Author: Cheng’en Wu
Translator: Anthony C. Yu
U.S. publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226971544
Released: May 1984
Original release: 16th century

The fourth and final volume of Anthony C. Yu’s translation of the Chinese classic The Journey to the West was first published by Chicago University Press in 1983. The volume’s release marked the completion of one of the first and only unabridged English translations of the work. Written anonymously in the 16th Century during the Ming Dynasty, The Journey to the West is believed to be the work of Cheng’en Wu. The Journey to the West is considered to be one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. Extremely influential, The Journey to the West is the basis and inspiration for numerous adaptations and countless other creative works from around the world. References to it and its characters are found nearly everywhere. Loosely based on historical events—the sixteen-year pilgrimage of a Buddhist monk from China to India and back— The Journey to the West has taken on a life of its own.

It has been fourteen years since Tripitaka left the T’ang court, charged with the retrieval of sacred Buddhist scriptures from the Western Heaven. The journey, which was only supposed to have taken three years, has been a long and hard one filled with many trials and tribulations. His very survival has depended on the protection and aid of his four divinely appointed companions. Throughout his travels, Tripitaka has suffered repeated attacks and abductions by fiends and demons. Now that he is finally closer to the Western Heaven and his goal, things haven’t gotten any easier for him. He not only has to be wary of monsters, but of mortal humans that threaten him, too. People and politics make his given task even more difficult than it already was. But despite all of his ordeals, Tripitaka perseveres, determined to reach the Western Heaven.

The Journey to the West is a marvelous mix of humor, drama, mythology, fantasy, religion, and manic martial arts. By now Tripitaka’s encounters with fiends and his subsequent rescues have fallen into a fairly predictable pattern. However, there is always some detail that makes each scenario recognizable and sets it apart from all of the others. After more than fourteen years on the road and having to deal with the antics of his unruly companions who only seem to bring him more trouble (from which they then have to save him), Tripitaka is understandably getting to be a little cranky. Although I do feel bad for our poor monk, the result is often hilarious. I like this Tripitaka who is willing to haul out and give his companions a stern talking to, taking them to task for their misdeeds. When he meets a prince who expresses his surprise at the length of their journey, the weary Tripitaka replies, “You have no idea.”

The fourth volume of Yu’s The Journey to the West collects the final twenty-five chapters of the one hundred chapter epic. In addition to the extremely useful endonotes that have been included in each book, the fourth volume also includes the index for the entire set which is also quite handy. But even with these aids it can sometimes be difficult to remember exactly who is who since name changes are a fairly regular occurrence. Tripitaka and his companions alone have several names each that they are known by. The Journey to the West is not a short tale but I found it to be highly entertaining. It’s easy to see why the story is so well loved and has inspired so many creators. For a casual reader, I would probably recommend an abridgement of The Journey to the West, such as Yu’s The Monkey and the Monk. But know that if you do, you’ll be missing out on a lot of great stuff. I, for one, am very glad that I read The Journey to the West in its entirety.

Author: Cheng’en Wu
Translator: Anthony C. Yu
U.S. publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226971476
Released: February 1984
Original release: 16th century

I have steadily been making my way through Anthony C. Yu’s translation of The Journey to the West and have reached the third of four volumes. The translation was first published by the University of Chicago press between 1977 and 1983, the third volume initially being released in 1980. I chose to read Yu’s complete translation because it is an unabridged version of The Journey to the West and I wanted to read such an influential work in its entirety at least once. Yu also translated an abridged edition of the Chinese classic under the title The Monkey and the Monk. The Journey to the West as it is known today was originally written anonymously in China in the late 1500s and is commonly attributed to the author Cheng’en Wu. So far, I have been enjoying Yu’s translation and appreciate all of the endnotes that he has included for guidance. I looked forward to reading the third volume.

The Buddhist monk Tripitaka was sent to the Western Heaven in order to retrieve sacred scriptures. Years have passed since he began his journey, accompanied by his protectors and companions Monkey, Pa-Chieh, Sha Monk, and a white horse that’s actually a shape-shifting dragon in disguise. They’ve faced many dangers and challenges together, performing numerous good deeds and defeating many monsters, demons, and fiends along the way, often with additional divine aid. And yet the small group has yet to reach the Western Heaven and Tripitaka has yet to reach his goal. Still, with help, the monk perseveres whether he’s facing fiends that want to devour him to gain immortality or bed him because he’s such a handsome fellow. It’s been a long journey, and there’s still a long way to go.

Out of all of the traveling companions, Sha Monk is probably the most level-headed. Surprisingly enough, even more so than Tripitaka. When Monkey and Pa-Chieh run off for a fight, it’s usually Sha Monk that is left behind to guard Tripitaka and the horse and luggage. Why the horse needs protection I’m not sure since the dragon has been shown on multiple occasions to be capable of taking care of himself and others. Although Sha Monk isn’t often called on to fight, his battle prowess is quite impressive when needed. Tripitaka, who has unfortunately taken to falling off his horse in fear again, is lucky to have such skilled companions that care for him to accompany him on his journey. Monkey is particularly protective and possessive of Tripitaka, often calling him “my monk” when speaking to others.

Although The Journey to the West can be somewhat repetitive due to its form, the author still shows an impressive amount of creativity in the traveler’s encounters and with the variety of fiends and monsters themselves. Some are established creatures and characters incorporated from Chinese folklore, but some are the author’s own inventions. Another interesting aspect of The Journey to the West is its use of poetry. The poetry isn’t always included in English translations, but Yu retains it. Poems are most often implemented when someone or something is being described for the first time or when there is a fight going on. The introductions can be very dramatic, as are the battles. The use of poetry also has the effect of speeding up the pacing of the narrative. Even so, I’m beginning to wonder if Tripitaka and his companions will ever reach the Western Heaven. Guess I’ll just have to read the final volume to find out.

Author: Cheng’en Wu
Translator: Anthony C. Yu
U.S. publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226971513
Released: February 1983
Original release: 16th century

The second volume of Anthony C. Yu’s translation of The Journey to the West was originally published in 1978. The Chicago University Press initially released Yu’s translation, the first and one of the only complete translations of The Journey to the West available in English, in four volumes between 1977 and 1983. I recently learned that Yu is working on updating and revising his translation, but it has yet to be published. The original version of The Journey to the West was written in sixteenth-century China. Although written anonymously, it has been attributed to Cheng’en Wu. The Journey to the West has become an extremely important and highly influential classic of world literature. It’s because of its influence that I wanted to read the work. And now that I’ve read the first half of The Journey to the West, I seem to be running into even more references to the tale than I was before. Or, maybe it’s just that I can recognize them now.

The second volume of The Journey to the West covers chapters twenty-five to fifty of the original tale. At this point, the monk Tripitaka is well along in his journey to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures from the Western Heaven. The trip so far has been quite an ordeal for him and has been made both better and worse by his traveling companions. It has also lasted much longer than he anticipated; he hasn’t even reached his destination yet, yet alone returned to the Tang empire. Tripitaka is repeatedly confronted by monsters and demons who would like to eat him in order to gain immortality. Fortunately, his companions, especially Monkey, are very protective of him. But sometimes even they are no match for the challenges that await them.

Throughout The Journey to the West, Pa-Chieh, one of Tripitaka’s traveling companions and protectors, is frequently referred to as Idiot. After reading the first volume, I wasn’t quite sure why, feeling that the moniker often fit Monkey more than it did Pa-Chieh. But after finishing the second volume I understand why he is called that. Simply put, it is because Pa-Chieh really is an idiot. He’s prone to acting without thinking things through and makes trouble seemingly for trouble’s sake. Poor Tripitaka is usually the one to suffer most for Pa-Chieh’s follies. Pa-Chieh also has an interesting relationship with Monkey—something almost akin to a sibling rivalry. He is constantly challenging Monkey’s authority and tries to outdo him. In return, Monkey doesn’t hesitate to put Pa-Chieh in his place or play pranks on him. In some ways, they are actually quite alike.

The Journey to the West is a single story (or, depending on how you look at it, a string of closely related stories). The reason that it has been divided into individual volumes is that it is so long. Although, it is written in a style that makes it easy to put down and pick back up again. The chapters are short and often retell what has already happened. Yu seems to expect the reader to not only have read the first volume, but to also have it on hand; many of the footnotes and the story itself cross reference each other between volumes. I am very grateful for Yu’s notes. The Journey to the West incorporates many Chinese and religious tales and legends, most of which I wouldn’t have recognized if it wasn’t for Yu since I’m not personally familiar with the mythologies. I really am enjoying The Journey to the West. It is an exciting tale that can be both humorous and gruesome. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens in the third volume.

Author: Cheng’en Wu
Translator: Anthony C. Yu
U.S. publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226971476
Released: February 1980
Original release: 16th century

The Journey to the West is a highly influential work written anonymously in China during the Ming Dynasty in the 1590s. Believed to be written by Cheng’en Wu, it is considered to be one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China. The Journey to the West is a fictionalization of the historical journey from China to India undertaken by the Buddhist monk Xuanzang and incorporates numerous folk tales, myths, and legends. The Journey to the West has been and continues to be the inspiration for seemingly countless works and adaptations not only in China, but in Japan (where it is known as Saiyuki) and all over the rest of the world as well. The first complete and unabridged English edition of the the original The Journey to the West, including the integral poetry, was translated by Anthony C. Yu. The Chicago University Press published Yu’s translation in four volumes between 1977 and 1983. An abridged version of Yu’s translation is also available under the title The Monkey and the Monk.

In its entirety, The Journey to the West is one hundred chapters. The first volume of Yu’s translations consists of the first twenty-five chapters, a very useful and informative preface and introduction, and plenty of helpful end notes. The first seven chapters tell the story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, following his birth, education, disruption of Heaven, and his eventual imprisonment under a mountain. Monkey’s tale is the part of The Journey to the West with which I was already most familiar. The Journey to the West continues with the circumstances surrounding the journey as well as the backgrounds of our intrepid monk Tripitaka and the other companions that will end up joining him in addition to Monkey. The actual journey—Tripitaka’s travels to retrieve sacred scriptures from the West—doesn’t begin until chapter thirteen.

I didn’t know it before I read the first volume of Yu’s translations of The Journey to the West, but the Bodhisattva Kuan-yin plays a significant role in the story. For various reasons, Kuan-yin happens to be my favorite member in all of the Buddhist pantheons, so it made me happy to find her in The Journey to the West. Tripitaka, on the other hand, I found somewhat frustrating as a character. Once his journey begins it seems as if the only thing he can do is faint in fear and fall off his horse when confronted with monsters and demons. Granted, this is a fairly reasonable reaction give the circumstances. But what Tripitaka lacks in stamina and valor, he more than makes up for in stupendous moral and spiritual integrity. He’s not afraid to give Monkey and the rest of his companions brilliant tongue-lashings when the situation calls for it.

With a marvelous mix of magic, martial arts, mischief, and mayhem, The Journey to the West is a tremendous amount of fun. It is easy to see why the story is so loved and has inspired so many adaptations. And while The Journey to the West has some tragic elements to it, it is also a very funny story with plenty of humor to enjoy. Although I have not read any other translations of The Journey to the West to compare it to, I am so far happy with Yu’s translation. Some of the terms and phrases may be unfamiliar due to cultural differences, but like the original, Yu uses approachable, commonplace language. The text itself is somewhat repetitive, frequently reusing descriptions and constantly reiterating plot developments. But even considering this, The Journey to the West is immensely entertaining and I look forward to reading the rest of Yu’s translation.