This is a digi stamp just released called "Islander". I made a video demo / tutorial on colouring the lineart with copic markers. Printed with Epson inkjet onto ordinary cartridge paper (like cardstock). The background is made with coloured pencils and then I added a sky digitally. If you are using her for cards, just ignore the background.

Part 1: Face, Dress, Accessories


Part 2: Hair, finishing & background

Hope you find the video useful. I am not a pro with markers and tend to avoid high contrast shadows, also I don't have that many colours lol. You can view it on youtube if the resolution here is too small. Sorry about the lighting and exposure. It was getting dark.


The lineart is available here:https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/265479600/

It is Chinese New Year tomorrow, 8th Feb. So let's get the greetings out of the way:
祝新年快乐，步步高升，国泰民安，万事如意! Alrighty.

2016 is the Year of the Monkey, and boy is it a monkey-fest. The monkey mascot - particularly Monkey King Sun Wukong - is everywhere, even on my juice box. Check out the various wall decor - chibi, cartoon, Alakazaam (anybody? lol) but mostly the golden monkey style. Everyone is calling it the Fire Monkey year this time (last was in 1956) so Sun Wukong fits the bill. The ones above are giant-sized with hologram edges and layered. This is definitely the cutest design available around my area. Monkey looks like a kitty cat!





Talking about Sun Wukong, there is definitely a renewed interest in 'Journey to the West', because there is not one, not two, but THREE! Journey to the West movies in the works. I mean, we get a new re-imagined Monkey King movie every so often nowadays but it is clash of the titans right now lol. I was like... what really? Have the chinese run out of material to shoot? Well it's mainly about the $$$ but sheesh.

One is called Journey to the West 2, which is the sequel to a parody-style Journey to the West movie made by Stephen Chow in 2013. It was ok as a standalone movie if you have never heard of the story or don't mind blasphemy lol. Not to my liking since it was as close to the source material as me looking like say... Angelina Jolie. The movie is scheduled to be released in 2017.

The other is "The Monkey King 2", starring Aaron Kwok as Sun Wukong and Gong Li as the White Bone Spirit. This is the sequel to The Monkey King movie from 2014, where Donnie Yen was the monkey, and Aaron Kwok was the Bull Demon King.... playing musical chairs here. Why did Donnie Yen not reprise the role? He was the action director then as well. I reckon because of Ip Man 3? Or something called Star Wars: Rogue One??

The Monkey King 2 will be released on New Year's Day 8 Feb. Unfortunately the first film was average script-wise, though it boasted many big stars and spectacular special effects... This new one has Sammo Hung as the action director but Aaron Kwok doesn't do martial arts. I'll probably just watch one of Sammo's old movies.

Next...
The third one, which is highly anticipated, is a China-Hollywood collaboration that will be released this year and includes the original cast from the 1980s TV version, yes Liu Xiao Ling Tong & friends yay!

It will be in 3-D. I have a feeling it may emphasize more on special fx than story development, but will try not to compare it to the TV drama. No premature judging here. Anything with Liu Xiao Ling Tong & friends in it is fine by me, since this is likely one of the last, if not THE last chance to see them reunite on screen. Don't care that they have aged now. And looks like Liu Xiao Ling Tong is the director so that will be interesting, since he is always lecturing about how other adaptations shouldn't mangle the source material. He should be the most likely candidate to respect the novel, in essence at least. And come on it's Liu Xiao Ling Tong, the friggin Mei Hou Wang.

Yeah and I'll be expecting to see him in the CCTV New Year Special, we've waited 12 years thank you very much. If he is not invited, then that is a mega fail, unless he is appearing elsewhere. My 1986 Journey to the West review has the 2004 new year segment video at the bottom if you want to check it out. I recall that year it was a last minute inclusion as well, I mean why would you NOT invite the most famous monkey king to perform in the monkey year?

*Thanks Robin for the Liu Xiao Ling Tong's Pepsi ad* He also has another movie, based on the Zhang family's monkey opera legacy, out this year. Heard he is playing his great-grandfather, grandfather and father's roles. Reminds me of that drama Houwa 猴娃, an autobiographical account about his dying brother.

Anyhow, I went to Chinatown with my mom on Thursday to get some new clothes for her and check out the lights. The theme was monkeys amongst peach trees, inspired by the Monkey King's Mountain of Fruit and Flowers. This is the back of the main display when they were setting it up earlier on.

Pavilion overhead bridge, they left this part alone.


You can watch the streets from the bridge. The dangling lanterns show the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.







Heading towards Temple Street which we didn't bother to, since we had already got shopping done. The street was okay crowded for new year's standards and it was only Thursday.

The store lights at the one of the BBQ meat slices store. We plan to get ours near home, the waiting line for the most popular shop was having their yearly snaking queue around the corner.

So I didn't get new clothes, but did manage to snag a super cute old-school Japanese ice shaving machine at the 2nd hand store! Not quite new year material but it was soooo cute even as a display. An old uncle was intrigued by it when the cashier opened the box for inspection, but no it's mine now lol. Will show it off when I have time.

Here is part II synopsis as promised, continuing my 1986 Journey to the West review since a year ago and it is the monkey year no less. Very long post as it is 25 episodes. This is a synopsis of the drama, NOT the novel.


Episode 1. 《猴王初问世》
Hou Wang Chu Wen Shi (Birth of the Monkey King)
The first episode is a strong start to the series and sets a quick pace and tone. I believe it is also the shortest of the episodes. It starts with the birth of a stone monkey from a magical rock, on the island of Hua Guo Shan花果山 (Mountain of Fruit & Flowers). He mingles with other monkeys and is brave enough to cross a waterfall to find its source. He discovers a cave named Shuilian Dong水帘洞 (Water Curtain Cave) and the monkeys move into this safe sanctuary. They crown him king, or as he prefers to be called, Mei Hou Wang美猴王 (Beautiful Monkey King).
One day an elderly monkey dies and the monkey king is dismayed to learn he cannot live forever as well. The monkeys ask him to seek a teacher than can teach him immortality. The monkey king sails across the treacherous seas and reaches the mainland. There, he is ridiculed by the local townspeople. Early on the show establishes that he is vegetarian, possessing thieving skills and is sort of a vainpot. His Achilles heel is probably his love for headgear.
He is directed by a local woodcutter to the lodge of Master Puti 菩提祖师, owner of Xie Yue San Xing Dong 斜月三星洞, a Taoist monastery. Master Puti accepts the monkey as a disciple and names him Sun Wukong 孙悟空. After seven years, Wukong has learnt martial arts, and Puti teaches him two magic skills: Jindouyun筋斗云 (Somersault Cloud) that allows him to fly 108,000 li within a single somersault, and 72-transformations. One day, Wukong is told to leave after showing off his skills to his fellow mates.
I got real excited when I saw this scene as a child. The question is, why did Puti kick him out? Why is Wukong not to see him again? Who is Master Puti actually?



Episode 2.《官封弼马温》
Guan Feng Bimawen (Delegated as Horse Caretaker)
Wukong flies back to his kingdom but finds that his cave is usurped by the monster Hun Shi Mo Wang混世魔王, Wukong fights him off and regains control. He meets the Bull Demon King Niu Mo Wang牛魔王 and they become sworn brothers.
Wanting a weapon worthy of himself, he barges into the East Sea Dragon King's and demands a weapon. There, he manages to shrink the Ding Hai Shen Zhen Tie定海神珍铁 (Sea Stabilising Pillar) to something he can wield and wins the bet, but we can understand why the Dragon king felt robbed. The needle is also known as the Ruyi Jinggu Bang如意金箍棒 (Compliant Golden Banded Cudgel), and weighs 13,500 jin (about 8.1 tons) and able to adjust its size according to the will of its master. Wukong also forces the three other dragon kings to present him a suit of armour.

Wukong life ends at about age 350 and he is escorted to hell. Displeased, he terrorises the underworld and crosses out his name and his monkeys' names from the Life & Death Records, thus gaining immortality for all of them. King of Hades and the Dragon King lodges a complaint with the Jade Emperor. However, the Jade Emperor agrees to subject Wukong under bureaucracy instead, as to better control him, thanks to the suggestion of Taibai Jinxing太白金星 (Venus or 'Great White Golden Star') aka the politically-correct diplomat.
Wukong is granted the post of Bimawen弼马温, and in charge of the celestial horses. However he does not realise the post is derogatory, as it is a homophone to a folk remedy that prevents horses from falling ill using monkey's pee mixed into horse feed. Anyhow the scenes are hilarious. Wukong later squabbles with Marshal Tianpeng天蓬元帅(Sky Canopy Marshal) for letting the horses go beyond the river. Tianpeng is commander-in-chief of an 80,000 strong marine army but loses to Wukong nevertheless.

Wukong later argues with Wuqu Xingjun武曲星君 (Battle Song Constellation General) and learns he is regarded as nothing more than a stable boy. He quits in rage and flies back home. He declares himself a new name: Qitian Dasheng齐天大圣 (Great Sage Equaling Heaven).



Episode 3.《大圣闹天宫》
Dasheng Nao Tiangong (Great Sage Wreaks Havoc in Heaven)
Monk Tang finally discovers Wukong under the mountain and frees him. Wukong rushes to meet his new master and kowtows to him. Monk Tang gives him a new name, Sun Xingzhe孙行者 (Ascetic or Wandering Monk Sun).
Wukong makes his first kill since 500 years ago, out of a tiger. His master lovingly sews a tiger skin skirt for him and he is overjoyed. However, they shortly enter into their first argument after Monk Tang reprimands him for killing some robbers attacking the elderly man's home they were lodging in. One of the robbers escape, taking Monk Tang's horse but the horse is eaten by a dragon called Xiaobailong 小白龙 (Little White Dragon).
Wukong confronts the dragon but the dragon manages to slip away in the water. He arrives back to see another batch of robbers trying to hurt the elderly man and his grandson. He kills them all anyhow, and Monk Tang is horrified. Not understanding how vigilantism is wrong, Wukong leaves Monk Tang in a huff and flies off to his island.

En route home, he pays a visit to the East Sea Dragon King for some booze. He learns the white dragon is his nephew, just out of a failed marriage and crime sentence: for accidentally burning the Jade Emperor's gift. Wukong later finds his conscience and returns to Monk Tang. Seeing a cute fancy hat in his stash, Wukong can't help but try it on and Monk Tang readily gives it to them. There, he is tricked to wear the bane of his life, the Jingu紧箍 Golden Headband by Guanyin. The headband tightens whenever the monk chants a spell.
Wukong is pissed off at getting tricked by Guanyin and tries to negotiate out of it but is lectured instead. She gives him three magic hairs in case he needs to get out of trouble. We only see him use it in the sequel. The white dragon transforms himself into Monk Tang's new white horse to redeem himself.



Episode 6.《祸起观音院》
Huoqi Guanyin Yuan (Trouble at Guanyin Monastery)
Monk Tang and Wukong arrives at a Guanyin monastery, run by a corrupt monk Elder Jinchi金池长老. Jinchi has a penchant for luxury items and asks to view any treasures Monk Tang might have brought with him from the Great Empire Tang. Monk Tang declines but Wukong proudly shows off the jeweled robe from Guanyin. Elder Jinchi is green with envy and requests to borrow the robe for a night so he can view it carefully. Unfortunately he and a disciple later plots to kill the two travellers so they can keep it.
Wukong manages to protect his master twice. Jinchi eventually dies from the fire that the monks there had set off to kill Monk Tang, and the fire had spread through the monastery.

Amidst the chaos, the Black Bear Spirit (黑熊怪 Heixiong Guai), an aide of Jinchi, takes off with the robe. Wukong is scolded again by Monk Tang for causing this situation in the first place and Wukong angrily heads to the Black Bear's lair to retrieve the robe, but is evaded. Frustrated, he decides to ask Guanyin for help. Their plan worked in the end and the black bear is honoured with the dreaded golden headband and becomes Guanyin's servant.



Episode 7.《计收猪八戒》
Jishou Zhu Bajie (Tricking & Subduing Zhu Bajie)
This episode introduces Pigsy Zhu Bajie and the highlight of the show is Pigsy (马德华 Ma Dehua) and Miss Gao (played by 魏慧丽 Wei Huili). A pig demon named Zhu Ganglie猪刚鬣 had disguised himself as a human and saves Miss Gao from a forced marriage to a tyrant, and in turned married her. On their wedding night, he accidentally reveals his true form and Miss Gao is terrified. The family immediately tries to find an exorcist to rid the pig demon. A servant stumbles upon Monk Tang and Wukong, self-proclaimed demon slayer.
Wukong disguises himself as Miss Gao and trolls the pig massively, but the dim-witted pig doesn't seem to sense anything is wrong until much later. Wukong finds out that the pig's previous incarnation was Marshal Tianpeng (ep. 2) and he had been cast down to earth due to him flirting with Chang-er嫦娥, the moon fairy. He accidentally fell into a pig pen and got reincarnated as a pig demon.
He tries to run away when the fake Miss Gao sheds her pretty facade, but Wukong subdues him easily. The pig reveals that Guanyin had informed him to escort a monk on the way to India. Wukong drags him off to meet Monk Tang. Guanyin had named him Zhu Wuneng猪悟能, but since marriage rites were conducted under that name, Monk Tang gives him a new name Zhu Bajie猪八戒 (Meaning 'Pig Eight Restraints') and so Bajie is recruited. Before reluctantly leaving, Bajie tells the Gao family that he will be back if the mission fails, to their stunned horror.



Episode 8.《坎途逢三难》
Kan Tu Feng San Nan (Overcoming 3 Obstacles)
This episode is a chop chop one, there are three stories squeezed in here. First, a malevolent tiger spirit tries to attacks the group and Wukong and Bajie go in pursuit and are lured away. Monk Tang is kidnapped while left alone, by the Huangfeng Guai黄风怪 (Yellow Wind Monster).
The two disciples try to get him back but Wukong is blinded by a yellow gale as his eyes are vulnerable. Bajie takes the handicapped monkey and comes across a hut in the middle of the forest. It turns out this is Lishan Laomu黎山老母 (Old Woman of Mt Lishan) disguised as an old woman and she heals Wukong's eyes. Both go back to fight the tiger spirit and kill him. Wukong overhears Huangfeng Guai's weakness and approaches Buddha Lingji灵吉菩萨 for help. Lingji gives him a wind-stopping pill and Wukong subdues him. It turns out this monster was a rodent (ground squirrel) that used to reside at the base of Lingji's mountains.

The second story is about the recruitment of Sha Wujing沙悟净 aka Friar Sand 沙僧 or Sandy. The four reaches a raging river called Liu Sha He流沙河 (Flowing Sand River), inhabited by a ferocious man-eating demon. Bajie goes down the waters to fight it as he is better in water combat than Wukong. However, the fight continues for 2 days without any winner. In the end, Muzha木吒 (brother of Nezha) arrives to announce that the river demon should join the team. Turns out he was the Juanlian Dajiang卷帘大将 (Curtain Lifting General) but was banished to earth because he broke a celestial... lamp!

The fellowship is complete and they continue on their way.
They arrive at a large mansion owned by a widow and her three daughters. This story is pretty much 'Buddhas Trolling Bajie'. Lishan Laomu and 3 buddhas want to test the monks out so they tempt them with pretty daughters for wives and riches. Bajie fails the test and receives a punishment, much to the delight of Wukong.



Episode 9.《偷吃人参果》
Tou Chi Renshengguo (Stealing the Human-Ginseng Fruit)
This is an early shot episode and one of my favourites despite the older makeup and Wukong was not quite there yet. It was the first (maybe second) live-action Monkey King I've seen as a child before the main series was aired in sequence, and I remembered the cute looking fruits very well. The bw photos are from the pictorial book which was a later project so the makeup is the new one.
Anyhow, the team arrives at a Taoist monastery owned by 镇元大仙 Zhenyuan Daxian and the little Taoist disciples offers Monk Tang two ultra rare magical fruits called Renshengguo人参果 as a sign of goodwill. Monk Tang freaks outs and rejects the fruits as they resemble human foetuses. The two little taoists decide to eat the fruits instead. Bajie eavesdrops and cajoles Wukong into stealing a couple for them. Wukong retrieves 3 and misplaces 1 into the ground. They are very quickly found out and the taoists start to call them names, and angers Wukong so much he tore down the whole tree.
Big trouble later as Zhenyuan returns home to see his beloved tree uprooted. He quickly catches up with Monk Tang and company and Wukong is no match for him. They are lined up for torture and execution but Wukong negotiates a deal with him, that if he should find a remedy for the tree, Zhenyuan will release them and make Wukong his sworn brother.
Wukong then travels across heaven in search of a horticultural elixir but fails. In desperation he turns to his first teacher Master Puti, but is dejected when he sees the monastery abandoned and derelict, thus fulfilling the prophesy that Wukong will never see his master again. However out of the blue Puti's voice beckons and gives him a hint. In the end Guanyin heals the tree and happy ending.



Episode 10.《三打白骨精》
Sanda Baigujing (Thrice Beating the White Bone Spirit)
The White Bone Spirit Baigujing 白骨精 is the most famous villainess in the book and explores the tension between Monk Tang and Wukong. She is particularly conniving and persistent. This was shot on location at Zhangjiajie National Park. This episode is worth a watch, despite the obsolete 2-D paper graphics, as the atmosphere and ambience is perfect. Just 3 seconds in and you know danger lies ahead.
Monk Tang and company crosses a desolate mountain range, domain of Madam White Bone Spirit. She had earlier killed a family for blood. She plots to eat Monk Tang for his flesh so she can gain immortality. She tranforms herself into a village girl and plots to draw Monk Tang out of the protection circle Wukong has drawn before going out to search for food.
Bajie, being the softie and least self-controlled one, eggs his master on and Monk Tang almost falls for it. Wukong arrives back in time, sees through the disguise and kills the girl. Monk Tang is horrified but coaxed into forgiving Wukong. The White Bone Spirit tries again and this time transforms into an old lady looking for her daughter and cries up a fuss. Wukong bashes her brains in and tries to fight the demon but she escapes. Upon returning, Monk Tang is furious and wants to kick him out. Bajie doesn't quite help and Wujing tries to mediate. After a lengthy plea, Monk Tang forgives Wukong again.
The White Bone Spirit doesn't give up and raises the ante. She transforms into an old man looking for his 'family' and creates a ruckus. Angered at the false accusation, Wukong tries to attack the man and Monk Tang will have none of it.
An edict from (not) Rulai floats down from the sky and tells him he needs to rid the evil disciple. Thinking the edict is legit, he chants the headband tightening spell to stop Wukong from bashing the old man's brains out, but Wukong does so anyway and eventually destroys the demoness herself, revealing a pack of bones. Maybe he thought it was all Wukong's spells and he ignores the bones. Monk Tang banishes Wukong from the group and writes a letter to make it all official. Wukong begs to stay, and despite his two brothers intervening, Monk Tang has made his mind up. It ends with Wukong dejectedly leaving and Monk Tang tearing up, possibly regretting his actions.
Of course by now everyone who has seen this is going: your superhero disciple is only trying to save you, stupid monk. Compared to the novel, this adaptation has improved Monk Tang's character from the gullible and mean-mouthed monk, and Wukong's two brothers at least tries to stand up for him.



Episode 11.《智激美猴王》
Zhi Ji Mei Hou Wang (Instigating the Monkey King)
Without Wukong, Monk Tang is vulnerable when Bajie goes to look for food, and Wujing goes to look for Bajie! He falls into the cave of Huangpao Guai黄袍怪 (Yellow Robed Monster) and Heihujing黑狐精 (Black Fox Spirit) by accident. The Black Fox used to work for the White Bone Spirit and looks like he is a hermaphrodite.
Monk Tang learns that he has misunderstood Wukong. Huangpao Guai has a wife of 13 years, Princess Baihuaxiu百花羞公主, whom he loves dearly and treats kindly. However she releases Monk Tang and tells him to send word to her father the king, to rescue her from the monster as she had been kidnapped. Yes a betrayal.
At the palace, Monk Tang relays the message. Bajie and Wujing goes to fight the monster, but Wujing ends up getting caught. Huangpao Guai is angry and goes to the palace transformed as a human prince, and accuses Monk Tang of being a demon. Using a spell, he turns Monk Tang into a tiger and everyone freaks out. The White Dragon Horse (finally) comes into use and transforms himself into a female dancer, attempting to assassinate the fake prince. He fails and requests Bajie to go look for Wukong instead.
Bajie arrives at the Mountain of Fruit and Flowers and sees Wukong in his grand red outfit surrounded by his adoring monkey troop. Initially Bajie denies losing Monk Tang, and Wukong refuses to go back with him, but Bajie tells the truth soon enough and Wukong is exasperated.

悟空：你这个... 呆子！临行之时我嘱咐与你，若有妖精来你就提俺老孙是唐僧的大徒弟，你怎么不提呢！
八戒：呃，我说了，可那妖怪说，什么孙行者，他要敢来，我就拔了他的皮，抽了他的筋...
悟空：啊！
八戒：啃了他的骨头，吃了他的心！
悟空：什么人敢这样骂俺？！
八戒：师兄你别生气，不是我骂你，是那妖精骂你。

Well nothing like insults to get Wukong back into action. He rushes back and engages in a destructive fight with Huangpao Guai. However the latter slips away and is summoned back to heaven. It turns out he is one of the Wolf Constellation Generals Kuimulang奎木狼, and they didn't mention it but he went down to earth so he can be with his lover, reincarnated as the princess. He isn't that bad of a chap after all. Monk Tang and Wukong reunites in an embrace.



Episode 12.《夺宝莲花洞》
Duobao Lianhuadong (Snatching the treasures of Lotus Cave)
This episode is mostly comedy and quite fun. Bajie goes to look for food but sneaks a nap. Wukong catches him in the act and makes him do it properly, unfortunately Bajie gets captured by demons lurking there. The Golden Horn King 金角大王 and Silver Horn King 银角大王 has a bounty on the team as they want to eat Monk Tang's flesh.

Silver Horn King transforms himself into an injured priest and although Wukong tries to keep a watch on him, he manages to capture Monk Tang, Bajie and Wujing by casting a rock spell on Wukong. Wukong escapes and the kings send two slow-witted lackeys to capture Wukong with a pair of magic bottles: a calabash gourd bottle and a jade vase.

Wukong transforms himself into a Taoist immortal and shows off his giant gourd bottle and manages to swop his fake one for the two real ones, with some theatrics from Nezha. Hilarious scene.
小妖：喂！你是什么人？干什么瓣我一脚？
悟空：小道人见老道就要跌跤做晋见礼。
小妖：做晋见礼？没听说过！你是哪来的？
悟空：我是蓬莱山来的。
小妖：蓬莱山？蓬莱山是住神仙的地方吗？
悟空：我，就是神仙。我今天到这里要度个成仙了道的好人。
小妖：哦？好啊！我们是好人，度了我们吧！

Anyhow the kings are infuriated when they realise the fake bottle is just transformed monkey fur and they orders the lackeys to bring their godmother, a scrawny Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit 九尾狐 (incredibly amusing Liu Xiao Ling Tong), as she has a magic rope that can bind the monkey. Wukong goes one step ahead, rids the escorts and disguises himself as them and kills the fox spirit, snitching her rope.
He then transforms himself into the fox spirit and tries to rescue his team, but his identity is revealed when Bajie scolds him for joking about eating his ears. The monkey uses the rope to trap Silver Horn King but the latter know a spell to undo it, using the rope on Wukong instead. Wukong later manages to cut himself free with Wujing's help.
Wukong yells outside the cave that he is Zhe Xingsun, Sun Xingzhe's twin brother. However, a false name doesn't stop the gourd bottle and Wukong is trapped in it. He slips out after the king sneaks a peek into the bottle. Impersonating a guard, he swaps the real bottle for a fake one and yells that he is Xing Zhesun. With the real bottle, he traps Silver Horn and the weaker Golden Horn is unable to beat him. Taishang Laojun suddenly arrives to stop Wukong and reveals that both demons are his ill-disciplined disciples and Laojun takes them back.



Episode 13.《除妖乌鸡国》
Chuyao Wujiguo (Ridding Demons at Wuji Country)
This episode is a strange one as they used footage from the 1982 test version edited into the reshoots. So if old Wukong flashes on screen for a second and you go 'what was that??', you have a perfectly normal reaction. Anyhow this story is mostly domestic interaction.

Monk Tang and company arrives in Wuji Country to a nice temple and seeks lodging. The monk-in-charge rudely brushes him off and asks him to scram, as this monastery is for royalty only. Wukong threatens them with his cudgel and they are allowed to stay. Monk Tang has a strange dream with a ghost claiming to be the real king drowned in a well. A demon, disguised as a priest, became sworn brothers with the king and murdered him in a well and sealed off the courtyard. The demon then usurped the throne, impersonating the king, and disallowed the queen and her son from communicating.

Monk Tang and Wukong eventually manages to convince the prince that the king is an impostor. Wukong makes Bajie go down the well and in it, lives a dragon king. The well dragon had preserved the king's body with a magical pearl all these years. Bajie brings out the body and Monk Tang asks Wukong to find a way to revive the king. Wukong goes to Taishang Laojun and retrieves one magic pill, to the relief of the elderly immortal, and the king is alive again.
The demon is now suspicious of the queen and prince secretly meeting, and plots to murder them. Monk Tang and team approaches the demon, and reveals the true king, forcing the demon to shed his disguise and fight his way out. Mid-pursuit, Buddha Wenshu文殊菩萨 stops Wukong and subdues the demon, who turns out to be his escaped steed, the Azure Lion (青毛狮子 Qingmao Shizi).



Episode 14.《大战红孩儿》
Da Zhan Hong Hai-er (Battling the Scarlet Child)
Monk Tang and company meets a child trapped in the dense forest. Everyone lets their guard down, except Wukong, who sees through the cherubic disguise. He tries to shake off the child but fails, and Monk Tang ends up getting abducted in a gust of pink smoke.
This time it is the Hong Hai-er红孩儿 (Scarlet Child/ Red Boy), son of the Bull Demon King 牛魔王 his sworn brother, and Princess Iron Fan 铁扇公主. Excited to learn that they are kin, Wukong and Bajie goes to negotiate Monk Tang's release, but Hong Hai-er refuses to believe them, breathing out fire in an attempt to burn them. Bajie is not as quick to dodge and almost ends up as a roast suckling pig. The dialogue was pretty funny.
Anyhow, Wujing makes a suggestion to request help from the East Sea Dragon King's rain to put out the flames and Wukong brings the dragon king. He confronts Hong Hai-er alone but the child releases another burst of flames, and Wukong catches fire. The dragon king summons rain but the water does not put out the fire and instead seems to make it worse. Wukong is almost burnt to death and falls to the river unconscious. Bajie later manages to revive the monkey. It turns out Hong Hai-er's fire is the True Samadhi fire, similar to what Taishang Laojun uses, and is inextinguishable by water.

Bajie is tasked to seek Guanyin's help but is tricked by Hong Hai-er, who impersonates Guanyin. Bajie ends up getting captured in the child's lair. Wukong then disguises himself into the Bull Demon King to infiltrate the cave and free his master, but Hong Hai-er shortly finds out his true identity and they engage in battle once more. This time the real Guanyin arrives and puts out his fire easily. She creates a lotus throne and the child climbs to play on it and pose as her, and swords pierce his body, trapping him. At first unrepentant, he concedes defeat after Guanyin adds a set of golden rings on his neck, wrists and legs which forces him to drop his weapon. He leaves with Guanyin and becomes Shangcai Tongzi善财童子.



Episode 15.《斗法降三怪》
Dou Fa Xiang San Guai (Pitting Skills against Three Monsters)
This story is a relaxing side quest type comedy. Monk Tang and company arrives in Chechi Country  and hears the cries of a batch of Buddhist monks made to do slave labour for Taoist priests. Wukong pranks the priests and frees the monks. They learn that three beings, a tiger 虎力大仙, elk 鹿力大仙 and ram immortal 羊力大仙 have become official priests for the royal household and influenced the king to persecute the monks.

One night, Wukong decides to spy on the rites held by the priests and royal household. He eyes the altar food and creates a wind to spook them off, and asks his two brothers to join him for supper, of course excluding Monk Tang. Funnily enough, Wujing agrees to the mischief. Talk about getting led astray. 

The three then sneak into the chambers and disguise themselves into the altar idols so they can eat in peace. The three animal priests decide to check out the strange noises coming from the altar, and finds the place in a mess, and then that classic banana peel gag. Thinking the real immortals have come down into their sanctuary because of their devotion, they beg the idols for celestial water, but ends up drinking a good dose of pee instead lol. Wukong, Bajie and Wujing shed their facade and disappears laughing.
Monk Tang heads to the palace the next day to get his passport stamped. The three priests recognise them and orders their execution. The 6 of them start bickering in a childish manner and ends up taking part in a set of wagers.

The first is a rain-summoning contest and Wukong wins, as he knows the thunder and rain gods. The second is a competition between Monk Tang and the Elk, whoever meditates longest on a suspended platform wins. The priests use underhanded methods to distract Monk Tang, so Wukong trolls them at a more advanced level. The Tiger, not conceding defeat, boasts of his ability to grow a new head when decapitated and Wukong readily obliges. The king and queen, now fond of Wukong, reluctantly orders the execution and you know who wins.



Episode 16.《趣经女儿国》
Qujing Nu-er Guo (Interesting Incident at Women Country)
The team arrives in Xiliang Nu-er Guo西梁女儿国 (Western Liang Woman Country) by boat and Bajie and Monk Tang drinks from the river. The all-female town and palace courts are abuzz with excitement as the all-male team arrives.
The beautiful newly crowned queen is besotted with Monk Tang's good looks and delays returning his passport so they can stay longer. Bajie is overjoyed at the hospitality and comforts. The part where he rubs rouge on his cheeks is hilarious.

Anyhow the premier arrives to talk with Monk Tang, but he and Bajie starts having a tummyache and moans in pain. The premier tells them that waters drunk from the River Cimu is how the women reproduce, so Monk Tang and Bajie are now with child lol.

They gasp in shock and disbelief, and Monk Tang wants an abortion. Bajie and Wukong's interaction is priceless.

八戒：哎唷，我老猪要生娃娃啦！哎唷！
悟空：师弟，师弟！
八戒：师哥，你看，它在里边一直动呢！
悟空：哈哈哈，八戒别慌别慌啊，有道是，瓜熟自落，将来在你肚上戳个窟窿，从窟窿里会生出一个胖娃娃来的，哈哈哈！
八戒：哎唷，师哥呀，你可给我找一个手轻点儿的接生婆哦。
悟空：好说！
Wukong is directed to a mountain that contains a well with magical abortion properties. The owner of the well however, refuses to share the water, as he is the uncle of Hong Hai-er and wants revenge for causing Hong Hai-er to leave with Guanyin. They engage in a fight and Wukong gets the upper hand, spares his opponent and brings the water to his master and Bajie.

Meanwhile there is a pipa-playing woman sneaking around the palace and she tries to kill the queen and kidnap Monk Tang but fails. The queen wants to ask Monk Tang's hand in marriage and summons him to her chambers at night while his three disciples are treated to a feast. She tries to seduce him with her gentleness and beauty, and it seems he is tempted a bit, but he is whisked away by the demon, who is a Scorpion Spirit 蝎子精.
The scorpion wants Monk Tang to be her husband and hypnotises him. However Wukong barges into her boudoir and wrecks it. The fight scene is interesting and that disco-synth tune lol. The scorpion seems almost as strong as Wukong and her pipa gives off some spell that dazes him. In the end the scorpion slips away after stinging Wukong and gives him a severe headache. Bajie is tasked to rescue Monk Tang but fails and ends up with a big stinger on his forehead as well. A rooster suddenly crows and the scorpion dies instantly. This is the Maori Xingguan昴日星官, requested by Guanyin to help the team out. The queen has no choice but to reluctantly return Monk Tang's passport and they continue west. In the novel I think it follows Wukong's suggestion about faking the marriage to get the passport back.



Episode 17.《三调芭蕉扇》
Sandiao Bajiaoshan (Thrice Attempting the Banana Leaf Fan)
Sandiao Bajiaoshan is another famous plot in the novel, and this episode is shot at the deserts of Turpan City in Xinjiang province, also called the Flaming MountainsHuoyanshan火焰山. The scorching heat is uncomfortably real.
The team crosses into the barren Huoyanshan火焰山 desert. Unbearably hot, the local village suffers from a lack of rain for centuries, and only the weak and old remain. An immortal who lives beyond the mountains, Princess Iron Fan (Tie Shan Gong Zhu铁扇公主), can put out the fire and create rain with her banana leaf fan (Bajiao Shan芭蕉扇).
Wukong goes in search for her but anticipates a lukewarm reception because of his involvement with the departure of her son, Hong Hai-er. He asks to borrow the fan but is refused;  instead Princess Iron Fan fans him off thousands of miles into Lingji's mountains Xiaoxumi Shan小须弥山. Lingji gives Wukong his wind-stopping pill (ep. 8) and the latter flies back to Princess Iron Fan. The fan does not blow him away this time and Iron Fan seals herself in her cave. Wukong transforms into a speck and into her tea, which Princess Iron Fan drinks into her stomach. In agony she relents to lend the fan but gave Wukong a fake one instead. This fake fan makes the fires worse and almost burns his master.

Frustrated, he takes out his anger on the local earth god, but finds out the fires are caused by none other than his truly. He had kicked Taishang Laojun's kiln back then (ep.3) and the burning embers fell to earth.
The earth god suggests going to the Bull Demon King instead. Wukong meets the Jade-Faced Fox 玉面狐, the bull's concubine. Princess Iron Fan and the Fox are jealous of each other. The fox disses Wukong and he attempts to beat her, she runs to the Bull Demon King and complains. The bull is furious, and also because of his son, he refuses to lend the fan and starts to fight.
They didn't show the fight scene but I assume the bull slipped away, and later flies off to attend a gala event. Wujing kills the fox while she is alone. Wukong steals his steed 避水金晶兽 Yushui Jinjingshou (Water Repelling Golden Crystal Beast) and impersonates the Bull. Princess Iron Fan falls for it and hands over the fan, hidden in her mouth, and is shocked when Wukong reveals his true self. The real Bull Demon King rushes home and swears to kill the monkey. On the way back, Bajie arrives in the sky to help carry the oversized fan, however this is a fake Bajie and the Bull Demon King has the fan once more. Bajie and Wukong goes to the Bull's cave to settle the score.
The Bull Demon King transforms into a giant raging bull and attacks, but is eventually subdued by Nezha who turned up to aid. Princess Iron Fan begs for mercy and hands over the fan to Uncle Sun. The flames are put out, the rain comes and everyone celebrates.



Episode 18.《扫塔辨奇冤》
Sao Tao Bian Qi Yuan (Sweeping the Pagoda & Solving Case)
Monk Tang arrives in Jisai Country 祭赛国 and encounters a little monk abused by soldiers. The monks of the Golden Ray Temple 金光寺 are imprisoned and ostracised because the king's treasure, a sacred pearl, had been stolen from the pagoda under their watch. Monk Tang decides to sweep the pagoda and brings Wukong with him. Wukong hears voices coming from atop the abandoned pagoda and sees two fake monks drinking. Transforming himself into a human monk, he fights them. Classic anyhow. Turns out they are Fish Spirits and one of them manages to escape.
Under interrogation, the black fish confesses that the pearl was stolen by Jiutouchong九头虫 (Nine-Headed Bug) to present to his wife Princess Wansheng万圣公主 of Bibotan碧波潭 (Emerald Wave Lake), both had caused the plight of the Little White Dragon (ep. 5). Wukong and Bajie crashes the palace and Jiutouchong and Dragon King Wansheng denies knowing of the treasure. Jiutouchong and the princess decide to serve them poisoned tea. Suspicious of his intent, Wukong distracts them and switches cups with the dragon king's. The king drinks the poison and dies. They then enter into an undersea battle.
Jiutouchong is pursued onto land and with the help of Erlang-shen (ep.3), he is killed. Little White Dragon Horse changes into his true form and heads to Princess Wansheng to retrieve the pearl. She attacks him at first, then tries to patch things up with him to save her own skin, and he plays along. After tricking the pearl over, he ditches her. In the novel, Bajie kills her. The pearl is returned to the pagoda and is renamed Fulong Si伏龙寺 (Crouching Dragon Temple) to avoid further trouble.



Episode 19.《误入小雷音》
Wu Ru Xiao Leiyin (Mistakenly Entering Little Leiyin)
This episode consists of two stories. Monk Tang and company reach the Brambles Ridge (Jingci Ling荆棘岭). Tree spirits posing as earth gods abduct Monk Tang, and his disciples are trapped by plants. The four trees has no intention of hurting Monk Tang and tempt him to stay with dreamy landscapes and poetry sessions. An apricot blossom fairy 杏仙 (also called Almond Fairy) takes a fancy to Monk Tang, seduces him with song and dance, and a love potion. However the disciples barge in and the tree spirits disappear. Monk Tang tells Wukong not to hurt the trees as he has not been harmed. In the novel, Bajie destroys them.
The second story features the team arriving at a monastery called Xiao Leiyin (Little Leiyin). Monk Tang, thinking he has reached his destination, ignores Wukong who senses something is not right and they check it out. In it is filled with creepy looking arhats, and an even creepier Buddha Mi Le弥勒佛. At the end Rulai beckons them to kowtow but Wukong sees through the illusion and the whole place transforms into a cave filled with demons laughing. Wukong pounces to attack but is trapped under a giant golden cymbal. The others get captured.
This demon 黄眉妖王 Huangmei Yaowang (Yellow Browed Monster King) wants to take over Monk Tang's journey to get the sutras and become a buddha himself. Bajie and Wujing manages to set themselves free when Huangmei falls asleep drunk. They try to pry the cymbal but it is too heavy. Wukong asks Bajie to go heaven to ask some immortals for help, and Bajie returns with the 28 Constellation Generals (including wolf Kuimulang ep.11 and rooster Maori Xingguan ep.16) but they are unable to lift the cymbal too. Kangjin Long亢金龙 (Horned Golden Dragon) decides to drill a hole with his horn and Wukong escapes by fitting into it. Wukong then destroys the cymbal with his cudgel.

The demon is alerted and wages war on the lot of them. He takes out a giant floating sack and sucks all of them into it. Wukong manages to escape and frees them. The constellations return to heaven. Monk Tang and company sneaks off but Wujing reminds Wukong that their belongings (especially the passport and jeweled robe) are still in the enemy's quarters. Wukong goes back and tries to steal it back, but is impatient and causes the demon to wake up. Noticing the robe is gone, he goes after the monkey who is stumbling and yelling for his brothers to run lol. Unfortunately the giant bag sucks them up again, save for Wukong, who somersaults away quickly.
The real Mi-le arrives and tells Wukong to lure the demon out as this is his disobedient disciple who stole his two weapons. Wukong transforms into a watermelon and the demon eats Wukong into his belly. In agony he pleads for mercy and Mi-le brings him back to heaven to be punished.


Episode 20.《孙猴巧行医》
Sun Hou Qiao Xing Yi (Monkey Plays Doctor)
Monk Tang arrives in streets of Zhuzi Guo朱紫国 (Red Purple Country). Wukong investigates an imperial notice on the city walls and Bajie scares the community with his ugly face. Apparently the king is plagued with illness for years and is seeking a doctor who can cure him.
Monk Tang goes to have his passport stamped, leaving his disciples in the lodge. Wujing needs to cook but has run out of condiments so Wukong and Bajie heads to the market. While Bajie is eyeing the bbq, Wukong plays a prank and slips the imperial notice under Bajie's arms. A guard approaches and tells Bajie to follow him to the palace. Bajie is annoyed and points out the true culprit and Wukong readily agrees to heal the king.
Monk Tang is flabbergasted at the monkey's fooling around but eventually Wukong manages to find the root of the king's illness. He tells the officials to prepare all the herbs in the country, and creates a pill that includes soot and horse's pee. He asks the Dragon King to sneeze so the king can drink the 'rain'. Apparently this cures the king and he treats them to a feast. The king later shares that the queen 金圣宫娘娘 Jinshenggong is kidnapped for years by a demon named 赛太岁 Saitaisui, and he is ill with love-sickness.

Wukong agrees to bring the queen back and destroy the demon. On the way he meets a scout called Youlai Youqu有来有去 (lit. 'Coming and Going') and gleans some info on the location. He rids the scout, transforms into him and informs the queen that he is there to rescue her.
She warns of Saitaisui's weapon, a magical bell that is like a bazooka. Wukong asks the queen to try getting the weapons into her hands and she succeeds with a bit of charm. However Wukong doesn't quite know how to use the weapon and alerts the demon, who gets it back. She tries again and succeeds, this time Wukong creates a duplicate bell and sneaks the real one away. He yells outside to battle with Saitaisui and easily wins, causing destruction and mayhem. In the midst of this, Guanyin tells him to stop and it turns out Saitaisui is her steed (again) the Jinmaohou金毛犼. The king and queen reunites.



Episode 21.《错坠盘丝洞》
Cuo Zhui Pansi Dong (Wrongly Falling into the Web Cave)
The team arrives at a forest filled with spectacular waterfalls and turquoise-hued lakes, shot at Jiuzhaigou National Park.
Seeing a hut nearby, Monk Tang decides to beg for alms on his own for once. He unwittingly enters the home of seven spider spirit sisters. Friendly to him at first, they reveal their true colours after Monk Tang refuses their insect-shaped food. They trap him in their web to eat him later and decide to take a bathe in the river.
Wukong sees them bathing and takes the chance to swipe away their clothing, so they will be stranded naked. Bajie, due to his lust, tries to bathe with them but is beaten off. Scoffed, he attacks them but they cast their spell and trap him. They return home and ask the insects spirits to take Monk Tang to their uncle.

The insects are weak and is easily rid of. Monk Tang is saved and they continue on their way. The spider spirits return to see their home burning. Feeling vulnerable, they decide to head to their brother's home.

Monk Tang arrives at a Taoist place called Huanghua Guan黄花观 (Yellow Flowers Monastery). Wukong and Wujing feels suspicious of the priest but decides to take a wait-and-see attitude. Turns out this priest is the spiders' brother and he is infuriated after learning what has happened to his sisters. He decides to serve them poisoned red dates tea. Wukong and Wujing does not drink it but too late, Bajie and Monk Tang does and collapses. Wukong then engages in a battle with the priest at an exciting river fight scene, while Wujing tries to protect Monk Tang and Bajie but is barely able to cope.
So the fight continues till the priest's robe is unraveled and on his belly are multiple eyes that shoot golden beams and pierces Wukong. Wukong escapes to the lake and falls unconscious. When awake, he thinks his master has died. He hears the a woman weeping at a nearby pavilion and checks it out. There, a woman is burning hell notes for her dead husband and Wukong sobs with her. She tells him that the priest is called Duomuguai 多目怪 (Multiple Eyed Monster), and killed her husband. She gives a tip on where to find help. This is actually Lishan Laomu (ep. 8) in disguise again, helping Wukong anonymously.
Wukong goes in search of buddha Pilanpuo毗兰婆菩萨 for help, she is Maori Xingguan's (ep.16) mother and she gives him an antidote for the poison, and he rushes back in time to detox Monk Tang and Bajie. The demons come back to fight again but eventually, Duomuguai is killed by a needle of Pilanpuo's and turns into a true form, a centipede. The spider sisters are spared and taken to be caretakers for Pilanpuo's garden. In the novel, they are killed.



Episode 22.《四探无底洞》
Si Tan Wudi Dong (Exploring the Bottomless Pit Four Times)
You'd think Monk Tang would have learnt his lesson by now. So they meet a pretty girl tied up in the forest and Wujing is guarded, Bajie is eager to free her, and Monk Tang is hesitant. Wukong reminds Monk Tang of the White Bone Spirit and Hong Hai-er episodes and he finally listens and ignores her. However the girl gets her way when she reminds him that Buddhists should be merciful.

They arrive without incident at a Tibetan monastery called Zhenhai Chanling Si  镇海禅林寺 and the girl is given her own room. Overnight, she kills two monks and eat them. She then casts a spell on Monk Tang and he feels unwell. His disciples take care of him and in the morning, the elders find the victim's bones and Wukong knows who did it. He sets up a bait that night and disguises himself as a human monk. The demoness comes in and both flirt with each other until she reveals her intent and Wukong tries to exterminate her. However she escapes in a puff of smoke, leaving a shoe.
Monk Tang is whisked out from the room while Wukong is absent. They later go search for him in the forest and Bajie encounters two servants of the demoness and finds out that the demoness wants to marry Monk Tang. The three disciples find her lair 焰空山无底洞 Yankongshan Wudidong (Bottomless pit of Mt Yankong) and Wukong enters to investigate.
There, the demoness is trying to coax Monk Tang into marrying her. Wukong transforms into a bug to try to get her to drink him, but she flicks him out of the tea. He informs his brothers of the situation and goes down again, transforming into a peach and Monk Tang finally gets her to eat it. Wukong, now in her stomach, makes her release Monk Tang. She runs off but Wujing and Wukong sees her trailing behind and attacks her, however this is just a decoy. Monk Tang is kidnapped back into the pit. Bajie and Wukong goes down again. Exploring the maze, they come across an altar dedicated to 'father' Li Tian Wang (ep. 3) and 'brother'Nezha, and Wukong pieces the clues together.
He ascends to heaven and sues Li Tian Wang for not disciplining his daughter. Li Tian Wang is furious at the accusation and binds the monkey to execute him but Nezha stops him, reminding him that he indeed had a daughter, a Golden Nosed White Mouse Spirit 金鼻白毛老鼠精, who acknowledged Li Tian Wang as her godfather when he spared her life. Oops. The monkey creates a ruckus and refuses to settle the matter, until Taibai Jinxing reminds Wukong that a day in heaven amounts to a year on earth, and that Monk Tang may have had kids by now!
So Wukong enters the pit for the 4th time, with Nezha and Li Tian Wang's help, the mouse spirit is subdued and taken to heaven to be punished.



Episode 23.《传艺玉华洲》
Chuan Yi Yuhua Zhou (Teaching Yuhua State)
The team arrive at Yuhua State and learns that the king has ordered all monks to be evacuated and persecuted. The King had a nightmare of an evil monk robbing his wife and sons and thus made the law. To pass through the city, Wukong snags some local clothing for his master and brothers to dress in. While at the inn, three princes are inspecting for monks and they hide in a rolled mat, cabinets and an urn. The princes are spooked when the furniture moves, and orders them to be taken to the palace the next day, convinced they contained evil monks. That night, Wukong sneaks into the palace and shaves the king, queen, and some of his officials bald. They panic.
Monk Tang and disciples eventually reveal themselves out of the furniture, and Wukong chides the king for making such a ridiculous law based on impulse. The king apologises and Wukong restores all their hair back. The king later shares with them that a lion demon 黄狮精 has been terrorising his state and his soldiers are ill-equipped to fight the lion's troops. So Wukong, Bajie and Wujing start teaching the princes some martial arts.

At night, their weapons are taken to be duplicated for Yuhua's army but is stolen by the lion.  They manage to get it back after disguising themselves, and when found out, the lion wages war on Yuhua soldiers but loses. The lion then seeks his god-grandfather for help, named Jiuling Yuansheng九灵元圣 (Nine Spirits Saint) but the latter refuses to have anything to do with the monkey. Eventually the lion spirit is killed by Wukong and everyone celebrates.
Suddenly a black smoke appears and captures all of them into a cave, except Wukong who manages to somersault into heaven. Jiuling Yuanshen wants revenge for his god-grandson's death. Wukong later learns that Jiuling Yuanshen is Taiyi Zhenren's 太乙真人 (ep.3) steed, also called the Nine-Headed Lion. It had broken its chains and escaped while Taiyi's disciples fell asleep. Embarassed, the immortal takes the lion back to heaven.



Episode 24.《天竺收玉兔》
Tianzhu Shou Yutu (Subduing the Jade Rabbit in India)
Finally Monk Tang reaches India also known as Tianzhu Country 天竺国. They lodge in a monastery and sees a mysterious girl crying there. The elder mentions that her identity is unknown as she had unexpectedly turned up unconscious one day.
Anyhow the next day Monk Tang needs to get his passport stamped and the team decides to check out a grand street parade. The princess (played by 李玲玉 Li Lingyu) is looking for a husband and you guessed it, Monk Tang gets arrowed. Wukong notices the princess resembles the mysterious girl from the previous night. Monk Tang is forced to accept the marriage or risk death.
Wukong, Bajie and Wujing plays along and tells their master to get married while they get the sutras for him. Bajie even takes some of the dowry lol. Monk Tang is horrified but has no choice. Outside, the three disciples see the mysterious girl pleading with palace guards but is shoved away. She cries that she is the real princess but nobody believes her. Dejected, she tries to drown herself but is rescued by Wukong, now transformed into an old lady. Wukong learns of her story, that the one in the palace is a demoness impersonating the princess.
The marriage rites are over and the fake princess tries to consumnate the marriage. Another princess barges in and says Monk Tang is her husband, but of course it is the monkey in disguise. Bajie and Wujing arrive. The fake princess acts innocent and escapes through the window, with Wukong in pursuit. She vanishes, leaving a silver pestle. Wukong goes to heaven and finds out this weapon could be related to the recently lost Jade Rabbit 玉兔, the moon fairy Chang-er's pet. Chang-er goes down to claims the rabbit back. Bajie sees his former crush and tries to rekindle his romance but is threatened with a harsher lawsuit, so he gives up. The marriage is annuled and Monk Tang is free to leave.



Episode 25.《波生极乐天》
Bo Shen Ji Le Tian (Trials Become Happiness)
And the last story, Monk Tang and team reaches the borders of Leiyin Temple in India. They have to cross a raging river via a thin plank and Monk Tang and Bajie is unable to. A boat arrives from the distance to take them across, except it has no bottom. Wukong pushes his hesitant master into the boat and somehow he does not sink. They all cross the river. This is where Monk Tang leaves his physical body behind.
They arrive at the courts of Leiyin and Monk Tang washes himself. Rulai congratulates them on arriving and tells his two disciples to hand them the sutras. They enter the great library and Monk Tang is overwhelmed. However they refuse to hand over the books as a bribe needs to be given. The team is confused at first, and then indignant. Wukong is angered at their greed and wants to lodge a complaint with Rulai. The two disciples relents and gives them a large stack of books, snickering to themselves. Mi-le (ep. 19) is watching behind the scenes.

Monk Tang and company leave, feeling satisfied but suddenly, a giant condor appears out of nowhere and snatches their books and scatters it from the air. The team is in a panic and later finds out the pages are all blank. Confused again, a voice announces that the bird was 大鹏尊者 Dapeng Zunzhe, out to give them a hand and they should return to Leiyin for the real books. Wukong is furious and confronts Rulai. Rulai says precious things don't come cheap and Wukong insults him a bit.
Mi-le reminds the team to be more careful the next time and they thank him. The two disciples still insist on a bribe and Monk Tang exchanges his gold alms bowl for the books. The team is summoned to Rulai and promoted.

Monk Tang becomes Zhantan Gongde Fo旃檀功德佛 (Sandalwood Merit Buddha), Wukong becomes Douzhan Shengfo斗战胜佛 (Victorious Battle Buddha), Bajie is Jingtan Shizhe净坛使者(Cleanser of Altars), and Wujing becomes a Jinsheng Luohan金身罗汉(Golden-bodied Arhat). The White Dragon Horse is promoted to Babu Tianlong Ma八部天龙马 and granted a pillar in Leiyin. More importantly, the golden headband on Wukong disappears and he rejoices.
The end? No. They are missing one more ordeal to complete the 81 ordeals neccessary so while returning to the mainland on the clouds, they suddenly fall near a river that they had passed years ago. This part is in the sequel. A tortoise helps them across the river, but Monk Tang has forgotten his promise to ask Rulai when the tortoise will gain enlightenment, which the tortoise had been waiting for years. The tortoise tosses them overboard out of spite, and of course the books get wet. They dry the books but pages are torn off and Monk Tang is heartbroken. Wukong reminds him that things on earth are not perfect so sutras are not an exception.
So FINALLY, they reach the Great Tang palace and the emperor rushes out to meet them after 14 long years. If you want to see what happens next and the missing stories, watch the sequel.
- The end, thanks for reading! -

《大圣歌》Song of the Great Sage (ep.3)
Written by Xu Jingqing许镜清, Yan Su闫肃. Sung by Hu Yinyin胡寅寅
Original video run: 1987




Bonus:

1991 Father & Son Monkey King Opera by Liu Ling Tong and Liu Xiao Ling Tong.


Double Bonus:

Liaoning TV 2016 Lunar New Year segment, actual performance around 2min mark.


Check out Part 1: Drama Review - 1986 Journey to the West.

Two new versatile fairies digistamps just released, and fun to colour! The above illustration is called 'Cake and Card Fairy', she was meant to be for birthday cards, but can work for celebrations, anniversaries or Valentine's. You can decorate her wings as you please.

Available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/266464644/

The second one is called 'Gift Box Fairy' and can be used for any crafts that requires presents! I will try to colour them as soon as I have time.

Available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/267043060/

I will be showcasing my small paintings at the Women of Wealth & Abundance seminar event and yes they are for sale! I accept cash and Paypal (via your phone), but if you happen to miss me in person there will be clear instructions on how to secure the painting and free local mail delivery arrangements.

Date: 12 & 13th March 2016 (Sat & Sun)
Time: 9am-6pm
Location: Marina Bay Sands Expo, 4th Floor Roselle Room.

There will be lots of activities, talks, other artist showcases, and performances! Sorry guys, this is a women's-only event.

Tickets are FREE! Limited to 2000 persons so please get it asap.
Book your tickets here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mega-womens-event-women-of-wealth-and-abundance-with-randi-zuckerberg-registration-3069251213?aff=efbbt

Facebook event invite:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1673391582914214/1684969648423074/

More info: http://wowalive.com/

New release digi stamp girls for you to craft and colour with. For spring and summer themed cards!

Flowers and Curls: https://www.etsy.com/listing/269374195/
This one should be fun to colour and a nice focal for any cards. She is 8 inches height.

Snow White: https://www.etsy.com/listing/268417809/
She is my interpretation of Snow White, not quite the disney version. I recalled reading a 'Snow White and Rose Red' storybook when I was little. 9" height.
Rainy Days: https://www.etsy.com/listing/271022923/
This sweet gal is great for people who loves rain or want some of that mood in their seasonal crafts. 7" height.

Made a short video demo / review on Monami's Bauhaus 36-clr Coloured Pencils. Hope you find it useful. Monami is a Korean stationery company and these pencils come in a pretty tin box. They are wax-based. If you are in Singapore, they can be purchased from Popular bookstore. I personally only use them for simple colouring as the leads are too waxy for me.

Added another Sailor Scout to my collection, Girls Memories figure of Sailor Saturn, released by Banpresto. She is my fave character after Moon and Pluto (my blogpost here). I wish for a Luna Human version please!!
Tomoe Hotaru is the youngest Sailor Scout so naturally she is the shortest of all the characters, besides Chibiusa. Her height is about 14.5cm excluding her weapon. She also weighs much lighter than the other Sailor Scouts because of her smaller size and short hair. The figure is made of PVC and ABS.

Yes I will be completing the set slowly, whenever I can get them at a good price. I also bought a Princess Serenity by Q Posket so that will come in the next post!

Got the matching Princess Serenity to the Q Posket Sailor Moon (read about it here)! Very pretty, something about the proportions that are quite appealing to me! Some people might be uncomfortable at her alien eyes but I dig this chibi style. She was released in Oct 2015.

There are bootlegs around but this is the original one, I got her from La Tendo for S$26. Why would anyone get the inferior bootleg that costs around the same price anyhow? To identify the bootleg, just look at the box. The original does not have a window so you can't see what's in it, and it comes with the bandai holographic sticker (in my country at least). I recall the bootleg has matte, not so smooth irises on her eyeballs whereas the original has smooth, glossy irises. I took a quick glance at one of the local shops selling the bootleg and almost got fooled.

She comes in three pieces. This time there is no prop stand for her head.

The amazing thing is she has feet! I mean they could have just have a flat bottom. Love the details that goes into this. Her head screws on tighter than the Sailor Moon one which is better. She is also easier to fit into the stand.


The drapes in her dress are very nice. The white pearlscent paintwork has a golden shimmer against the light.

Her hair also has a pearlscent yellow effect. There is a mold line on top right of her head, facing front.

 She weighs heavier than she looks.

Her skintone is actually a bit pinker and intense in person. Her makeup is an orange tint. Her moon crescent on her forehead is golden.


I absolutely love her, usually I skip Usagi as Princess Serenity but this one is too cute to resist! I am eyeing the petit version 1 and 2 that comes with the inner Sailor Scouts + 2 versions of Sailor Moon, but all the stores package them in sets of three, and I don't really need another version of Sailor Moon in the same pose. They are also too small to oogle at lol. We shall see!

I've been a bit hung up on other work to blog lately but here is a belated update on my latest digi releases! I sketched three of them at the WoW event in March while the speakers were at it.

Monstera Girl:  https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/287371735/
Monstera Deliciosa is the name of the leaves this cute girl is carrying! I'm familiar with many tropical plant names because I used to work in a retail plant nursery. Also the name is easy to remember!


Reading Book Elf: https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/273290538/
I just drew this one from my imagination... the leaf and shell looks about right.


Kimono Girl: https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/286024751/

Smell the Flowers Pixie: https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/288979567/
A simple one to compliment my other fairies in the Nature Tots series.

Hope you like them!

Here are a few snapshots of the WoW event while I'm at it:

I am finally back with a set of new designs! Have been super busy the past 2 months, check out these flappers digi stamps, totally love art deco everything especially BAKELITE!








 


Well here is what I've been up to! First I had to entertain my boyfriend who came over to visit, besides going out all the damn time! and enticing me to play Broforce (great game) & Battlefield Star Wars & Tropico (this one is addicting) & NES haha!

I have set up another Etsy shop selling my vintage jewellery, so that is taking a bulk of my time as I have tens of thousands of images to go through, retaking and improving them, SEO tackling, on top of maintaining an official shop and a (crazy frustrating + sometimes cool) local marketplace site. Of course online sales includes updating the social media following it.

Artwork-wise I've added Youtube to my overflowing plate. They are just coloring and drawing videos but a 15-min video takes a few days for me to complete: preparations beforehand, one day to shoot, one day to edit, one day to export & post. But it's kinda fun I think!

I am aiming to create new designs more quickly, the time-consuming workload is cleaning up the illustrations digitally. I MAY release less-cleaned-up digis soon, just to shave off 2-4 days worth of extra work per image. Which makes more sense since the amount of time spent on them is just not worth it. This way I will be open to create more detailed images on paper! Besides, I've got carpal tunnel and can't hold the wacom pen for long for some years now as they cramp up.

Regarding challenge blogs, I've stopped auto-promoting blogs that I am sponsoring - my apologies, I am using that time to distribute images to DTs and prizes to winners! Please feel free to post your events & makes on my FB Group and Page, so that way crafty folks will know to join your challenge!

That's it, thanks for reading folks!

Just made a new video while inking my sketch, this one will be titled 'Idyllic Garden'! It is the next digi stamp coming up. You can click directly to Youtube to view it in high resolution and subscribe to my channel if you wish!




New digi 'Idyllic Stroll' listed in my shop! You can get it here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/385161508/

Finally a new digi stamp titled 'Baking Cookies'! Available at:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/453518234/baking-cookies-girl-digital-stamp-digi

I have also made a quick video showing the inking process just for fun!


Please subscribe to my channel if you wish to see similar videos!

These past few weeks have been busy and worrying, as my mother had been diagnosed with cancer and next week will be the results and more followup appointments and consultations, so I am occupied.

Not only that, the 'Seller beware!' warning has finally rang true for my other shop. I've always known this but seldom shipped overseas; but wow that was quick, considering my new shop is only a few months old and I don't even have 40 sales yet lol. The combination of overseas packages (note, tracking & signature confirmation included, but for some reason doesn't count for honest sellers) via USPS + Paypal pretty much mean scammers get keep your product on top of a sweet, sweet refund, postage included! On top of that I get to receive negative feedback for absolutely no reason. And a case opened against me in Etsy. And ruining my mood and wasting my time to respond with 'proof'. What a joke. Yes, I called Paypal twice. No help. No guaranteed seller protection or winning an appeal even if you can show proof of delivery. The rep just said yeah we know, next time use a different shipping carrier with online tracking all the way to their doorstep... like a courier. Um... sure, you mean ask the customer to pay $80-$100 shipping for a 10-buck earring? Wrap your head around that. I'll be clicking that 'Enable Direct Checkout' button sooo quick once it's available in my country, despite Direct Checkout glitching right now. You know I blame USPS for this mess-up more than Paypal. What good is paying more for registration if you don't bother to scan registered mail??

-Rant over

Thanks for bearing with me! I'll be posting some local visits including the now-closed Underwater World I went with my mom before she had the diagnosis. Also thanks to my great DT to help run my challenge blog!

A goodbye to Underwater World at Sentosa! I visited it for the last time on 13 June with my mom. They are now permanently closed. I would say the official announcement that they were going to close came rather abruptly in the papers, around early june. Ticket prices were slashed to $9.00 which was the price in 1991 when they first opened. Usually it would be around $29.90 (I think) for an adult ticket which was rather pricey for a short attraction. I remembered when they first opened with fanfare and everyone was raving about it. I have visited this place 3-4 times in my entire life.







































Sad for it to go but I guess rental and competition from S.E.A Aquarium and Universal Studios killed it.

This was the first time I've ever been to Changi Beach! It was a lovely day and the temperature was good for once. It was Sunday 17 July, and there was a thunderstorm during the afternoon so we almost called it off. But at around 4pm, the rain clouds drifted away and the sun was out again.


Maybe due to the earlier rain, it was not crowded for the weekend. Compared to East Coast Park which has a sizeable buzz all the time, Changi Beach was rather idyllic. Also it wasn't hot that day, although I got quite a bit of sun still, with bearable mugginess.

There are bicycle rentals but we were looking for the multi-seater covered cart types that are always snapped up at East Coast Park; these are not available at Changi yet.


There are no hawker centres here but a bistro, and drink vending machines. If you'd like to have a meal, Changi Village - about 2 min drive, is the closest bet. Open-air showers are available.


I don't know why I haven't been here before, maybe it was the stigma that this place was soiled with a bloody massacre during the Japanese Occupation, and some people believe it is haunted at night. Maybe there is nothing for me to eat or do here except swim in the sea (no thanks) or cycle (don't know how).

On a side note, Punggol Beach had massacres but many people are unaware of this. Short history lesson: my grandpa almost became a victim because he was a teacher, we credit nothing less than God's grace because they ran out of space on the registration truck and he was the only one left who didn't get on. It turned out the truck was bringing them to the beach to be killed!

Anyhow, we decided to check it out of curiosity, and since my mom wanted to pick seashells. I had a feeling I wouldn't find much beach glass... Well my hunch was right.

There are tons of seashells but almost no beach glass! The only glass I found were new beer bottle shards littered by the beachgoeres, not the pretty sand & sea-tumbled ones from ships! Large ships don't travel on this side of the island.


Our stash. Yes there are that two pieces of beach glass but I should have just thrown them back since they are too new. I don't know why I picked up that porcelain shard either?


The beach is located near Changi Airport so activities are restricted to swimming (if you are not afraid of jellyfish), exercise and fishing. If you want to fly kites, you need to head to other beaches. I heard it is a good spot for viewing sunrises and sunsets, and if you like looking at planes taking off and landing.



It is also a popular spot for walking dogs. There are picnic goers, bbq pits for rent and you can also pitch a tent for fun! It is a quiet, rustic alternative should you prefer to stay away from the overcrowded bike lanes on East Coast Park beach.

New digi stamp release - 'Fairy with Bunny'. The idea was based on a 1980s resin brooch I had, which was an angel kneeling holding a dove. In the end I thought it looked too creepily similiar and unoriginal, so I changed the entire thing including her short hair, the animal, the clothes, the wings, removed the headband... well that means pretty much the whole thing then.

Hope you like it!

8 inches height, 300dpi jpg and png format.

She is available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/456810430/

New digi stamp: lollipop girl with a shaggy puppy! I plan to release another two similarly themed images but autumn and halloween is approaching so there will be a few monsters coming up first!

'Lollipop' is 6.4 inches height in jpg and png formats for your crafting needs.

She and doggie is available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/458762452/

This is the Singapore Garden Festival on 25 July 2016. I had planned to release a video but no time for that so please enjoy the numerous photos below! I went with my mom and we had anticipated this for months.

The weather was good, it wasn't hot! It was drizzling a bit and the floor was damp from earlier rain but I'd rather take that than the scorching sun. The drizzle stopped shortly but the sky remained cloudy so that was nice too since you can't view the outdoor displays if it was pouring. It was held at Gardens by the Bay at Bayfront Marina Bay again. It was half outdoors and half indoors, and ever since they held the event here, it is getting bigger and bigger, compared to previous years when it was at Suntec City Convention Centre.

Here are my old posts from the previous years, I didn't blog about the 2010 one:
- 2014
- 2012
- 2008

Hanging terrariums. Terrariums are all the rage now in Sg. You can put them in your office or flat where you can't get full sunlight, nor do they require green fingers, you can also decorate them with (bootleg) Totoro miniatures everyone is selling now!



A section full of hanging ferns, orchids, nepenthes pitcher plants! It got crowded towards the late afternoon so I got real lucky for this early people-less photo after several visitors went through the door and out of my shot lol.

Online Shopping

Ah yes the convenience of the internet!! Not only is e-shopping made cheaper, more time saving, and anything (well *almost* anything) can be purchased at the click of a button, now there are sites that provide $$$ back whenever you shop at major online retailers!! Wait... usually I only get cashback for in-person local transactions via my Mastercard? Or usually I hunt down coupons the old fashioned way for savings.
I found out about ShopBack Singapore and here is my review! As mentioned above, this is a local site that provides cashback while you are shopping online. The best thing is they include international marketplaces!

If you like shopping online I'm sure you use at least one of these:
- EBAY!! (US Ebay ftw)
- Taobao
- Aliexpress
- Fairprice online
- Groupon
- Expedia
- Zuji
- Lazada
- ASOS
- Zalora
- Uber
- Foodpanda
- Cathay Cineplex
- Agoda
- Reebonz
- Hotels.com
- Jetstar
.... just to name a few. They have hundreds more if you look under their categories.

SHORT TUTORIAL:

Simple instructions: https://www.shopback.sg/how-it-works

How to use Shopback:
- Set up a free account
- Verify your e-mail account and set up your account details.

Before shopping, remember to:
- Turn off ad-blocker if you have installed the add-on on your browser.
- Make sure your browser allows cookies: use Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer
- Clear the cache from your browser.

The process:
- While logged in, click on the shopping links and copy coupon codes (if any) via the Shopback site, you should read the Terms and Conditions as each vendor has different rules.
- You must shop WITHIN the new tab that has opened.
- Avoid clicking on other links after this new tab, or Shopback will not be able to track your cookies. The last link you should click is Shopback's tab.
- Shop away! Apply coupon (if any) and check out with payment.
- Wait up to 48 hours for the vendor to process. Don't panic yet if you don't see anything reflected in your account, just be patient.
- If successful, your account in Shopback should reflect the cashback under 'My Cashback'.
- They allow you to cashout for $10 and above, that's it!

Read the full info in their Help Center if you run into any problems.






Lastly, check out their site at the upcoming 99 Cashback Day launching on 1 Sept 2016 for their 2nd anniversary!

Shopaholics, give it a try! It's a smarter way to shop.

P.S. Appreciate it if you would use this referral link:
https://www.shopback.sg/?raf=yKL7mN
if you want to sign up for Shopback! You can invite your friends for similar rewards after that, thank you so much and thanks for reading!