It is said that before the Six-Eared Macaque impersonated the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, he had been living in what is now Kaiyang, Guizhou—a region that is today part of the World Karst Ecotourism Resort, the South River Grand Canyon. As he traveled far and wide, he passed through this area and found it picturesque, with clear waters and lush mountains, towering rocky peaks, and breathtaking scenery that rivaled the Monkey King’s hometown, Flower-Fruit Mountain. So he decided to make this place his home and passed on all his skills to his monkey descendants (mostly macaques). Among these many descendants, there was one particularly clever pair—a male and a female monkey—who quickly mastered all the Six-Eared Macaque’s abilities. Having lived for years in this paradise, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, they became imbued with spiritual energy.
Later, they encountered the Golden Bell Immortal and became his disciples. They learned even more skills and also mastered the Eighteen Transformations. When the Jade Emperor learned of the Golden Bell Immortal’s magical golden bell and wished to see it, the two monkeys, fearing the Emperor would claim the treasure for himself, secretly loosened the knot tied to the bell while their master was asleep. When the immortal ascended into the sky, the bell, under the pressure of the air’s gravity, indeed fell from his body. The male monkey was lucky enough to catch it. Overjoyed, he and his female fellow disciple danced with excitement: “Fantastic ! This time, our master is definitely gone for good ! With this magical treasure to protect us, no one in this land will dare to mess with us!”
“Yeah, yeah ! When Master was around, he made us chant scriptures and practice martial arts every day. We’ve been here for so long and haven’t had any real fun. From now on, this will be our home ! Big brother, take me around to explore !”
“Let’s go !”
With that, the two mischievous monkeys set off along the river to enjoy the sights. First, they came to the narrow river valley and looked down. Although the scenery was beautiful, the area was surrounded by mountains with almost no flat paths to walk on. The first half of the waterway was okay, with calm currents and slow-moving water, but the second half had rapid flows and was littered with jagged rocks. One wrong step could easily lead to injury or drowning.
“Big brother, look ! The biggest area we have is this serpentine canyon river. There are so many of us little monkey kids. The adults are fine, but it’s very dangerous for the little ones if they fall into the river.” “You’re right, little sister. I’ll gather some strong workers, cut down some trees, and build a long plank walkway along the cliffs of the canyon river for the kids to play on. We can also make use of this long river. When we’re bored, we’ll make some rafts and hold rafting races for the little monkeys. The winners will be named Water Generals, and they can help defend against invaders when needed.”
“Big brother, you’re brilliant ! This is a great plan !”
The two monkeys continued to explore their beautiful home. Before long, they arrived at a waterfall...
“Big brother, look ! Does this look like the Water Curtain Cave where the Monkey King caused havoc in Heaven ? It seems even more beautiful than the Water Curtain Cave !”
“Little sister, don’t get too excited. When I patrolled the mountains with Master, I found many such Water Curtain Caves. We’ll have plenty of places to play for a while.”
“Really ? Big brother, you must take me there !”
“Alright, little sister. But first, I’ll take you somewhere else fun—where all the trees grow right out of the rocks !”
“Wow ! Great !”
The two monkeys soon entered the stone forest. The female monkey found it magical. Rather than saying the trees grew on the rocks, it was more like their roots wrapped around crevices in the stones to absorb nutrients. As the trees grew, the rocks didn’t leave, and the two remained in a mutually supportive position for a long time.
Unknowingly, the pair arrived at another waterfall. They stopped because they noticed that this Water Curtain Cave seemed different from the others : the water droplets here were disconnected, like a curtain of jade beads. Moreover, the water here was cool and sweet. The male monkey sighed, “If we used this water and mixed it with wild fruits from the mountain to brew wine, it would be incredibly delicious.”
The monkeys continued walking until they finally found a perfect recreational spot suitable for all the little monkeys to live and play :
The area was spacious, low in the middle and high around the edges—an ideal defensive stronghold. Normally, they could lead the little monkeys here for a bonfire party, and the little monkeys could also take shelter from wind and rain.
“Big brother, after visiting so many places, the little monkeys already have their own space. But is there anywhere just for the two of us to be alone ?”
“Little sister, don’t worry. Up ahead, there’s a private spot. The water is calm there, and the scenery is incredibly beautiful. We can lie on a raft in the lake, soak up the sun, and watch the mandarin ducks flying together in pairs. At night, fireflies pass by, shining alongside the stars in the sky. It’s truly wonderful !”
“After seeing so much, I realize how beautiful our home is, but there’s still room for improvement. Let’s follow the plan I mentioned earlier and gather some workers to help renovate it.”
“No problem. Leave it all to me, big brother. Just take your time !”
So, the two monkeys, late one night, captured hundreds of workers and forced them to build plank walkways, clear rocks, and make rafts for the two mischievous monkeys every day ! These were extremely dangerous tasks. Every day, either workers fell to their deaths or drowned. As the workforce dwindled, the male monkey would capture new workers each night to replenish the labor. Any worker who tried to escape would be trapped inside the golden bell by the monkey husband and suffocated to death.
Under the coercion and urging of the two monkeys, the initial plank walkway gradually took shape. Now, the little monkeys could watch their elders’ rafting competitions without getting in the water themselves !
Toward the end of the renovation project, the male monkey ordered the workers to make a sturdy bamboo raft for the female monkey. Two people were assigned to control the direction and balance of the raft—one at the front and one at the back—while the female monkey stood in the middle and thoroughly enjoyed the ride ! The first half of the waterway had relatively calm currents, and the female monkey spread her arms, closed her eyes, and savored the fresh air between the mountains and water. In the second half, the uneven water surface and faster currents made the rafting experience much more thrilling. The female monkey’s excitement made the watching male monkey on the plank walkway itch to give it a try himself.
The female monkey shouted excitedly, “Big brother ! Our rafting race plan worked ! This feels amazing !”
Now, turning back to the nearby villages that lost their workers—hundreds of men vanished overnight. The villagers were puzzled and frightened. Some said demons had taken them ! But no one dared report it to the officials, fearing the court would accuse them of spreading rumors. Eventually, the villagers organized night watches in shifts. When the monkey husband came to abduct more workers for the second time, he was caught in the act. The villagers reported it to the authorities, which alarmed the Tang Dynasty court ! A reward was then offered for the capture of the demon monkeys ! At that time, there was a monk named Monk Haitong, who possessed the power to subdue demons. The court assigned him to capture the two mischievous monkeys.
At the time, Monk Haitong was overseeing the construction of the Giant Buddha in Leshan, Sichuan. Upon receiving the imperial order, he immediately set off for Kaiyang.
When Monk Haitong arrived, he found that although the two monkeys could perform the Eighteen Transformations and were filled with spiritual energy, they didn’t have significant magical powers. Moreover, they weren’t entirely evil. With a slight application of Buddhist magic, he subdued the two monkeys and handed them over to the local Earth God to be dealt with by the Heavenly Court. When the Jade Emperor read Monk Haitong’s report detailing the monkeys’ crimes and punishment recommendations, he concluded that although the monkeys had committed serious offenses, they had unknowingly done something beneficial for humanity. As punishment, the two monkeys would first be reincarnated as three sets of ill-fated human couples, then as six sets of mandarin ducks, and finally as one pair of strangers. Whether they would meet, recognize, and become lovers in their final life would depend entirely on fate.
As for the golden bell, it too would be punished—taken back by the Earth God and transformed into the Golden Bell Waterfall, guarding the great canyon.
Later, because the water here contains a high amount of calcium, calcium deposits formed wherever the water flowed, creating travertine rocks. After millennia of accumulation, the Golden Bell Waterfall became the largest travertine waterfall in Asia!
First Life: Transformed into the Stone General
In its first life, the two demon monkeys took human form—the male monkey became the Stone General, and the female monkey became his newlywed wife. Shortly after their marriage, the Stone General was sent to guard Kaiyang. After years of fierce battles and defense, he repelled the enemy. But he himself made the ultimate sacrifice. After his death, his body turned into the General Rock, where it continues to stand guard.
General Rock
Whether viewed from afar or up close, this General Rock closely resembles a human face, as if the Stone General truly stands before us, protecting this pristine land! Visitors have often felt a deep sense of reverence upon arriving here.
Second Life: Transformed into a Miao Hero
The two were reborn during the late Qing Dynasty. The male demon monkey became a Miao hero who resisted the Qing army. Learning that the Manchus planned to seize the land the Miao people had lived on for generations, he led the Miao in rebellion, eventually driving back the Qing forces in the Luoguchong area. Later, due to the need to remain stationed in Luoguchong for extended periods, he could not return home or be with his wife, the reincarnated female monkey.
Luoguchong
Strangely enough, ever since that battle, under certain conditions—when temperature and humidity are just right—sounds of gongs, drums, and battle cries can once again be heard in Luoguchong. This phenomenon occurs frequently, and even scientists cannot fully explain it. Many adventurers come here specifically to experience these phantom sounds. It’s said that only those with the courage of a hero can hear them! So, if you wonder whether you’d be a hero in turbulent times, come here and find out for yourself.
Third Life: Ominous
All that is known is that the female demon monkey was reincarnated as a skilled cook, credited with inventing delicious dishes such as red-braised pork knuckle, Nanjiang yellow croaker, and selenium-rich cured meat. As for whether the male demon monkey died in infancy, that remains unknown.
This Lifetime:
In this lifetime, the male demon monkey was reborn as an ordinary person, raised in Guiyang. From a young age, he often played in the Nanjiang Grand Canyon, rafting through the gorge and strolling along the plank walkways with his family.
Ever since he first set foot here, he has frequently had all kinds of strange dreams—dreams of having once been the male demon monkey...
Deep down, he feels certain that there is a woman out there, having the same dreams, who will find her way here, find him, and reconnect with their past lives—together, they will protect this magical land—the Nanjiang Grand Canyon.