The Tightening Spell of Sun Wukong’s Golden Headband

Last updated: 07-25-2022 Sun Wukong‘s golden headband (jingguquan, 金箍圈) (fig. 1) is an instantly recognizable part of his popular iconography. Anyone who’s read Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西遊記, 1592) will know that it painfully tightens around our hero’s skull to correct any unsavory behavior. “What kind of behavior?” someone might ask. Well, mass murder, of … Continue reading The Tightening Spell of Sun Wukong’s Golden Headband