The Journey to the West Series (4 book series)

by Anthony C. Yu

Published: 2012

Pages: 576 pages

Theme: History & Civilization

One of the greatest epic tales of adventure, transformation, and rebellion ever written, Journey to the West follows Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, a godlike trickster who defies heaven, masters the Daoist arts, and is ultimately tasked with protecting the monk Xuanzang on a journey to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures. This four-volume translation by Anthony C. Yu is considered the definitive English edition, preserving the novel’s rich Daoist and Buddhist philosophy, poetic structure, and supernatural battles. This is not just a story—it’s a mythic roadmap of power, enlightenment, and the struggle against cosmic authority.

Author Bio

Anthony C. Yu (1938–2015) was a scholar, translator, and professor of Chinese literature, best known for his landmark English translation of Journey to the West. His work brings deep academic insight into the novel’s Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian underpinnings, making it one of the most faithful and philosophical renditions of this classic. His research helped bridge Eastern and Western literary traditions, elevating Journey to the West from an epic fantasy to a universal story of rebellion, enlightenment, and cosmic order. The man who made Sun Wukong’s legend accessible to the world—with all its philosophy intact.

The Journey to the West Series (4 book series)

Author Bio

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