Quick Answer: Who Is Ao Run?
Ao Run (敖閏, Áo Rùn) is the West Sea Dragon King (西海龍王, Xīhǎi Lóngwáng) in chapter 3 of Journey to the West. He supplies Sun Wukong with golden armor. Chapter 15 identifies him as the father of the dragon who becomes the White Dragon Horse.[1][2]
- The gift: Ao Run brings a suit of golden mail to the East Sea palace.[1]
- The family connection: Guanyin identifies the dragon at Eagle-Sorrow Ravine as Ao Run’s third prince.[2]
- The name variation: Chapters 41 and 43 in the linked text use Ao Shun for the West Sea king.[3][4]
The chapter and the character’s role help identify which figure a passage means.
A golden suit of armor and a white horse connect two episodes that take place far apart in Journey to the West. One shows a dragon king negotiating with the Monkey King. The other shows how that ruler’s son comes to carry the monk on his pilgrimage.[1][2]
The Armor Ao Run Gives Sun Wukong
When Sun Wukong visits the Crystal Palace in chapter 3, he gets his staff from the East Sea king, Ao Guang. He then demands a set of armor to go with the staff. Ao Guang summons his brothers, and Ao Run suggests giving Wukong what he wants and reporting the encounter to Heaven after he leaves.[1]
The gifts are assigned individually. Ao Run brings the golden mail, Ao Qin brings a phoenix-wing crown, and Ao Shun brings cloud-walking shoes. Wukong puts on all three before leaving, so an illustration of him in full costume may combine objects from different rulers.[1]
Ao Run and the White Dragon Horse
In chapter 15, a dragon emerges from Eagle-Sorrow Ravine and swallows the pilgrim monk’s original horse. Guanyin tells Wukong that this dragon is Ao Run’s son. The prince had burned a pearl in the palace, and his father had reported him. Guanyin had already intervened with the Jade Emperor to spare his life and give him a role on the pilgrimage.[2]
The messenger calls the dragon the third prince. Guanyin changes him into a horse that resembles the one he swallowed. In his new form, the prince becomes the monk’s mount for the journey west. The father’s place in the story is established through Guanyin’s account, while the transformation itself belongs to the son.[2]
Why the West Sea King’s Name Changes
The linked Chinese text gives a different lineup in chapter 41. When Wukong asks for rain to help against Red Boy, Ao Guang calls Ao Run the North Sea king and Ao Shun the West Sea king. Compare that list with chapter 3, where the two names are assigned the other way around.[1][3]
Chapter 43 also calls the West Sea ruler Ao Shun. In that episode, the ruler sends his son Prince Mo’ang to the Black River after learning what his nephew has done. Mo’ang is the crown prince in that scene, while the dragon horse is the third prince in the ravine episode.[2][4]
How to Identify Ao Run in a Retelling
Start with the scene. In the armor episode, look for the ruler who counsels against a fight and brings the mail. In the ravine episode, look for Guanyin’s account of the prince’s father. If you encounter Mo’ang or the Black River, check how that chapter names the West Sea ruler before applying a list from another chapter.[1][2][4]
FAQs About Ao Run
Is Ao Run the White Dragon Horse?
The horse is his son, the third prince. Guanyin changes the prince’s form after he swallows the monk’s original horse.[2]
What Does Ao Run Give Sun Wukong?
He contributes a suit of golden mail in chapter 3. Wukong receives the staff from the East Sea palace in the same episode.[1]
Is Ao Shun the Same as Ao Run?
Chapter 3 lists them as different rulers. Later passages assign the West Sea title to Ao Shun, so the title alone can be ambiguous.[1][3][4]
Sources
[1] Chinese Wikisource. Journey to the West, chapter 3
[2] Chinese Wikisource. Journey to the West, chapter 15
[3] Chinese Wikisource. Journey to the West, chapter 41
[4] Chinese Wikisource. Journey to the West, chapter 43