Monkey King Makes Havoc in Heaven: Wu Cheng’en (Penguin Archive) - Softcover

Cheng’en, Wu

Softcover

ISBN 10: 024175240X ISBN 13: 9780241752401

Publisher: Penguin Classics, 2025

Synopsis

90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books

Wu Cheng’en’s 16^th-century novel Journey to the West is widely regarded as one of the most important Chinese novels ever written. Here, in Julia Lovell’s witty and charismatic translation, we meet one of its heroes: Sun Wukong, or Monkey King, whose powers include shape-shifting, immortality and being incredibly rude. Though he rises to a position of power in the heavenly bureaucracy, Monkey King’s arrogant exploits attract the attention of the Buddha – with very unfortunate consequences.

About this title

About the Author

Very little is known about Wu Cheng'en (c. 1505-80), although he is believed to have held the post of District Magistrate for a time. He had a reputation as a good poet, but only a few rather commonplace verses of his survive in an anthology of Ming poetry and in a local gazetteer.

From the Back Cover

Wu Cheng’en’s 16th-century novel Journey to the West is widely regarded as one of the most important Chinese novels ever written. Here, in Julia Lovell’s witty and charismatic translation, we meet one of its heroes: Sun Wukong, or Monkey King, whose powers include shape-shifting, immortality and being incredibly rude. Though he rises to a position of power in the heavenly bureaucracy, Monkey King’s arrogant exploits attract the attention of the Buddha – with very unfortunate consequences.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 024175240X
• ISBN 13: 9780241752401
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112