Zhu Bajie
猪八戒
The pig spirit and fallen immortal who became Sun Wukong's comic companion.
Origin Story
Who Is Zhu Bajie?
Zhu Bajie, whose name means 'Pig of the Eight Precepts,' is one of the most memorable characters in Chinese literature. He begins the story as Marshal Tianpeng (天蓬元帅), the commander of 80,000 heavenly naval soldiers. But during a banquet in heaven, he becomes drunk and makes advances on the Moon Goddess Chang'e. As punishment, the Jade Emperor banishes him to the mortal realm, where he is accidentally reincarnated as a pig.
Despite his pig-like appearance — a large snout, floppy ears, and a massive belly — Zhu Bajie retains much of his divine power. He is incredibly strong, skilled in water combat (making him essential when the pilgrims face river-dwelling demons), and his weapon, the Nine-Tooth Iron Rake, is actually a superior weapon to Sun Wukong's staff, having been forged by the same divine smiths.
What makes Zhu Bajie beloved is his very human nature. While Sun Wukong is a near-invincible hero and Tang Sanzang is a holy monk, Zhu Bajie is flawed: he eats too much, lusts after every beautiful woman he sees, frequently suggests giving up the journey, and yet — when the situation demands — he fights fiercely and never truly abandons his master.
Zhu Bajie (猪八戒), also known as Pigsy or Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three disciples of Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West. Once a handsome and powerful celestial admiral, he was banished from heaven and cursed to live as a half-pig creature. He is gluttonous, lustful, and lazy — yet also brave, loyal, and surprisingly effective in battle, making him one of the most beloved and complex characters in Chinese literature.
Powers & Symbols
Attributes & Artefacts
Click each card to reveal the details behind Zhu Bajie's divine attributes.
Magical Artifacts & Weapons
Zhu Bajie's Divine Arsenal
The legendary weapons and treasures wielded by Zhu Bajie — each with its own origin story, powers, and mythological significance.
Historical & Cultural Meaning
Beyond the Myth
The Nine-Tooth Iron Rake
Zhu Bajie's weapon, the Nine-Tooth Iron Rake (九齿钉耙, Jiǔchǐ Dīngpá), is one of the finest weapons in heaven. It was forged by the Supreme Lord Laozi (Taishang Laojun) using divine iron from the Five Elements Mountain. Unlike Sun Wukong's staff, which was originally a pillar, the rake was purpose-built as a weapon of war.
The rake has nine teeth, each representing one of the nine heavens. It can change size at will, weighs 5,048 jin (about 2,500 kg), and is sharp enough to cut through magical defenses. In battle, Zhu Bajie swings it with devastating force, and in water combat — where Sun Wukong is less effective — the rake is the pilgrims' primary weapon.
The Dynamic with Sun Wukong
The relationship between Zhu Bajie and Sun Wukong is one of the great comic pairings in world literature. Sun Wukong, the brilliant and powerful monkey, constantly mocks Zhu Bajie for his laziness and gluttony, calling him 'idiot' (呆子). Zhu Bajie, in turn, resents Sun Wukong's arrogance and frequently tries to undermine him in front of their master.
Yet beneath the bickering, there is genuine camaraderie. When Sun Wukong is banished by Tang Sanzang, it is Zhu Bajie who goes to find him and bring him back. When Zhu Bajie is captured by demons, Sun Wukong invariably comes to his rescue — even if he complains about it the entire time. Their dynamic represents the tension between the ideal (Sun Wukong's pursuit of perfection) and the real (Zhu Bajie's embrace of human flaws).
Transformation and Redemption
At the end of Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie's flaws are acknowledged but also rewarded. He is not given the highest Buddhist title, as Sun Wukong is, but is appointed as the 'Cleaner of the Altars' (净坛使者) — a role that allows him to eat the leftover offerings from temples, which suits his gluttonous nature perfectly.
This ending reflects a distinctly Chinese Buddhist perspective: enlightenment does not require the elimination of all human desire, but rather the channeling of desire into appropriate roles. Zhu Bajie is not punished for his appetites — he is given a position where those appetites serve a purpose.
Mythology Network
Connections & Relationships
Zhu Bajie is woven into a larger web of gods, creatures, and legends. Explore the connections below.
Zhu Bajie
猪八戒
