English name：The Monkey King
Broadcast time：1961
Main voice acting：邱岳峰、富润生、毕克
director：万籁鸣、唐澄
Introduction
“Uproar in Heaven”, also known as “Havoc in Heaven”, is the milestone of Chinese animation and one of the most influential films in all of Asia. The film was created at the height of the Chinese animation industry in the 1960s and received numerous awards. It earned domestic and international recognition.
The story is based on the earliest chapters of the classic story “Journey to the West”. The main character, Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, rebelled against the Jade Emperor of Heaven.
The drums and percussion accompaniment used in this film are heavily influenced by Beijing Opera traditions. The stylized animation praised the bravery and wit of Sun Wukong and criticized the tyranny of the Jade Emperor.
Because of the excellent storyline as well as the exquisite production, it received a variety of international and domestic awards, at the 1978 International London Film Festival, the 2nd Chinese Film Hundred Flowers Festival and the Czech Republic Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Plot
The Monkey King, who led a group of monkeys to practice martial arts in Huaguo Mountain, went to the Dragon Palace in the East China Sea to borrow treasures because he had no weapons that satisfied him. The Dragon King promised that if the Monkey King could take the Dragon Palace’s Dinghaishenzhen, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, he would give it to him. But when the Monkey King took the treasure, the Dragon King regretted it and went to the Heavenly Palace to complain.
The Jade Emperor adopted Taibai Jinxing’s proposal, tricked the Monkey King into going to heaven, named him Bi Ma Wen, and put him under house arrest. After the Monkey King knew that he was deceived, he was furious and returned to Huaguo Mountain, raised the flag of “The Great Sage Equaling Heaven”, and confronted the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor was angry and ordered Li Tianwang to lead the heavenly soldiers and generals to capture the Monkey King, but was defeated by the Monkey King. The Jade Emperor accepted Jinxing’s suggestion again, pretended to name the Monkey King “The Great Sage Equaling Heaven”, and ordered him to take charge of the Peach Garden in the Heavenly Palace.
One day, the Monkey King learned that the Queen Mother had held a Peach Banquet and invited all the gods, but not him. The Monkey King was furious and made a big fuss in Yaochi, making a mess. He drank alone and ate the Nine-Turn Golden Pill of Taishang Laojun. He collected all the wine, food, melons and fruits, and returned to Huaguo Mountain to have a banquet with the gods. The Jade Emperor was furious and sent all the soldiers of the Heavenly Palace to capture the Monkey King. During the battle, the Monkey King was plotted by Taishang Laojun and was unfortunately captured. Laojun sent him into the alchemy furnace, but it did not burn him to death, but made the Monkey King even more powerful. So the Monkey King fought back and beat the Heavenly Palace to pieces, scaring the Jade Emperor to flee in embarrassment. Unlike the description in “Journey to the West”, after making a fuss in the Heavenly Palace, Sun Wukong returned to Huaguo Mountain and lived a happy life with the children. This modification further reflects the affirmation of Sun Wukong’s rebellious spirit.
