''Sunny Piggy'' is a 2000 Chinese romantic fantasy comedy-drama television series. It stars Xu Zheng as

Zhu Bajie Zhu Bajie (), also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three helpers of Tang Sanzang and a major character of the 16th century novel ''Journey to the West''. Zhu means "swine" and Bajie means "eight precepts". Buddhist scholars consider that both exp ...

, a foolish pig (and farting machine) who wanted to become human, and Tao Hong as a kindhearted dragon princess who loved him unconditionally until her death. Most characters, including Zhu Bajie, are taken from the 16th-century novel ''

Journey to the West ''Journey to the West'' () is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is regarded as one of the greatest Classic Chinese Novels, and has been described as arguably the most po ...

'' and

Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. Much of ...

. The series was filmed in 1999 jointly by

Jiangsu Television Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (JSBC) () is China's third biggest television network after China Central Television (CCTV) and Hunan Broadcasting System (HBS). The television network is owned by the Jiangsu provincial government. The network is ...

Zhejiang Television Zhejiang Television (ZJTV, ) is a satellite television channel owned by Zhejiang Radio and Television Group serving Zhejiang Province. It was launched on October 1, 1960. History January 1, 1994, Zhejiang TV program first started to use satel ...

, Sichuan Television and

Dragon Television Shanghai Dragon Television or Dragon TV () is a provincial satellite TV station. It launched in October 1998 as "Shanghai Television Shanghai Television () is a TV station based in Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ...

, in conjunction with Suzhou Southern Pai Culture Media,

China Federation of Literary and Art Circles China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (''CFLAC'' ), established in July 1949, is a Chinese people's organization composed of nationwide associations of writers and artists. CFLAC is one of the founders of CPPCC ( Chinese People's Political C ...

Publishing Corporation, and Sky Creation. Copyrights were sold to 13 national television stations, which began broadcasting it almost simultaneously in January 2000. It achieved ratings over 30% in several provinces, prompting over 20 smaller local stations to show its reruns. Xu Zheng, virtually unknown before the series, rode its popularity to stardom. He and Tao Hong became close friends, and eventually married in 2002. The show has since spawned several sequels and remakes.

Cast

* Xu Zheng as

(Pig) ** Xu Zheng also portrayed Zhu Fengchun, Zhu Bajie's owner whose body Zhu Bajie possessed * Tao Hong as Xiaolongnü (Dragon Maiden) *

Yvonne Yung Yvonne Yung (born 17 September 1968) is a Hong Kong actress and former beauty pageant winner. Early life Yung was born on 17 September 1968 in Beijing. At age 12, Yung immigrated to Hong Kong. Career Yung started her entertainment career as a ...

as Cat Devil ** Yvonne Yung also portrayed Miaomiao, a girl whose body Cat Devil possessed * Chu Chung-heng as

Sun Wukong The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong ( zh, t=孫悟空, s=孙悟空, first=t) in Mandarin Chinese, is a legendary mythical figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West'' ( zh, ...

(Monkey) * Jin Qiaoqiao as Dragon Maiden's sister * Lee Li-chun as

Dragon King The Dragon King, also known as the Dragon God, is a Chinese water and weather god. He is regarded as the dispenser of rain, commanding over all bodies of water. He is the collective personification of the ancient concept of the ''lóng'' in Ch ...

of the East Sea * Chen Hong as

Chang'e Chang'e ( ; , alternatively rendered as Chang-Er or Ch‘ang-o), originally known as Heng'e, is the Chinese goddess of the Moon. She is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology, most of which incorporate several of the following ele ...

(Moon Goddess) *

Sun Xing Sun Xing (born October 16, 1963) is a Hong Kong actor and Mandopop singer born in Guangzhou, China. He shot to fame in the 1990s by portraying heroes in a number of Taiwanese ''wuxia'' TV dramas. Later he mostly appeared in comedies. Biography S ...

Taibai Jinxing Taibai Jinxing () is a deity in Chinese folk religion and Taoism. He is the son of Bai Di, the White Emperor, and his name means 'Evening Star'. The Fengshen Yanyi refers to him as an aide in the entourage of the Jade Emperor. In Chinese astron ...

(Great White Golden Star) * Wang Bozhao as

Jade Emperor The Jade Emperor or Yudi ( or , ') in Chinese culture, traditional religions and myth is one of the representations of the first god ( '). In Daoist theology he is the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, the thre ...

* Dai Chunrong as

Xi Wangmu The Queen Mother of the West, known by various local names, is a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology, also worshipped in neighbouring Asian countries, and attested from ancient times. From her name alone some of her most importan ...

(Queen Mother of the East) * Liu Xiaofeng as

Wu Gang Wu Gang (), formerly romanized as Wu Kang and also known as Wu Zhi in some sources,Eberhard, Wolfram. ''Dictionary of Chinese Symbols: Hidden Symbols in Chinese Life and Thought''pp. 76 ff Routledge & Kegan Paul (London), 2013. Accessed 12 Novem ...

* Kou Zhanwen as

Houyi Hou Yi () is a mythological Chinese archer. He was also known as Shen Yi and simply as Yi (). He is also typically given the title of "Lord Archer". He is sometimes portrayed as a god of archery descended from heaven to aid mankind. Other times, ...

* Lin Jifan as

Taishang Laojun Daode Tianzun (), also known as Taishang Laojun () is a high Taoist god. He is the Taiqing (太清, lit. the Grand Pure One) which is one of the Three Pure Ones, the highest divinities of Taoism. Laozi is regarded to be a manifestation of Daode ...

(Grand Supreme Elderly Lord) * Xu Zhen as Erlangshen * Zhu Jingui as Turtle * Li Zhigui as

Yue Lao Yue Lao () is a god of marriage and love in Chinese mythology. He appears as an old man under the moon. Yue Lao appears at night and "unites with a silken cord all predestined couples, after which nothing can prevent their union."Doze Niu Doze Niu (, also known as Niu Chen-zer; born June 22, 1966) is a Taiwanese actor, film director, show host, screenwriter, and producer. As a film director, he is best known for the Taiwanese film '' Monga''. Early life Niu was born in Taipei, ...

as Dragon King of the North Sea

International broadcast

* China –

Beijing Television Beijing Radio and Television Station (BRTV), formerly Beijing Media Network (BMN), is a government-owned television network in China. It broadcasts from Beijing. The channel is available only in Chinese. Beijing Media Network was founded o ...

, Tianjin Television,

Shanghai Television Shanghai Television () is a TV station based in Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern es ...

, Guangdong Television,

Fujian Television Southeast Television (SETV; ) formerly ''Fujian Television'', is a television network in Fujian, China. It is part of the Fujian Media Group, which in itself is part of the Fujian Radio Film and TV Group conglomerate. SETV currently broadc ...

, Sichuan Television,

Anhui Television Anhui Television (AHTV; ), is a television network in the Hefei and Anhui province. It was founded and started to broadcast in September 1960. AHTV currently broadcasts in Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chin ...

, Shanxi Television, Hebei Television,

Nei Mongol Television Inner Mongolia Radio and Television (NMTV, ; mn, , Өвөр Монголын Радио-Телевиз Хороо, translit=Övör Mongolyn Radio-Televiz Khoroo) is a radio and television network in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The I ...

etc. — January/February 2000 *

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...

Eastern Television Eastern Broadcasting Company (EBC; ), originally called Eastern Television (ETTV), is a nationwide cable television network in Taiwan that is operated by the Eastern Broadcasting Group, which also operates the online news site ''ETtoday''. ETTV ...

(ETTV Variety) — July 2000 *

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

Asia Television Asia Television Limited (, also known as ATV) is a digital media and broadcasting company in Hong Kong. Established as the first television service in Hong Kong as Rediffusion Television () on 29 May 1957, it shifted to terrestrial televi ...

(

ATV Home ATV Home () was a free-to-air Cantonese television channel in Hong Kong, owned and operated by Asia Television. It was formed in September 1963 as a result of the split of the bilingual Rediffusion Television subscription service (which was p ...

) — May 2001 *

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

- Vĩnh Long Television (THVL) — June 2011(THVL) Tây du ký – Trư Bát Giới
/ref>

Sequels and remakes

Producer Fan Xiaotian, who became known as the Piggy Godfather, has since produced 4 live-action TV series and a number of animation TV series derived from the series. These include: * ''Lucky Piggy'' (福星高照豬八戒), a 2004 sequel, starring Huang Haibo as Zhu Bajie, also starring

Fan Bingbing Fan Bingbing (, born 16 September 1981) is a Chinese actress. From 2013 to 2017, she was included as the highest-paid celebrity in the '' Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list after ranking in the top 10 every year since 2006. She appeared on ''Time ...

and Han Xue. ** ''Happy Piggy'' (喜氣洋洋豬八戒), a 2005 sequel to the 2004 series, starring Gao Hongxian as Zhu Bajie * ''Sunny Piggy'', a 2006 animation remake ** ''Sunny Piggy 2'', a 2010 sequel, also an anime series * ''Sister Sunny Piggy'' (春光燦爛豬九妹), a 2011 spin-off, starring

Joe Chen Joe Chen Chiao-en (; born 4 April 1979) is a Taiwanese actress, singer and television host. Known as the "Queen of Idol Dramas", Chen is known for her roles in ''The Prince Who Turns into a Frog'' (2005), ''Fated to Love You'' (2008) and ''The Qu ...

as Zhu Jiumei (Zhu Bajie's female version) * ''The Happy Marshal'' (春光燦爛之歡樂元帥), a 2012 remake, starring

Leo Ku Leo Ku Kui-kei is a Hong Kong Cantopop and Mandopop singer, actor, TV host, model, cartoonist, MV director, and producer and designer. He employs falsetto as a singing technique and was named as one of the "Five Fresh Tigers of TVB". Caree ...

as Zhu Shuaishuaige (essentially the same character as Zhu Bajie), also starring

Charlene Choi Charlene Choi Tsoek-jin ( zh, t=蔡卓妍; born 22 November 1982) is a Hong Kong Canadian actress and singer. She is a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Gillian Chung. Early life Choi was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ...

and

Gillian Chung Gillian Chung Ka-lai (born Chung Tik-shan, 21 January 1981), known by her stage name Chung Yan-tung, is a Hong Kong actress and singer. She is a member of the Cantopop duo Twins, along with Charlene Choi. Early life Chung was born in Hong K ...

. However, none of them was nearly as popular or well-received as the original.

References

{{Journey to the West 2000 Chinese television series debuts 2000 Chinese television series endings Chinese comedy-drama television series Television shows based on Journey to the West Mandarin-language television shows