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The Journey to the West, Revised Edition, Volume 1
Listen to the legendary Chinese classic that inspired the hit game Black Wukong!
Anthony C. Yu’s translation of The Journey to the West, initially published in 1983, introduced English-speaking audiences to the classic Chinese novel in its entirety for the first time. Written in the sixteenth century, The Journey to the West tells the story of the fourteen-year pilgrimage of the monk Xuanzang, one of China’s most famous religious heroes, and his three supernatural disciples, in search of Buddhist scriptures. Throughout his journey, Xuanzang fights demons who wish to eat him, communes with spirits, and traverses a land riddled with a multitude of obstacles, both real and fantastical. An adventure rich with danger and excitement, this seminal work of the Chinese literary canon is by turns allegory, satire, and fantasy.
With over a hundred chapters written in both prose and poetry, The Journey to the West has always been a complicated and difficult text to render in English while preserving the lyricism of its language and the content of its plot. But Yu has successfully taken on the task, and in this new edition, he has made his translations even more accurate and accessible. The explanatory notes are updated and augmented, and Yu has added new material to his introduction, based on his original research as well as on the newest literary criticism and scholarship on Chinese religious traditions. He has also modernized the transliterations included in each volume, using the now-standard Hanyu Pinyin romanization system. Perhaps most important, Yu has made changes to the translation itself in order to make it as precise as possible.
One of the great works of Chinese literature, The Journey to the West is not only invaluable to scholars of Eastern religion and literature, but, in Yu’s elegant rendering, also a delight for anyone.
This audiobook is expertly read by Brian Nishii, with audio engineering by Transient Audio. It was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Anthony C. Yu’s translation of The Journey to the West, initially published in 1983, introduced English-speaking audiences to the classic Chinese novel in its entirety for the first time. Written in the sixteenth century, The Journey to the West tells the story of the fourteen-year pilgrimage of the monk Xuanzang, one of China’s most famous religious heroes, and his three supernatural disciples, in search of Buddhist scriptures. Throughout his journey, Xuanzang fights demons who wish to eat him, communes with spirits, and traverses a land riddled with a multitude of obstacles, both real and fantastical. An adventure rich with danger and excitement, this seminal work of the Chinese literary canon is by turns allegory, satire, and fantasy.
With over a hundred chapters written in both prose and poetry, The Journey to the West has always been a complicated and difficult text to render in English while preserving the lyricism of its language and the content of its plot. But Yu has successfully taken on the task, and in this new edition, he has made his translations even more accurate and accessible. The explanatory notes are updated and augmented, and Yu has added new material to his introduction, based on his original research as well as on the newest literary criticism and scholarship on Chinese religious traditions. He has also modernized the transliterations included in each volume, using the now-standard Hanyu Pinyin romanization system. Perhaps most important, Yu has made changes to the translation itself in order to make it as precise as possible.
One of the great works of Chinese literature, The Journey to the West is not only invaluable to scholars of Eastern religion and literature, but, in Yu’s elegant rendering, also a delight for anyone.
This audiobook is expertly read by Brian Nishii, with audio engineering by Transient Audio. It was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Audible Audio
Published December 3, 2025
About the author
Anthony C. Yu
26 books24 followersFrom Wikipedia: Dr. Yu is a literature and religion scholar. He is currently the Carl Darling Buck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago.
Best known for his four-volume translation of The Journey to the West, he coedited (with Mary Gerhart) Morphologies of Faith: Essays in Religion and Culture in Honor of Nathan A. Scott, Jr. He has also published Rereading the Stone: Desire and the Making of Fiction in “Dream of the Red Chamber.” His latest book is State and Religion in China: Historical and Textual Perspectives.
Best known for his four-volume translation of The Journey to the West, he coedited (with Mary Gerhart) Morphologies of Faith: Essays in Religion and Culture in Honor of Nathan A. Scott, Jr. He has also published Rereading the Stone: Desire and the Making of Fiction in “Dream of the Red Chamber.” His latest book is State and Religion in China: Historical and Textual Perspectives.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 14, 2026
Note: I listened to the excellent audiobook rather than read it. My review of 4.0/5.0 represents only my personal enjoyment of the work, not any literary opinion.
Dear Monkey king, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, accompanying the Tang Monk as a pilgrim, on a journey to the Western Heaven for Buddhist scriptures. Never before have I ever experienced a work (and character in particular) live up to and exceed its reputation with such zeal and pomp. The word "Rapscallion" should frankly have as its official definition, simply an image of Sun Wukong.
This truly is a whimsical epic, full of grand adventure, ferocious adversaries, and larger than life characters, spun with a deep knowledge of the religious and spiritual doctrines which underpin it. As the insightful (and dense) introduction by the translator emphasises, Journey to the West represents "the balance/harmony of the three teachings" in Chinese society (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism). Each has its role expertly baked into the very essence of the story. Confucianism extols the virtues of social ethics, enforced by filial piety and communal respect, Buddhism the virtue of spiritualism, offering answers to questions of mortality and cosmic meaning, and Daoism acts as a bridge, built on myth and folklore, to implement these teachings in the material realm. As far as this reader understands, this ebb and flow of "the three teachings" is still evident in modern Chinese media and culture. A testament to the influence of this work, and its ability to evoke and capture the zeitgeist of its period.
And despite the scholarly and historical weight of it, it is a surprisingly light read, at least from an outsiders perspective. It is repetitive and exceedingly loquacious at times, but that only adds to its charm. Like a children's story, this epic religious allegory is straightforward, its primary intent to delight the reader and instill awe. Outside of a more than occasionally mean spirited sense of humour, and outdated perspectives which should one should try to extricate from the judgement of enjoyment when reading historical works, I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone as a laidback read.
And that's only Vol 1.! My next review will probably be at the end of Vol 4. I do not know how my thoughts may develop as I continue, so let's listen to the explanation in the next volumes (If you know, you know).
Also Chapter 9 is such a standout. Genuinely tugged at my heartstrings.
Dear Monkey king, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, accompanying the Tang Monk as a pilgrim, on a journey to the Western Heaven for Buddhist scriptures. Never before have I ever experienced a work (and character in particular) live up to and exceed its reputation with such zeal and pomp. The word "Rapscallion" should frankly have as its official definition, simply an image of Sun Wukong.
This truly is a whimsical epic, full of grand adventure, ferocious adversaries, and larger than life characters, spun with a deep knowledge of the religious and spiritual doctrines which underpin it. As the insightful (and dense) introduction by the translator emphasises, Journey to the West represents "the balance/harmony of the three teachings" in Chinese society (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism). Each has its role expertly baked into the very essence of the story. Confucianism extols the virtues of social ethics, enforced by filial piety and communal respect, Buddhism the virtue of spiritualism, offering answers to questions of mortality and cosmic meaning, and Daoism acts as a bridge, built on myth and folklore, to implement these teachings in the material realm. As far as this reader understands, this ebb and flow of "the three teachings" is still evident in modern Chinese media and culture. A testament to the influence of this work, and its ability to evoke and capture the zeitgeist of its period.
And despite the scholarly and historical weight of it, it is a surprisingly light read, at least from an outsiders perspective. It is repetitive and exceedingly loquacious at times, but that only adds to its charm. Like a children's story, this epic religious allegory is straightforward, its primary intent to delight the reader and instill awe. Outside of a more than occasionally mean spirited sense of humour, and outdated perspectives which should one should try to extricate from the judgement of enjoyment when reading historical works, I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone as a laidback read.
And that's only Vol 1.! My next review will probably be at the end of Vol 4. I do not know how my thoughts may develop as I continue, so let's listen to the explanation in the next volumes (If you know, you know).
Also Chapter 9 is such a standout. Genuinely tugged at my heartstrings.
Displaying 1 of 1 review