Southern Mountain King

Why are there no leopard demons on the journey to the West? Actually, there is one. In Chapter 86, the pilgrimage party arrives at Hidden Mist Mountain. The mountain is true to its name—shrouded in thick fog year-round with extremely low visibility, leaving travelers disoriented the moment they enter. Within this mist-covered mountain dwells a leopard demon who calls himself the "Southern Mountain King." He occupies the Folded Peak Linked-Ring Cave and commands a horde of lesser demons. He blocks the path of the pilgrimage, abducts Tang Sanzang, and subsequently engages in a brutal, head-on battle with the three disciples: Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing. What makes this battle unique is that it is one of the few scenes on the journey where the three sworn brothers fight in unison. Usually, Wukong faces the enemy alone or seeks outside help, but this time, Bajie and Sha Wujing are fully involved in the frontal assault. Only through their combined efforts is this leopard demon finally defeated.

Artemisia-Leaf Spotted Skin: The Only Leopard Demon in the Book

In the demon taxonomy of Journey to the West, the category of fierce beasts is a vast array. There are tiger demons like the Tiger Vanguard and General Yin; lion demons such as the Azure Lion of Lion-Camel Ridge and the green lion of Wuji Kingdom; elephant demons like the White Elephant Spirit; and the bull demons, led by the Bull Demon King with his extensive clan. There are serpents like the Giant Python Demon and the White Flower Snake Spirit; there are even mouse demons (the Gold-Nosed White-Haired Mouse Demon). Yet the leopard—a beast of equal importance in traditional Chinese culture—appears only once in the entire novel.

The original form of the Southern Mountain King is called the "Artemisia-Leaf Spotted Skin Leopard Spirit." "Artemisia-leaf spotted skin" is a precise description of a leopard's coat—the black ring-like spots resemble the leaves of artemisia (which have finely serrated edges), leading to this folk term. This designation was common among ancient hunters and mountain dwellers as a colloquial name for the leopard. Wu Cheng'en's use of this name demonstrates his accurate understanding of the animal's physical characteristics.

Why is there only one leopard demon in Journey to the West? This likely relates to the leopard's position in Chinese mythology. Tigers are the kings of all beasts; lions have Buddhist origins (as the mount of Manjusri Bodhisattva); bulls hold a special place in agrarian culture; and snakes are heavily influenced by legends like the Legend of the White Snake. These animals possess deep cultural resonance, making it easy to develop them into complex demonic characters. The leopard, by contrast, "lacks a story"—its presence in traditional culture is not as dominant as that of the tiger, lion, or snake. Wu Cheng'en gave the leopard demon a chance to appear, but only one.

The title "Southern Mountain" used by the Southern Mountain King is worth pondering. "Southern Mountain" carries multiple meanings in Chinese culture: Mount Zhongnan is a sacred site of Taoism, and "long life as the Southern Mountain" is a common auspicious greeting for birthdays. For a leopard demon to call himself the "Southern Mountain King" creates a comedic effect of a "small fry claiming a grand title"—he is not the overlord of some famous peak, but merely a bandit occupying a mountain in Hidden Mist Mountain, choosing a pretentious name to embolden himself. This mismatch between title and actual strength is not uncommon among the demons in Journey to the West; they love to give themselves imposing names, as if the title itself could add a measure of dignity.

Combined Effort: A Rare Cooperative Battle Between the Brothers

The most noteworthy narrative feature of the Southern Mountain King's arc is the joint operation of the three disciples. Throughout Journey to the West, most demons are dealt with by Wukong alone—Bajie and Sha Wujing either guard Tang Sanzang and the luggage, get captured before the fight begins, or simply cheer from the sidelines. Scenes where "three people combine forces to fight one demon" are few and far between, and Hidden Mist Mountain is one of the most typical examples.

The battle in Chapter 86 unfolds in several stages. First, Wukong scouts the cave and issues a challenge alone. The Southern Mountain King emerges with his Four-Bright Shovel, and the two fight for dozens of rounds without a clear victor. This "stalemate" is significant—most mid-tier demons cannot last more than ten rounds against Wukong. The fact that the Southern Mountain King can hold his own for dozens of rounds indicates that his martial prowess is indeed high. His Four-Bright Shovel and steel fork are heavy weapons which, combined with the leopard's innate speed and agility, create considerable trouble for Wukong in close combat.

Then, the Southern Mountain King employs his signature skill—spitting wind and breathing mist. Hidden Mist Mountain is already foggy, and the demon adds a layer of demonic mist, instantly plunging the battlefield into total blindness. While Wukong's Fire-Golden Eyes can see through demonic energy, his vision is still hampered by the thick fog. Using the mist as cover, the Southern Mountain King wages a guerrilla war—charging out to strike a few blows and then retreating into the fog, leaving Wukong unable to find him.

This tactic proves frustrating for Wukong. Searching for a single leopard in the mist alone is too inefficient. Consequently, he calls upon Bajie and Sha Wujing—Bajie attacks from the left, Sha Wujing from the right, and Wukong from the front. The three charge into the demonic mist simultaneously, forming a perimeter. No matter how fast the Southern Mountain King is, he cannot outrun a three-person encirclement.

The scene of their combined assault is written with great intensity. Bajie swings his Nine-Toothed Rake, Sha Wujing wields his demon-subduing staff, and Wukong dances with his Ruyi Jingu Bang—three celestial weapons descending upon a single leopard demon. The Southern Mountain King blocks left and right, but gradually becomes overwhelmed. He attempts to vanish into the mist again, but the three have already closed the circle; wherever he runs, he encounters a weapon.

Ultimately, the Southern Mountain King is killed by their combined efforts. Unlike many demons, he is not taken away by a deity—because he has no heavenly background; he is simply a leopard who cultivated himself into a demon, and there is no one to "claim" him. He dies at Hidden Mist Mountain, his cave is burned to the ground, and his lesser demons scatter like birds and beasts. It is a clean, decisive end.

This "three-on-one" battle is narratively significant because it showcases the growth of the pilgrimage group's combat capabilities in the later stages. Wukong is no longer the sole source of offensive power—Bajie and Sha Wujing can play substantial roles at critical moments. This is especially true for Sha Wujing, whose combat performance throughout the book has been understated, usually just "watching from the side." Hidden Mist Mountain is one of the few scenes where he participates in a frontal assault and fights with genuine competence. The coordination between the three is not sophisticated, but it is practical—Wukong draws the aggro, Bajie deals the damage, and Sha Wujing blocks the escape—a simple but effective tactical division of labor.

The Unclaimed Demon: The Rise and Fall of a Lone Leopard

The end of the Southern Mountain King—being killed and his cave burned—seems somewhat "plain" compared to the demons in the latter half of the journey. By Chapter 86, readers have become accustomed to the trope where a fight ends with the discovery that the demon is actually a deity's mount, attendant, or pet, and the deity descends to collect them. King Golden Horn is an attendant of Taishang Laojun, the Green Bull Spirit is Taishang Laojun's mount, the Golden-Winged Great Peng is the Buddha's uncle, and the Yellow Brow Monster is an attendant of Maitreya Buddha... there is always someone behind the demon, and always someone to say "wait" before they are killed.

But there is no one behind the Southern Mountain King. He is merely a leopard who cultivated himself into a spirit in Hidden Mist Mountain; he never had a master, never stole anyone's magical treasure, and has no connections to the Upper Realm. His Four-Bright Shovel and steel fork are not divine artifacts, but ordinary demonic weapons. He claimed the mountain as king and robbed and ate humans based entirely on his own abilities. Such demons were common in the first half of the journey—the Yellow Wind Demon, though a mouse spirit from Lingshan, acted independently, and the Black Bear Spirit also cultivated himself—but they become increasingly rare in the second half.

The fact that the Southern Mountain King is "unclaimed" is both his tragedy and his dignity. He has no backing, so no one comes to save him; but he owes nothing to anyone. His life was his own achievement, and his death is his own fate. In a demon world filled with "Heavenly Court insiders," he is one of the few demon kings who started from nothing—even if his career as a demon king only lasted until Chapter 86.

Related Characters

• Sun Wukong — The primary opponent, who clashed head-on and joined forces to slay the Southern Mountain King.
• Zhu Bajie — Encircled the enemy from the left, participating in the three-man joint assault.
• Sha Wujing — Encircled the enemy from the right; one of the few scenes where he participates in direct combat.
• Tang Sanzang — Abducted by the Southern Mountain King, serving as the catalyst for the battle.