Journey to the West (4-Volume Boxed Set)

Questions About Journey to the West (4-Volume Boxed Set)

by Wu Cheng'en

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Journey to the West, please sign up.

Answered Questions (2)

Considering all four classic novels of China, which would be the best one to start with? Thanks in advance!
Book Nerd I would start with Journey to the West since it has a lot of fantasy and mythology elements. That's the one I started with.
Water Margin/Outlaws of the…moreI would start with Journey to the West since it has a lot of fantasy and mythology elements. That's the one I started with.
Water Margin/Outlaws of the Marsh has plenty of action and battles.
Romance of the Three Kingdom does too, as well as being a broader epic.
Dream of the Red Chamber is very slice of life with some romance.(less)
flag
Which English translation is the best?
Lucy Day Werts .
"Best" depends on what you're looking for.

There are only two complete English translations, one by WJF Jenner, and another by Anthony C. Yu. Yu's has…more.
"Best" depends on what you're looking for.

There are only two complete English translations, one by WJF Jenner, and another by Anthony C. Yu. Yu's has more added material (a long introduction and lots of scholarly footnotes to explain historical and cultural context).

There are many abridgements, including the classic one by Arthur Waley and a recent one with a modern vibe by Julia Lovell.

For more information, including book covers, ISBNs, links to relevant articles, and extracts for comparison, visit We Love Translations: World Literature in English:

» What's the best translation of Journey to the West?

.(less)
flag

Unanswered Questions (2)

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more