Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part A

I haven't read much from Japan yet, so I thought it would be interesting to read The Monkey King. I was a little confused as to why the ape was magially born from the stone. I also didn't believe he would go unnoticed among humans for NINE years just because he was wearing a fisherman's clothes. I liked that the saint knew he was out there, but why didn't he just knock instead of hoping someone would find him? I have no clue how he understood the "secret message" from the three blows to the head. Why wouldn't the saint simply tell him? I liked the specificity of "72" times for how much he could transform himself. It gives the idea that these dangers won't be easy to fight off. I like how the story quickly progeresses as opposed to dragging with the minute details.

The Stone Ape in 2-D. Image: Pixabay