The Puzzle in the Tray

The mural titled "The Puzzle in the Tray" depicts a small but significant story from when Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) was training under the sage Subhuti in the classic Chinese tale "Journey to the West."

This story is about a clever test given by the sage to Wukong, which marked an important moment in Wukong's journey to gaining his extraordinary powers.

In the original story, the sage asked Wukong what kind of skills he wanted to learn, listing three different types of popular magic schools: one for stillness, one for action, and one for illusions. Wukong rejected all three because none of them could grant him immortality. The sage got angry, picked up a ruler, and tapped Wukong on the head three times. Then, with his hands behind his back, he walked away and closed the door behind him, leaving Wukong alone. The other disciples thought Wukong had upset their master and criticized him for not knowing better.

The phrase "The Puzzle in the Tray" is mentioned twice in the original story. The first time is after Wukong was hit on the head. It turns out that the Monkey King had already figured out the hidden meaning of the "puzzle." The sage's three taps were a secret signal, telling Wukong to come see him in the middle of the night. The sage closing the door with his hands behind his back meant Wukong should enter through the back door, where the sage would secretly teach him true wisdom.

The second mention is when Wukong actually showed up at midnight to seek the deeper teachings. The sage was pleased and thought, "This monkey really is a natural talent! Otherwise, how could he have solved my hidden puzzle so quickly?"

So, the mural’s title, "The Puzzle in the Tray," is a nod to this clever moment in the story where Wukong understands the hidden message and takes the first steps toward becoming the legendary Monkey King.