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Monkey (Penguin Classics)
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Monkey (Penguin Classics) Customer Reviews
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Journey to the West or Monkey Review
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When reading Journey to the West or Monkey one would be so engrossed by the tantalizing action, the fairy-tale like settings, and animated characters that one would forget that there are many layers to this book. It is a fairytale as well as a satire and a historical fiction based on the true events of Tan San Zang (Tripitaka in the book).
With the outline of Tan San Zang's pilgrimage to India to fetch Buddhist scriptures during the arts and cultural Bronze Age of China, the Tang Dynasty, Journey to the West expands his perilous journey over the Gobi desert, Kyrgyzstan, and other Silk Road routes to India in an ingenious way.
As a satire, Monkey unleashes the imagination against the cultural backdrop of China. It plays on the three major religions and ways of thinking of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism and blatantly and playfully laughs at them. Like a good joke, one who pokes fun at oneself- it is not hard to see why Monkey has become a favorite Chinese classic touching every mind, young and old.
Other than being a satire, like most fables and fairytales, Journey to the West has imbedded moral values that can be found. The characters are fictionalized, except for Tripitaka, and are governed with checks-and-balances. Tripitaka is not too far-fetched from the original Tan San Zang conducting the same pilgrimage, yet he is portrayed as a feeble monk who often "cries like a woman" but his tenderness can move his disciples. Monkey or Sun Wu Kong is witty and the most powerful of Tripitaka's disciples, yet his downfall is his arrogance. Pigsy, another disciple is slow but he is none-the-less loyal and brave. Sandy, also one of the three disciples is mostly along for the ride but he represents sincerity. Even though a big part of their journey is out of this world, taking place in the heavens, the underworld, or under-the-sea worlds, their lively characters embodying their flaws and assets can be related to by anyone who tried to get along with another person.
Lastly, the translation of the book by the famous Arthur Waley preserves the comical essence of the book. Furthermore, the most important sequences of Journey to the West can be found and enjoyed in his translation of Monkey.
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