Protector of the Horses

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• see also: Sun Wukong
• see also: Journey to the West main article

Protector of the Horses a title given to Sun Wukong within the famed 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West. After Taibai Jinxing saw the evil deeds of Sun Wukong over a large period of time, he personally escorted Wukong to Heaven in order to be appointed a position as to satisfy his lust for fame. After Wukong appears before the Jade Emperor, Wukong is granted the title of "Protector of the Horses". Wukong chants a na-a-aw, and leaves. Little did Wukong know however that this position was very low ranked in the standpoint of heaven's society. Here is a message to explain Wukong's situation:

The Monkey King looked through the register and counted the horses. In the stables the book−keeper was responsible for ordering the fodder, the head groom was in charge of currying the horses, chopping up and cooking the fodder, and giving them water; the deputy superintendent and his assistant helped to oversee the work. The Protector of the Horses looked after his charges, sleeping neither by day nor by night.

It is true that he fooled around by day, but at night he looked after the animals with great diligence, waking them up and making them eat whenever they fell asleep, and leading those still on their feet to the trough. At the sight of him the heavenly horses would prick up their ears and paw the ground, and they became fat and plump. Thus more than half a month slipped by.

After Wukong discussed his position with various other horse protectors within the stable, this is what they told him:

"It is a very low and unimportant office, and all you can do in it is look after the horses. Even someone who works as conscientiously as Your Honour and gets the horses so fat will get no more reward than someone saying 'good'; and if anything goes at all wrong you will be held responsible, and if the losses are serious you will be fined and punished."

This is the last point at which the Protector of the Horses position is truly mentioned, since Wukong leaves his stable in absolute rage over the Jade Emperor's trickery.

References

• Journey to the West chapter 4 document 51-51

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