Global InformationJourney to the West information
 Earliest known edition of the book from the 16th century | |
| Author | Wu Cheng'en |
|---|---|
| Original title | 西遊記 |
| Country | Ming China |
| Language | Chinese |
| Genre | Gods and demons fiction, Chinese mythology, fantasy, adventure |
| Set in | China, 7th century AD |
Publication date | c. 1592 (print)[1] |
Published in English | 1942 (abridged) 1977–1983 (complete) |
Dewey Decimal | 895.1346 |
Original text | 西遊記 at Chinese Wikisource |
| Journey to the West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Journey to the West in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 西遊記 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 西游记 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | West Journey Record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vietnamese | Tây du kí | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Journey to the West (Chinese: 西遊記; pinyin: Xīyóujì) 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 popular literary work in East Asia.[2] Arthur Waley's 1942 abridged translation, Monkey, is known in English-speaking countries.
The novel is an extended account of the legendary pilgrimage of the Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang, who traveled to the "Western Regions" (Central Asia and India) to obtain Buddhist sūtras (sacred texts) and returned after many trials and much suffering. The monk is referred to as Tang Sanzang in the novel. The novel retains the broad outline of Xuanzang's own account, Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, but adds elements from folk tales and the author's invention: Gautama Buddha gives this task to the monk and provides him with three protectors who agree to help him as an atonement for their sins. These disciples are the Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, together with a dragon prince who acts as Tang Sanzang's steed, a white horse. The group of pilgrims journey towards enlightenment by the power and virtue of cooperation.
Journey to the West has strong roots in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoist and Buddhist folklore, and the pantheon of Taoist immortals and Buddhist bodhisattvas are still reflective of certain Chinese religious attitudes today, while being the inspiration of many modern manhwa, manhua, manga and anime series. Enduringly popular,[3] the novel is at once a comic adventure story, a humorous satire of Chinese bureaucracy, a source of spiritual insight, and an extended allegory.
- ^ Yu (2012), p. 18.
- ^ Kherdian, David (2005). Monkey: A Journey to the West. p. 7.
is probably the most popular book in all of East Asia.
- ^ "Monkeying Around with the Nobel Prize: Wu Chen'en's "Journey to the West"". Los Angeles Review of Books. 13 October 2013.
It is a cornerstone text of Eastern fiction: its stature in Asian literary culture may be compared with that of The Canterbury Tales or Don Quixote in European letters.