Journey to the West

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-08
Features: The Journey to the West is a fantasy novel. Sun Wukong's transformations and supernatural abilities, the hardships and supernatural creatures encountered on the pilgrimage, the high position of the Jade Emperor, the terrifying scenes of Hell, and the solemn and mystical aspects of the Western World—all cannot hide the fact that the novel reflects the worldly aspects of all living beings. From the few hidden savings in Zhu Bajie's ear to the bribery demanded by the (Bodhisattvas) in the Buddhist realm, people laugh, but then suddenly realize that these are actually things that happen around them and are not so mystical. Therefore, after reading it, people start to wonder if Wu Cheng'en was playing hide-and-seek with the readers. Mr. Lu Xun once said: "The author's nature is 'repeatedly good at comedy,' so even when describing fantastical and mysterious events, he often mixes in humorous remarks, making the gods and demons have human emotions, the spirits and monsters understand worldly affairs, and a sense of playful indifference is implied." This is the brilliance of the novel, and the strange and winding plot is secondary.