Tumgik
#longevity peach
vegehana-food · 6 months
Photo
Tumblr media
✿ 桃饅頭 | Longevity Peach ・寿桃包(ショウタオパオ)。小麦粉の皮で餡を包み、桃の形にして蒸した中国の饅頭。中の餡は小豆やハスの実を使用したものが一般的です。古くから中国では、桃は不老長寿の象徴として親しまれてきた歴史があり、桃饅頭は健康や長寿を願って誕生日などのお祝いの際に食されることが多いそうです。
2 notes · View notes
persephone-enamored · 2 years
Text
youtube
By ©️ sophiE D. S. wright - alias MâOphélie
https://swansongsandpaintedreveries.carbonmade.com/blog/7102310142896504845
Read the story behind the story on my blog or on my YouTube channel
44 notes · View notes
cicadas · 5 months
Text
Tumblr media
1 note · View note
nomohmoss · 7 months
Text
Tumblr media
to lose my life or to lose my love that's the nightmare i've been running from
172 notes · View notes
peaches2217 · 4 months
Text
It’s 2AM and I am researching flower symbolism because I wanna assign flowers to Mario characters. Why? Because hehe pretty
12 notes · View notes
chippedtoons · 4 months
Text
one time my teacher yelled at me for crossing the street because apparently i wasn't doing so safely enough and he said "youre much too young to die now!!" listen fucker. ben and jerry's discontinued peach cobbler ice cream a few years back, so honestly i dont have a lot to live for.
6 notes · View notes
pluishaar · 19 days
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
0 notes
shadow-book-wren · 4 months
Text
Herbs and Flowers Magic Properties(tbc)
Rosemary - memory, anxiety, sleep, cleansing, purifying, learning, healing, love, lust, protection, wisdom, mental power
Turmeric - healing, strength, vitality, purification, abundance, joy, prosperity
allspice - healing, energy, love, luck
pepper - courage, protection
sage - health, immortality, longevity, protection against negativity, protection, purification, wisdom, wishes, anxiety
bay - divination, good fortune, healing, anxiety, money, prosperity, peace, protection, happiness, purification, love, tranquility
oregano - peace, love
parsley - protection, power, strength, lust, purification, prosperity
garlic - protection against evil eye
cinnamon - aphrodisiac, passion, love, luck, prosperity, success, spiritual vibrations, energy, purification, healing, protection
cayenne - healing, removing blockages, protection, strength, motivation, courage
clover - fidelity, protection, love, money, success, animal protection, luck
pine - health, healing
nutmeg - money, prosperity, good luck, protection, psychic abilities, happiness, love, health
cloves - healing, love, friendship, cleansing, protection, abundance
thyme - health, courage, eliminates nightmares, attracts loyalty, affection, psychic abilities
ginger - energy, speeding things up, love, prosperity, success, power, healing
mint - avoid jealousy, dreams, protecting, prosperity, joy, fertility, purification, love, success, lust, travel, money, luck
chamomile - love, healing, stress-relief, calming, sleep
lavender - purification, concentration, love, healing, sleep, dreams
jasmine - divination, innovation, attraction, dreams, love, beauty
mugwort - psychic powers, protection, lust, fertility, prophetic dreams, divination, relaxing, tranquility, banishing, consecration
peach blossoms - luck, prosperity, romance, love, passion, affection, harmony, peace, health, longevity
peony - protection from hexes, luck, prosperity, business success, attracts fairies
rose - divine love, self-love, friendship, healing, domestic happiness, lasting relationships, closeness with nature, divination, tranquility, harmony, psychic ability, spirituality, protection, luck
lemon grass - openness, communication, clear mind, love, luck, libido, psychic abilities, calming
chrysanthemum - longevity, mental clarity, optimism, protection, solving mysteries, soothing grief
pink Himalayan salt - purification, grounding, abundance, prosperity, self-love, cleaning, growth, protection, peace, calming
palo santo - cleansing, positivity, good fortune, creativity, love
sweet orange - optimism, charisma, confidence, restoring aura, attracting love, fertility, abundance
bergamot - protection, purification, calming
ylang ylang - sexual attraction, persuasiveness, peace, love, anxiety and depression relief, fairy magic
geranium - prosperity, happiness, healthy pregnancy and fertility
eucalyptus - purifying, cleansing, good health, protection, negativity
sandalwood - calming, anxiety, purification, protection, healing
anise - peace, tranquility, awakening of psychic awareness, luck, spiritual connection, psychic and magic power
jojoba - healing, protection, purification, grounding, meditation, love
frankincense - cleansing, energy, uplifting, inner peace, balance
peppermint - mental clarity, prophetic visions, success, prosperity,
cedarwood - love, growth, longevity, psychic powers, healing, money
tea tree - cleansing, protection, uplifting, energy, memory, love
vanilla - sex, calming, good luck, love, empowerment, happiness, growth
catnip - beauty, happiness, attraction, love, friendship
3K notes · View notes
miffysrambles · 5 months
Note
can you do reader feeds sun wukong peach deserts she baked for him? it can be like a peach cobbler pie or something else like longevity peach bun
ahhh this is so cute(^ω^) !!!
Wukong with an S/O who bakes him peach desserts
Tumblr media
Wukong LOVES your baking, like goodness it’s some of the best food he’s ever had and that’s saying a lot!
Your longevity peach buns are his favorites, he’ll ask you to make him some quite often.
“Heyyy peaches? About those peach buns… you got any more?”
You laugh softly as you handed him a bamboo bun steamer filled to the brim with his favorite flavored buns. 
He also loves it when you feed it to him, like the cheeky monkey he is.
The end of his tail wags profusely as you lead the peach bun to his face, opening his mouth and holding his cheeks while he chews, the blush on his cheeks apparent.
“Mmmmm sho ghood…” 
You laugh softly as he praises your food while talking with his mouth full, flicking crumbs off his cheek.
He gives you a fake glare as he gently pushes your hand away, 
“Hey! No flicking off the crumbs, I want those too.”
He licked the remaining crumbs of the buns off his fingers while smiling as he makes you laugh.
Sometimes, he’ll even split one of the buns with you as he rips it in half.
“A peach for my peach! Here ya go sunshine, now savor it because I don’t share my food with others often.”
You smile as you kiss his cheek and eat your half of the bun, feeling his tail snake around your waist as he pulls you closer to him.
His arm wraps around your shoulders as you two eat your peach bun, talking about whatever is happening in your lives and things about each other. 
469 notes · View notes
chinesehanfu · 27 days
Text
[Hanfu · 漢服]Chinese immortal Hanfu <西王母/Queen Mother of the West> Based On Yuan Dynasty Taoist Temple Mural<永乐宫/Yongle Palace>
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
【Historical Artifacts Reference 】:
▶ China Yuan Dynasty Taoist Temple 永乐宫/Yongle Palace Mural
Tumblr media Tumblr media
<西王母/Queen Mother of the West>
The Queen Mother of the West, known by various local names, is a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology, also worshipped in neighbouring Asian countries, and attested from ancient times.
The first mentions of the Queen Mother date back to the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang dynasty (1766 – 1122 BCE). One inscription reads:
Crack-making on day IX (9th day), we divined. If we make offering to the eastern mother and the western mother, there will be approval.
Western Mother refers to an archaic divinity residing in the west. The exact nature of the Mother divinities in the Shang dynasty is unclear, but they were seen as powerful forces deserving of ritual by the people of the Shang dynasty. Originally, from the earliest known depictions of her in accounts like the Classic of Mountains and Seas during the Zhou dynasty, she was a ferocious goddess of death with the teeth of a tiger, who rules over wild beasts and sends down heavenly punishments such as pestilences. She was also mentioned as an authority ruling over other divinities such as Jiutian Xuannü, a goddess of war and sex. Other stories hold that she is a mountain goddess or a divine tigress. She is also popularly thought to have blessed the Eight Immortals with their supernatural abilities.
After her integration into the Taoist pantheon, she gradually took on associations with other aspects, such as immortality, as well.
The Queen Mother of the West is most often depicted holding court within her palace on the mythological Mount Kunlun, usually supposed to be in western China (a modern Mount Kunlun is named after this). Her palace is believed to be a perfect and complete paradise, where it was used as a meeting place for the deities and a cosmic pillar where communications between deities and humans were possible.At her palace she was surrounded by a female retinue of prominent goddesses and spiritual attendants. One of her symbols is the Big Dipper.
Although not definite there are many beliefs that her garden had a special orchard of longevity peaches which would ripen once every three thousand years,others believe though that her court on Mount Kunlun was nearby to the orchard of the Peaches of Immortality. No matter where the peaches were located, the Queen Mother of the West is widely known for serving peaches to her guests, which would then make them immortal. She normally wears a distinctive headdress with the Peaches of Immortality suspended from it.
Flourishing parasols, we reach the chronograms' extremity; Riding on the mist, I wander to Lofty Whirlwind Peak. The Lady of the Supreme Primordial descends through jade interior doors; The Queen Mother opens her Blue-gem Palace. Celestial people—What a Crowd! A lofty meeting inside the Cyan Audience Hall. Arrayed Attendants perform Cloud Songs; Realized intonations fill the Grand Empty Space. Every thousand years, her purple crabapple ripens; Every four kalpas, her numinous melon produces abundantly. This music differs from that at the feast in the wilderness— So convivial, and certainly infinite.— Wu Yun (Complete Tang Poems 1967, line 4942)
One of the earliest written references to the Queen Mother comes from the writings of the Taoist writer Zhuangzi (c. 4th century BCE):
The Queen Mother of the West obtained it [the Dao]... ...and took up her seat at Shao kuang. No one knows her beginning; no one knows her end.
Zhuangzi describes the Queen Mother as one of the highest of the deities, meaning she had gained immortality and celestial powers. Zhuangzi also states that Xiwangmu is seated upon a spiritual western mountain range, suggesting she is connected to not only the heavens, but also to the west.
Legendary encounters
In Tu Kuang-ting's text, he includes narrative accounts of the Queen Mother's encounters with legendary Chinese heroes. One such account narrates an encounter between the Queen Mother and Laozi (Lord Lao):
"In the 25th year of King Chao of the Chou dynasty (1028 BCE) …" "…Lord Lao and the realized person Yin Hsi went traveling…" "…on their behalf, the Queen Mother of the West explicated the Scripture of Constant Purity and Quiet."
In this account, the Queen Mother plays the role of Laozi's superior and is credited with the ultimate authorship of the Dao De Jing. This dichotomy of the Queen Mother as the superior is a characteristic of Shangqing Taoism, a goddess worshiping sect of Taoism of which Tu Kuang-ting was a master. There is also an account of a meeting between the Queen Mother and Laozi in Tang poetry.[18] This account however, being of traditional Taoist thought, has the Queen Mother taking an inferior role to Laozi, calling him "Primordial Lord" (the title of his highest manifestation) and pays homage to the sage.
Tumblr media
<China Han Dynasty stone-relief showing 西王母/Queen Mother of the West from Sichuan,China>
Tumblr media Tumblr media
<China Wei and Jin Dynasties Mural showing 西王母/Queen Mother of the West>
————————
📸Photography post-production :@小何力
👗Hanfu & 👑Crown:@雁鸿Aimee
💄 Makeup:百丽 (临溪摄影)
👭Model:@清音音音音
🔗 Weibo:https://weibo.com/1648616372/O2R5bpBud
————————
228 notes · View notes
spirit-amplified · 3 months
Text
The Magickal Properties of Carrier/Base Oils
In ancient times, our ancestors revered the power of oils, utilizing them in sacred ceremonies, rituals, and magickal workings that spanned centuries. Today, we have the privilege of carrying on this tradition by creating our own blends using the same flora & fauna that have been cherished for millennia. The practice of crafting sacred oils connects us to our roots, offering a meaningful way to honor the past while enriching our present-day experiences.
Carrier/base oils play a crucial role in the world of magick and holistic practices. These oils, derived from plants, seeds, and animal fats, are believed to possess unique energetic properties that can enhance the potency of essential oils and other magickal ingredients we add to them. Whether used in aromatherapy, massage, ritual work, or spell work the choice of carrier oil is significant, as each oil is associated with specific magickal attributes, such as grounding, protection, or amplification of intention. Understanding the magickal properties of carrier oils can empower practitioners to create custom blends that resonate with their intentions and desired outcomes, adding an extra layer of enchantment to their craft.
Tumblr media
Magickal Properties of Carrier/Base Oils:
These plant and seed-based oils come from my own grimoire based on my own traditions and practice.
Almond: Prosperity, Money, Wisdom
Apricot: Happiness, Contentment, Love
Argan: Healing
Avocado: Love, Lust, Sex Magick
Borage: Higher Mind, Truth, Clarity, Legal Matters
Canola/Rapeseed: Neutral Base
Castor: Protection, Absorbs Negativity
Coconut: Purification, Cleansing, Protection
Corn: Abundance, Luck, Divination
Evening Primrose: Psychic, Glamour, Clarity
Flaxseed Oil: Beauty, Protection
Grapeseed: Fertility, Money, Strengthening Mental Abilities
Hempseed: Meditation, Psychic, Healing
Jojoba: Healing
Meadowfoam Seed: Protection
Neem: Fortifies, Protection
Olive: Healing, Fertility, Protection
Peach Kernel: Fertility, Love, Fae Magick
Peanut: Grounding
Pomegranate Seed: Divination, Love
Pumpkin Seed: Health
Rosehip: Self-Love, Beauty, Glamour
Safflower: Sex, Baneful
Sesame: Hope, Faith, Positivity
Shea Butter: Calming, Longevity, Patience, Healing, Soothing, Beauty
Sunflower: Happiness, Health, Wisdom, Sun Magick
Vegetable: Neutral
274 notes · View notes
themirroredmoon · 1 year
Text
Wine in Witchcraft - Meanings and Associations
Wine is generally associated with Happiness, Success, Love, Relationships, and Offerings. However, specific types can be broken down further and have more associations.
RED WINE (In General) Element: Earth Season: Winter Associations: Love, Warmth, Contemplation, Happiness, Success, Money, Passion, Health, Lust
[Cabernet Sauvignon] Tastes Like: Full-bodied, dark fruit flavors of blackcurrant (cassis), black cherry, blackberry with notes of green bell pepper, spice, tobacco, wood, and vanilla Element: Earth Associations: Grounding, Protection, Banishing, Strength, Energy, Lust, Fertility, Ancestors, Written Magic (Sigils)
[Merlot] Tastes Like: Soft/round, dark fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, and raspberry layered with herbal notes and undertones of vanilla and mocha Element: Water, Fire Associations: Unity, Love, Passion, Self-Care, Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Sexuality, Sea Witchcraft, Water Magic
[Pinot Noir] Tastes Like: Delicate and fresh, complex flavors that include cherry, raspberry, mushroom and forest floor, plus vanilla and baking spice when aged in French oak Element: Earth, Air Associations:  Prosperity, Protection, Wealth, Success, Beauty, Passion, Glamours
[Shiraz] Tastes Like: Hearty, spicy, black pepper, black currant, clove, blackberry, plum, leather, tar Element: Fire, Earth Associations: Wealth, Banishing, Divination, Tech Witchcraft, Comfort, Mystery, Secrets, Endings
[Zinfandel] Tastes Like: Rich, zesty, raspberry, raisin, black cherry, blackberry, pepper Element: Earth Associations: Growth, Wealth, Plant Magic, Vigor, Stamina, Happiness, Love, Healing, Versatility 
WHITE WINE (In General) Element: Air Season: Summer Associations: Joy, Happiness, Love, Relationships, Friendships, Endings, Success, Energy, Purification
[Chardonnay] Tastes Like: Wider-bodied, light, velvety, apricot, mango, green apple, citrus, melon, vanilla Element: Water Associations: Peace, Emotions, Safety, Success, Happiness, Balance, Polarity, Purification, Mental Power/Abilities
[Moscato] Tastes Like: Sweet, acidic, fruity, grapefruit, musk, citrus, apricot, rose, caramel Element: Air Associations: Love, Mystery, Lust, Relationships, Fertility, Purity, Cleansing, Healing, Love Magic
[Pinot Grigio] Tastes Like: Crisp, dry, fruity, peach, pear, acidic Element: Air Associations: Rebirth, Endings, New Beginnings, Happiness, Reality, Creativity, Longevity, Divination (especially open-ended, like tarot)
[Riesling] Tastes Like: Steely, crisp, fresh, slightly sweet, pear, apple, peach, petrol, honey Element: Fire, Water Associations:  Energy, Movement, Growth, Rebirth, Love, Friendship, Attraction, Activity/Movement (dance, preparation, cleansing, etc)
[Sauvignon Blanc] Tastes Like: Herbal, grass, bell pepper, green apple, lime, gooseberry, jalapeno, melon, mango, black currant, passionfruit, peach Element: Air, Earth Associations: Love, Peace, Friendship, Companionship, Arts, Healing, Happiness, Joy, Spirit Work
ROSÉ WINE (In General) Element: Air Season: Spring Associations: Beginnings, Happiness, Excitement, friendship, New Romance, Love, passion, Playfulness, Relaxation, Luck
SPARKLING WINE Element: Fire Season: Summer Associations: Success, Completion, Celebration, Wealth, Opportunity, Setting Things in Motion, prosperity, space Witchcraft, Weather Magic, Adding a “Spark”
2K notes · View notes
thelandboundseawitch · 6 months
Text
🍎Fruit Correspondences🍎
Tumblr media
Apples:
Red Apples- Love, prosperity, lust, knowledge, sex, romance and passion, fruit of the dead, immortality, happiness, good physical health, curses
Green Apples- Money, prosperity, luck, success
Yellow Apples- Curses for money loss, greed, envy
Apricot- Love, longevity, good health, healing(physically and emotionally), sweetening things, glamour, beauty Banana- Travel, sex, fertility, potency, prosperity, comfort, pain relief, sleep, dreams; infidelity curses, impotence Blackberry- Healing, love, protection, natural beauty, lust, cursing, binding Blueberry- Healing, protection, calm, focus, communication Cantaloupe- Protection, energy, motivation Cherry- Dreams, love, divination, beauty, substitute for blood/meat/organs, happiness, emotional healing, friendship, repel negativity, relationships Coconut- Chastity, innocence, protection, purification, beauty Cranberry- Romance, cleansing, severing negative ties, ambition Date- Love, psychic abilities, friendships and repairing them, quick energy Elderberry- Protection (psychic and emotional attacks), protection from psychic vampirism, fidelity, spirit work, wisdom, cleansing, dexterity, balance (usually of body and mind), celebrations; can be used as a substitute for blood despite not being red, good for ink making Fig- Abundance, divination, energy, fertility, good luck, health, love, money, peace, power, strength
Grapes:
Green- Money and prosperity, business, grounding, creativity
Purple- Psychic abilities, divination, spirit work
Red- Strength, lust, fertility, encouragement
Grapefruit- Cleansing, confidence, cooperation, healing, inner strength, mental clarity, purification, curses
Honeydew Melon- Sweetness, refresh, renewal, energy, subtly, kindness, relationship Kiwi- Secrets, looking for answers, happiness, sex and physical longings, good luck Lemon- Love, purification, beauty, friendship, longevity, inspiration, cursing Lime- Command and dictation, emotional healing, protection, energizing, purification, protects from negativity, curses(envy, jealousy, money troubles, bond severing) Mango- Love, protection, harvest, business and legal matters, happiness, friendship and family Nectarine- Love Orange- Awareness, prosperity, love, friendship, divination, creativity, inspiration, dream work, opportunity, harvest, money luck Papaya- Love, protection, brings happiness, kindness, strength in hardship, overcoming challenges Peach- Happiness, love, protection, exorcism, wishes, femininity, female fertility, knowledge, motivation, bliss Pear- Love, lust, wealth Persimmon- Happiness, healing, luck, lust, sex, wisdom Pineapple- Relieves stress and anxiety, imagination, relieves art block, luck, prosperity, happiness Plum- Luxury, sex, lust, love, wealth, and sleep Pomegranate- Beauty, protection, lust, the forbidden, death, wisdom, blood substitute and organ substitute Raspberry- Fun, love, courage, blood substitute Strawberry- Love, curses(losing love, cheating or lost of sexual drive) Tangerine- Protection of a home or space, happiness, friendship and cheerfulness Watermelon- Purity, luck, happiness, renewal, rebirth
248 notes · View notes
cicadas · 5 months
Text
Tumblr media
1 note · View note
trippibrujx · 7 months
Text
Plants of Santa Muerte
A
Agave: Self confidence, Love-Magic.
Aloe Vera: Protection(especially for children & pregnant women), self love, inner beauty.
Apple: Knowledge, wisdom, necromancy, healing psychosomatic ailments.
Apricot: Love-Magick (especially for gender-variant people). Wisdom spells (especially focused on one's own self or your masculine side if you're a woman, or feminine side if you're a man.
Avocado: Love and lust spells(attracting men), erotic beauty, increase male virility.
B
Beans: Friendship-Magick.
Belladonna: Lust(enhancing one's seductiveness), protection(cord-cutter), connect to other dimensions and realms of consciousness.
Berry: Raspberries are used in female fertility spells (Raspberries are used to create). Black berries are used in protection and healing psychological trauma (Blackberries are used to destroy).
Burdock: Protection(keeping harm and danger away), attraction (people, places, things).
C
Cactus: Protection(guard against those who wish to do harm), Chastity spells (ward off unwanted sexual advances/aggression).
Cherry: Love-Magick (lust to love).
Chili Peppers: Chastity spells, Protection(cooling/calming).
Chocolate: Luxury, prosperity, erotic love. Dark chocolate is preferred.
Chrysanthemum: Necromancy, communing with the dead.
Cilantro: Self-acceptance, self-love, stopping/preventing bullying(giving victim courage to stop being victimized), Maintain grace during stress.
Cinnamon: Money-Magick(expand prosperity), Lust-Magick(add sensuality to relationship).
Coca Leaves: Offering to spirits, tool of divination, aid to energize mind during meditation.
Coffee Beans: Break addictions, Breaking self illusions.
D
Dandelion: Self-confidence to be stand out of the crowd, Detoxify negative thinking.
H
Honeysuckle: Expedite spell speed.
Hyacinth: Gay male love-magick(help with coming out of the closet or accepting one's own homosexuality).
J
Jasmine: Dream work(prophetic dreams). magnifies emotions in spell work like love or lust.
L
Lemon: Cleansing, Healing-Magick.
Licorice: Hexes , harmful magick, combat addictions, promote longevity.
Lily: Break love spells, ease transitional pain of loss(friends, breakups, divorce, death).
Lime: Cleansing spiritual ailments, love magick(zest/strengthen relationships).
M
Marijuana: Protection(from law and harm), Money-Magick.
N
Nettle: Protection-Magick(to get a handle on what is causing harm). In Healing-Magick(get a hold on ailments(arthritis)).
O
Orange: Cleansing the mind of harmful thoughts and emotions, and countering sorrow and depression in it's physical association.
P
Palo Santo: Healing-Magick(unknown ailment), Protection-Magick(block all harm spiritual/physical/emotional).
Pau d'Arco: Healing-Magick(critical condition), Undo/abort magick spells that gone wrong.
Peach: Gay male love magick.
Peppermint: Memorization (students/lawyers), quell arguments, spats among friends/lovers/coworkers.
Plum: Healing magick(over-come blockages).
Pomegranate: Healing-Magick(blood and feminine ailments), Increase fertility, prosperity, empowers women.
R
Rose: Red(Erotic Love), Pink(romantic love), White(pure platonic love between friends/family/self-love), Yellow(love of life).
T
Tobacco: Communing with the Divine, empowers men.
V
Vanilla: Lust-Magick(foreplay, oral, fetishes).
W
Wine: Divination, development of psychic abilities.
Y
Yerba Mate: Protection-Magick(standing ground), mental clarity, self-confidence.
289 notes · View notes
Note
I've heard the idea that Monkey is 7 times immortal thrown around a couple times, but my count has only ever gone up to 4 (the peaches, the pills, the wine, and his daoist studies). How immortal IS Monkey?
I count at least six levels of immortality.
1) Daoist Longevity Arts - Ch. 2
I discuss the exact methods here.
Tumblr media
A photomanipulation by me.
2) Erasing Allotted Lifespan - Ch. 3
[After Monkey is summoned to hell in his sleep and thereafter threatens to beat the Judges of Hell for their mistake] The Ten Kings immediately had the judge in charge of the records bring out his [Sun's] books for examination. The judge, who did not dare tarry, hastened into a side room and brought out five or six books of documents and the ledgers on the tens species of living beings ... He [Monkey] had, therefore, a separate ledger, which Wukong examined himself.  Under the heading "Soul 1350" he found the name Sun Wukong recorded, with the description: "Heaven-born Stone Monkey. Age: three hundred and forty-two years. A good end." Wukong said, "I really don't remember my age. All I want is to erase my name. Bring me a brush." The judge hurriedly fetched the brush and soaked it in heavy ink. Wukong took the ledger on monkeys and crossed out all the names he could find in it. Throwing down the ledger, he said, "That ends the account! That ends the account! Now I'm truly not your subject" (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 140-141).
Tumblr media
A print from the Japanese children book Son Goku (1939).
3) Immortal Peaches - Ch. 5
[After being appointed the guardian of the Queen Mother of the West's immortal peach groves] The Great Sage ... asked the local spirit, "How many trees are there?" "There are three thousand six hundred," said the local spirit. "In the front are one thousand two hundred trees with little flowers and small fruits. These ripen once every three thousand years, and after one taste of them a man will become an immortal enlightened in the Way, with healthy limbs and a lightweight body. In the middle are one thousand two hundred trees of layered flowers and sweet fruits. They ripen once every six thousand years. If a man eats them, he will ascend to Heaven with the mist and never grow old. At the back are one thousand two hundred trees with fruits of purple veins and pale yellow pits. These ripen once every nine thousand years and, if eaten, will make a man's age equal to that of Heaven and Earth, the sun and the moon..." One day he [Monkey] saw that more than half of the peaches on the branches of the older trees had ripened, and he wanted very much to eat one and sample its novel taste. Closely followed, however, by the local spirit of the garden, the stewards, and the divine attendants of the Equal to Heaven Residence, he found it inconvenient to do so. He therefore devised a plan on the spur of the moment and said to them, "Why don't you all wait for me outside and let me rest a while in this arbor?" The various immortals withdrew accordingly. That Monkey King then took off his cap and robe and climbed up into a big tree. He selected the large peaches that were thoroughly ripened and, plucking many of them, ate to his heart's content right on the branches. Only after he had his fill did he jump down from the tree. Pinning back his cap and donning his robe, he called for his train of followers to return to the residence. After two or three days, he used the same device to steal peaches to gratify himself once again One day the Lady Queen Mother decided to open wide her treasure chamber and to give a banquet for the Grand Festival of Immortal Peaches, which was to be held in the Palace of the Jasper Pool. She ordered the various Immortal Maidens ... to go with their flower baskets to the Garden of Immortal Peaches and pick the fruits for the festival ... [After meeting with the Great Sage's ministers] The local spirit went into the garden with them; they found their way to the arbor but saw no one. Only the cap and the robe were left in the arbor, but there was no person to be seen. The Great Sage, you see, had played for a while and eaten a number of peaches. He had then changed himself into a figure only two inches high and, perching on the branch of a large tree, had fallen asleep under the cover of thick leaves (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 161-162).
Tumblr media
A new years print found online.
4) Immortal Wine - Ch. 5
Our Great Sage could not make an end of staring at the scene [the heavenly feast set for the Immortal Peach Banquet] when he suddenly felt the overpowering aroma of wine ... standing beside the jars and leaning on the barrels, he abandoned himself to drinking. After feasting for a long, he became thoroughly drunk... [...] [After returning to Flower Fruit Mountain and meeting with his children, he says] "When I was enjoying myself this morning at the Jasper Pool, I saw many jars and jugs in the corridor full of the juices of jade [yuye qiongjiang, 玉液瓊漿; lit: "Jade liquid and jade syrup"], which you have never savored. Let me go back [to heaven] and steal a few bottles to bring down here. Just drink half a cup, and each of you will live longer without growing old" ... He took two large bottles, one under each arm, and carried two more in his hands. Reversing the direction of his cloud, he returned to the monkeys in the cave. They held their own Festival of Immortal Wine [Xianjiu hui, 仙酒會], with each one drinking a few cups" (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 165 and 167).
Tumblr media
A screenshot from the 1986 Journey to the West TV show.
5) Immortal Elixir - Ch. 5
[After Sun Wukong drunkenly stumbles into Laozi's laboratory in the Tushita Heaven] He found no one but saw fire burning in an oven beside the hearth, and around the oven were five gourds in which finished elixir was stored. "This thing is the greatest treasure of immortals," said the Great Sage happily. "Since old Monkey has understood the Way and comprehended the mystery of the Internal's identity with the External, I have also wanted to produce some golden elixir on my own to benefit people. While I have been too busy at other times even to think about going home to enjoy myself, good fortune has met me at the door today and presented me with this! As long as Laozi is not around, I'll take a few tablets and try the taste of something new." He poured out the contents of all the gourds and ate them like fried beans (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 166).
Tumblr media
A detail from the 1835 Japanese translation of Journey to the West.
6) Ginseng Tree Fruit - Ch. 24
In the mountain there was a Daoist Abbey called the Five Villages Abbey [Wu zhuang guan, 五莊觀]; it was the abode of an immortal whose Daoist style [name] was Master Shenyuan [Shenyuan zi, 鎮元子] and whose nickname was Lord, Equal to Earth [Shi tong jun, 世同君]. There was, moreover, a strange treasure grown in this temple, a spiritual root that was formed just after chaos had been parted and the nebula had been established prior to the division of Heave and Earth. Throughout the four great continents of the world, it could be found in only the Five Villages Abbey in the West Aparagodaniya Continent. This treasure was called grass of the reverted cinnabar [cao huan dan, 草還丹], or the ginseng fruit [renshen guo, 人參果]. It took three thousand years for the plant to bloom, another three thousand years to bear fruit, and still another three thousand years before they ripened. All in all, it would be nearly ten thousand years before they could be eaten, and even after such a long time, there would be only thirty such fruits. The shape of the fruit was exactly that of a newborn infant not yet three days old, complete with the four limbs and the five senses. If a man had the good fortune of even smelling the fruit, he would live for three hundred and sixty years; if he ate one he would reach his forty-seven thousandth year. [After Wukong learns the complicated method of harvesting the fruit] Parting the leaves and branches, he knocked three of the fruits into the sack ... The three of them [Monkey and his brothers] took the fruits and began to enjoy them (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 453 and 462-463).
Tumblr media
Monkey holding ginseng tree fruit. Image found online.
This previous article talks about the history of this magical fruit.
An important note
Sun Wukong is not really immortal, just long-lived and hard to kill. Immortality in Ming to Qing-era popular literature means that you can live for a long time but still die if injured badly enough. Think of it like an infinitely long candle being blown out instead of having a chance to burn for centuries or eons. For example, Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen yanyi, 封神演義, c. 1620), a sort of prequel to Journey to the West, is full of immortals killed in battle with heavenly weapons. Some even have their immortality sapped away before dying in one of many celestial traps. The biggest of these traps is the "Ten Thousand Immortal Array" (Wanxian zhen, 萬仙陣), so named because it can apparently kill myriad transcendents.
I commonly suggest that Monkey's levels of immortality just make him more durable than your average celestial.
Source:
Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.
151 notes · View notes