The King of the Black Chicken Kingdom: The True King Whose Soul Remained Grievous for Three Years in Journey to the West

In Wu Cheng'en's classic masterpiece Journey to the West, the story of the Black Chicken Kingdom (Chapters 37 to 39) is a highly dramatic episode on the pilgrimage. The true King of the Black Chicken Kingdom did not die of natural causes; he was killed by a monster three years ago. His soul remained grievous, and he was eventually resurrected with the help of Sun Wukong. This plot is not only an adventure of subduing demons but also contains profound karmic metaphors.

Core Knowledge Points

1. Truth of the Murder: Three years ago, the King of the Black Chicken Kingdom saved a distressed monk in the imperial garden. The monk was actually the White Deer Spirit, the mount of Manjusri Bodhisattva. To repay the kindness, the White Deer Spirit pushed the king into the river in the imperial garden to drown him, captured his soul, and transformed into the king's likeness to usurp the throne.
2. Grievous Soul's Dreams: The true king's soul, unable to settle the grievance, appeared in Tang Seng's dreams every night to recount his suffering. Tang Seng, out of compassion, decided to help the king seek justice. This was a rare task of "prioritizing saving people" during the pilgrimage.
3. Monster's Identity: The monster impersonating the king was the White Deer Spirit, the mount of Manjusri Bodhisattva. It possessed the magic to capture souls and steal bodies. It ruled the Black Chicken Kingdom for three years, causing chaos in the court and suffering for the common people.
4. Resurrection Process: After Sun Wukong identified the monster, he captured it. To save the true king, Wukong went to the Heavenly Court to beg Taishang Laojun for the "Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Pill". With the assistance of the City God and Earth God, the king's soul returned to his body, successfully resurrecting and reclaiming his throne.

Connection to the Book's Content

The story of the Black Chicken Kingdom holds significant importance in Journey to the West, primarily reflected in the following aspects:

* Plot Structure: Located in the middle of the pilgrimage (Chapters 37-39), it is one of the few chapters involving a "resurrection" plot. It breaks the routine where monsters are usually eliminated, showcasing the complexity of the deity system (a Bodhisattva's mount descending to earth).
* Thematic Metaphor: The story explores the dialectical relationship between "repaying kindness" and "ingratitude". The king saved someone out of goodness but met with death; the monster's way of repaying kindness was extreme and instead created sin. This warns people that good deeds need caution, and the cycle of karma is subtle.
* Character Development: It shows Tang Seng's compassion (willing to rush around for a stranger) and Sun Wukong's great power (traveling up to heaven and down to earth to seek medicine). At the same time, Manjusri Bodhisattva finally subduing the White Deer reflects the common pattern of "divine mounts descending to earth to undergo tribulations".
* Religious Color: The resurrection ritual involves folk belief systems such as the City God and Earth God, reflecting the fusion of religious culture in the Ming Dynasty. Sun Wukong condemning the fake king at the funeral also reflects his character of hating evil as an enemy. This story is also a firming of Tang Seng's faith in the pilgrimage, proving that Buddhism not only saves people but also delivers spirits.

In summary, the story of the King of the Black Chicken Kingdom is not only an adventure of subduing demons but also a profound depiction of human nature, karma, and divine power. It is a rare classic case in Journey to the West and is of great significance for understanding the original work's religious views and values.