Chang You | The Classic of Mountains and Seas

17th illustration of 山海经 (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) - 长右 (Chǎng Yòu)

As we know, the main character Sun Wukong in the novel "Journey to the West" is a macaque with long arms, short ears and a tail. He grew up in the 水帘洞(Water Curtain Cave), 花果山 (Huāguǒ Mountain). In the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" it is told that, from four hundred and fifty miles to the southeast, there is the Changyou Mountain, which has a dangerous terrain and no flowers, plants or trees grow on it, but there are many streams and abundant water resources. There is a mythical beast, which also belongs to the genus of apes, macaques, with four ears, a short tail, and its screams is like human groan. Changyou is named after the mountain.
The appearance of Changyou is a sign of an impending flood. It is said that someone saw Changyou in the mountain and heard its screams, and as a result, a flood broke out in the area that had not happened in a hundred years. The following year, Changyou appeared again in the area, so that an even greater flood uccored.
Many people believe that Changyou is the prototype of Sun Wukong in "Journey to the West", but in fact, the prototype of Sun Wukong is a monkey-shaped water monster named Wuzhiqi. From the relevant literature, I believe that Changyou is not Wuzhiqi. First of all, Changyou is a creature resembling an ape in ancient times, while Wuzhiqi is a water monster, and there are folk legends that Wuzhiqi is the God of the 淮水(Huái River). Apart from the fact that they both look like monkeys, but they have specific differently from every aspect.

Speed Painting:
https://youtube.com/shorts/ahyhlUUHrWw