Journey to the West Illustrated (Volume 1, 2, and 3)

Author: Wu Cheng'en
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: The Illustrated Journey to the West refers to the authoritative text version, preserving the essence of the original work while featuring a wealth of exquisite illustrations. Some of these images are from the serial illustrations Journey to the West published by Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House, with contributions from masters such as Liu Zonghan, Zhang Lushan, Qian Xiaodi, Ren Shuangying, Chen Yuandu, Zhu Dafen, and Hu Ruofu. Others are from the serial illustrations Journey to the West published by Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House, including Zhu Guangyu and Liao Zhenghua. These are all renowned masters in the fields of calligraphy and painting, making this book highly valuable for collection and appreciation. The Journey to the West in this book is divided into two volumes. Its main story depicts Sun Wukong protecting Tang Monk on his journey westward to retrieve sacred scriptures, where he subdues demons and overcomes numerous challenges, ultimately succeeding in his mission. The journey of Tang Monk to retrieve sacred scriptures is based on a real historical event. The Tang monk Xuanzang spent seventeen years traveling from Chang'an, covering tens of thousands of miles, and returned to China with over 600 Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures from India. Xuanzang dictated his experiences of the westward journey, which were recorded by his disciple Bianji in the book The Record of the Western Regions During the Great Tang Dynasty. Later, his disciples Huili and Yanzong wrote The Biography of the Venerable Master Xuanzang of the Great Tang Temple, detailing the detailed account of Xuanzang's journey to the Western Regions.