Sun Wukong
The Six-Eared Macaque (六耳獼猴) is one of the four spiritual primates that do not belong to any of the ten categories that all beings in the universe are classified under. The other three are the Intelligent Stone Monkey (靈明石猴), Red Bottomed Horse Monkey (赤尻馬猴) and Long Armed Ape Monkey (通臂猿猴). As he and Sun Wukong are both spiritual primates (Sun Wukong is the Intelligent Stone Monkey), their powers and abilities are on par. Hoping to replace Sun Wukong and gain his rewards from the Buddha in Sun Wukong's place, the Six-Eared Macaque first appears in Xiliang (西粱) in disguise as Sun Wukong, knocks Tang Sanzang unconscious and steals the baggage. He fights with the real Sun Wukong and neither of them is able to overcome his opponent. No one is able to differentiate between the real and the fake Sun Wukong—the Six-Eared Macaque's spell of impersonation is so-good that he also responds to the 'headache sutra', preventing the pilgrims from differentiating between him and Sun Wukong—until the two appear before the Buddha, who tells them about the four spiritual primates. The Six-Eared Macaque attempts to flee when he hears the Buddha speak about his true identity, but the Buddha traps him under a giant golden alms bowl. The macaque is then killed by Sun Wukong.