Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven
A forty-episode co-production between Taiwan and Hong Kong starring Dicky Cheung, this 2002 television adaptation of Journey to the West became a ratings champion for TVB's anniversary.
Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong is a costume mythological drama produced in 2002 through a joint venture between Taiwan's First Media, Tianzhong Media, and Xinfeng Film under the Eight Great Television umbrella, together with Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB). The series consists of 40 episodes (the TVB version was edited down to 30 to 35 episodes). The creative team included screenwriters Xiao Ruoyuan, Chen Wenqiang, and Ye Guangyin; producer and chief director Zheng Weiwen; and several veteran Hong Kong drama directors, including Liang Dehua, Li Wenlong, Zheng Jicheng, Xiao Jiankeng, and Yang Zhiqian. Filming began in Hong Kong in 2001. The series first premiered in Taiwan on CTV during the 8:00 PM slot on July 10, 2002, and later debuted on TVB's Jade channel in November as a flagship production for the TVB Anniversary. The cast featured a star-studded ensemble: Dicky Cheung reprised his role as Sun Wukong following the 1996 version of Journey to the West, with Andy Chiang as Bai Longma, Liang Hanwen as Tang Sanzang,葛民辉 (Ge Minhui) as Zhu Bajie, and Li Cansen as Sha Wujing. Other notable additions included Jimmy Lin, Twins (Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung), and Yang Gongru. While the plot adheres to the mythological framework, it significantly enhances the emotional arcs and entertainment value, integrating original elements—such as the premise of a meteorite transforming into a stone monkey and the "Golden Chopsticks"—into the main Journey to the West narrative. The series achieved explosive ratings on TVB, averaging 34 points and peaking at 40, winning the title of TVB's highest-rated show of 2002 and becoming one of Dicky Cheung's most iconic "monkey" performances.