The Story of the Monkey King

In this 1926 silhouette animation, the legendary Sun Wukong is reimagined through the intricate lens of Chiyogami-e. The narrative follows the Monkey King as he abandons his mountain kingdom to traverse the celestial and earthly realms in pursuit of the Sacred Texts. Unlike later technicolor adaptations, this version focuses on the rhythmic, almost ritualistic movement of paper cut-outs. It is a story of spiritual restlessness, where the protagonist’s combat with gods and demons serves as a backdrop for a deeper technical experimentation with light and shadow. The film strips the epic down to its skeletal essence, emphasizing the fluid, chaotic energy of the Monkey King through the rigid medium of paper.