Last updated: 02-28-2025

I was contacted late last year by reader Adelar Eleramo (their JTTW group) looking for more information about a story called The Eighteen Arhats Battle (Sun) Wukong (Shiba luohan dou Wukong, 十八罗汉斗悟空/十八羅漢鬥悟空). A cursory searched turned up this Baidu article, which explained that both a 1982 Chinese opera and a six-volume 1989 lianhuanhua share this title. The respective stories differ, but both draw upon Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西遊記, 1592) for inspiration. Regarding the comic, Baidu explains:

[It] tells the story of how the fully enlightened Sun Wukong goes out of his way to stir up trouble with the Eighteen Arhats because he cannot stand the way people celebrate and venerate them. He later reunites with Zhu Bajie to face the Buddhist saints in a battle of wits, courage, and magic, until the two groups finally reconcile.

漫画《十八罗汉斗悟空》描述讲述了修成正果的孙悟空因为看不惯十八罗汉声名显赫受人膜拜而刻意挑起事端，后联合猪八戒一起与十八罗汉斗智斗勇斗法，直至最后心悦诚服地言归于好。

Adelar was kind enough to send me an archive of a seven-volume 2011 adaptation of the original.

I am archiving it here in order to document modern day perceptions and depictions of JTTW and its characters.

1. Info

• Title – The Eighteen Arhats Battle Wukong (十八罗汉斗悟空)
  • Original – He Hanqiu (何汉秋)
  • Adaptation – Jin Dan (金丹)
  • Editor-in-charge – Rao Zhongwei (饶忠伟)
  • Cover illustrations – Hong Zhe (洪哲), Zhang Zhiwen (张志文), and Dai Rui (戴锐)
  • Illustrations – Dai Rui (戴锐)
  • Planning – Yuhai Cultural Propagation Company (義海文化传播公司)
• Publisher – Helongjiang Fine Arts Publishing House (黑龙江美术出版社)
• First edition – August 2011
• ISBN 978-7-5318-2967-6

Sun battles an Arhat (larger version).

2. Download links

The files are quite large, so I am providing two different download options.

2.1. WordPress

These are slow to load, but you can read them online without needing to first download.

Vol. 1 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/01大战棋盘阵.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

Vol. 2 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/02青山龙虎斗.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

Vol. 3 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03-两请猪八戒.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

Vol. 4 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04围陷流沙河.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

Vol. 5 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/05火焚罗汉庙.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

Vol. 6 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06威震十八湾.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

Vol. 7 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/07悟空心归正.戴锐.黑龙江美术出版社.2011.pdf

2.2. Google Drive

Google cannot provide an online preview, so you’ll, unfortunately, have to download these to read.

Vol. 1 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G8-KH5M4zCUhHYxRIs_yXeLBhPkqbND4/view?usp=sharing

Vol. 2 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uSPTLofaWglWcayxuDTGWdyxUUijlhbW/view?usp=drive_link

Vol. 3 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ybtR750U3h8lqErSdN2iw5V_x88dkem/view?usp=sharing

Vol. 4 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1beRZw_Lx08l3HRv4mW7yh1JAsYUeENdj/view?usp=drive_link

Vol. 5 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PRWW-g9mWb9uS9hi6Wje7qu2eUywFKls/view?usp=sharing

Vol. 6 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fby7yK_CwOeO5TpwJeiZA4IV2DuFKZ3b/view?usp=sharing

Vol. 7 – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1khp9Rj2VYUBH4V4EkvgjzWTuzqZg5sx3/view?usp=sharing

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Update: 02-28-25

I have uploaded another lianhuanhua comic.

Archive #49: Journey to the West (西游记): A 60-Volume Lianhuanhua Comic