The scene depicted here is just one story from Journey to the West, a mythology of an adventurous tour to the west by three semigods and the monk, Xuan Zang, of the Tang Dynasty.

The painting is an account of Sun Wukong before his tour with Xuan Zang. The Emperor of Heaven tricked Sun Wukong into coming to the heavenly palace by assigning him to feed the horses, afraid of his making trouble on earth. Finding the truth, Sun Wukong messed up the palace and returned to his kingdom in Huaguo Hill.

The boy-god Nezha and his father were sent to capture Sun Wukong. They lost the first bout quickly. Then, Ne-zha moved to fight with Sun Wukong. He transformed himself into a god with three heads and six arms, holding various weapons. Calm Sun Wukong transformed alike, and met the enemy head-on. The colored painting de-picts the scene of their fight, with monkey-faced Sun Wukong standing in the middle and the boy-god on the fire wheel to his right.

Sun Wukong hit Nezha on the right arm. The frightened heavenly god could only return and the Emperor of Heav-en had to grant Sun Wukong the title Qi Tian Da Sheng.

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