Lemme see, a monkeyiosh critter representing (I guess) the oriental personna, a piggyish character munching a turkey leg, dragons sprouting from the ground...and what all........?
I know just how motivated this video makes me to travel halfway around the world for this sort of welcome.
Funny that you mention that. Goku, from the Dragonball series, was directly inspired by the Monkey King of "Journey to the West." The Japanese kanji for "Son Goku" are the same exact Chinese characters for "Suen Wu Kong," the Monkey King's name. Elements including Goku's monkey tail, his extending staff, and his flying nimbus, were all borrowed from the classic Chinese tale.
For those that don't know the character is the Monkey King that happens to be probably the most famous Chinese fairytale hero ever. The pig was one of his companions and the old man could be the wise man that the Monkey King protected on his pilgrimage. The fairy tale was called "Journey to the West" if I remember correctly.
The pig is Zhu Bajie. The green faced guy is Sha Wujing. Along with the Monkey King, they were banished people atoning for past sins by aiding a monk to travel far east to India to retrieve sacred Buddist scriptures.
Generally the Monkey King is seen as an untamable mischievous prankster, incarcerated (trapped under a mountain) but set free and given the chance to grow up and serve a worthwhile cause.
What does the Monkey King or the Journey of the West have to do with the Olympics? Beats me.
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