Wu Ch'Eng-En, an artistic genius, is believed to have been born around 1506, and his legacy is deeply rooted in the 100-chapter novel "Hsi-yu chi", traditionally attributed to him, which was first published in 1592.
The novel, also known as "Journey to the West", has undergone various adaptations, including a highly abridged translation by Arthur Waley, titled "Monkey", which is widely recognized in the West.
Despite the lack of information about Wu's life, his novel is woven around a legend that had been popular in stories and plays for nearly a millennium. The story is based on the account of a T'ang Buddhist monk named Hsüan Tsang, also known as Tripitaka, who traveled from China to India to search for Buddhist scriptures.
Tripitaka's journey is accompanied by a disciple, Sun Wu-kiung, also known as Monkey Aware-of-Vacuity, who shares similarities with the Hindu god Hanuman, but with more human foibles, often leading to mischief. The anthropoid simian, introduced to the story around the thirteenth century, becomes the core of Wu's novel.
Sun Wu-kiung is joined by a lustful, gluttonous pig and a dragon enchanted in the form of a flounder, punishment for breaking the Jade Emperor's cup. The story is a true journey of enlightenment, blending exuberance, humor, and fun, as it follows a path to Buddhahood, with Tripitaka being the only one destined for it.
The fictional, anthropomorphic characters, particularly Tripitaka, are the focus of the story, and despite various adaptations, including movies, plays, comic books, and adventure novels, they all retain the essence of Wu's unifying vision for his disparate sources.
