Journey of the Monkey King
184 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -Journey to the West is one of the most influential books ever written and has inspired countless stories, including Monkie Kid, Dragon Ball and BBC’s Monkey, but has been obscure in the West. Caoimhe Ní Chaoimh hosts a lighthearted chapter by chapter discussion of the novel with her friend, comedian M.J. Stokes. New episodes come out every second Wednesday.
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Episodes
Special Automatic Transcription Concussion Edition
September 16, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBCaoimhe is recovering from a concussion so instead of doing a normal episode she decided to read an automatically generated transcription of the previous episode. As such it covers the same topics as the previous episode, including death, suicide and corporeal punishment. Alcohol, alcoholism and drug use also come up. Links: Podscribe, the automated transcription service whose transcript we are reading: https://podscribe.com/ A scientist is trying to teach a neural network to cook—and th...
JotMK #12b - Special Automatic Transcription Concussion Edition
September 16, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBIn today's episode Caoimhe is recovering from a concussion and instead of doing a normal episode she decided to read an automatically generated transcription of the previous episode. As such it covers the same topics as the previous episode, including death, suicide and corporeal punishment. Alcohol, alcoholism and drug use also come up. Links: Podscribe, the automated transcription service whose transcript we are reading. Neural network generated recipes. A showcase of the voice acting ...
#12—The Journey Actually Starts
September 02, 2020 10:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBWe finally hit the road! This episode features death prominently and the suicide mentioned in the previous chapter continues to be central plot for this chapter. Corporeal punishment is also mentioned at about 14:20. Links: “Fu Yi” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_Yi “Xiaou Yu” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiao_Yu “Wu Daozi” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Daozi “Daxiangguo Temple” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daxiangguo_Temple...
JotMK #12 - The journey actually starts
September 02, 2020 10:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBThis episode features death prominently and the suicide mentioned in the previous chapter continues to be central plot for this chapter. Corporeal punishment is also mentioned at about 14:20. Links: Fu Yi, Xiaou Yu, Wu Daozi and the Xiangguo Temple all have their own Wikipedia articles. Episode artwork is a painting of Guanyin by Wu Daozi. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Ireland on Facebook. Subscribe to our Patreon or buy u...
JotMK #11 - I can't get a ghost mortgage I've got terrible ghost credit
August 26, 2020 06:00 - 42 minutes - 29.5 MBThis week Caoimhe and MJ get very mad at ghost capitalism. This episode features the torture of the souls of the dead, particularly starting about 14:45. And a story that involves suicide and abuse at 33:30. Links: MJ's live show, Token Cis, with Hysteria in the Dublin Fridge Festival. The Xuanwu Gate Incident, Emperor Tang Taizong's coup. The intro to BBC's Monkey. The eviction case mentioned in the episode. Episode artwork is a painting of unknown author from 13th century China. Fo...
#11—I Can’t Get a Ghost Mortgage I’ve Got Terrible Ghost Credit
August 26, 2020 06:00 - 42 minutes - 39.7 MBThis week: ghost capitalism. Death is not even a way to escape it. This episode features the torture of the souls of the dead, particularly starting about 14:45, and a story that involves suicide and abuse at 33:30. Links: “Xuanwu Gate Incident” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanwu_Gate_Incident Monkey (TV Series) Opening Song (Monkey Magic) on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-SUoHmpRdM “Tenants regain access to Dublin home after eviction by private security” fro...
JotMK #10 - Ghosts in your blood
August 19, 2020 07:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBThis episode features death, threats and capital punishment as part of the plot for the whole chapter as well as a couple gruesome ways to die at about 1:30 and the topic drifts to drugs briefly and 9:30 and 19:30. This week we return to the plot, but not to the Monkey King or Xuanzang. We head to Chang'an to meet a fisherman, a woodman and an emperor. Links: The tweets about Emily Dickinson and metre - 1, 2 Episode artwork is a 1776 map of Weiyang Palace in Chang'an by Bi Yuan Follow C...
#10—Ghosts in Your Blood
August 19, 2020 07:00 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBThis week we return to the plot, but not to the Monkey King or Xuanzang. We head to Chang’an to meet a fisherman, a woodman and an emperor. This episode features death, threats and capital punishment as part of the plot for the whole chapter as well as a couple gruesome ways to die at about 1:30 and the topic drifts to drugs briefly and 9:30 and 19:30. Links: The tweets about Emily Dickinson and metre: https://twitter.com/jeeyonshim/status/1289825038481334272, https://twitter.com/MikeFerd...
JotMK #9c - When history is inconvenient for your plot
August 12, 2020 08:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MBMJ and Caoimhe talk about some differences between the real and fiction monk Xuanzang and his relationship to the Tang dynasty. We'll continue the plot with chapter 10 next week, I promise. Links: Episode artwork is a Tang era portrait of Emperor Tang Taizong. The First Woman to Translate the 'Odyssey' Into English from the New York Times. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Ireland on Facebook. Subscribe to our Patreon or buy ...
JotMK #9c - When history is inconvenient for your plot
August 12, 2020 08:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MBMJ and Caoimhe talk about some differences between the real and fiction monk Xuanzang and his relationship to the Tang dynasty. We'll continue the plot with chapter 10 next week, I promise. Links: Episode artwork is a Tang era portrait of Emperor Tang Taizong. The First Woman to Translate the 'Odyssey' Into English from the New York Times. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Ireland on Facebook.
When History is Inconvenient for Your Plot
August 12, 2020 08:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBM.J. and Caoimhe talk about some differences between the real and fiction monk Xuanzang and his relationship to the Tang dynasty. Links: “The First Woman to Translate the ‘Odyssey’ Into English” from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/magazine/the-first-woman-to-translate-the-odyssey-into-english.html Episode artwork is a Tang-era portrait of Emperor Tang Taizong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TangTaizong.jpg Journey of the Monkey King on Patreon: https://www.pat...
Real Person Fan Fiction
August 05, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBWe take a break from chapters to give you a clip of Caoimhe on M.J.’s show, They Did What Now, where we talk about the real life monk Xuanzang, who this novel is fan fiction of. Yes really. Links: The map we reference is from ”Chinese Pilgrims to Central Asia, India and SE Asia” from Ancient Buddhist Texts: https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Maps/Silk-Routes/Chinese-Pilgrims.htm You can watch the full They Did What Now episode on the Hysteria Ireland Facebook page: https://www.faceboo...
JotMK #9b - Real person fan fiction
August 05, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBWe take a break from chapters to give you a clip of Caoimhe on MJ's show, They Did What Now, where we talk about the real life monk Xuanzang, who this novel is fan fiction of. Yes really. Links: The map we reference in the episode can be found here. It's the one labelled Xuanzang. You can watch the full episode on the Hysteria Ireland Facebook page. Episode artwork is a Kamakura period Japanese painting of Xuanzang. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagr...
JotMK #9 - Skin Quilt & the return of Embroidered Balls
July 29, 2020 09:00 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MBToday we meet a monk named Xuanzang and find out the circumstances of his birth and early life. It's not a particularly happy story. This episode is quite a dark one and features murder, suicide, attempted infanticide, capital punishment, dismemberment, disembowelment and forced marriage. In addition it's all humans doing this to each other rather than godly beings, which I think makes it feel a bit more real. For me anyway. I mispronounced Yin Wenjiao's name for the entire episode, even m...
#9—Skin Quilt & the Return of Embroidered Balls
July 29, 2020 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.8 MBToday we meet a monk named Xuanzang and find out the circumstances of his birth and early life. It’s not a particularly happy story. This episode is quite a dark one and features murder, suicide, attempted infanticide, capital punishment, dismemberment, disembowelment and forced marriage. In addition it’s all humans doing this to each other rather than godly beings, which may make it feel a bit more real. Caoimhe mispronounced Yin Wenjiao’s name for the entire episode, even more than she u...
JotMK #8 - Diss Tracks
July 01, 2020 16:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBThis episode features discussion of punishment throughout, including corporal and capital punishment. It also explicitly mentions torture at about 12:00 and features mention of sexual assault, primarily at about 23:35. Journey of the Monkey King will be taking a break for a few weeks. Please take care in the meantime! Links: Episode artwork is a 16th century painting of Guanyin by Qiu Zhu. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Irel...
#8—Diss Tracks
July 01, 2020 16:00 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBSun Wukong is not happy about some poetry about him. This episode features discussion of punishment throughout, including corporal and capital punishment. It also explicitly mentions torture at about 12:00 and features mention of sexual assault, primarily at about 23:35. Links: Episode artwork is a 16th century painting of Guanyin by Qiu Zhu: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:白衣大士像.jpg Journey of the Monkey King on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/monkeykingpod Journey of the Monk...
#7—Numious Brassières
June 24, 2020 06:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBThis episodes highlights the long and ongoing tradition of Caoimhe not being able to pronounce anything correctly. The episode starts off with capital punishment including attempts to burn someone to death. That lasts up until about 06:00. Urination features at 14:35 and 15:05. Discussions of caffeine withdrawal and sensory overload lead to jokes about cannibalism between 7:30 and 9:35. We had trouble staying on topic during this recording. If you think the tangent we go on about Irish a...
JotMK #7 - Numious Brassières
June 24, 2020 06:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBCaoimhe & MJ about chapter seven of Journey to the West, featuring Caoimhe mispronouncing things. The episode starts off with capital punishment including attempts to burn someone to death. That lasts up until about 06:00. Urination features at 14:35 and 15:05. Discussions of caffeine withdrawal and sensory overload lead to jokes about cannibalism between 7:30 and 9:35. We had trouble staying on topic during this recording. If you think the tangent we go on about Irish at the end is ramb...
JotMK #6 - Avian slut shaming & deification of hydraulic engineers
June 17, 2020 06:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBCaoimhe & MJ stokes talk about chapter six of Journey to the West, featuring a battle of the gods, a shapeshifting duel and avian slut shaming. Links: Erlang Shen on Wikipedia. Bustard on Wikipedia. Episode artwork from Gujin Tushu Jicheng via Wikimedia Commons. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Ireland on Facebook. Subscribe to our Patreon or buy us a coffee. Follow this podcast on Twitter or the Fediverse, follow MJ on In...
#6—Avian Slut Shaming & Deification of Hydraulic Engineers
June 17, 2020 06:00 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBA battle of the gods, a shapeshifting duel and avian slut shaming. Links: “Erlang Shen” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlang_Shen “Bustard” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bustard Episode artwork from Gujin Tushu Jicheng via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Animal Kingdom - pic026 - 鴇圖.png Journey of the Monkey King on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/monkeykingpod Journey of the Monkey King on the Fediverse: ...
#5—How to Deal with a Narcissist in Your Organisation
June 12, 2020 06:00 - 30 minutes - 28.6 MBCaoimhe & M.J. discuss the finer points of how to work with narcissists as the Monkey King continues to cause trouble in Heaven. This episode features repeated mentions of alcohol and a character getting drink between about 16:30 and 22:00. Links: “Kumis” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumis “Barefoot Immortal” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barefoot_Immortal Episode artwork is Peach Blossom Study by Shen Zhou: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:沈周-桃花書屋圖.j...
JotMK #5 - How to deal with a narcissist in your organisation
June 12, 2020 06:00 - 30 minutes - 21.1 MBThis episode features repeated mentions of alcohol and a character getting drink between about 16:30 and 22:00. Otherwise Caoimhe & MJ discuss the finer points of how to work with narcissists as the Monkey King continues to cause trouble in Heaven. Links: Kumis on Wikipedia. The Barefoot Immortal on Wikipedia. Episode artwork from Peach Blossom Study by Shen Zhou. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Ireland on Facebook. Subscr...
JotMK #4 - Earlobe elongation & embroidered balls
June 03, 2020 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBCaoimhe & MJ discuss the fourth chapter of Journey to the West, in which Sun Wukong demands a promotion. As usual expect fights and violence throughout the episode and the episode also has some digressions that briefly touch on phrenology between 20:15 and 22:47 and a joke about BDSM sex practises at 26:08 and 28:00. Links: Episode artwork from A Modern Journey to the West (1865) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Giant Buddha, Giant Ears on National Geographic. Throwing Embroidered Ball on Omeida...
#4—Earlobe Elongation & Embroidered Balls
June 03, 2020 05:00 - 35 minutes - 33.9 MBIn which Sun Wukong demands a promotion from God. As usual expect fights and violence throughout the episode and the episode also has some digressions that briefly touch on phrenology between 20:15 and 22:47 and a joke about BDSM sex practises at 26:08 and 28:00. I forgot about it while recording the episode but embroidered balls specifically as a courtship ritual will show up again in a future chapter. Links: “Giant Buddha, Giant Ears” on National Geographic: https://web.archive.org/web...
JotMK #3 - Afterlife paperwork and Sun Wu Karen
May 27, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBContent warning for intimidation and threats of violence throughout the episode and for brief mentions of alcohol and drinking between about 23:00 to 23:40. Caoimhe & MJ discuss the third chapter of Journey to the West, in which Sun Wukong goes a bit too far. Links: Episode artwork from A Modern Journey to the West (1865) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Yu the Great on Wikipedia. Great Flood (China) on Wikipedia. How the Milky Way Got Its Name. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter, ...
JotMK #3 - Afterlife paperwork & Sun Wu Karen
May 27, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBContent warning for intimidation and threats of violence throughout the episode and for brief mentions of alcohol and drinking between about 23:00 to 23:40. Caoimhe & MJ discuss the third chapter of Journey to the West, in which Sun Wukong goes a bit too far. Links: Episode artwork from A Modern Journey to the West (1865) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Yu the Great on Wikipedia. Great Flood (China) on Wikipedia. How the Milky Way Got Its Name. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter a...
#3—Afterlife Paperwork & Sun Wu Karen
May 27, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBSun Wukong demands to see the manager. Of Hell. Content warning for intimidation and threats of violence throughout the episode and for brief mentions of alcohol and drinking between about 23:00 to 23:40. Links: “Yu the Great” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu_the_Great “Great Flood (China)” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Flood_(China) “How the Milky Way Got Its Name and What It’s Called in Other Languages” on Today I Found Out: http://www.todayifoundout....
JotMK #2 - The secrets of immortality & self-replicating monkeys
May 20, 2020 10:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MBSome spoilers for The Good Place between 3:18 and 04:45 when we discuss some existential issues. Other than that Caoimhe & MJ discuss the second chapter of Journey to the West, immortality, unwholesome meats and the Epic of Gilgamesh being gay. Links: BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - Epic of Gilgamesh. Chinese Units of measurement on Wikipedia. Wu Cheng'en on Wikipedia. Brian O'Nolan/Flann O'Brian/Myles na gCopaleen on Wikipedia. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ...
#2—The Secrets of Immortality & Self-replicating Monkeys
May 20, 2020 10:00 - 50 minutes - 52.1 MBJourney to the West chapter two, featuring immortality, unwholesome meats and the Epic of Gilgamesh being gay. Spoilers for The Good Place between 3:18 and 04:45 when we discuss some existential issues. Links: “Epic of Gilgamesh” from In Our Time by BBC Radio 4: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b080wbrq “Chinese units of measurement” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chinese_units_of_measurement&oldid=952184981#Length “Wu Cheng’en” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikiped...
JotMK #1 - Laser monkey & Chinese unicorn giraffe
May 13, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBCaoimhe & MJ discuss the first chapter of Journey to the West and get side tracked by laser eyes and what exactly the word "unicorn" is a translation of. Links: Qilins on Wikipedia. Zheng He's treasure voyages on Wikipedia. A specific section of the Wikipedia article on Buddhist cosmology. Episode artwork is a painting of a 1666 painting of a Qilin by Kanō Tannyū, as photographed by Sailko. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria I...
#1—Laser Monkey & Chinese Unicorn Giraffe
May 13, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes - 30.1 MBCaoimhe & M.J. discuss the first chapter of Journey to the West and get side tracked by laser eyes and what exactly the word “unicorn” is a translation of. Links: “Qilin” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin “Ming treasure voyages” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_treasure_voyages “Buddhist cosmology” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Buddhist_cosmology&oldid=955126741#Earthly_realms Episode artwork is a 1666 painting of a Qilin by Kan...
JotMK #0 - Introductions
May 12, 2020 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.64 MBCaoimhe and MJ talk about the novel Journey to the West and why they wanted to make a podcast about the incredibly famous novel that no one has heard of. Links: Wikipedia's article on adaptations of Journey to the West. Episode artwork from A Modern Journey to the West (1865) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Follow Caoimhe, MJ and this podcast on Twitter and follow MJ on Instagram. Check out Hysteria Ireland on Facebook. Subscribe to our Patreon or buy us a coffee. Follow this podcast on Twit...
Introductions
May 12, 2020 07:00 - 13 minutes - 12.9 MBCaoimhe and M.J. talk about the novel Journey to the West and why they wanted to make a podcast about the incredibly famous novel that no one has heard of. Links: “List of media adaptations of Journey to the West” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_media_adaptations_of_Journey_to_the_West Episode artwork from A Modern Journey to the West by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: https://yoshitoshi.net/series/journeywest.html Journey of the Monkey King on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m...