Monkey: A Folk Novel of China

Monkey: Folk Novel of China is a 1943 translation by Arthur Waley of Wu Ch’êng-ên’s novel originally written in Chinese in the 16th century. This summary refers to the American edition. Wu’s original novel is more typically translated as Journey to the West in modern scholarship, and Waley’s translation excises considerable portions of the original story. While he keeps most of the first two parts intact (Monkey’s story and the origins of Tripitaka), the actual journey to India is considerably shorter, with the original being around 85 chapters just for that portion.

Journey to the West is one of the most famous and influential novels in Chinese history and still holds influence in China today. Part fable, part allegory, Wu’s story combines historical events, existing mythological characters, invented stories, proverbs, lessons about religion, satire of government officials, and considerable humor. While at its core a heroic epic, Monkey is in many ways hard to classify in a single genre.

The first part of the novel tells the story of the stone Monkey, who becomes king of all monkeys before worrying about his mortality and seeking religion.