Sun Wukong ao you tai kong (Monkey’s space travel), by Yi You. Shanghai: Shao nian er tong chu ban she (Youth and Children Publishing Company), circa 1990s. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library.

Happy World Monkey Day! December 14th is the official day when all things simian, including monkeys, apes, and lemurs, are celebrated. So we headed down to our library’s special collections vaults to find cool images of non-human primates!

The horse and the donkey and other stories, artwork by Raju Gupta and Mitu. Delhi, India: Dreamland Publications, 1997. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library.

Many of these collection images are inspired by the Chinese mythical figure Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King, who is one of the main characters in the famous 16th century fantasy novel, Journey to the West. In the story, Sun Wukong is a monkey born from stone and acquires Taoist supernatural powers. After Buddha imprisons him under a mountain for 500 years, Sun Wukong embarks on an epic journey to get his powers back.

Xiao dian ying, by Shanghai mei shu dian ying zhi pian chang. 1979, Di 1 ban. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library.

The Monkey King is one of the most enduring Chinese literary characters and is inspired by both Chinese and Indian ancient cultures. Over the centuries, Journey to the West has been translated multiple times, including Julia Lovell’s 2021 translation from Penguin Books. It was reviewed by our colleague Minjie Chen, Cotsen’s Metadata Librarian for Non-Roman Collections, who stated it was the best version she had ever read!

Sun Wukong ren ti li xian (Monkey’s adventure inside the human body), by Bingzi. Shanghai: Shao nian er tong chu ban she (Youth and Children Publishing Company), 1989. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library.

If you’d like to read more about monkeys in the Cotsen Children’s Library, we recommend Minjie’s highly detailed Year of the Monkey blog post, which features truly gorgeous images of collection gems.

Pug’s tour through Europe, or, The Travell’d Monkey: containing his wonderful adventures in the principal capitals of the greatest empires, kingdoms, and states, written by himself. London: John Harris, Corner of St. Paul’s Church-yard, 1824 (London: Printed by S. and R. Bentley, Dorset Street, Fleet Street). Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library.

Finally, if you are looking for simian picture books and projects for little monkeys, check out our oatmeal container monkey that swings on a branch, and this awesome ape loose in NYC!

Xiao dian ying, by Shanghai mei shu dian ying zhi pian chang. 1979, Di 1 ban. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library.