The Journey to the West, Revised Edition, Volume 4 (Volume 4)

Anthony C. Yu’s Journey to the West is nothing short of a literary triumph. This masterful four-volume translation brings one of China’s greatest classical novels to life with both scholarly rigor and engaging readability. Yu achieves the near-impossible: he remains faithful to the original 16th-century text while making it accessible and compelling for a modern English-speaking audience. What sets Yu’s translation apart is not just the accuracy of his rendering, but the cultural and religious depth he brings to the work. He expertly navigates the novel’s rich tapestry of Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian ideas—concepts that are essential to understanding the text—without overwhelming the reader. His extensive footnotes and introductions provide invaluable context, yet never distract from the narrative itself. From the mischievous brilliance of Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) to the spiritual journey of the monk Xuanzang and his eclectic band of disciples, the story unfolds with wit, adventure, and philosophical reflection. Yu preserves the lyrical quality of the original poems and the comic tone of the prose, making the reading experience both thought-provoking and entertaining. Whether you’re a student of Chinese literature, a mythology enthusiast, or simply looking for an unforgettable reading experience, Yu’s Journey to the West is a must-have. It’s a work to be savored slowly, studied deeply, and returned to often. An essential addition to any serious literary collection.

The 4 book series is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Based on a true story, the author weaves together a wonderful world of 3 realities, and a great adventure, creating a masterpiece. After reading this great adventure I missed the characters and the adventure. So much about life and the consequences of living. I’m not going to write a long review, I can only recommend reading the books. Don’t watch the movies, the movies are not close to the books and most importantly fail to show the 3 coexist worlds, Heaven, Earth and Hell. The movies focus on the Monkey King and miss the point of writing the book.

Once you get use to it & perhaps give it a break & come back, it's really good.. Found myself laughing & loving it the 2nd time around much better. You know o they are, you understand what's really taking place (the personal growth) as they work their way to the West. I can jus pick this up & open it anywere & enjoy the adventures of this unusual group. There's a Korean DVD called Goryeo Story that uses this novel as a basis. Acting quite good & it's funny & sad at times, but I didn't like the FL at all. No personality. However, I loved the "monkey in the DVD as much as I did in these books.

I have many translations of this Chinese classic, as well as the original Chinese version. If you want a real feel for this story, you cannot go wrong with this version. Yes, it is long, but so is the original. If you are looking for a very condensed, but well done version, I would also recommend the Arthur Waley translation!!

I have reached, with sadness, the end of my journey through the four-volume, four-hundred-year-old Chinese classic, "The Journey to the West." I plodded through the lengthy but valuable introduction by the translator, Anthony C. Yu, then set off through the hundred fantastical chapters of the story. It is not a journey for those who like their fiction in small doses. Nor does it fit the mold of most of the fantasy that I love. True, there are dragons and monsters and mythic battles, but of the two main characters, one is an ugly, ultra-violent, supernatural monkey, and the other is a timorous, puritanical monk. Moreover, the narration is less immersed in the characters' viewpoints than I usually prefer, partly because it frequently breaks into poetry. Perhaps the biggest departure from typical fantasy tomes is that the book is largely episodic. It journeys westward without much of a dramatic arc. While individual episodes have their battles and resolutions, the characters and the situation change slowly, sometimes imperceptibly. Any or all of the above might have deterred me. Had I been in a more cantankerous mood, perhaps they would have done so. Yet they did not. By and large, I liked the digressions into poetry. I accepted the cowardice of one character, the violence of the other, the less-than-immersive narration, the episodic quality more common to television series than to novels. I liked the lightness of tone, the sense of fun. Most of all, I grew fond of the characters, as I think the author was fond of them. I wanted to spend time in their company, and am left now, at the end of the long journey, missing them.

My step son loves the books

Very readable translation. I don't know how accurate it is, the poetry seems to be almost too good, but I really enjoyed it. Those who are not familiar with this style might want to start with The Bandits of the Marsh or Romance of the Three Kingdoms before tackling the 4 volumes of the Journey to the West.

Two thumbs up.

Best book ever written ?

Good delivery excellent price

Loved the story, but the English is very difficult. But manageable with context. I enjoyed the poems

Truly a masterwork, an all around great piece of literature. Well worth the time taken to read it. This novel is entertaining from start to Finnish. This un abridged translation is excellently done.

This non abridged version is much more enjoyable than an abridged version I read previously.