Books by Wu Cheng'en
Monkey King: Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en and Julia Lovell (translator)
Pictured is an excellent abridged edition of The Monkey King, translated and with an introduction by Julia Lovell.
“It’s one of those books that if you grow up in China, you know the story, even if you haven’t read the book…It’s a quintessentially Chinese work, it’s fundamental to Chinese culture and, yet, it has elements in it that do not fit in at all with the stereotyped vision of China as this place of Confucian hierarchies where familial ties and stability are all that matters. It’s the story of an adventure, a trip on the road by these characters with magical capabilities. The Monkey King, the novel’s provocative and provoking protagonist, likes to turn the world upside down and revels in chaos.” Read more...
Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Historian
Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en, translated by Anthony C. Yu
The basis for this novel is the journey of Xuanzang (602-664), a Buddhist monk who travelled from China through Central Asia to India and back. The 16th century novel attributed to Wu Cheng’en is very remote from the original travel account. Essentially, it is a series of stand-alone adventure stories, often involving a hungry monster from whose clutches Monkey has to save the pilgrims so they can continue on their way to Thunderclap Monastery and bring back Buddhist scriptures. This is one of the great classics of Chinese literature, starring the much-loved character Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong.
Interviews where books by Wu Cheng'en were recommended
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1
Three Kingdoms
by Luo Guanzhong & Moss Roberts (translator) -
2
The Water Margin
by Shi Naian & translated by J M Jackson -
3
The Water Outlaws
by S L Huang -
4
Monkey King: Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en and Julia Lovell (translator) -
5
The Story of the Stone (also called Dream of the Red Chamber)
by Cao Xueqin
Classic Chinese Novels
Classic Chinese Novels
During China’s Ming and Qing dynasties, a number of novels were written which are regarded as classics of Chinese literature. Several of them have been recommended on Five Books, including one modern retelling.
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1
The Shortest History of China: From the Ancient Dynasties to a Modern Superpower
by Linda Jaivin -
2
Monkey King: Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en and Julia Lovell (translator) -
3
The Chinese Communist Party: A Century in Ten Lives
Edited by Timothy Cheek, Klaus Mühlhahn and Hans van de Ven -
4
Land of Big Numbers
by Te-Ping Chen -
5
In the Camps: China's High-Tech Penal Colony
by Darren Byler
The Best China Books of 2021, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
The Best China Books of 2021, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
Whether you want to read the entire history of China in 250 pages or find out what’s going on right now in Xinjiang, enjoy a new translation of a 16th-century fantasy novel or delve into contemporary short stories, 2021 has been another good year for books about China. Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor’s Professor of History at UC Irvine, recommends his favourite China books of 2021.
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1
The Lotus Sutra
by Tsugunari Kubo and Akira Yuyama (translators) -
2
Introduction to the History of Indian Buddhism
by Eugène Burnouf -
3
Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks
by Gregory Schopen -
4
Words of My Perfect Teacher
by Patrul Rinpoche -
5
Monkey King: Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en and Julia Lovell (translator)
The best books on Buddhism, recommended by Donald S Lopez Jr
The best books on Buddhism, recommended by Donald S Lopez Jr
What is the Buddhist equivalent of the Bible? What is the Dalai Lama’s favourite book? Buddhist scholar Donald Lopez recommends some of his favourite books on Buddhism.
