Chapter 2: Apprenticeship and Skill Training
Sun Wukong worries about mortality and seeks Master Bodhi to learn immortality, then masters magical arts before returning triumphantly.
孙悟空当上大王，天天吃果子玩耍。After becoming king, Sun Wukong spent his days eating fruit and playing.可有一天，他忽然难过：“要是老了死了怎么办？”But one day, he suddenly felt sad: 'What if I grow old and die?'
老猴子说：“听说神仙能长生不老！”The old monkey said, 'I heard that immortals can live forever and never grow old!'孙悟空立刻扎个木筏，漂洋过海找神仙去了。Sun Wukong immediately built a wooden raft and sailed across the sea to find immortals.
他找到菩提祖师，跪着磕头：“师父教我长生吧！”He found Master Bodhi and knelt, kowtowing: 'Master, teach me immortality!'祖师敲他脑袋三下，背手走了。The Master tapped him on the head three times, then walked away with his hands behind his back.半夜三更，孙悟空溜进师父房间——原来这是暗号！In the dead of night, Sun Wukong slipped into his master’s room—this was the secret signal!
祖师教他七十二变和筋斗云。The Master taught him the Seventy-Two Transformations and the Cloud Somersault.孙悟空学会后，翻个跟头“咻”地飞回花果山。After mastering them, Sun Wukong flipped and with a 'shoo' flew back to Flower-Fruit Mountain.得意地喊：“孩儿们，老孙回来啦！”He exclaimed proudly, 'Children, Old Sun is back!'
Want to read along with audio? Every story in the Literate Chinese app is narrated by a native speaker — in Mainland or Taiwan Mandarin — so you can listen while you read, and tap any word to save it as a flashcard. See what's in the app.
