Description
A whirlwind of myth, mischief, and martial wonder, this classic tale follows the Monkey King—an irrepressible trickster with shapeshifting powers and a talent for turning trouble into momentum—as he is bound to protect the pious monk Tripitaka on a perilous pilgrimage in search of sacred Buddhist sutras. Across a chain of escalating trials, the journey becomes both a high-flying adventure and a sharp, comic critique of power, temptation, and the bureaucracies—divine and earthly—that stand in the way of enlightenment. Along the road, Monkey King’s companions and adversaries test the limits of loyalty, compassion, and self-control, forcing each victory to carry a spiritual cost. Rendered in a vivid, fast-moving style that helped define Chinese fantasy for centuries, this translation captures the novel’s signature blend of kung-fu spectacle, folklore imagination, and enduring questions about redemption and what it truly means to be “immortal.”
Available Editions
hardcover
Penguin Books, Limited
Published Jan 1, 2021
352 pages
ISBN: 9780141393445
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Details
First Published
2021
Language
chi
Translation
From: chi
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for Monkey King: Journey to the West by Wu Ch'Eng-En.