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Monkey King
Journey to the West
Series: Penguin Clothbound Classics
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Check link for latest rating. ( 3,169 ratings, 502 reviews)
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Monkey King
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Monkey King, also known as Journey to the West, is one of the pinnacles of Chinese literature, brought to life in a masterful new translation by the award-winning Julia Lovell. This vibrant and imaginative tale, often attributed to Wu Cheng'en, was written during the Ming dynasty and stands as one of China's Four Great Classical Novels.
The story unfolds during the Tang dynasty, following the extraordinary pilgrimage of the monk Xuanzang as he quests to obtain sacred Buddhist scriptures from India. He is joined by a memorable ensemble: Sun Wukong, the rebellious and omni-talented Monkey King, whose kung-fu prowess and magical feats are legendary; Zhu Bajie, a humorous and gluttonous pig demon with an insatiable love for rice; and Sha Wujing, a melancholic river-sand monster with a dark past.
Comparable to Western classics like The Canterbury Tales and Don Quixote, Monkey King is a rich tapestry of adventure and satire. It offers a comedic narrative that pokes fun at the intricacies of Chinese bureaucracy, while simultaneously providing profound spiritual insights. The journey of this unlikely band of characters is a prolonged allegory of the pursuit of enlightenment.
Through a series of captivating episodes filled with battles against formidable adversaries, encounters with intriguing deities, and displays of incredible magic, the novel explores themes of faith, perseverance, and redemption. The timeless appeal of Monkey King lies in its ability to blend whimsical storytelling with deep philosophical undertones, making it both an engaging tale and a source of spiritual reflection.
Julia Lovell's translation revives this classic for a contemporary audience, capturing the humour, wit, and profound wisdom that has enchanted readers for centuries. Monkey King is not just a journey across physical and spiritual landscapes, but also a perpetual journey into the human soul.
Series: Penguin Clothbound Classics
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Reviews praise Monkey King by Wu Ch'eng-en, particularly Julia Lovell's new translation, for its lively and humorous take on this classic Chinese epic. They commend its imaginative storytelling, engaging adventure, and Lovell's ability to breathe fresh life, wit, and charm into the text. The book is celebrated for its richness, fun, and enjoyable readability, making it accessible to a broad audience.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780141393445
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 11 February 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Contributors:
- Translated by Julia Lovell
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 36.0mm
Width: 136.0mm
Height: 200.0mm
Weight: 500g
Pages: 384
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Series: Penguin Clothbound Classics
Wu Ch'eng-en
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About the Author
Wu Ch'eng-en (Author) Very little is known about Wu Ch-eng-en (c. 1505-80). He was a Chinese novelist and poet of the Ming Dynasty, and is considered by many to be the author of Journey to the West (Monkey King), one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Julia Lovell (Translator) Julia Lovell is the translator of The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China- The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun, and is the author of Maoism, for which she won the 2019 Cundhill History Prize, and The Opium War, for which she won the Jan Michalski Prize. She is Professor of Modern China at Birkbeck College, University of London, and writes about China for The Guardian, Financial Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. She lives in Cambridge.
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