forced the Jade Emperor to acknowledge his power. In recognition of his talent, the Jade Emperor promoted him to guard Xiwangmu’s Peaches of Immortality. This was not enough for the Monkey King, however, who truly believed that he was the Jade Emperor’s equal. Viewing this promotion as yet another insult, Wukong decided that enough was enough. In a final act of defiance, Wukong ate all of the peaches in the garden. The Jade Emperor was furious, and sent two battalions after the Monkey King. Once again, however, Wukong defeated them all.

Out of options, the Jade Emperor told Buddha what had happened and begged him to intervene. Buddha immediately banished Wukong from Heaven and pinned him underneath a mountain so that he could reflect on his actions.

Journey to the West

For 500 years, Wukong lay immobilized beneath the weight of Buddha’s mountain. Eventually, a traveling monk named Tang Sanzang found the Monkey King and offered to release him on the condition that he would repent and become the monk’s disciple.

At first the Monkey King rejected the monk's offer. Sun Wukong would play servant to no one—least of all a human. After Tang started to walk away, however, Wukong quickly changed his mind. He would gladly serve the monk in exchange for his release.

Before Tang freed Wukong, the goddess of mercy  Guanyin  (觀音) gave the monk a magical band that granted him control over the Monkey King. After being freed from the weight of the mountain, Sun Wukong joined Tang’s other demonic traveling companions: Zhū Bājiè (猪八戒) or “Piggy”, and Shā Wùjìng (沙悟浄) or “Sandy.”

Grateful to be released from his imprisonment, Sun Wukong served Tang faithfully during their journey to India and cheerfully battled demons whenever the need arose. Through his noble deeds and dedication to Tang’s teachings, Sun Wukong eventually achieved enlightenment and put an end to his angry, greedy and envious tendencies.

Pop Culture

Though he’s not commonly worshiped by Buddhist and Taoist practitioners, Sun Wukong is an important Chinese cultural figure and has been featured in a number of TV series, movies and plays.

Journey to the West  has been adapted into film a number of times, and was most recently remade  in 2013  by Chinese film director and actor  Stephen Chow . In the anime  Dragon Ball , the character of Son Goku is largely based off the myth of Sun Wukong, hence his superhuman strength and tail. Sun Wukong also serves as the inspiration for the character of the same name in  RWBY .

Sun Wukong is featured as a character in the video games  Sonson ,  Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, League of Legends,  and  Warriors Orochi .

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EU nations agree to start membership negotiations next week with Ukraine and Moldova

FILE - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, speaks during a joint press conference with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The European Union agreed Friday, June 21, 2024, to start membership negotiations with embattled Ukraine and Moldova, another step in the nations’ long journey to move closer to the West and mute Russia’s influence. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

FILE - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, stands next to Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, in Chisinau, Moldova, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. The European Union agreed Friday, June 21, 2024, to start membership negotiations with embattled Ukraine and Moldova, another step in the nations’ long journey to move closer to the West and mute Russia’s influence. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja, File)

FILE - President of Moldova Maia Sandu, right, speaks during a joint press conference with European Council President Charles Michel, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. The European Union agreed Friday, June 21, 2024, to start membership negotiations with embattled Ukraine and Moldova, another step in the nations’ long journey to move closer to the West and mute Russia’s influence. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

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BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union agreed Friday to start membership negotiations with embattled Ukraine and Moldova, another step in the nations’ long journey to move closer to the West and mute Russia’s influence.

Belgium, which currently holds the presidency of the EU, said member states have agreed that talks will start June 25 in Luxembourg.

Ukraine applied to join the the bloc less than a week after Russia invaded in February 2022, and EU leaders acted with uncharacteristic speed in making it a candidate in June of that year. But the process has moved more slowly since them — and membership, if it comes, will take years, or even decades.

Still, the opening of talks sends another strong signal of solidarity with Ukraine on top of the huge financial support provided by the EU.

Leaders from the 27-nation bloc agreed last year that accession negotiations should start with both Ukraine and Moldova. That was a necessary political agreement, and Friday’s move lays the legal basis for the talks

To join the EU, candidate countries must go through a lengthy process to align their laws and standards with those of the bloc and meet a host of economic and political conditions, including a commitment to the rule of law and other democratic principles. Ukraine, for instance, will have to curb entrenched government corruption and adopt other reforms.

Ukraine is one of several countries that have long wanted to join the EU, seeing it as a path to wealth and stability. While the EU is not a military alliance like NATO, membership in the bloc is also seen by some as offering protection against Russian influence.

Moldova has nervously eyed the invasion of its neighbor by Russia. It has repeatedly accused Russia of conducting a “hybrid war” against the country, including alleging Moscow meddled in local elections and is running vast disinformation campaigns to try to topple the government and derail its path to joining the EU.

Russia has denied the accusations, but the Moldovan government remains wary of Moscow’s intentions.

“Today, I signed the decree on initiating Moldova’s EU accession negotiations,” said Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova. “Becoming an EU member is our path to peace, prosperity, and a better life for all citizens.”

'I'm crying': Buddhist monks on 2,000-mile journey to promote peace draw fans as they arrive in WNY

IRVING, N.Y. (WKBW) — A group of Buddhist monks from Thailand are on the final leg of an extraordinary journey.

They have been walking from Florida to the brink of Niagara Falls.

They left from Key West on March 29 and are scheduled to arrive in the Falls on June 29.

On Monday, they left Dunkirk early in the morning and began trekking into Erie County.

They were greeted by members of the Seneca Nation and other fans along Route 20 in Southern Erie County.

Their goal is to promote world peace.

“We want everybody to know peace comes from inside,” Than Sunan told 7 News’ Senior Reporter Maki Becker during a stop at the Native Pride Travel Plaza in Irving.

Dozens of people who have been following the group through their Facebook page met them at the plaza and along Route 20.

"I'm crying. You know, It's crazy because I heard about their journey yesterday,” said Brooke Dimmer of Dunkirk. She was on a motorcycle ride with her dad, Mark Dimmer, and was searching for the monks when they finally came upon them.

Many drivers pulled over for a chance to meet the monks. Some brought cold beverages. Others walked with them.

The monks don’t carry much with them, just their orange robes and well-worn sandals, and rely on strangers along the way for food and shelter.

Sunan says it’s a way to get people to open up their hearts and share peace.

The group was scheduled to arrive in Hamburg on Monday night. They were expected to then travel through Buffalo and spend a few days in Grand Island before the grand finale at 9:30 a.m. June 29.

To follow the group, go to their Facebook page .

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Journey to the West Research

A repository for research on the great 16th-century chinese classic, the monk tripitaka and the golden cicada.

Last updated : 04-09-2024

The historical Buddhist monk Xuanzang (玄奘, 602-664) is famous for traveling to India between 629 and 645 in order to supplement the Chinese Buddhist canon with fresh scriptures ( see here ). As his legend grew, an embellished story cycle began referring to him as the Tang monk Tripitaka ( Tang Sanzang , 唐三藏; lit: “ Three Baskets of the Tang Dynasty “), and he later acquired a supernatural monkey disciple as early as the 11th-century . The cleric eventually gained his own supernatural background, for evidence shows that he was worshiped as an arhat ( luohan , 羅漢), a Buddhist saint, by the Song Dynasty (960-1127 CE) (Liu, 2019). An early-Ming zaju stage production plays on this concept by depicting Tripitaka as the reincarnation of the arhat  Pulujia (毗廬伽尊者). [1] This was further embellished in Journey to the West  ( Xiyouji , 西遊記, 1592), the culmination of his story cycle, where the character is cast as the earthly reincarnation of Master Golden Cicada ( Jinchan zi , 金蟬子), the Buddha’s fictional second disciple.

In this article, I would like to discuss the Golden Cicada, including the story details explaining his background and the origin of his title. I ultimately suggest that the term was chosen because the Bodhisattva’s banishment to earth and eventual return to paradise recalls the metamorphic lifecycle of the real life insect .

I. Internal story details

The monk’s background is first hinted at in chapter eight. Once Guanyin sets out to find the scripture pilgrim, the novel proclaims that:

[A] Buddha son return[s] to keep his primal vow. The Gold Cicada Elder will clasp the candana  (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. I, p. 207). 佛子還來歸本願，金蟬長老裹栴檀。

Chapter twelve contains a poem introducing Tripitaka as the chosen scripture pilgrim and reveals his heavenly origin. The first part reads:

Gold Cicada was his former divine name. As heedless he was of the Buddha’s talk, He had to suffer in this world of dust, To fall in the net by being born a man […] (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 275). 靈通本諱號金蟬，只為無心聽佛講。 轉托塵凡苦受磨，降生世俗遭羅網。 […]

Details about the extent of the former celestial’s punishment is revealed throughout the book. For instance, in chapter 33, a demon explains the source of the heavenly aura [2] around Tripitaka:

That Tang Monk is actually the incarnation of the Elder Gold Cicada, a virtuous man who has practiced austerities for ten existences (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, p. 105). 那唐僧原是金蟬長老臨凡，十世修行的好人 …

Furthermore, in chapter 100 the Buddha tells his former disciple:

Because you failed to listen to my exposition of the law and slighted my great teaching, your true spirit was banished to find another incarnation in the Land of the East. Happily you submitted and, by remaining faithful to our teaching [Buddhism], succeeded in acquiring the true scriptures (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 381). 因為汝不聽說法，輕慢我之大教，故貶汝之真靈，轉生東土。今喜皈依，秉我迦持，又乘吾教，取去真經 …

So we learn that the Golden Cicada was banished to live out ten pious lives in China until the time came for him to gain merit as the scripture pilgrim, thereby gaining reentry into paradise.

II. Origin of the title

Yu (2008) alludes to chapter 99 explaining the source of the name Golden Cicada (p. 110). I can’t find such an overt explanation. But the chapter does mention the monk miraculously surviving drowning after being dumped into a heavenly river, along with his disciples and the hard-won scriptures, by a disgruntled river turtle spirit. [3] The novel exclaims:

Ah! It was fortunate that the Tang Monk had cast off his mortal frame and attained the way. If he were like the person he had been before, he would have sunk straight to the bottom (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 363). 咦！還喜得唐僧脫了胎，成了道；若似前番，已經沉底。

The “cast[ing] off of his body” ( tuotai , 脫胎 ) is reminiscent of the way in which the real life insect sloughs off its shell (fig. 1). If this is what Yu was referring to, I think this is but one part of the puzzle.

Fig. 1 – A newly formed cicada clinging to its shell ( larger version ).

I suggest the author-compiler of Journey to the West chose the imagery of the cicada for the symbolic nature of its life cycle. Munsterberg (1972) describes the insect’s role in ancient Chinese religion: “Cicadas carved in jade are frequently found in graves of the Han period [fig. 2]. Since the cicada hatches above ground, spends a long period underground, and finally emerges as if in rebirth, these burial tokens were probably intended to induce resurrection by sympathetic magic” (p. 32). The Golden Cicada’s life follows this cycle very closely. The celestial being resides above in the Western Paradise, is banished below for an extended period of time, and is only allowed back into the celestial realms after a metamorphosis.

Fig. 2 – A stylized Han-era jade cicada ( larger version ). Photo by the Asian Art Museum .

The lifesaving transformation previously referred to by Guanyin takes place in chapter 98 when Tripitaka and his disciples are ferried across a heavenly river in a bottomless boat on their way to the Western Paradise:

All at once they saw a corpse floating [fig. 3] down upstream, the sight of which filled the elder [Tripitaka] with terror. “Don’t be afraid, Master,” said Pilgrim [Sun Wukong], laughing. “It’s actually you!” “It’s you! It’s you!” said Eight Rules [Zhu Bajie] also. Clapping his hands, Sha Monk also said, “It’s you! It’s you!” Adding his voice to the chorus, the boatman also said, “That’s you! Congratulations! Congratulations!” Then the three disciples repeated this chanting in unison as the boat was punted across the water. In no time at all, they crossed the Divine Cloud-Transcending Ferry all safe and sound. Only then did Tripitaka turn and skip lightly onto the shore. We have here a testimonial poem, which says: Delivered from their mortal flesh and bone, A primal spirit of mutual love has grown. Their work done, they become Buddhas this day, Free of their former six-six senses sway (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, pp. 345-346). [4] 只見上溜頭泱下一個死屍。長老見了大驚。行者笑道：「師父莫怕。那個原來是你。」八戒也道：「是你，是你。」沙僧拍著手，也道：「是你，是你！」那撐船的打著號子，也說：「那是你，可賀，可賀。」他們三人也一齊聲相和。撐著船，不一時，穩穩當當的過了凌雲仙渡。三藏才轉身，輕輕的跳上彼岸。有詩為證。詩曰： 脫卻胎胞骨肉身，相親相愛是元神。 今朝行滿方成佛，洗淨當年六六塵。

Here, we see Tripitaka has shed his mortal form to become a buddha just like the cicada sheds its shell to grow wings and fly. The monk has freed himself from the endless cycle of birth and death to achieve nirvana.

Fig. 3 – A woodblock print detail showing the shedding of Tripitaka’s mortal body ( larger version ). From Mr. Li Zhuowu’s Literary Criticism of Journey to the West (late-16th to early-17th century).

Update : 05-27-2018

The Thirty-Six Stratagems ( Sanshiliu ji , 三十六計 , c. 5th-6th-cent.), a collection of military, political, and civil tactics, contains a plan known as “The Golden Cicada Sheds its Shell” ( Jinchan tuoke , 金蟬脫殼 ), which entails leaving a decoy that distracts the enemy while the losing force is retreating. I’m not sure if this directly influenced the celestial’s title, but it at least shows that the name was known long before Journey to the West was published.

The strategy is actually used by a tiger demon in chapter 20:

Whipping out the iron rod, Pilgrim [Sun Wukong] shouted, “Catch him!” Eight Rules [Zhu Bajie] at once attacked with even greater ferocity, and the monster fled in defeat. “Don’t spare him,” yelled Pilgrim. “We must catch him!” Wielding rod and rake, the two of them gave chase down the mountain. In panic, the monster resorted to the trick of the gold cicada casting its shell (emphasis added): he rolled on the ground and changed back into the form of a tiger. Pilgrim and Eight Rules would not let up. Closing in on the tiger, they intended to dispose of him once and for all. When the monster saw them approaching, he again stripped himself of his own hide and threw the skin over a large piece of rock, while his true form changed into a violent gust of wind heading back the way he had come. ( Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 401 ). 那行者掣了鐵棒，喝聲叫：「拿了！」此時八戒抖擻精神，那怪敗下陣去。行者道：「莫饒他，務要趕上。」他兩個掄起鈀，舉鐵棒，趕下山來。那怪慌了手腳，使個金蟬脫殼計，打個滾，現了原身，依然是一隻猛虎。行者與八戒那裡肯捨，趕著那虎，定要除根。那怪見他趕得至近，卻又摳著胸膛，剝下皮來，苫蓋在那臥虎石上，脫真身，化一陣狂風，徑回路口。

Update : 12-08-2018

I would like to further suggest the name Golden Cicada Elder ( Jinchan zi , 金蟬子) might have been chosen to serve as a pun for “child or student of Chan” ( chanzi , 禪子) (fig. 4). While the historical Xuanzang was the patriarch of the Yogacara school of Chinese Buddhism (Robert & David, 2013, pp. 1015-1016), the novel closely associates him with Chan:

The depiction of the novelistic Xuanzang surely and constantly associates him and his entourage with Chan. Revealing examples can readily be found in both narrative content and such titular couplets as “Tripitaka does not forget his origin; / The Four Sages test the Chan Mind” (chapter 24); “The Child’s tricky transformations confuse the Chan Mind; / Ape, Horse, Spatula, and Wood Mother-all are lost” (chapter 40); “The Chan Lord, taking food, has demonic conception; / Yellow Dame brings water to dissolve perverse pregnancy” (chapter 53); “Rescuing Tuoluo, Chan Nature is secure; / Escaping defilement, the Mind of Dao is pure” (chapter 67); “Mind Monkey envies Wood Mother; / The demon lord plots to devour Chan” (chapter 85); and “Chan, reaching Jade-Flower, convenes an assembly; / Mind Monkey, Wood, and Earth take in disciples” (chapter 88) (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 64-65).

If true, this would mean the cicada-like spiritual transformation was based around a pun.

Fig. 4 – The similarities in form and pronunciation of chanzi ( larger version ). 

This seems like such an obvious connection that I wouldn’t be surprised if someone else beat me to the conclusion by decades or even centuries.

Update : 08-29-2020

Art historian Jin Xu posted a picture of a 6th-century stone bodhisattva statue to his twitter, and I was interested to see a cicada adorning the headdress (fig. 5 & 6). One essay about the statue suggests it was commissioned by an aristocratic layman since cicadas are known to have decorated the caps of high-ranking officials:

Another noteworthy characteristic of this superb sculpture is the cicada-shaped decoration on the front of the crown. To date, there are no other known Chinese Buddhist sculptural examples of this kind. However, cicada images can be found on gold mountain-shaped crown plaques that also are embellished with thin gold wire and granulation; these have been excavated from the tomb of Ping Sufu of the Northern Yan period (A.D. 409-436), and seated Buddha images were molded onto the back face of these crown ornaments. These excavated materials would have been made some one hundred years before the present image and suggest that there were members of the aristocracy who revered Buddhism and hid Buddha images on the backs of their crowns. This suggests the possibility that the Shumei bodhisattva, with a cicada in place of a Buddha image, was created at the request of a member of the aristocracy who revered Buddhism and believed in the philosophy that the Emperor is the living Buddha, which may have dated back to the Northern court (Standing Bodhisattva, n.d.).

The sculpture didn’t influence Tripitaka’s title as the Golden Cicada Elder. But it’s still fascinating to see a real world connection between the insect and a bodhisattva.

Fig. 5 – The Sixth-century Bodhisattva statue with a cicada decorating the crown ( larger version ). From Qingzhou Museum in Shandong province, China. Fig. 6 – A detail of the insect ( larger version ).

Update : 09-13-2020

Deviantart user Taylor-Denna has drawn a beautiful depiction of Tripitaka’s former incarnation as a literal cicada (fig. 6). It is quite unique as I’ve never seen any other artist portray the former Bodhisattva in such a way. The image makes one think of an insect who acquired magic powers through spiritual cultivation and rose through the Buddho-Daoist hierarchy to become the Buddha’s disciple. The idea would make a good prequel story.

Fig. 6 – A cropped detail of the Golden Cicada Elder by Taylor-Denna ( larger version ). Click here for the full version and artist’s statement . Used with permission.

Update : 12-01-21

I’ve archived a book that shows how Tripitaka’s exile from heaven is similar to ancient Greek and Egyptian beliefs.

Archive #28 – Tripitaka’s Reincarnation and its Connection to Ancient Greek and Egyptian Philosophy

Update : 04-03-22

I’ve posted an entry discussing the characterization of Tripitaka as a Confucian in the novel.

Archive #35 – The Tang Monk Tripitaka as a Confucian in Journey to the West

Update : 12-12-22

I recently added a modern jade burial token to my collection of religious items (fig. 7-9). It is very heavy for its size and cold to the touch.

Fig. 7 – Top ( larger version ). Fig. 8 – Front ( larger version ). Fig. 9 – Bottom ( larger version ). 

Update : 01-14-23

In chapter 81, Monkey alludes to his master’s past life, adding to the reason why the Bodhisattva had been exiled to earth:

“You don’t realize that Master was the second disciple of our Buddha Tathagata, and originally he was called Elder Gold Cicada. Because he slighted the Law, he was fated to experience this great ordeal.” “Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules , […] “Why must he endure sickness [for two days] as well?” “You wouldn’t know about this,” replied Pilgrim. “Our old master fell asleep while listening to Buddha expounding the Law. As he slumped to one side, his left foot kicked down one grain of rice. That is why he is fated to suffer three days’ illness after he has arrived at the Region Below.” Horrified, Eight Rules said, “The way old Hog sprays and splatters things all over when he eats, I wonder how many years of illness I’d have to go through!” “Brother,” said Pilgrim, “you have no idea either that the Buddha is not that concerned with you and other creatures. But as people say: Rice stalks planted in noonday sun Take root as perspiration runs. Who knows of this food from the soil Each grain requires most bitter toil? Master still has one more day to go, but he’ll be better by tomorrow” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 82).

This points to the supreme importance of rice in an agrarian society like ancient China.

Artist Countingclowns (a.k.a. Countinglegoclowns ) on Tumblr has drawn a lovely Lego Monkie Kid -inspired image depicting the Golden Cicada, Tripitaka, and Mr. Tang , the monk’s reincarnation (fig. 10).

Fig. 10 – “Break the Cycle” by Countingclowns ( larger version ). The original can be seen here .

Update : 06-03-23

Tripitaka’s past celestial life and punishment appear to be based on information from Xuanzang’s historical life story, A Biography of the Tripitaka Master of the Great Ci’en Monastery of the Great Tang Dynasty ( Datang Da Ci’ensi Sanzang Fashi zhuan , 大唐大慈恩寺三藏法師傳 , 7th-century). After his death, a spirit extolls the monk’s virtues, as well as reveals the karmic result of his afterlife:

The Venerable Xuanzang alone cultivated the deeds of both blessedness and wisdom in nine lives. In every incarnation he was always learned and erudite, intelligent and eloquent, always the first and foremost in the land of Cīna in Jambudvīpa . Such were his blessed virtues also. […] Owing to the power of his good deeds, he has now been reborn in the inner court of Maitreya in the Tuṣita Heaven , where he will hear the Dharma with comprehension and understanding, and he will never again be born in the human world (Huili & Shi, 1995, p. 336). 且如奘師一人，九生已來備修福慧，生生之中多聞博洽，聰慧辯才，於贍部洲支那國常為第一，福德亦然 […] 由善業力，今見生睹史多天慈氏內眾，聞法悟解，更不來人間受生。

Like Tripitaka, Xuanzang has nine prior pious past lives, and like Master Golden Cicada, he comes to live in a paradise where he can listen to a Buddha lecture on the Dharma. The novel simply changes some of the details, like Xuanzang’s final rebirth in paradise being a previous life, and instead of Maitreya, he studies under the historical Buddha.

Update : 06-04-23

Brose (2021) mentions a small temple in Taipei, Taiwan where one of Xuanzang’s avatars, the bodhisattva Nine Lotuses ( Jiulian pusa , 九蓮菩薩) is worshiped. [5] What’s important for this article is that the deity’s mythos, as recounted by a temple master, alludes to the Golden Cicada’s story:

[Xuanzang], she explained, originally lived in a heavenly Buddha realm, but because his cultivation was incomplete, he was sent down to earth to perform the meritorious task of bringing Buddhist sūtras from India to China. Once his work was complete, Xuanzang was able to return to the Buddha realm, but out of compassion for the world, he left a portion of his spirit behind in the form of Nine Lotuses (Brose, 2021, pp. ix-x).

Update : 04-09-24

In chapter 27, the white bone spirit also comments on the monk’s past life and the effects of eating his flesh:

“What luck! What luck!” she said, unable to contain her delight. “For several years my relatives have been talking about a Tang Monk from the Land of the East going to fetch the Great Vehicle. He is actually the incarnation of the Gold Cicada, and he has the original body that has gone through the process of self-cultivation during ten previous existences. If a man eats a piece of his flesh, his age will be immeasurably lengthened. So, this monk has at last arrived today!” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 2, 17).  造化，造化。幾年家人都講東土的唐和尚取大乘，他本是金蟬子化身，十世修行的原體，有人吃他一塊肉，長壽長生。真個今日到了。

1) Dudbridge (1970) translates this as Vairocana (p. 193), which is the name of a major Buddha . 

2) This heavenly aura is also mentioned by Sun Wukong later in chapter 80 (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 66).

3) The turtle had previously helped the pilgrims cross the same river in chapter 34, and in return they agreed to ask the Buddha when the terrapin would be allowed to achieve human form (for all creatures strive for such an attainment). But Tripitaka forgot to ask the Enlightenment One while visiting the Western paradise, so the turtle dumped them into the river upon their return.

4) The six-six senses ( liuliu chen , 六六塵) are “the intensified form of the six gunas , the six impure qualities engendered by the objects and organs of sense: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and idea” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 405 n. 7).

5) Brose (2021), however, explains that this goddess “is usually identified as the divinized form of a Ming Dynasty empress dowager” (p. ix).

Brose, B. (2021).  Xuanzang: China’s Legendary Pilgrim and Translator . Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Huili, & Shi, Y. (1995). A Biography of the Tripitaka Master of the Great Ci’en Monastery of the Great Tang Dynasty (L. Rongxi Trans.). Berkeley, CA: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research.

Liu, S. (2019). Songdai Xuanzang de shenghua: Tuxiang, wenwu he yiji [The Sanctification of Xuanzang in the Song Dynasty: Images, Artifacts and Remains].  Zhonghua wenshi luncong , 133, 161-219.

Munsterberg, H. (1972). The Arts of China . Rutland, Vt: C.E. Tuttle Co.

Standing Bodhisattva. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.miho.or.jp/booth/html/artcon/00001542e.htm

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012).  The Journey to the West  (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

Yu, A. C. (2008). Comparative Journeys: Essays on Literature and Religion East and West . NY: Columbia University Press.

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One thought on “ the monk tripitaka and the golden cicada ”.

Like a snake sheds its skin. Sun Wukong’s “staff first appears in the third chapter when Monkey goes to the UNDERWATER kingdom of Ao Guang” and “17th-century story titled “An Iron Tree at Jingyang Palace” describes how the immortal chained the patriarch of the flood dragons to an iron tree that he had constructed and submerged it into a WELL, thus blocking the serpent’s children from leaving their subterranean aquatic realm.” Like Gilgamesh with the underwater well, root of life and snake 😉

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From Purdue to Missouri State, Chase Martin Follows His Father

Dustin schutte | jun 24, 2024.

• Purdue Boilermakers
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Only 36.9 seconds remained on the clock when Matt Painter sent senior guard Chase Martin into the National Championship Game. Purdue lost to UConn 75-60, coming up one win short of bringing an NCAA trophy home to West Lafayette.

For Chase, it was his last opportunity to step on the court for the Boilermakers. As those final seconds dwindled and the buzzer sounded at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., the senior guard wasn’t thinking about the next chapter of his life.

Thoughts of a successful season, an emotional NCAA Tournament run and a disappointing ending filled Chase’s mind.

“I wasn’t exactly sure what the future held after the championship,” he said. “We were on such an emotional roller coaster. After falling short, I didn’t have it on my mind what I was set on doing.”

Purdue played UConn in the National Championship Game on April 8. Just 12 days earlier, Chase’s father, former Boilermaker player and assistant coach Cuonzo Martin, was named the coach at Missouri State.

It was the place where Cuonzo got his start as a head coach back in 2008 — and a place where Chase developed a love and passion for basketball.  

In the weeks between Purdue’s season ending and the start of summer practices at Missouri State, Chase felt a strong desire to continue his college career. He decided to use his extra year of eligibility — and he was going to play for his father.

Chase’s journey to Purdue

Chase’s decision to attend Purdue wasn’t quite as simple as some might believe. It would be easy to assume it was based on following in his father’s footsteps.

After all, Cuonzo was a standout player at Purdue. He was a two-time Big Ten champion (1994 and 1995), a member of the 1994 squad that reached the Elite Eight, and a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 1995.

But Chase had options as a student-athlete. He was the valedictorian at Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia, Mo,. and wanted to pursue a degree in engineering. 

When it came to choosing a school, an emphasis was placed on institutions with strong academic rigor. That’s what Cuonzo and his wife, Roberta, wanted for their son.

“During that period, my parents were pushing more towards a place where I could get a good education,” Chase said. “They really pushed me to look at universities that had a high academic value.”

Chase was interested in attending an Ivy League school. There were also thoughts of heading to the West Coast, Cal and Stanford, in particular.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, a lot of uncertainty surrounded Ivy League athletics for the 2020-21 academic year. As much as Chase and his family emphasized education, he didn’t want to surrender the opportunity to play basketball his freshman season.

“Ivy League schools didn’t have a season my first year,” Chase said. “So, when I had an offer from Coach Painter to join the team, I took that opportunity knowing they had a great basketball program for a really long time.”

Twenty-five years after Cuonzo wore the black-and-gold uniform, Chase would become another member of the Martin family to wear “Purdue” across his chest – and attend a university known for its College of Engineering. 

Although Cuonzo had plenty of knowledge about life at Purdue as a player (1991-95) and assistant coach (2000-08), he wanted his son to have his own experiences in West Lafayette.

“I didn’t give him insight on what it’s like to play at Purdue,” Cuonzo said. “He had to navigate it on his own. My wife and I were there to assist.”

With that help from his parents, Chase navigated Purdue. He was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, maintained a 3.5 grade point average throughout his college career, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in May 2024. 

Like his father, Chase was also a member of teams that won back-to-back regular season Big Ten championships (2023, 2024). The on-court success was great, but it was ultimately the work he did in the classroom that impressed his father most.

“The man has only had two Bs in his life,” Cuonzo said. “He was in an elite educational program, elite basketball program. That’s demanding. That’s high level.”

Chase admits that his father might be embellishing a little bit — as any proud dad would about his son’s accomplishments. But the younger Martin takes a lot of pride in the work he put in as a student.

“He may have lied to you there, I may have had a few more (Bs),” Chase said with a laugh. “But I still kept above a 3.5 for my entire college career. I’m pretty proud of that.”

The Martin family is part of Purdue history

After 44 long years, dreams finally became a reality for Purdue. On March 29, sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer launched the ball into the air at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., as the Boilermakers defeated Tennessee 72-66 in the Elite Eight. 

It marked the first time since 1980 that Purdue reached the Final Four. 

“I was happy for them. Me as a former player, I was happier they made it to the Final Four than the championship, because I know how difficult it is to get to that point,” Cuonzo said. “To achieve that — it was special.”

Cuonzo was a member of a 1994 Purdue team that was special in its own right. That team was headlined by National Player of the Year Glenn Robinson. The Boilermakers reached the Elite Eight but fell one win shy of reaching college basketball’s pinnacle event, falling 69-60 to Duke.

Thirty years later, Cuonzo watched his son make history.

“My son was able to do something I wasn’t able to do,” he said. “That’s special. I think that’s something we’re going to be able to laugh and smile about 20 or 30 years down the road.”

Chase admits that, at times, things were difficult at Purdue — especially during his freshman year. And, with the availability of the transfer portal, there were times when he debated whether he should scope out greener pastures.

Ultimately, though, he knew West Lafayette was the best option to pursue his goals. More importantly, he wanted to push through those trying times and help Purdue become a better program.

“I didn’t want to quit on Purdue. I was part of so much success, I made great friends, I got a great education,” Chase said. “Just because I may have had an opportunity somewhere else, it doesn’t mean it was the best choice for me. I have no regrets.” 

Chase’s perseverance through difficult moments paid off. He was part of the first Purdue team to reach the Final Four since 1980 and the first to play in the National Championship Game since 1969.

He cherishes every part of that experience. 

“It’s great to be part of that kind of success,” he said. “Since I got there, we took the program to another level. Getting to a National Championship Game, it was great being part of that kind of history. 

“You reset the standard of what it means to be successful within the program.”

One last season … with ‘Pops’

When the time came for Chase to make a decision regarding his future, he had plenty of options. As he was putting on the cap and gown to celebrate his time at Purdue, there were a few suitors interested in what the new mechanical engineering graduate could offer.

“I had gotten a couple job offers and had met with a couple companies — Lockheed Martin, Oracle,” Chase said. “They were impressed with how well I did academically while playing basketball. I did consider that route.”

As enticing as it was for a new graduate to jump at a job offer, Chase didn’t believe it was the right time to end his athletic career. He still had that itch to return to the court.

So, with that last year of eligibility sitting on the table, Chase decided to play for his father.

“I didn’t feel like I was ready to give up basketball just yet. I had it in my heart that I wanted to play that last year,” he said. “Then it came down to talking to my dad and other coaches and feeling like I had an opportunity, so it felt like the best fit for me to go to Missouri State.”

This will be Cuonzo’s first experience coaching his son. It’s a thrilling opportunity that comes with a learning curve.

“I was excited,” Cuonzo said of Chase’s decision to go to Missouri State. “The man has a degree in mechanical engineering, and he came here to hang around his pops. So I’m overwhelmed.

“It’s all new because coaching your son is different. I don’t have any experience in that. When he was younger (and playing sports), I wanted to be on the sideline. It’s one thing at a time, one day at a time. There’s really no blueprint.”

The father-son dynamic is obviously a very beneficial piece for Cuonzo and Chase, who will get to share an entire season together. But there’s also a lot of value in what the younger Martin brings to the Bears basketball program.

Chase’s time spent within the winning culture at Purdue is an important asset to Missouri State.

“Winning is contagious,” Cuonzo said. “Being responsible, being accountable. What it means to sacrifice for the betterment of the team. Setting new standards. Raising your expectations. He’s been part of all of that.”

“I’ve seen what winning is on a very high level. You want to recreate that and take it to a new height,” Chase said. “After making it to a championship game, you just want to get there again. You want to win a conference championship and conference tournament and make the NCAA Tournament. You want that hype, that success, that enjoyment. Bring people back to supporting MSU basketball.”

As much as they keep their language professional when it comes to basketball, Chase couldn’t help but reveal another reason why he wanted to spend that final year of eligibility at Missouri State — a more sentimental aspect of playing for his father.

“I want to win for him,” he said. “I want to help his first year back at Missouri State get off with a bang. 

“Really get his return to coaching started off right.”

DUSTIN SCHUTTE