Black Myth: Wukong is an eagerly awaited video game worldwide. It intricately weaves elements from the timeless Chinese epic Journey to the West. The game revitalizes this iconic tale of the adventures of the Monkey King in a visually stunning virtual realm. The game blends mythology and modern gaming aesthetics, which also opens a fresh canvas for tattoo enthusiasts. From dynamic character portraits to symbolic motifs of strength and enlightenment, tattoos inspired by both the novel and the game celebrate bravery and spiritual growth.
So, if you are seeking meaningful and visually striking body art, Black Myth: Wukong tattoo ideas can be an excellent choice. But first, let’s examine each tattoo’s meaning and symbolism.
Source: https://www.heishenhua.com/
Journey To The West – An Iconic Novel Black Myth: Wukong Is Based On
Journey to the West is a timeless Chinese epic that continues to captivate hearts worldwide through its heroic tales and profound symbolism. This literary masterpiece, attributed to Wu Cheng’en, has inspired a myriad of artistic expressions, including tattoos.
This masterpiece stands tall as a Chinese odyssey and one of the four greatest classical novels in Chinese literature. Besides its origins, there are various interpretations through movies, films, and books.
Although this epic story has numerous adaptations through novels and TV shows, there are more. Gamers will have a chance to re-live Wu Kong’s adventures through the eagerly awaited game – Black Myth: Wukong. Meanwhile, some of the in-game characters can serve as notable tattoo inspirations.
Stills from the TV series Journey to the West. Credit to@★ αѕυɴα | Pinterest
Tattoos Inspired By Black Myth: Wukong (Journey To The West)
The game’s iconic characters, like Sun Wukong, the irrepressible Monkey King, and his companions Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, symbolize courage, wisdom, and perseverance qualities. These resonate deeply with tattoo enthusiasts seeking meaningful designs.
Tattoos inspired by Black Myth: Wukong can feature intricate details and vibrant colors, encapsulating the adventurous spirit and cultural richness of the narrative. From elaborate full-back murals depicting epic battles to minimalist designs symbolizing spiritual journeys, these tattoos serve as personal narratives, blending folklore with individual stories.
Artwork from Black Myth: Wukong. Source: dragonsarmory.blogspot.com
Whether you desire protection, luck, or simply admiration for the classic tale “Journey to the West,” Black Myth: Wukong tattoos can be a timeless wellspring for you. So, let’s discuss the characters and symbols in a body art form of tattoos.
The Monkey King or Sun Wukong
The Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, is a monumental character in Journey to the West and the game. He protects Tang Sanzang and helps him navigate the dangerous road. This makes him the central and playable character in Black Myth: Wukong.
Sun Wukong is a monkey born from a well-nourished stone egg when the Earth was still very young. He acquired magic powers and the secrets of Heaven and Earth through Taoist practices. His powers allowed him to travel through clouds, identify disguised demons, and transform into 72 different forms and shapes.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A749tVRILMI
Because of his rebellion against Heaven and his attempt to seize the role of Jade Emperor, he is imprisoned under a mountain by the Buddha to learn patience and humility. But after five hundred years, he got a chance for redemption. His mission was to accompany a pilgrim, Tang Sanzang, on a journey to obtain Buddhist sutras. While protecting the monk, the Wukong seeks enlightenment in exchange for his freedom.
In Chinese culture, Sun Wukong represents the spirit of rebellion, freedom, and unyielding determination. As the one who stood out among his peers, he is a symbol of uniqueness and excellence. Wukong changes his form often, showing adaptability and versatility. His quest for knowledge symbolizes the wisdom we obtain from our experiences. His rebellious nature and playful but principled character reflect our complex natures, and his courage is a reflection of our courage to face the obstacles in our lives head-on.
Sun Wukong tattoo. Credit to @TATTOOGOTO | Pinterest
Sun Wukong Tattoo Meaning
A Sun Wukong tattoo could help you express your individuality, determination, adaptability, or wisdom gained through hardships. It can also symbolize transformation, self-improvement, patience, and humility. He starts as a mischievous character seeking power, but imprisonment, trials, and tribulations make him a Buddha of Victory.
Wukong symbolizes overcoming negative emotions or actions that would otherwise keep people trapped in the imaginary world. A tattoo of Wukong’s likeness can help you express yourself, and the design itself is unique in the tattoo world.
Credit to @Jordan Van | Pinterest
Sun Wukong’s Golden Headband
In all the adaptations, including the game, Sun Wukong wears a golden circlet with a design similar to a stylized lotus crown. The golden headband is one of the most recognizable iconographic elements appearing in visual media. But it also has a deeper meaning that makes it a fantastic tattoo idea.
The golden headband was given to Tang Sanzangon in order to control the rebellious Sun Wukong’s actions. Initially, they designed the golden circlet to prevent his unruly nature and defiant spirit. The monk could chant a tightening spell to control the Wukong and prevent him from using his powers or rebelling. So, this is a physical manifestation of his punishment for challenging the celestial order. It also serves as a symbol of restraint and submission to authority.
Source: https://www.heishenhua.com/
Symbolically, Sun Wukong’s golden headband represents the consequences of arrogance and the necessity of humility. Despite its role as a restraint, the golden headband also becomes a catalyst for Sun Wukong’s spiritual growth. It helped him on a path of redemption and, ultimately, enlightenment through his journey with Tang Sanzang.
The golden circlet embodies themes of discipline, redemption, and the transformative power of adversity. At the end of the novel, Wukong asks Tang Sanzang to remove the headband. However, the circlet vanishes as proof that he learned to control his rebellious spirit and overcame negative emotions.
Credit to @Nick Gurh | Pinterest
Sun Wukong’s Staff – Ruyi Jingu Bang
Besides the golden circlet, many recognize Sun Wukong because of its weapon – a magical staff. The staff is called Ruyi Jingu Bang, and he is the only one in the world strong enough to carry this weapon due to its enormous weight.
Wukong found the staff in the underwater kingdom of Ao Guang. The staff used to be a useless iron pillar sitting in a treasury, sometimes used to measure the depth. However, the Dragon King of the East Sea allowed Wukong to wield the staff.
Once the Wukong reached the staff, it shrank on his demand, and he saw the inscription “The Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod. Weight: thirteen thousand five hundred catties.” Inscriptions denote that the staff follows the commands of its owner, shrinking or growing as he sees fit.
Sun Wukong took out the Ruyi Jingu Bang from his ear. Source: https://www.heishenhua.com/
The immense weight of the staff symbolizes the burden of responsibility and destiny that Sun Wukong carries as a hero and a protector. Despite its weight, Sun Wukong wields the staff effortlessly, reflecting his indomitable spirit and determination.
Sun Wukong’s command over the Ruyi Jingu Bang signifies his authority and mastery over his destiny and fate. As a rebellious character who defies the gods, Sun Wukong uses the staff to assert his independence and superiority. The staff’s ability to change size and shape mirrors Sun Wukong’s transformation abilities.
The Six-eared Macaque
The Six-Eared Macaque is one of the most popular Journey to the West villains. He impersonates Wukong perfectly, so many anoint him as fake Wukong. Developers included the fake Wukong in the game. They used the fight between two monkeys from a novel as inspiration for a boss fight.
The novel represents a Macaque as powerful as Wukong and near-omniscient thanks to his six ears. However, his nature is evil, and the Six-Eared Macaque characterizes Wukong’s dark side. He is a reflection of what Wukong could become if he didn’t follow the path of redemption. Fiend intended to entirely replace Wukong in his journey but only to seize the final rewards of the journey. However, they fight, and Wukong kills him.
The sole tattoo of the Six-eared Macaque has the more negative meaning of a mischievous villain trying to seize power. However, the battle of the two Wukongs can have a more profound meaning. The scrabble symbolizes the fight between the good and bad sides of one person. Wukong’s victory means that he has purged himself from his evil, so on your skin, it can be a symbol that you defeated your dark side.
Source: https://journeytothewestresearch.com/2020/11/04/origin-of-the-six-eared-macaque-and-the-characters-influence-on-black-myth-wukong/
Tang Sanzang, Tripiṭaka, or Tang Seng
Tang Sanzang, Tripiṭaka, or Tang Seng, is also one of the main characters in Journey to the West. He is a Buddhist monk who is a reincarnation of Golden Cicada, a disciple of the Buddha.
Emperor Taizong sends him on a mission to India to bring a set of Buddhist scriptures back to China to spread Buddhism in his native land. Three disciples follow the Tang Seng, a powerful supernatural being – Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing. While he is on his journey of pilgrimage, his disciples seek enlightenment and redemption for their past sins.
Throughout the Journey, the demons attack him whenever they get a chance because of a myth. A legend says that one can achieve immortality by consuming his flesh because he is a reincarnation of a holy being. In the end, he becomes a Buddha of Sandalwood Merit, which means he manages to expel all his spiritual impurities.
In the story, Tang Sanzang is considered a symbolic representation of the human heart. As a tattoo inspiration, he can serve as a symbol of spiritual purity and a person dedicated to his journey toward enlightenment. He remained faithful to his goal even if the hardest path and danger lurked behind every corner. Although he was naive throughout the trip, his final path brought him the power to distill purity by burning away harmful spiritual impurities.
Credit to @Michał Dunicz | Pinterest
Sha Wujing
Sha Wujing is one of the three disciples who followed Tang Sanzang on his Journey to the West. His path and history are quite similar to Wukong’s. He used to be a general in Heaven, but he fell from grace, was exiled to Earth, left to suffer. As a punishment, he became a humanoid man-eating demon that resided in the Liusha River.
At one point, he met the Bodhisattva Guanyin, who brought him wisdom and opportunity to make up for his past crimes. The goddess of mercy gave him the name Sha Wujing and told him to wait for Tang Sanzang. The first time they met, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie attacked him, thinking he was a demon. But soon enough, Bodhisattva Guanyin explained everything, and he joined Tang Sanzang’s Journey to the West.
As Sanzang’s disciple, he is actually kind-hearted, loyal, and likely the most polite of the three. He is also the most realistic and always tries to protect innocent people at all costs.
As a tattoo idea, Sha Wujing, in particular, embodies humility, perseverance, and loyalty. Throughout the journey, he faced numerous trials and tests, and these challenges served as catalysts for his personal growth. The obstacles allowed him to confront his inner demons and transcend his past mistakes. He fell and got up again, sending a powerful message to people that we should never give up.
Credit to @Keith Brooks | Pinterest
Zhu Bajie or Pigsy
Zhu Bajie, or Pigsy, is the third disciple, known for its laziness, gluttony, and lust for women. He was cast out of Heaven because he got drunk and tried to seduce the goddess of the Moon. They punished him due to his carnal desires, and he was reborn as a man-eating pig monster.
After the battle with Sun Wukong, Guanyin suggests that Pigsy join them on their pilgrimage. Like Sha Wujing, he became a friend and ally on Tang Sazang’s journey to the West. Although a glutton and easily distracted by food, he was a very loyal soldier who stuck close to Sun Wukong, his leader.
Baji, in his name, refers to eight restraints or eight commandments to remind him of his Buddhist diet. Although not as pure as the other members, in the end, he achieves enlightenment. Pigsy becomes, essentially, a royal janitor to the Gods in Heaven.
As a tattoo representation, Pigsy expresses someone who can venture deeper into mental states and stray away from carnal desires. His personality illustrates strength, perseverance, and willingness to engage. Through the journey, Pigsy managed to transform from uselessly following his desires to displaying his strengths in service of God.
Credit to @Allen Allen | Pinterest
The Jinchi Elder
The Jinchi Elder is a villain from the Black Myth: Wukong and the original story. He is the abbot of the Guayin Monastery, where Wukong Tang Sazang spent a night.
Despite being a Buddhist monk, he lives very luxuriously. The monk symbolizes the pitfalls of greed and deception. His character embodies the corrupting influence of material desires and the lengths individuals may go to fulfill them.
Known for preying on travelers, after meeting Sanzang and Wukong, he wanted to take Sazang’s cassock to add it to his extensive collection. The elder was ready to kill for it but ended up mistakenly burning down the monastery. After failing to get the cassock, he killed himself; a man died because of his greed.
After his death, the monastery returned to its usual way of life, as people saw the falsehood of the Elder’s ways. The death of the Jinchi Elder can be a tattoo idea. It can show people what greed can do to a man and why it is considered a deadly sin.
The Black Wind Demon (Heifeng Guai, Huodaolang)
The Black Wind Demon, also known as the Black Bear Demon or Heifeng Guai, is a demon bear interested in Buddhism. The demon lives in a cave on Black Wind Mountain near the Guanyin Monastery. His true form is a black bear.
Unlike other demons, he reads the sutras and even visits the Guayin Monastery. As the Jinchi Elder attacked the Wukong and his companion and burned down the monastery, the Black Wind Demon tried to help the monks. But then saw the cassock and let people fend for themselves. In this case, the dark side prevailed.
Wukong defeated him with the help of Guanyin, the goddess of mercy and compassion. She placed a circlet, similar to the one Wukong had, on Demon’s head and made him her mountain’s guardian. Besides looking cool, the tattoo of Black Wind Demon can be a symbol that you can face your inner demons and serve the greater cause. Even if you have a demonic past or nature, you can still have a greater role to those merciful.
Other Characters Shown In Black Myth: Wukong
At this point, we are getting more and more information about all the characters in Black Myth: Wukong. However, the data is still relatively limited, but that doesn’t mean it can’t inspire a tattoo.
The first chapter included the characters featured in The Journey to the West and the Black Myth game, which had a deeper meaning and symbolism. However, some characters linked to this game just look amazing and can serve as tattoo inspiration.
Here is a list of known characters in the game.
A-M Character List
- Black Loong: In the Journey to the West novels, Black Loong is the second son of the Loong King, who lives in the Jidu River. This is one out of four rivers that flow into the sea. In Chinese culture, these rivers represent the world along with other vital mountains and oceans.
- Blood Moon General: This is a boss fight that we can see in the videos and trailers. However, there are no comments on Blood Moon General in the original story.
- Centipede Guai: Data shows this is also a boss encounter, but there is no such monster in the original novel. Many consider it an original creation.
- Chiran Loong: Chiran Loong is the brother of Black Loong. According to the novel, he is in charge of guarding the Yangtze River, one of the four most important rivers in ancient Chinese culture.
- Kang Jinlong: He is one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations or Lunar Lodges that appears in Journey to the West, chapter 65. The Kang Jin Long dragon rescues the protagonist trapped in the Golden Cymbals, but we see him as the boss fight in the game. There are statues of Kang Jinlong with human, animal, and element motives in the game, as well as in the Fucheng Jade Emperor Temple in Shanxi.
- Lancai: He is one of the several enemies in the game, but he has no background linked to the novel.
- Lingzhijing: An enemy designed based on the Lingzhi mushroom, which many traditional Asian medicines use.
- Moxiang: Another enemy with no relatable background.
N-Z Character list
- Poisonous King: This is a branch boss in the Ziyun Mountain, but it is not related to the traditional novel.
- Renshenjing: This enemy is a Gai, or spirit of Ginseng, another plant used in traditional Asian medicine.
- Shixiangshou: One of the enemies with no additional information at the moment.
- Shiyaojia: Another enemy with no relatable background but cool concept art.
- Stone Vanguard: A boss fight with no detailed information.
- Tiger Vanguard: He is a minion of the Yellow Wind Demon. He comes to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie in a whirlwind, but he is defeated and revealed as a tiger.
- Tudigong: A guardian deity of Soil and the Ground in Chinese folk religion.
- Wolf Demon: He is a friend of the Black Wind Demon. They live in the same area, but Wukong kills him. The Wukong uses his disguise to beat the Black Wind Demon after he steals the cassock and calls for a meeting in his cave.
- Xiaoguai: An enemy with no additional information or relation to the novel.
- Xiaoleiyin Buddha: No notable link or information about this character is available.
Final Thoughts
As noted, the details about the Black Myth: Wukong are pretty limited. Meanwhile, the original novel of The Journey to the West features thousands of interesting characters. Most characters can serve as tattoo inspirations, but we have yet to wait for more details from the video game.
One of them is one of the main characters, White Dragon Horse, but there are also many antagonists, such as the Bull Demon King, the Yellow Wind Demon, the Yellow Robe Demon, and more. These can all serve as inspiration, but they still need to be shown in the official and gameplay trailers.
Otherwise, we also provide other tattoo ideas for your reference.
